Saturday, January 13, 2007

Schadenfreude in the Environmental Justice Movement

Everybody knows about it, particularly in Washington, DC. Regardless of its unseemliness, its practitioners simply cannot help themselves. In fact, creating an 'accident' makes one a practitioner. Narcissim is the mirror of the Schadenfreudist. From the Garden to the modern urban suites, Schadenfreudists have practiced their trade. Schadenfreudism in all of its forms is anathema to environmental justice.

There in the intratribal and extratribal rivalries that provided 'product' for the slave trade to jockeying for an extra spoonful of gruel on the slave ship, the Schadenfreudist schemed. There between the field Negro and the house Negro, Schadenfreudism prospered. There in the civil rights movmenet, the practice was neutralized (for a minute). And now in the streets and in the suites, the practice is thriving. Regardless, Environmental Justice in America 2007 will not only be a very successful conference, it will evolve into a practical servant for the protection of those most vulnerable to environmental injustice.
[Schaden - damage + Freude-- joy] (As used here, not only one taking joy from the trouble of others, but also creating trouble for others in order to experience the joy)

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