There are few places as emblematic of a state as the bayous of Louisiana. Places of beauty and mystery and teeming with all kinds of creatures, these areas are the heart and soul of the Gulf Coast.
Now, because of an attempt to extract a resource far offshore — to feed an addiction of monstrous proportions — the bayous, along with estuaries, beaches and countless miles of riverside, will bear the brunt of the fruits of greed, corruption and folly.
Here in the southern Piedmont, we sit just a few hours from the ocean. For many of us, the salt marshes and sounds and the endless stretches of sandbanks at the very edge of land are as much a symbol of North Carolina as the bayous are of the Pelican State.
You can search the world over and not find a coastline with the beauty and abundance of life of the one with which we are blessed. But today and tomorrow, that coastline is threatened.
We do not know yet just how much the catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico will impact our southern beaches and the inner and outer banks. The Gulf Loop is likely to deposit oil along the east coast of Florida and on up our way. So the thought of our coastline one day being inundated with globs of black goo is not theoretical. This is not, pardon the expression, a drill.
In the long run, despite the devastation, there’s little doubt that the push will return to allow for exploration off the Virginia coast and, eventually, ours. Many North Carolinians were gearing up for this fight – again – already.
We all have a personal stake in the fight and bear some responsibility for the demand driving the drilling. This is not just about fighting the oil giants; it’s about fighting our own habits.
We’re all hypocrites when it comes to the burning of gasoline. All we can do is try to align our lives a little more with our principles.
A good place to start is to keep track of personal consumption, then figure out ways to knock it down a few barrels a week. The news from the Gulf over the next few weeks will no doubt be inspiring in this regard.
If you need some more positive inspiration, the next time you travel out to our coast take a closer look around. Stroll over to the other side of the island, get out in the back bays and marshes and remind yourself what’s at risk.
Election clockwork
Not the worst turnout in recent history, but a close second. During the 2006 primary cycle, only 13.25 percent turned out. Tallies for the early vote and Tuesday’s balloting bested that with a whopping 14.92 percent. Nice try.
Don’t worry though. You’ll have another chance not to vote in about six weeks, when the runoff in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate is held.
The U.S. Senate, by the way, is a major governing body that decides important pieces of legislation. It is currently very closely split between the parties. Under our constitution, North Carolina is allotted two senators.