November 02, 2009
Monday PM

I wish I had kept a list of all the Ketchikan Pulp Mill employees. In the past few months I knew three of the ex- pulp mills' employees who have died. The last one was Mike Diverty (see Coast Guard suspends search for Sitka Fisherman Monday, Oct. 26, 2009 ) Mike lost his home, his dignity and his family in losing his job due to the actions of the "Tree Huggers" forcing the closure of the Pulp Mill.

Myself, in the last eleven years have had only one year full time job at a decent pay, the rest of my employment has only been part time jobs and at very low pay scale. The current list of advisers that are advising the Borough's course of action with the old Pulp Mill property is a list of "Who Is of the local Green Troops.

I would like to make a point, their course of action, the environmentalism, costs the past employees their jobs and was a direct action against their lives and lively-hood of the past employees. The results of the Green Earth first, tree huggers have indirectly caused loss of life, because they believe stopping road building, development of new industries, preservation of forest (not management) and the earth and its environment are more important than people. Point is, without people what good is the preservation of the latter?

My list of past employees would have reflected the personal losses of the people I knew. Mike Diverity, de-barker Operator wood Room would have been added to the list. He was 51 and lost at sea. He lived on his 32 foot fishing boat.

Don Borders,
Industrial Electronic Technician, Electric Shop
Ketchikan, AK

About: "Ketchikan resident, pulp mill march 1985 to closing date"

Received October 28, 2009 - Published November 02, 2009

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