Rather than eggheading all the time, I actually went to the No New (Offshore) Drilling Rally in Laguna Beach. It was held at Main Beach. It started with networking, and then sign waving and chanting along Pacific Coast Highway. Then we gathered for short inspiring talks by the famous Laguna Beach Lifeguard Tower. Finally, we all formed a human line in the sand, literally, to stop offshore oil drilling.
The highlighted speakers were Laguna Beach Mayor and super-environmentalist Toni Iseman. She was followed by Democratic Representative Alan Lowenstein of Long Beach and the 47th District. Then the Cheers star Ted Danson. Then the Mermaid briefly spoke, speaking for the endangered sea life from possible oil spills.
Unnotably absent was our Congressman, Republican Dana Rohrabacher, who argued before Congress that off-shore oil drilling was safer than shipping in our oil. The Deepwater Horizon Gulf disaster, coupled with the Trump deregulation of inspections of offshore drilling equipment, show that to be wrong. It is also a red herring. We are going to be getting oil from tankers either way. Also missing was Republican Representative Mimi Walters from California’s 45th District covering Irvine, whose constituents come down the Canyon every weekend to enjoy the beach and Laguna Beach.
Mayor Iseman noted that last year Laguna Beach voted to oppose offshore oil drilling. The beach and ocean area off of Laguna Beach are a Marine Protected Area.
Ted Danson recalled the past battle that he was involved with to prevent off-shore drilling off of the Atlantic Coast. He is a Founding Board Member of Oceana, the worldwide ocean protection group, which helped organize the rally.
With the large turnout and Coast Highway traffic and beach noise, and the low mike volume, I couldn’t hear many of the talks, but I will look for them on the web.
Many people turned out, and gained an appreciation of how much enthusiasm there is for protecting our ocean and beach. They took the time to make up signs and display them for hours along Pacific Coast Highway.
My pictures of the people and signs at the rally are posted on my Flickr account.
