Exide Accused of Making LA Residents Sick Via Economic Racism

   Racism comes in a plethora of forms. Putting a toxic plant in a predominately Latino neighborhood that emits lead and arsenic in the air and under ground is another way of showing the arrogance of Corporate Greed. Which begs the question, how to battle a corporate giant when you are labeled a "minority"?

   Residents of Vernon are in a fight for the health of their families against EXIDE who recently filed for bankruptcy protection while being accused of poisoning East LA.  Exide makes and recycles lead-acid batteries. Residents have complained of soot from the plant on their cars, lawns and outside furniture. They   are also worried about higher cases of cancer, asthma and other health issues as a direct result from Exide's extremely high arsenic emissions. 

   L.A. Superior Court Judge Luis A. Lavin overturned a temporary closure on Exide's Vernon plant much to the disappointment of concerned residents on July 2nd. Exide will be back in business despite their numerous health violations. OSHA and The EPA has found Exide in violation of air safety laws in numerous plants including Vernon yet it is allowed to stay open. Why?

KAT Catches The Endeavor The L.A.'s Voiceless Get The Shaft

Funny thing happened when I try to find the Endeavor shuttle while it flies over L.A. It is too bad the fly by/over excitement was a slight of hand media trick to avoid some bigger issues:

1. Removing 400 Mature Trees
2. The Tree Removal happened without citizens' approval
3. The Tree Removal happened in a mostly Black Neighborhood
4. Air quality is normally worse in vulnerable areas that house Blacks, Hispanics and people that aren't Rich
5. As someone else put it, there is no way in Hell this would occurred in Beverly Hills
6. Mature trees help filter the air
7. The tree cutting will happened in a densely populated area with serious air quality challenges by LAX, Inglewood and Westchester
8. The air quality in an already polluted area will drastically change without mature trees.
9. Young trees don't filter as much carbon dioxide
10. Trees help filter animal waste, pollution and house animals
11. How will birds and bees and other animals be effected?
12. Visually, the neighborhoods with the Tree Removal will aesthetically be changed for the worse
13. The City and The California Science Center  promises to plant 4 times the number of trees but how long will that take
14. The City and The California Science Center   promises to create jobs targeted for youths to replant and maintenance the Trees removed for the Endeavor Shuttle
15. The California Science Center which will house the Shuttle Endeavor, has made a lot of promises - Will They Keep Them?
16. They also promise to give out at least 10 Scholarships to youths in the community

Who knows what kind of timeline the City as well as The California Science Center is talking about? Who knows what kind of irreparable damage removing mature trees in a densely populated area will do at the same time?
You you think there would be some Scientists at the California Science Center that would be concerned about the environmental damage the massive mature Tree Removal will do to the area.
So although I was excited at the time watching the Space Shuttle Endeavor pass, the statement of "Fuck me, Fuck me!" might actually be accurate when talking about the larger crime of  massive Tree Removal in L.A.