‘Hands Across the the Sand’ draws attention to offshore drilling – and a host of other issues
Hundreds of people joined hands on the Yacht Club Beach Saturday, a statement of solidarity against offshore drilling, all while promoting the use of alternative and green energy sources.
Called “Hands Across the Sand”, the same event took place at 800 beaches across the nation.
Sanibel, Fort Myers Beach, and Bonita Springs were among the Lee County communities that joined the Cape in voicing opposition against British Petroleum and the ongoing disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.
Organized here in the Cape by artist Rose Young, the event drew people from across the political spectrum.
Some were there to make a quiet statement against the debacle in the Gulf.
Others, like Grace Porter, said she’s grown so tired of the federal government she would immigrate to another country if she could afford it.
She said she’s part of the growing “coffee party movement”, that wants to separate corporations and government.
Porter attended the event because she didn’t know what else to do.
“I’m tired of writing letters to the editor,” Porter said. “I don’t feel like I have a government that represents me.”
Cape resident William Lemon voiced his disgust with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan more than he did the oil spill.
Like Lemon, there were plenty of people who used the event as a springboard for their political views, while others used it as chance to talk about the people whose lives will be forever altered by the oil spill.
A young woman who wished to be identified only as “Skyler”, felt so strongly about the oil spill she attended Hands Across the Sand on crutches.
“An entire way of life is going to change,” she said. “It (the oil spill) was an unnecessary negligence.”
Rose Young said she was pleased with the turn out on Saturday.
She said the Sierra Club collected signatures of people who attended, and plan on sending the names to the White House to let the president know they oppose new drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.
“We’re going to take the names and promote the fact that people came out in the hot sun to protest,” she said.