'Transformational': Environmental justice advocates see hope in debate discussion

NBC "News" / Comcast ^ | October 23, 2020 | By Denise Chow (D-NBC)

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Advocates of environmental justice have long been frustrated by politicians who ignore the plight of communities that are most at risk from climate change.

On Thursday night, they saw signs of change.

President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden were asked during the presidential debate about the unequal burden that people of color in the United States face from exposure to pollution, toxic substances and other environmental risks.

Their answers revealed stark differences in how the issue is viewed by both candidates, but climate activists said that witnessing a discussion of environmental racism on a national stage felt like a watershed moment. Many viewed it as a crucial first step toward a long-overdue reckoning on environmental justice.

“It was historic and transformational, because it puts an even bigger spotlight on the issue - the challenges and impacts, but also the opportunities,” said Mustafa Santiago Ali, vice president of environmental justice, climate, and community revitalization at the National Wildlife Federation.

Ali, who spent 24 years working for the Environmental Protection Agency and served as an associate administrator in the EPA’s environmental justice office under the Obama administration, said the question also revealed how much the candidates diverge on the topic.

Issues of environmental racism have been known to researchers for decades, but these problems have come under sharper focus in recent years.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

:: the plight of communities ::

Hey, commies.
The effect on communities is known as /weather/, not climate.

[eartick]

Why no mention of ol whitey that works inside the fence.

Wonder why, hhhhmmmm

[Alberta's Child]

I am familiar with how this idiocy works. A few years I worked on a project where we had to make some last-minute changes in our final project documents to address “environmental justice” issues.

These frauds run around acting like someone from Exxon/Mobil came along and built an oil refinery in the middle of a black neighborhood. What really happened is that the refinery was built in what turned into a WHITE neighborhood. Then the white people who worked at the refinery and began earning a decent living got the hell out of there and moved to the suburbs as soon as they could. The poor minorities who now live in that crappy neighborhood came there long after the refinery was built.

[nonsporting]

BLM, ANTIFA and other communist terrorist organizations have had a devastating impact on communities. These EJWs don’t mention this. I wonder why?

“environmental justice” is an excuse for a socialist take over. We know the Marxist code words and what they really imply.

[Dahoser]

Exactly, Goebbels. These idiots are happy because the candidate behind their cause told yet another BS story about how he grew up, this time that Mama Biden had to wipe the residual oil from the nearby evil polluting facility off the windshield of the family station wagon before she and little Joey could drive anywhere. C’mom, man!

[ronnie raygun]

Their Hope that the scam will continue and we will fall victim to it

[SierraWasp]

":: the plight of communities ::"

1st... the blight, then

2nd... the fright, then

3rd... the flight, then

4th... the spite, then

5th... the slight, then

6th... the fight, then

7th... the "Super Fund" site!!!

2 4 6 8 WE DON'T WANNA MITIGATE!!! ALL WE WANNA DO IS DEMONSTRATE!!!

[Thommas]

Good comment on the development of neighborhoods in the vicinity of industry. The envronazis only want to perpetuate the Marxist agenda of reducing everyone to a subsistence level of life.