Environmental Group Apologizes for Remarks by Former Board Member

C-WIN Apologizes for Former Board Member's Remarks about Farmworkers

by Dan Bacher

Carolee Krieger, President of the California Water Impact Network (C-WIN), today issued an apology for disparaging remarks about immigrant farmworkers made by now former Board member Lloyd Carter at a debate on San Joaquin Valley water issues at Fresno State University on February 4.

Carter made the following remarks to a TV reporter from Channel 26 prior to the debate: "What parent raises their child to become a farm worker? These kids, they're the least educated people in America or in the southwest corner of this valley. They turn to lives of crime. They go on welfare. They get into drug trafficking and they join gangs."

Immediately upon learning about the remarks, Krieger today called an emergency Board meeting at which the members voted unanimously to remove Carter from the Board.

"The Board member made comments that were against C-WIN’s mission and values," said Krieger. "The comments were deeply distressing to members of the C-WIN board."

The Board also voted unanimously to adopt a resolution stating "that the California Water Impact Network will redouble its efforts to expose and fight environmental injustice and continue to work to protect water for the people and environment of California."

Besides Krieger, other board members signing the resolution included Jim Edmondson, Treasurer, Joan Hartmann, Secretary, Michael Jackson, Board Member, and Tom Stokely, Board Member.

Carter issued an apology for his remarks on his blog. "My comments were directed at the exploitation of farmworkers in the southwestern corner of the valley, which is the poorest place in America but, as worded, implied that ALL farmworkers turn to lives of crime or gangs, which is obviously not true," he said. "My remarks were intended to focus on the social costs of exploiting an immigrant worker population which is denied adequate pay, housing and education (http://www.lloydgcarter.com/content/090206198_apology).

"I now realize I made a terrible mistake in the way I expressed myself and I humbly apologize to all who were offended. I have a long reputation of supporting environmental and social justice for farmworkers, who put food on our tables every day in America," Carter stated.

An apology aired on Channel 26 the next night. "Again, I painfully realize my comments offended many people and I truly regret the error," he emphasized. "It will not happen again."

In my opinion, C-WIN did the right thing by removing Carter from the board and issuing a resolution in strong support of environmental justice. Carter also did the right thing by apologizing for his remarks and resigning from the board.

As a long time advocate for environmental justice, I believe that we have to maintain a united front against corporate agribusiness and the water developers who are now campaigning for a peripheral canal and more dams. We must fight for sustainable fisheries and farms, for sustainable fishing jobs and sustainable farm jobs; we can't have one without the other. I have often argued with racists who want to use immigrants as scapegoats for the problems caused by corporate globalization and government policy. There is no excuse for racism.

Approximately 200 farmworkers, growers, politicians, community leaders and business leaders rallied in front of Fresno City Hall this morning to protest Carter's comments. Assembly Member Juan Arambula, D-Fresno, told the audience, "I'm not here to attack Carter, but I disagree in no uncertain terms with what he said." Farmworkers are "good people who don't deserve to be insulted," according to this afternoon's article in the Fresno Bee. I agree with Arambula.

Fresno County Supervisor and local farmer Phil Larson, who participated in Wednesday's debate and appeared at the rally today, claimed he was shocked by Carter's comments. "Is that what he really thinks?" Larson told a reporter from KFSN Channel 30 Television in Fresno. "Is that what the environmental community really thinks of the ag workers? If that's the environmental philosophy, we got a problem in this country?"

However, it's crucial to understand that corporate agribusiness and right wing is cynically using Carter's comments to attack environmental opponents of the peripheral canal and the current water regime. Ironically, it is these same ruthless growers who have exploited immigrant farmworkers and busted unions while destroying our fisheries and poisoning the drinking water of rural communities.

The right wing has already been successful in cynically misappropriating the UFW slogan, "Si Se Puede," when last year it brought farmworkers in labor contractor buses to the State Capitol to back the peripheral canal/dams water bond backed by Fresno Mayor Allan Autry and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger at carefully choreographed rallies. I was appalled when I saw a hard core opponent of environmental justice like Autry talking about the "legacy of Cesar Chavez" before he led chants of "Si Se Puede" during pro water bond rallies last year.

Although I disagree strongly with Carter's remarks, we must instead focus our anger on our common enemy - corporate agribusiness interests that have ruthlessly exploited farmworkers for many decades while destroying Central Valley chinook salmon and Delta fish populations by diverting massive amounts of water from the West Coast's largest estuary.


Today’s Resolution by C-WIN

RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, the California Water Impact Network has always based its actions on environmental justice and full human rights and dignity for all people; and

WHEREAS, the Board of the California Water Impact Network learned on February 9, 2009, of comments made by Lloyd Carter that were inaccurate, insensitive, and inappropriate characterizations of the vital role of immigrant farm workers in California; and

WHEREAS, the California Water Impact Network Board members were stunned and deeply disappointed by Carter’s comments and firmly repudiate Carter’s expressed views.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that as of February 9, 2009, Lloyd Carter is no longer a member of the Board of the California Water Impact Network; and

IT IS FURTHER RESOLVED, that the California Water Impact Network will redouble its efforts to expose and fight environmental injustice and continue to work to protect water for the people and environment of California..

Signature lines for all board members:

Approved unanimously by a quorum of Board Members present this Day, February 9, 2009:


Carolee Krieger, President of the Board and Executive Director

Jim Edmondson, Treasurer

Joan Hartmann, Secretary

Michael Jackson, Board Member

Tom Stokely, Board Member