Thoughts from a Beach

As I sit here on vacation in Wildwood, New Jersey I can't help but revisit the topic of an archived post on Offshore drilling. For those who live near the shore, there is nothing quite like it. The constant noise of the waves hitting the sand is one of the most therapeutic sounds on earth. I can sit out on this balcony and enjoy nature's beauty forever. When we politicize a topic like environmentalism, rarely do we truly understand what is at stake. I don't believe there is any American who wouldn't like to pay less for a gallon of gasoline, but I believe Joni Mitchell said it best when she sang, "...don't it always seems as though, that you don't know what you got till it's gone...". Environmentalists get a bad wrap as people who care more for the planet than they do for people. I like to think they care for both by preserving the delicate balance between the two. Perhaps it's because they have faith in the human ability to think beyond destroying mother nature for all eternity just to save a few dollars on gasoline. Sure Americans would love to pay less to be able to drive farther on vacation, but as I previously stated, where exactly would you drive? Nobody wants to swim in an ocean that has been befouled by Petroleum. Nobody wants to eat seafood that has been tainted by chemicals. I would like to extend an invitation to supporters of offshore drilling to come and spend a week or two here at the beach and only after they have done so, ask, is it worth it? Just something I was thinking about here on the sand.