What is this country coming to? Adults sit around in lofty meetings discussing this Fracking business. We spend thousands of dollars debating the issue; testing this theory or that theory, thinking about all the what-ifs. But really, we should be listening to our children, the next generation. Here is what nine-year-olds have to say about the Fracking issue...
48 Middletown New York elementary school fourth-graders had this to say about Fracking, and I quote...
"It could cause methane explosions, poison our water and kill people. They killed cattle."
"We don't want to be poisoned by Fracking."
"Sometimes, because of Fracking, earthquakes can happen." (Minor earthquakes in Ohio were cited here.)
Fracking is very bad for the earth. Gov. Cuomo should not allow New York State to Frack."
"According to the article entitled 'Congressional probe finds carcinogens in fracturing fluids,' 650 cancer-causing chemicals are being placed into the earth during the Fracking process. Even though landowners may get richer from the natural gas, carcinogens are being placed in the earth."
"Traffic and noise will be increased. Fracking will decrease tourism in areas of New York State."
"Accidents can still happen. The gas can leak and chemicals can leak into the aquifer and it can poison our water."
Another bright student, nine-year-old Kayla, urges Gov. Cuomo, the father of three daughters, to think ahead..." So that the environment can be good for the children of the future."
These young children, all 48 of them, unanimously decided, after extensive research, that Fracking should be banned from New York State and they encouraged Gov. Cuomo to do just that. If nine-year-old kids can see what we cannot see, then we have a big problem. It's time to wake up and smell the roses. It's time to do the right thing and think of our future, our children.
