Buffalo Rising Online

Oct 27th 2007, 12:00am By Bill Zimmermann

Health is at stake. It's known health Science versus area leadership Silence. And the West Side community is mad and gathering.

People on Buffalo's West Side are sick and geting sicker and while several world universities have been here in recent summers to study that fact, our WNY media crushes the data to silence. Why? And how could we let this happen? The area leadership and monied folk say the universities that spell out the health damage are just being silly academics. Really?

This new West Side community push may be what they hope to be the perfect storm to litigate for attention to their rights of health and property from the unhealthy disorder of an unrightful Authority called the PBA-- the Peace Bridge Authority.

There is a pheonomenal amount of money that flows over our Peace Bridge each year-- over 35 billion dollars-- and while multiple millions of dollars in toll fees are collected at the Peace Bridge Authority (PBA) troll coffers, none of it stays in and for Buffalo-- we taxpayers only get the brunt of paying for the infrastucture that allows the trucks to escape away quickly. (At least these fellows could buy some gas and a candybar).

Since the PBA is of, by and for the people, (legally) and yet hallowed into sovereignty by the mysteries of laws not confining an Authority of the State (the reality), we're all at a grave loss of power communication as a community. Discussions of any real import sort could fill a large closet.

Our top leaders in every sector of our community are extremely well supported or forewarned by the PBA, and in essence Shut Up from defending our rights. Each of our politicians and community leaders are discretely told to pick their battles in their illustrious careers, in order to win their long strides, and if they want to play for the long haul in WNY, then just damn well stay away from the PBA! And sadly, they needs-must listen and comply, and Obey the PBA.

This issue is about health, however. At least give a listen to the Ambassador Bridge Group (ABG) and their arguments in this direction-- and question them hard as can be-- but also Demand that the PBA answer the health issues we all have at hand. There's more filthy public relations rugs covering over our community start-up discussion attempts with the PBA than you can imagine.

Do you know what an actuary study is? That's where, say, GM does a prior study of how many deaths might occur if a certain vehicle enters the marketplace. Certain standards are met (sort of like a food product allowing just so many "rat hairs" percentage, etc). If the number of deaths resultant from expectations are low enough, the product comes off the assembly to the marketplace.

The key ingredient is to avoid lawsuits, condemnation and insurance rate hikes. Given that actuary table background, consider that the PBA's arrogant aggression with their project is to horrifically deny and go on about ignoring shamelessly the quantified and recorded and internationally known health jeopardy and assault they plague upon a residential Buffalo West Side community.

What's more, the PBA is assertively held harmless-- they think-- because the health threats are covered up by mainstream media.

Why doesn't the News give full representation to the issues at hand? Warren Buffet was refused co-ownership investment years ago by the owner of the ABG there, and has since refused his reporters and editors their journalistic rights to give a fair hearing to the ABG. Good reporters, stifled-- to an absolutely and embarrassingly obvious degree.

What's more, the Detroit onslaught would upset the financial holds balance of the Buffalo Few who think and are probably correct in assumptions that they alone run things here.

If millions of trucks make an entire community sick and kill several of them individually over time, ongoingly, the PBA is unapologetic to the final degree-- they are not threatened by lawsuits, nor insurance threats, nor anything as remote as legal assaults of any kind. They are impervious.

The actuary tables are well documented that the present exisiting format is indeed killing persons on a constant qualified time clock of a schedule... they know it...ignore it...and raise halos to their collective proud ignorance of societal and economic place and habit. And on goes the Gulag Authority called PBA whose sole purpose is to quell a democratic entry in their stronghold from a weak and weary citizenry. All discussions and all choices are theirs on their good time.

The West Side of Buffalo is a scientifically noted Ground Zero for Asthma. Look at the Llebuga-Mukasa regional respiratory health map and it shows red dots of frequency throughout the region-- however, the red dot on the West Side is One Big Red Blob-- scientifically noted 100% frequency of respiratory distress and disease. Yes, it is Ground Zero, very much documented, and people are unhealthy because of diesel particulate concentrations flowing from southewesterly winds from the 24-7 idling trucks.

It's not because of the vast industry there on the West Side--there isn't ANY industry at all there. Heck, there's even less cars per household than in any other areas. There's simply a community trying to live, work, raise families...and breathe. But many can't breathe. They choke at night. They feel like they're suffocating. Some die. Often. Who cares? Why is this?

When approximately 14 delegations rose to podiums at Buffalo and Fort Erie public meetings, (delegations are merely those individuals who sought a right to speak up) they were from so varied walks of life and interests, and we each and all spoke of the PBA health threats. What was unique is that Not ONE delegation from the side supporting the PBA was not already under their payroll. Cover that fact over the months and years of public hearings and it makes you wonder. No, it makes you sad and it makes us all victimized.

Incidentally-- those who were community diligent enough to speak up at said meetings-- doctors, engineers, professors, homeowners, cancer and asthma patients and parents of patients, were all treated as if they were wandering wackos...community loudmouths, ignorant sloths of dreamerville, etc. Absolutely no respect.

At the Fort Erie hearing by the Town Council a couple years back the several delegations got up one by one to speak their peace-- individuals concerned about PBA health issues, and individuals on PBA salaries--- and all were cross examined after and during their speech by the Fort Erie Mayor (whose law firm repre$ented the PBA). The Council meeting lasted from 6 pm on a Monday night until 1:05 am that night.

I was there, and was ongoingly shocked at how the Fort Erie mayor lambasted me and each and every other speaker, as he cross examined us like a Southern Sheriff battering at a chain gang. He abused every member of his own Town Council opposing him as well. He stole the several hour show.

Over six and a half tiring hours we were given two five minute breaks and had to hear the mayor bait and control the display, not giving an inch to anyone. Then, at 1:03 a.m., the Mayor took the microphone after the second break and said it's time to vote.

Then!-- surprise; in a low cowardly tone of apology, the Mayor whisperingly "recused" himself from the voting process --due to a conflict of business interest and bias (being the Canadian lawyer for the PBA). In another minute, the night was done, finished, and the Fort Erie mayor managed to badger the entire truth process on behalf of the PBA agenda. What exactly do you call that display of democracy of a concerned community?

I've never seen a public display of idiocy and greed overtake a democratic process to this transaparent an extent. And the PBA attorneys all sat there knowing they had a lock on our tuth and voice. That's the sad, sick process at work here.

Imagine...There's a little school kid trying to go to sleep tonight on the west side, and he'll wake his parents if he's lucky enough to get their attention that he simply Cannot Breath. They'll call an ambulance-- he'll get pumped with drugs, and the cycle will go on.

The clock ticks away and little kids on the west side of Buffalo are dying because of the controls of the PBA to ignore the health consequences of their ongoing actions in pursuit of money and greed.

The PBA shuts down debate. The PBA buys politicians. The PBA threatens careers if anyone speaks out against them. The PBA crushes the media from opening real debate. And the Buffalo News complies.

Too many of the people who run Buffalo-- not you or me-- fully already know the following fact:

...there's a west side child or maybe a grandmother who will choke to death tonight, or some night soon, because they cannot breath. The leaders of our community know there's a woman happily seeking the pursuit of her life and career whose life will be cut short by cancer on the West Side in order to allow those idling trucks. It's all in the actuary tables. --But it's okay.

The constant southwesterly flowing tiny idling diesel fuel particulates are among the most prevalent and poisonous toxins on the globe--community lawsuits everywhere extoll this obviousness...but Buffalo leaders do not hear it whatsoever. And the deaths go on.

This is a life or death health war, albeit a forcefully quieted one, scaped over, and yet the community is losing because the community leaders are ignoring the ongoing truth. If it hit your own family, as it does daily to many Hispanics and others, including the topographical flow reaches from the Peace Bridge to graceful living on Oakland Place-- you'd listen and act-- wouldn't you?

The scientists have the facts, and they're not in the West Side's favor, from Custioms gates to Elmwood Village-- families are respiratorily sick and getting sicker. Clarkson University hears though, because they've been to Buffalo's west side. They show this news in their medical studies. So does Harvard University.

So does the University of Buffalo. So does McMasters University. They've ALL been to ground Zero-- the Buffalo West Side. If you move there, check your annual report-- because within One year you will have a respiratory disease of some sort.

I and many others don't want to close down the Peace Bridge. We just don't want the killing trucks to go over this car bridge.

I and many others don't want the trucks' emissions to harm folks in Black Rock either. But who is even allowed by mainstream media to hear the ABG disclosure of health effects studies? Why is that effort continually buried?

Here's the deal...are you listening PBA and Buffalo leaders?

I and many others very much in fact do want the Buffalo Community to crush the veritable wall put up by the PBA and the Media, and to Open the Discussion between the Community and the PBA and the Ambassador Bridge people. Get it ALL on our table, now!

Make it a "health issue only" first. Emmulate the doctors' creed "First do no harm." Then get your wealth concerns underway, you, the Buffalo Few who control us. But stop killing us. Consider our community Health first.

Otherwise, bring on the lawyers and we'll supply the whole worlds' scientists' studies, plus the doctors, families, the patients, and the petitions-- and we'll take it another way...because one thing is for sure-- Unless you kill us, PBA, with asthma or otherwise, we are not going away.

We're going to keep gathering this storm, and we will assimilate, and we'll formidably Class Act, and we'll make Lois Gibbs and Love Canal look like a Niagara Falls picnic party from the national debate we'll lure to this subject of your community health-mistreating Authority-- and all of that is only if need be.

But we're not going away. This fight is not going away. We'll give it our last breath. Many of us have sadly already done so. And many more continue to suffer. And all are looking for someone to hear them. Not at public hearings that get muffled-- but to really hear them, and act on their behalf. Public leadership cowardlyness must end. Now.