The truth about Lennar and the Bayview is revealed.
 |
|
by Sam Drew/PNN "Politics as usual ,",I said to myself as I disgustedly glanced at The San Francisco Examiner. The article stated that in a 9-2 vote, the Board of Supervisors approved a resolution allowing the city to proceed with the planning on the massive project at the Hunters Point Shipyard. A project run by Lennar Corporation rife with asbestos poisoning Asbestos is a disease that is close to me and my family. My father spent 20 years in the Merchant Marines working in the boiler rooms that were filled with asbestos dust. This was during the 50's when medical science wasn't aware of the dangers of asbestosis. I watched him transform from a robust fun loving man on the town to an old man who couldn't walk a city block because of severe breathing problems. This project includes 6,500 units of housing at Candlestick Point, 2,000 units of housing at the HuntersPoint Shipyard site, retail and office space, park, and a new stadium for the San Francisco 49'ers. Supervisors Chris Daly and Ed Jew voted against the resolution I recently had the privilege to listen to some of the 30,000 residents when I attended the townhall meeting on environmental racism just a strong cool breeze away from the Hunters Point Shipyard at the bustling Grace Tabernacle Community Church As I strolled into the stately Grace Tabernacle Community Church in the historic BayView district for the town hall meeting . I couldn't help but notice all the beautiful children seated on the back pews. Rows and rows of neatly dressed children doing what little folks do best. Laughing, smiling, giggling, wiggling and bubbling over with life. The joyful noise would be momentarily abated when an adult would quietly but sternly say shhhhh! Silence descended for a few minutes, but merriment would slowly resurface behind stifled snickers as the young ones cut each other sly glances The reason for the townhall meeting was to alert the BayView Hunters Point community that it is being poisoned to death by breathing asbestos laced toxic dust everyday. The cause of this virulent vapor is the redevelopment project going on at the Hunters Point Shipyard. The company in charge of this toxic cleanup and redevelopment is the Lennar Corporation. A Miami based firm that is the third largest home builder in the country, Lennar is throwing its hat into urban redevelopment with the blessing and support of the mayor and The City. The packed church had the feeling of an old time revival meeting as three fervent firebrand figures implored the galvanized gathering to rise up and tell the city they're mad as hell and won't take it anymore. Minister Christopher Muhammad, Archbishop King and host Pastor Ernest Jackson each took turns letting the audience know that the community will not place jobs or redevelopment over the health and the well being of its citizens."We need uncompromising leadership that will not watch our babies, mothers and our fathers be destroyed for economic purposes!" declared King. Next Minister Muhammad explained the root meaning of the word conspiracy,"It's from the Latin word that means to breathe together.We are breathing death as we speak!" The type of death being inhaled was explained in exacting detail."Asbestos dust when it gets in your lungs it never leaves." Stated Muhammad. As the congregation gasped at this revelation they were further shocked by the genesis of this plague.Muhammad said ,"Lennar was supposed to have monitors on site to check the levels of acceptable dust particlues you can breathe.But for four months from April to August there were no monitors.' Muhammad told of children wiping their faces with towels and the towels would be brown from dust. Also of dust clouds so thick children complained of breathing problems. Muhammad decried those in responsible positions who have been negligent in responding to this health crisis,."The Health Department is supposes to watch out on behalf of the community. And the Redevelopment Agency is to make sure the company is in compliance with the laws. The city has the power to shut it (Lennar) down if they do not follow the rules." Special concern was given to so-called community leaders who know about the problem but succumb to the safety in silence syndrome,"The day of giving passes is over!!! So called leaders have sold their souls for crumbs off the table .In the name of development they have left the community exposed to toxic waste. Supervisor Sophie Maxwell never said a word. Her silence is deafening. She was elected to represent the people." Shouts of amen reverberated off the multicolored stained glass windows as the faithful were told of lawsuits against Lennar by three of its highest level Black employees for concealing evidence of toxic elevations of asbestos. Special commendations were given to Chris Carpenter the worker who was fired by Lennar for blowing the whistle on their toxic malfeasance. Carpenter was more concerned about the health hazards to the community was being exposed to than holding on to his good job. Carpenter said,"When we were working on the hill digging on the side of the dirt. We had to use water to suppress the dirt from being airborne. The dust became so thick I couldn't see my fellow workers! I received a call from someone downtown telling me to stay away from the issue because things can get bad!" But that kind of talk didn't scare Carpenter away from the truth. He laughed and said with a smile,"I grew up in the BayView Hunters Point." No one seemed scared of the truth at this town hall meeting. No one apologized for possible injured feelings that might arise in this crusade for environmental justice. "Feelings can be healed, but lung disease can't be healed. The poisoning of our community continues. Last week a reading was over 21,000 particulates. 16,000 is an acceptable amount of dust you can breathe "spoke Muhammad The assembled were told that a doctor was flow out to take tests on the asbestos toxicity in the community. But Dr. Katz of the Health Department said'"That's not good science maybe in 100 years I might be proven wrong." Asbestos has a incubation period of 20 years. It can remain in the lungs for long periods of time before you suffer from asbestosis. Asbestosis causes scarring of the lungs. When the lungs become scarred the passage ways begin to close making it difficult to breathe. Plans of community involvement and empowerment was delineated by Muhammad,"We're going apartment to apartment to let them know what they have been exposed to and who exposed them. We are going door to door to educate our people.' By our people he meant the entire community as represented by the energized and envolved church filled with African Americans, Caucasians, Latinos and Samoans who were standing and cheering. Those who entered this hallowed building were being educated, motivated, organized and mobilized. Also in the works is a class action lawsuit on behalf of every man, woman, boy and girl in the BayView HuntersPoint district Muhammad lowered his voice as he told of efforts to reach people downtown. All we asked them is to shut it down and come and test.That isn't unreasonable is it? Olive branches were offered to politicians and community leaders to listen with open minds to the citizens. Truth was being told but there is plenty room on the bandwagon for those who want to jump on board In a question and answer period several locals told of recurring nose bleeds and of sore throats ,colds and coughing that they and their children suffered through during the digging period of the redevelopment program. One excited citizen jumped up to exclaim that people were trying to redo the siding on homes again. Another person told him "you know why, so they can hide the evidence." As I slowly left the church still reviewing all the important information that had been passed on, one of the young children on the back pews jumped in front of me to go outside with his playmates. He was lovingly reminded that he should say excuse me to one of his elders. I looked at his smiling angelic face as he slowly repeated the words, excuse me. I though how can anyone say excuse me to this young one if they had the chance to protect his health and said or did nothing about the situation. The day of excuses is over. It was overmy father a long time ago -I hope its not overfor this community. A line has been drawn and everyone has to decide what side they're on. Either the side for life or the side for death. Sam Drew is a poverty and race scholar who graduated with honors from POOR Magazine's Race, Poverty and Media Justice Institute For more information, contact. |