The following is from one of the leaders of Martin County, Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch. Jacqui is a Republican I strongly support. She is currently an elected official in Sewall's Point and clearly understands the power politics that are crushing Florida's water quality; all to keep a single special interest, Big Sugar, in place.
Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch
Indian River Lagoon
It’s a fight…so early in the morning?
Yes, this morning was not unlike many others, here in Sewall’s Point, between the St Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon…
I get up, walk down stairs, pour a cup of coffee and ramble out into the darkness of a rising morning. The song of a bird calls through a new day. I am hopeful. I lean down and pick up the Stuart News looking for signs of sunrise east over the Indian River Lagoon. Beauty abides. Once inside, I open the paper looking through every page, and there on the back cover of Section A, yet another full-page ad from U.S. Sugar Corporation entitled “Here are the facts about moving Lake Okeechobee water south.”
U.S. Sugar Corp. Ad Stuart News, 4-7-16
Hmmm?
“It is unbelievable how much effort U.S. Sugar is making to reframe the Lake Okeechobee discharges issue. “95% of water coming into the lake is from the north”…yes…and what else? Why is it so important for them to push this message here?
Maybe I do know why….
I go to my computer and look at my Facebook news feed. Immediately Bullsugar.org comes up.
Bullsugar.org
Bullsugar.org Facebook cover 4-7-16
This organization rising out of Martin County ‘s 2013 Lost Summer has gone from 0 to 61,355 friends in really less than a year. Their goal is to send the water south and fight the message that water can’t go south, especially the message of U.S. Sugar Corporation.
Interesting….is one message a reaction to the other or visa vera?
Hundreds, maybe thousands of people will see U.S. Sugar’s ad in the Stuart News today. Hundreds, and maybe thousands of people will see Bullsugar’s active Facebook page today.
One thing is for certain, the Bullsugar advocacy group is gaining strength and sophistication. They may not be able to afford full-page ads in the Stuart News, but by using social media they are giving one of the most powerful corporations in the world a “run for their money.” There is a momentum across the state for the first time in many years. Fascinating to watch. Sometimes as much as we don’t like to admit it, there’s nothing like a good fight.
Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch
Indian River Lagoon
The Fight For Clean Water, Bullsugar vs. U.S. Sugar Corporation
.....
Stuart News ad U.S. Sugar/Bullsugar.org FacebookIt’s a fight…so early in the morning?
Yes, this morning was not unlike many others, here in Sewall’s Point, between the St Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon…
I get up, walk down stairs, pour a cup of coffee and ramble out into the darkness of a rising morning. The song of a bird calls through a new day. I am hopeful. I lean down and pick up the Stuart News looking for signs of sunrise east over the Indian River Lagoon. Beauty abides. Once inside, I open the paper looking through every page, and there on the back cover of Section A, yet another full-page ad from U.S. Sugar Corporation entitled “Here are the facts about moving Lake Okeechobee water south.”
U.S. Sugar Corp. Ad Stuart News, 4-7-16
Hmmm?
“It is unbelievable how much effort U.S. Sugar is making to reframe the Lake Okeechobee discharges issue. “95% of water coming into the lake is from the north”…yes…and what else? Why is it so important for them to push this message here?
Maybe I do know why….
I go to my computer and look at my Facebook news feed. Immediately Bullsugar.org comes up.
Bullsugar.org
Bullsugar.org Facebook cover 4-7-16
This organization rising out of Martin County ‘s 2013 Lost Summer has gone from 0 to 61,355 friends in really less than a year. Their goal is to send the water south and fight the message that water can’t go south, especially the message of U.S. Sugar Corporation.
Interesting….is one message a reaction to the other or visa vera?
Hundreds, maybe thousands of people will see U.S. Sugar’s ad in the Stuart News today. Hundreds, and maybe thousands of people will see Bullsugar’s active Facebook page today.
One thing is for certain, the Bullsugar advocacy group is gaining strength and sophistication. They may not be able to afford full-page ads in the Stuart News, but by using social media they are giving one of the most powerful corporations in the world a “run for their money.” There is a momentum across the state for the first time in many years. Fascinating to watch. Sometimes as much as we don’t like to admit it, there’s nothing like a good fight.
7 comments:
I only hope that the print media doesn't have a readership. So many older folks don't bother with social media. And those guys vote.
Bullsugar should be doing voter education and get out the vote, so their base is in Florida, where their base matters in the fight. Those Facebook likes need to represent people armed with a voter card.
Unfortunately, with social media you can get numbers from anywhere in the world; you can collect donations from anywhere (good!) BUT, the local voters and numbers are what counts in the end. You can use social media to frame your argument, but not to everyone, because we aren't totally social media literate.
"...we aren't totally social media literate." Good point.
But most of us can read.
Where are the billboards (the size of Conchy Joe's for example) countering US Sugar? Where are the warning signs, along the Indian River Lagoon, stating "Eat what you catch, at your own risk?" (Risk signs have been along the Shenandoah River in VA for decades, as a result of mercury pollution.)
HOWEVER, I sincerely believe a first step is to secure funds, from the federal government, for businesses that have lost and will continue to lose revenue due to unnatural forces, beyond their control. Once those who depend on healthy waterways for a living have a sense of financial security, I suspect we will see a quick and enduring resolution to the devastation of one of the richest estuaries in the world.
I agree- it is time we hit everyone with billboards. No billboards, no action.
Crazy Jacqui blaming people 100 miles away for our own problems. Its our septic tanks that are putting sewage in our water Jacqi - not farmers 3 counties away.
Where does U.S. Sugar take the position that water cannot be sent south? That's a misconception. They have land south of Lake Okeechobee. Bullsugar is campaigning for the purchase of that land. But they ignore the fact that the acreage is too small to control the water flowing from the north. The purchase of U.S. Sugar's land would take funding away from existing projects east and west of the lake that would send the flow south. Their completion and the construction of water treatment and storage to the north is the best solution for controlling Lake O's discharges east and west and for sending clean water south. Real estate developers want that U.S. Sugar land and Bullsugar is being less than honest in their reason for wanting its purchase.
Bullsugar should advocate for water storage and treatment in the north and for storage and treatment on the 100,000 acres of public land that sits south of Lake Okeechobee.
Bullsugar rose from 0 to 60k followers on social media because it's all fake. Not only are the ones behind the group crooks, but they are attempting to lie to the public in order to gain control of the land South of Lake O. http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article73238572.html
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