Who Should Speak & When is it permissible to dissent?

Who Should Speak? The Citizens of Friendswood? An Esteemed Institution? Why?

The people of Friendswood have been faced with a traumatic and massively destructive situation regarding the oil spill that occurred some time ago. The people of Friendswood are in the process of trying to regain control of their land and lives all while dealing with the emotional and physical effects that the spill has had on them and their families. 

However, what the citizens (all except for Lee) do not know is that the EPA, who allegedly is serving as the relief system and control center for repairing and rejuvenating the lost land, has been deceiving them and downplaying/ignoring the true effects and longevity of the toxic oil festering under the surface of their soil. The toxic and deadly oil that originally created such damage from the oil spill is still present underneath the land that construction companies are beginning to claim. Lee, who is first-handedly aware of the effects that the toxic oil can cause is determined to out the EPA and make sure that no one else risks their lives or that of their families by living on that land.

In this case, it is the EPA's responsibility to inform their citizens of the danger that exists under their potential new homes. Whether or not the EPA knows for a fact that the soil is still 100% toxic, they should either alert their citizens (who whole-heartedly trust them for information) or work harder than they are to take precautionary measures to ensure that the land is clean again. Until they do this, they cannot be considered the "Environmental Protection Agency" since they are not doing everything in their power to protect the environment.

When is it Permissible to Dissent?

For such a small town, Friendswood has undergone such extreme hardship and disaster these past few years regarding the oil spill and the potential rape of teenager Willa. While living in a small town may seem ideal and more familial to some people, it also attests to the fact that people are more likely to be easily swayed to push certain controversial matters under the rug at the risk of ruining or creating a rift in their small and tight knit community. This fear of speaking out has most definitely taken over Friendswood whether its citizens know it or not, and in order for their problems to end, people need to begin to speak out and against certain institutions, people, and movements. In this case, dissent is necessary for the survival of this hurting town and its citizens.

Dissent, while unnecessary usually, can actually lead to problems being resolved and a general feeling of unity among a group of people. However, in order for dissent to be a positive thing, it must be used at the right time. For example; it is permissible for Lee and the citizens of Friendswood to create dissent among their town with the EPA regarding the misconceptions of their so-called "clean" land which in all reality is filled with toxic soil. In this case dissent is permissible because it is being carried out in regards of the citizens' safety, not simply for the satisfaction of fighting authority. 

Another example of a time in which dissent would be permissible is regarding the Stanford rape case. In this case, a young woman who was allegedly raped by an "upstanding student"/future Olympic swimmer is being intensely interrogated in a way that insinuates that she is the attacker rather than the victim. Along with that, her rapist is being let out prison early on the account that he was "drinking therefore unaccountable for his actions" and because "20 minutes of action shouldn't ruin his life". In this case, dissent is most definitely permissible. While the young woman and her family may be afraid to dissent or speak out against this man's actions as a result of backlash from haters or the media, justice will never be truly reached. As stated in the article, "This is not a story of another drunk college hookup with poor decision making. Assault is not an accident." (p.9)

Finally, in a case similar to that of the citizens of Friendswood, a small town in East Chicago was recently forced to evacuate their homes and "scramble to find new ones" as a result of toxic soil. These people were constantly lied to and told that the soil and their land would be fine and that there was no need to move since the soil can be safely removed. However, the mayor abruptly informed all 1,100 citizens that they have only 1 month and a little sum of money to immediately move out and restart their lives elsewhere. Understandably, the citizens of this East Chicago town are horrified and annoyed and worried for the safety of themselves and their 670 children. This example also justifies the idea that dissent is indeed permissible when a specific institution, group of people, or single person threaten the safety or well being of an individual or group of people.

Works Cited: 

Baker, Katie. "Here  is The Powerful Letter The Stanford Victim Read Aloud to her Attacker." BuzzFeed.com BuzzFeed, 3 Jan. 2016. Web. 07 Sept. 2016.

Goodnough, Abby. "Their Soil Toxic, 1,100 Indiana Residents Scramble to Find New Homes." The New York Times. The New York Times, 30 Aug. 2016. Web. 07 Sept. 2016.