Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
A salute to those who decide to get involved
Columnist Bill Rettew talks to some local activists who offer insight on why it’s important to get involved.
“Get involved … the world is run by those who show up,” reads the bumper sticker. I didn’t see that sticker on just any day, it was the day I was headed to interview community activist Tom Casey.
I’ve met very few people with as much drive, spunk and passion for change as Casey. That’s with apologies to super activist Lisa Longo, who I interviewed at a Washington rally for a similar column.
It’s wonderful to chat with people like Casey who are overthe-top crazy about something, anything. Whether it’s trains or bees, or pickle ball or Bob Dylan (oh, that was me!), I love hearing about it.
I enjoy talking to people who have an incredible intensity for life and work to evoke change.
It sure feels like the ‘60s again. I remember little of those days since I was only 8 years old for Woodstock, but I’ve read a great deal.
People are protesting again like they did during the days of flower power and free love.
During the past six months, and since the presidential inauguration, I’ve covered about a dozen rallies.
I’ve attended several weekly demonstrations outside Rep. Ryan Costello’s office. Costello says he thinks it’s fine for people to demonstrate and wave protest signs, but he’d probably rather the demonstrators go someplace else.
Amazingly, I saw Costello show up and receive polite applause from protesters after he’d voted against the Republican plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
I’ve also covered demonstrators at state Sen. Andy Dinniman’s office, at West Chester University and several times on the Historic Courthouse steps, which included both those against hate (and who isn’t) and those opposed to spraying for mosquitoes.
And have you seen that huge rat the unions drag around?
Every week for about a decade, on Saturdays, the Chester County Peace Movement and the Sheep Dogs hold signs, while serenaded by friendly car honking, on opposite street corners, at High and Gay streets in West Chester.
As embarrassing as it is to say, I’ve sat in many municipal meetings not long ago where I was the only member of the audience.
These days, residents are filling almost every seat at many public meetings, forcing some municipalities to find bigger places to meet.
Whether it’s those opposed to construction of homes at the Bishop Tube Site in West Whiteland, the digging of the Sunoco Mariner East 2 pipeline or those who want to save Crebilly Farm in Westtown Township from Toll Brothers, the auditorium and meeting room seats are filled with fannies.
I also recently spoke with activist Mindy Rhodes, who inspires residents and voters to attend the continuing conditional use hearings for the proposed Crebilly Farm subdivision.
“If there is no one out there, then the developer and board of supervisors look out on a sea of emptiness,” Rhodes said. “I can’t imagine being in their position if the board of supervisors saw no one in those seats.
“Wouldn’t you want to just give up?”
Rhodes writes a regular email newsletter, which includes several good reasons to attend upcoming meetings. She puts her money where her mouth is and attends those four-hour meetings.
“You can’t make people do something,” she said during a break at a recent meeting. “I try to empower people with knowledge.
“It’s most important to make it to the meetings.”
West Goshen’s Tom Casey is fighting against construction of the Sunoco Mariner East 2 Pipeline. He doesn’t buy Sunoco gas and he doesn’t think you should either.
For more than a year, 12 to 15 hours a day, seven days a week, Casey assembled car magnets and signs, established a website, ran meetings and lobbied township, county, state and federal officials. He also launched a lawsuit against Sunoco to uphold local zoning.
He organized, organized, organized.
The Mariner East 2 pipeline runs through Casey’s yard.
I asked him if he’s a “NIMBY” (Not In My Back Yard). With a sly smile Casey told me he is a “NIMBY-OY” (Or Yours).
Casey is proud of his role as a stay-at-home-dad.
“Not many men get the opportunity to help raise their children in this fashion,” he said. “It’s our responsibility to safeguard our children. I take that extremely seriously.”
So why keep going to all those meetings and putting in so much time?
“I don’t give up on a fight simply because it seems like an insurmountable task,” he said. “My goal has always been to be active in the community, as best I can, because that’s our responsibility as citizens.
“That’s what I teach my kids and I have to model it. My wife and I tell our kids that they should do the right thing. How do they know what the right thing is?”
Casey has taken a step back from working long
days, but still finds his continued commitment fighting the pipeline fulfilling.
“It’s fun when you are successful,” Casey said. “When somebody doubts you and your ability, or whether what you’re saying is accurate, and you can be proud that you are correct, it’s a gratifying feeling.”
Casey pointed to the Middletown Coalition for Community Safety, which is fighting the same uphill battle in Delaware County.
“Having people from other communities – I try to engage,” he said. “They’re bringing new life to it.
“It’s their right to do so. It makes me hopeful that the messaging we had early on is continuing. I don’t need to do it all – they’re taking the ball and running with it.”
Agree or disagree with them, Casey and Rhodes are inspirations. They’re showing up, along with hundreds of other Chester County residents. When will the rest of us?