Silvis Alderman has done his homework

From the OC Online opinion section:

Pig plant: profit at any cost
By Bob Zesiger

Very few Americans seem to understand or be much concerned about today's increasingly powerful, influential and controlling corporations. But I feel a responsibility to identify and discuss four documents that have helped me to gain a startling awareness, insight and thus skepticism of our modern (mostly for profit) corporations:

-- 1. "Empire of the Pigs," by Donald A Barlett and James B. Steele

-- 2. "An Interview with Robert Hinkley," by Arnie Cooper the Sun September 2004

-- 3. "Confessions of An Economic Hit Man," by John Perkins.

-- 4. "Crimes Against Nature," by Robert F. Kennedy Jr..

The pig plant that Triumph is planning to establish on Barstow Road less than one mile from Silvis is a glaring example of a profit at any cost project. Triumph is duty bound by the terms of its charter to make profit for its shareholders. But Triumph is not duty bound to care for our environment, public health, the dignity and safety of their employees or the welfare of our community. We the citizens are left with that responsibility.

Triumph's CEO, Rick Hoffman, is highly skilled and experienced at influencing local, state and federal agencies (especially mayors and aldermen) to gain favors and concessions, and acquiring great amounts of corporate welfare at the expense of taxpaying citizens.

In a magical way, R. Hoffman has the cities elected representatives looking at a shiny, new pig plant (in St. Joseph, Mo.) and the possibility of increased jobs and business. What they are failing to focus on is the reality of pollution of well water, streams, rivers, land and air and the repulsive odor and excretion from truck loads (four per hour) of pigs on our streets and roads -- the increased cases of West Nile Virus, pfiesteria, E. Coli and other pig manure related diseases -- the decreased residential property value, additional cost to schools, hospitals, policing, welfare and in general disruption of our quiet and safe lifestyle within our communities.

By encouraging and helping to finance Triumph's pig plant with (taxpayers' money) we are driving many family farms out of existence and encouraging corporate/factory pig farms to flourish. This will be at the expense of our environment, health and well being of neighboring farms and communities. Corporations in general (with Bush's help) are wrenching the control of people's government and resources from citizens of this nation and the world.

Triumph presents a situation where citizens must become informed, voice their opinions and become involved.

A meeting for Silvis Wards 3 and 4 will be 7 p.m. Thursday at the George O. Barr cafeteria. The meeting for Silvis Ward 1 will be 1 p.m. Sunday at Porkies Restaurant. Special Silvis Council session will be 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at McGeehee Center, Schaddt Park.

Americans must look at/read the book, "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man," by John Perkins. Most Americans have no idea of the power and influence that corporations have over the small nations of the world. Corporations corrupt small world governments indebt them to world banks, help themselves to their resources, pollute their environment and threaten or worse the small nations' leaders if they won't cooperate and aid the corporations that abuse and exploit them.

This book will help you to understand why America's wholesome image is being tarnished and America is being reviled throughout the world.


Bob Zesiger is an alderman in Silvis.

I commend alderman Zesiger for taking his responsibilities to be informed seriously and it's truly refreshing to learn that he's well aware of and able to see the larger issues involved in this project.

I think his reading list is excellent, and I hope to find some of the titles. I've already read "hitman" and recommend it as well. This guy knows what he's talking about.

Proposed site of Triumph Plant, 172nd St. and Barstow Rd.
Reader submitted photos.