The War on the 4rth of July

The War on the 4th of July chronicled the attempt by Ben Schroeter to require the City of Seattle conduct an environmental review prior to holding the Chase family 4rth, sponsored by JP Morgan Chase & Co., who, according to KING-TV, will pick up the tab this Fourth of July for the Lake Union fireworks show that Washington Mutual sponsored before its bankruptcy. The New York-based company took over WaMu last September.

(See a photo of Gasworks at http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/45IC4gkYjabENFQEzYeqqA?select=vkTHvWzvPoSQ3FjX_3I30w)

The funding for one of the biggest fireworks shows in the nation had been in question, and Chase’s announcement came as welcome news to the hundreds of thousands who take in one of Seattle’s two spectacular Independence Day displays, especially the non-profit One Reel company that just announced the one-year deal.

Mr. Schroeter, who had previously nixed a planned event at the same park by one reel, found the news not so welcome, due to concerns about the effect of the planned festivities on gasworks park, which is a "remediated" toxic waste site. under Washington State law, (MTCA) remediation of Toxic Waste sites is expedited, and after removal of a portion of carcinogenic waste, and the sprinkling of some dirt on top to Cap it, its all set for use as a park for children to play in. Children playing in toxic waste is big business in the State of Washington. In nearby Olympia, (the capitol of Washington State for those of you in the "other Washington" challenged majority) there is even a project to put a Hands On Children's museum on another Toxic Waste site next to a sewage treatment plant.

In any case the celebration is Seattle will be called The Chase Family Fourth, and festivities kick off Saturday July 4 at noon "with family activities throughout the Gas Works Park grounds", food vendors catering to the most diverse palates, and a beer garden with a lake view. ( It is hoped that the portion of the park still fenced off as too contaminated for use is not included in the program. Gas Works was once the site of a coal-to-gas plant, which left behind a toxic stew that has caused the park to close several times over the years. In 1984, hazard-testing crews with the Environmental Protection Agency showed up wearing disposable rubber gloves, boots and face respirators. The city later closed the park for five months)The evening programming begins at approximately 10 PM, with a fireworks show created by master pyrotechnic designer, Eric Tucker of Pyro Spectaculars.

As the City of Seattle states... "We're proud to welcome Chase as the Title Sponsor of the 2009 Family 4th at Lake Union! Once hailed by TIME Magazine as one of the "Top Five Fireworks Displays" in the country, this free admission, family-friendly celebration is in its 21st year of bringing together the local community on our nation's birthday for a unique day of commemoration."

The media coverage of the dastardly assault by Mr. Shroeter on all that is good about America was the subject of a minor media feeding frenzy, (see below)including a Shrammie. (ie a mock award from KOMO News' Ken Schram.

Schrammie - http://www.komonews.com/opinion/kenschram/49607407.html

Seattle Weekly - http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/2009/06/more_on_the_suit_to_end_the_fi.php

Seattle Weekly - http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/2009/07/gasworks_fireworks_suit_goes_n.php

Seattle Times - http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009400018_gasworks30m.html

KOMO - http://www.komonews.com/news/local/49473032.html

Significantly the Komo Article referred to SEPA (the State Environmental Policy Act) as the Solar Energy Power Association, as all good Americans should. Who needs pesky environmental laws. What harm can some benzene or other chemicals you can't even see do? 1 out of 5 corporate funded doctors have concluded that a little bit of cancer is good for you!

However, the good news is that the people at the Washington State Bar Association have their big brotherish eye on all those pesky citizens like Shroeter who may dare to question the righteousness of the Chase Corporation, he City of Seattle, or other governmental actions. And without paying an attorney!!!

As three (conveniently unidentified or misidentified as a former State Supreme Court judicial assistant) Weyerhaeuser attorneys (who apparently may have had the procedural pants beat off of them by a pair of pro se's, in a case involving a toxic waste site that Weyerhaeuser wanted to use for a logyard) write in the article located at http://www.wsba.org/media/publications/barnews/pro+se.htm

"The Washington State Bar Association could increase awareness of vexatious pro se activities by keeping a database of pro se activities. Although the Bar Association has no oversight over pro se activities, it can help attorneys and the courts deal with vexatious litigants by keeping track of the cases they file, the grounds of those cases, and the ultimate disposition of those cases. Such information would be invaluable in establishing the kind of pattern of abusive practice necessary to support aggressive injunctive relief against future filings."

So the next time Mr. "Save the environment" Schroeter dares to show his children loving and tree hugging face in court, presuming to question the righteousness of those government officials and corporations he should bow in craven submission to, or attempting to prevent us from exercising our god-given rights to expose our children to toxic waste, the chances are that the Washington Bar Association's Commissars of Correctness will have his number and be waiting for him with aggressive relief, rubber hoses, and a proactive electroshock program to drive those un-American thoughts right out of his mind. Those lawyers will show him how not to be "vexatious" all right. Lawyers are experts at making people feel good by their kind and courteous acts, and are not vexatious at all. That's what they go to law school for, to learn how to be polite and caring so everyone will love them.

All of us heroes can surely rest in peace that the Bar's Commissars of Correctness are at work to put paid to presumptuous citizens like Mr. Schroeter in the State of Washington. And that if we ever have the opportunity to travel to Seattle or Olympia, that our children will never lack for "remediated" toxic waste sites to play in. God bless America!!!

P.S. The Chase Family 4th Website http://www.chasefamily4th.org/ has an American Flag and the Statue of Liberty on it. How much more American can you get? For shame, Mr. "My Kids will get cancer from toxic waste" Schroeter. Wake up and smell the benzene!