
TWO PSYCHOLOGICAL PILLARS OF I-49 CONNECTOR SUPPORTERS – Vic Hummert
Linguist Benjamin Whorf introduced the Whorfian Hypothesis, ” an undeniable principle stating “If we change our language, we will certainly change thinking of people.” Rather than sadly state “Mother died today,” children are more peaceful in announcing : “Mother has just entered fullness of life.”
Psychologist Kurt Lewin describes the” Approach – Avoidance syndrome” in which we draw near to a person or situation then impulsively reverse course at the point of contact.
*It is obvious proponents of the I-49 connector are glibly describing a route that will knife through the center of Lafayette as an aesthetic, economic boost to a city of 125,000. Nothing is said about elevated highways being removed in other cities globally, displacement of local homes, businesses or gross inconvenience to those once described by a Lafayette city official as living “on the wrong side of the railroad tracks.”
For decades residents of Lafayette have known about toxic wastes left by one major railroad. The owner of that negligent, irresponsible corporation is also CEO of Berkshire-Hathaway. The prominent financial wizard’s net worth in US dollars is over $63 billion. With the swish of his 85-year old wrist, an order could be given to clean up Lafayette’s toxic mess.
Nine Superfund sites already found in one of the poorest states of the union are draining money from tax payers. Should the prominent billionaire or Louisiana citizens be responsible for cleaning up known poison deposits adjacent to the proposed connector?
Vocal I-49 supporters cannot deny existence of the toxic mess, but will cleverly avoid any discussion of reality. Deflecting, ignoring any admission of threats to our aquifer is essential to the project’s survival. Whorf and Lewin are our professors.
“Recent polls” on the I-49 subject by citizens are presented with the presumption many residents do not know from where their water comes, nor to where it will flow as wastewater.
One high school student from St. Louis, MO made his private research of asking residents in any city he visited: *What is the population of your community? *What is the source of your drinking water? His unpublished research indicated the vast majority had feeble awareness about population, water sources or forthcoming international water wars. Colorado has seven water courts as thirty million people contend for drawing from the Colorado river.
The Vermillion river is not an alternative if I-49 harms the Chicot aquifer.
If impoverished Louisiana (#49) had water courts would the I-49 connector be permitted to continue?
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