published in full by
translation Italian text of this interesting little touches all the issues of our movement
OF MELANIE Belanger
rebelion.org
«(...) arises from the reality show, and the show is real. This reciprocal alienation is the essence and the support of society (...) the show is nothing less than the total effect of the practice of a socio-economic formation, its use of time. (...) This is the model of socially dominant life. It is the omnipresent affirmation of the choice already made in the production and its corollary consumption (...) In the show, image del'economia ruling, the goal does not exist, development is everything. "
( Guy Debord, La Sociedad of Espectáculo [the society of the spectacle, ndt], 1967)
Ah, golf ... If only people knew a little 'better than it actually is! Perhaps it is best to start showing what it means to play golf in the heart of the Empire, but from a policy perspective and a critical look deeply, as it offers the irreverent, militant anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist, comedian George Carlin regarding this topic:
Carlin shows that the surface environmental and socially in the U.S. lost because of this activity that he describes as "elitist, liberal middle-class self-centered, arrogant, useless, and destructive," corresponds to the size of three states of this country (twice the Delaware and Rhode Island once, ie, more than one million hectares). He mentioned that in this space and the resources that you invest in it futilely, it could be put in place all the people currently living on the streets of the USA ... In terms of general literature, a brief foray into the web allows us to ascertain the extent and the strength of social movements that denounce the golf, especially for socio-environmental reasons (1). However, the project's golf, not to stop being fashionable, they say, "well, okay, but ... you can make golf clubs that are" sustainable "! (Especially if they themselves "pagan" environmental impact studies, real ?...). Cero, this is now''''onda: dresses of green, you soothe consciences, and ... you still doing the same thing. We are in this era in which the name of "sustainable development" has become a new workhorse of capitalism. And that horse! There is everything, and now everything is sustainable (though, that it is supporting or sustain exactly?). Not only are there "sustainable golf", but there are also self-sustainable. Yes, without irony, auto manufacturers and oil companies have adopted a cross-border advertising strategy of marketing 'green', fierce and very serious. At trial, a popular propaganda that says "do its part for the Terrra; take the new XXX, eco-efficiency, because every gesture counts," and the birds sing and the trees - to move the car "label" - tremble with the wind, and people in the ad seen taaanto happy ... Yes, they have every reason to be: bought a machine that not only allows him to preserve their way of life destructor, no no remorse of conscience in light of the alarming global tragedy of climate change, but nevertheless, they are saving the planet! How nice, right? You ladies and gentlemen: Today, everything is "sustainable" or livelihood. Not only is golf, oil and cars, but also the microwave, Barbies, stuffed animals, and soon all of a sudden come out some underpants sustainable. Perhaps then we will say, those parts of the labeling of intimate apparel that is biodegradable, and many applaud and will come running to buy it once and for all. This showcase, or "green face wash (greenwashing) is a force more powerful and blinding. How could not this be so? It is so lucrative! And people drink the story: the deception is enormous. Not because the responsible consumption - the ecological and social-level does not have any validity. Of course you do, it is valid. What she reports here, no doubt, is another matter: it is the pernicious logic that allows the capitalist system to re-condition the people to remain on the surface, with an instrumental form and mechanics, and that does not reflect, nor are active, if not a little about the underlying causes - structural and systemic - problem. That would be radical (like he used to say José Martí, it would be "go to the root of things"), critical to to become dangerously revolutionary. But of course, what can you expect from a company "modeled" for over a century and a half to the hegemonic culture of capitalism and the sacred belief in "progress" West (2)? For this reason, I believe that we must have faith and ensure that this tragic phenomenon capitalist not take root in those countries of "Our America" \u200b\u200bwho sign up already, happily, in socialist revolutionary processes, no? Return to golf courses. Certainly there are some other strategies rather than to the golf courses are a little less polluting and destructive to the level strictly environmental (3). Without doubt, the lobby Golf in the Nordic countries using large forces for "greening" the face of this pastime. I say hobby (or hobbies), because as George Carlin, I do not think you can classify "sport" this aberration of pleasure, in which some people, for the most overbearing, social class, high and very high or aspiring to be part of that , prance above the grass short, well-adjusted and abnormally perfect, and once again hit a ball a ridiculous and reached by motorized vehicles, accompanied by their "followed and servants" (the caddies) that collect and washing equipment, and then drink a cup with them in a luxurious Club - private members with exclusive and expensive, no doubt - where time to take advantage of the "business". So proud, as Carlin says, well, that's pastime in terms of space needed for his practice! These immense land (measuring hundreds of acres each) are a huge loss of potentially arable land, forests or existing or potential, or simply places where many people could live. That is not only incredible, but also appears to be deeply unseemly in these times of severe environmental and socio-economic crisis that we live all over the planet. But that's not all ... The golf club, because of the low forest cover leaving or contain, contribute to the erosion of soils - which, many times, are of good quality and, as mentioned earlier, could be used in a productive, efficient and good for the community. These clubs are spending huge amounts of water - have only one course is the equivalent of swallowing a daily water consumption of 6000 people - this creates a pressure against the monstrous aqueducts. (4). Moreover, this erosion is accompanied by a wide use, indiscriminate and highly polluting large amounts of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. Well, if it is in the north, a few years ago, to limit any damage from erosion and contamination (although there will never eliminate them, because the design and the essence of this land by itself prevent it), the disaster caused by these projects in the so-called South is even more significant for various reasons. First, because the environmental laws that exist there are many times, even more unnoticed by the capitalists (local or transnational) that the "North" - as the socio-ecological impunity and injustice are global, but are more pronounced in the "South". Second, because golf courses are only accessible to local elites and wealthy foreign tourists. Consequently, a golf club in the south is equal to: 1) the destruction, sometimes brutal, sensitive ecosystems and unrecoverable. For example, tropical forests are often cut to create extensive golf courses, this contributes to the serious problem of deforestation and leads to an irretrievable loss of biodiversity (including endemic species), as well as the fertility of fragile tropical soils. The latter, deprived of adequate plant cover, are eroding away and become sterile. Often located near the sea, golf courses, will also, often, the destruction of key mangrove dell'imbiancamento fatal coral reefs (these ecosystems coexist in harmony and both are threatened by climate change and pollution existing marine). In this way, the barriers are dying slowly because of the leakage and the flow of water contaminated with high concentrations of pesticides and synthetic nitrogen fertilizers, as well as sediment (for dragging) to the coast (*). Without doubt, corals, once dead, can not be resuscitated as Jesus did with Lazarus, and even as if they were some banks in capitalist crak. And that, in purely economic level, appears to be irrational and non-profitable, because the barriers are many times in these tropical regions, an important source of revenue for the sector (eco) tourism that exploits (snorkeling, diving etc. .) .2) degradation of life human. Why? For something very simple, no doubt, many unscrupulous promoters or some ignorant technocrats (sometimes covered) if they forget. It is the fact that the continued health of ecosystems are intimately linked to the quality and the possibility of life, as well as to human health. In this sense, the golf club make very little in the immediate, medium-and large-term, the budget is extremely negativo.Contribuiscono the destruction of some subsistence activities of which the rich and diverse ecosystems are threatened by the golf media, such as the ol'ecoturismo fishing. Due to the exploitation of groundwater, generated serious shortage water for local people. And I repeat: we must consider that, in most cases, ecological crime that not even need to produce and / or secure (in the short term at least) food for a substantial part of local populations, or to have a dignified place to live . Then, a factor not sufficiently appreciated, although extremely important, is the socio-economic damages that result in golf clubs. Also, many times, they are accompanied by multimillion-dollar real estate projects for rich semi-Western residents, many of them retirees, who contribute to the destruction and environmental pollution in various forms, including: i) the excessive consumption of resources-especially Water! - as most of the imported products or packaging and the disposal of these shells need (or both, toxic waste), often thrown into open dumps that there are already adequate local infrastructure to re-evaluate these materials; II) for the improper disposal of sewage generated by these settlements - many times in the sea, or otherwise crude through pipelines and plants and inefficient. On top of that, where you install these "exclusive communities, not only will they create or exacerbate certain environmental problems, economic, or human health (and costs the same for local people and public systems - if there are any), related to waste and pollution they cause, but also social tensions. Why? V Simply for the fact of creating a system of economic exploitation of neo-colonial type, in which local people "need" some "masters" of the north fortunate, low-paid jobs (ie, after the initial boom of the building, remain the work of maintenance and cleaning). In this way the "locals" are caught, day after day, in a situation for which they feel does not have control of their work (they say "I have no alternative"), even over his own life or their destiny. Moreover, their reality puts before, daily, the injustice of their plight, which they themselves often end up comparing with the fact of not having the same economic opportunities which their "owners" enjoy (what is normal even if it is wrong, now that's style life of these "masters" is highly undesirable for humanity that already impossible). That breeds despair, frustration considerable, as all types of anti-ethical behavior and attitude as "hacerse el vivo" (opportunistic, ndt), cheating, envy, individualism, prostitution and the sex of the character The trouble for power and wealth, expertise exasperated, etc.. Many fall. Finally, it will damage the socio-community, which is worsened when those elite enclaves cause some loss of their "bread", as usually occurs with the irreversible damage caused to industrial fishing (or ecotourism) in costiere.A socio-cultural areas, it appears to be, then, a symbolic violence (Bourdieu) absolute. The installation of these golf club helps to nothing less than the acculturation of local people in favor of the hegemony of Western capitalism (Gramsci), ie, the value system shown here includes the 'oppressed the same assent " (Poulantzas). Loss of sense, colonization of the imaginary, social transformation nefarious plot. In some regions, entire indigenous territories are sacrificed on the altar of this individualistic pastime, megalomaniac, toxic and destructive, of indecently wealthy people - the majority "Caucasian" in Europe and North America. Golf, cultural and ideological level, is ultimately one of the most faithful reflection of the culture of genocidal eco-consumption and waste arrogant dominance of capitalism in the world is the expression par excellence of bourgeois reason-parasitic capitalist depredation. Finally, the creation of golf clubs in the south side also has its own directly political, since many times these projects are implemented by "disabling" of the area by means of blatant corruption and suborn local authorities, by powerful and wealthy foreign businessmen allied to a local elite anti-patriotic, and dreary march to the bud. A demonstration of the effects of golf in the South, I invite interested parties to read over the grave controversy around an infamous plan to build a land with dozens of condominiums for rich American retirees in the province of Bocas del Toro, Panama, in the middle zone damping of the National Marine Park Bastimentos (articulated the current threatened La Amistad International Park, declared a Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site by UNESCO). Panama, a country whose territory has been literally sold, piece by piece, over the past 10 years, to foreign capital ... Behind this project promoted by entrepreneurs from North American, disguised as "sustainable development", he strongly suspected there was the hand of BID (Interamerican Development Bank), under the brand no less infamous Plan Puebla-Panama (5). Finally, maybe one day disappear this abomination socio-ecological, economic, political and cultural functions, the golf club. Meanwhile, you need to ask one more time: what legacy we leave to our children and grandchildren, great expanses of barren land and gold trophies and plastic ball-shaped, or as healthy ecosystems and healthy society more just? PS: a little story, just a hint ... A few years ago, I lived in a mountainous region (Quebec), and sometimes at dawn, I used to go in front of a large golf club that was there. The vision of surreal and frightening at the same time I had in those times was that of a worker dressed from head to foot with white bags of style "Diving Bell," which "fumigated" with pesticides toxic enough greens (which have their name only the green color they have, plus obtained in a totally artificial). Since then, I thought of these poor rich men, "naive, ch, clothes of their jackets and polo quick-dry pants $ 300, were only two hours later, to tread the same ground poisoned, laugh and breathe deeply, collect their ball and another one from the ground once more, after two swings and eating a donut with their hands covered in pesticides ... It was (and still is) deep and tragic absurdity that. In fact, with regard to health, there are several diseases for which there are already convincing scientific evidence that is caused by the use of derivatives by fluorine (among other toxic substances) in golf courses (6). Melanie Belanger
Source: http://www.rebelion.orglink/ :
19.08.2010Traduzione for www.comedonchisciotte.org by ANTONIETTA BANDELLONINote: (*) can not be underestimate the eco-toxicity of the products that are used in golf courses. The concentration of active agents in the synthetic products used for their maintenance is extremely high. On these grounds we often use chemical formulas specifically designed to kill the worms GROUND
(7. As is well known, the earth worms are a very important part for the life of soil, being one of the "biotic" major regeneration of the earth. Now, well, to keep GREEN beautiful and smooth, you are killing. That is, for players to have an aesthetically pleasing ground, and in order to avoid any undesirable small pile of earth that are harmful to the performance of golfers, you ASSASSIN Literally the soil, which, together al'acqua, forms the basis of life on this Earth. The time has come, finally, that people know what golf is and what has caused worldwide. For esempiol by destruction of coral reefs de los Cayos de Florida, Hawaii and Jamaica has been accelerated by the construction of golf clubs there, with condominiums and mega-hotel adjacent. Why? First of all, for having destroyed the mangrove forests near-coastal marine these are the "lungs" of the barriers, which are born and reproduce in most species of fish that people, once adult, the barriers (
). The same U.S. government had to recognize the course as a cause of the problem of reef destruction, "Logic, operation over and Necessity. Coral reefs need for their health, water and a healthy habitat. L 'pollution entering the reef ecosystems in several ways, from specific sources such as the channeling of landfills and storage of sewage to the downward spread of terrestrial origin, produced by the (...) coastal development, road construction and irrigation [water or chemical ] of golf courses. Water contamination can poison several sensitive species, to break into critical ecological functions, as well as in trophic structures and their dynamics in a manner that prevents the normal population and increased coral larvae highly necessary. "(Http:// coralreef.gov/about/CRTFAxnPlan9.pdf
) Other scientific paper (Economic valuation of the coral reefs of Hawaii - Final Report (2002); http://coralreef.gov/meeting18/evhcri_samoa_2007.pdf
), refers repeatedly to the damage caused to coral reefs by golf club, "coming from the percolation (...) (...) golf courses" (p. ix) '(...) excessive leaching of nutrients and coastal (...) use of pesticides and fertilizers on golf courses "(p. 7)" (...) the leaching of fertilizers from golf courses destroying the fragile ecosystem that exists among the corals, algae and herbivores at the head of saturation [water] of nutrients, which favors some species, usually near coral reefs, and involves changes in the structure of coral dlla population (eg: Marszalek, 1987, Grigg and Dollar, 1990; Maragos et al., 1985). "(P. 43)." (...) About the problem seaweed Kihei, among the causes is (...) leaching from land of golf "(p. 65) 1 - On this subject, General may consult the following source: http://www.panna.org/drift/fight
. The following articolo scientifico è helpful:
- Rist, Gilbert. 2003. "Development: the symbolic violence of a belief", in Christian Comeliau, ed. "Drafts for future contributions to the debate on alternatives," Les Nouveaux Cahiers de l'IUED, Geneva, No. 14, PUF , Paris. 3 - Per esempio, nel caso del Canada: http://www.greenontario.org/strategy/golf.html4
- Marks, Corina (2007). "Too Much, Too Soon: Why your tourist dollars" could end up Destroying Baja California. " http://wildcoast.blog.com/tag/environmental-destruction/
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