Op-Ed

Beyond the Rhetoric: Chemical Industry Advocating More Regulations

Published

11 years ago

May 4, 2015

By Harry C. Alford
NNPA Columnist

One of the few shining stars of our nation’s economy, the $812-billion chemistry business, is working with Congress to pass a law that would actually give the federal government more authority to regulate chemicals. You heard right. An industry that has spent the past 40 or so years operating under a loosely defined “chemical regulatory system” in the U.S. Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) has decided it’s time to bring U.S. chemical regulations into the 21st Century so the federal government can do a better job at protecting consumers, including African Americans.

If you think something smells fishy here, you’re mistaken. In an era of zero-sum games and partisan, win-lose decision-making in Congress, this is a case of good, old-fashioned compromise.

Businesses around the country, millions of consumers who purchase their products as well as regulating agencies and environmental activists who hold those agencies accountable – all of us stand to gain from the passage of chemical safety reform legislation currently under review by Congress.

I haven’t seen this kind of bipartisanship in years.

But why are chemical manufacturers supporting this change? And for that matter, why should our 2.1 million Black-owned businesses support it? Because chemical reform done right will help ensure America and Americans – not just industry – are in a better place than we are today under the current law, in terms of protecting both health and safety, and ensuring that our country can hold on to its position as the world’s leading, low-cost innovator.

Note that I said low-cost innovator. As the backbone of America’s economy, the U.S. chemical industry is in a position to become the world’s low-cost producer of chemicals. This is important for a simple reason: the cost savings chemical manufacturers enjoy from being able to make the same chemicals for less can be passed on to suppliers, distributors, retailers and ultimately, the consumers served by our businesses.

What makes this all possible is America’s gift of abundant, affordable natural gas. Only in the past decade have we begun to unwrap that gift and see all that it has to offer. It turns out that one of the key building blocks of natural gas, ethane, is also a key building block of plastics – and, therefore, of virtually every product or technology in our homes made from plastics. If plastic can be made at a more reasonable cost, plastic products can be supplied, distributed and sold at a more reasonable cost.

In large part, because of what chemistry can do with our country’s vast natural gas supply, other countries are investing in America again. They want a share of our pie. That makes for a very bright outlook for 21st century manufacturing, and certainly a welcome development for the thousands of Black men and women who have made a career in making the products that their friends, family and fellow Americans can enjoy every day.

Now, not all of us in the African American community may care that much for the chemical sector. But I can tell you this: we care a great deal about what chemistry brings our community and our country. How about 800,000 jobs across the U.S.? How about 7.5 jobs in other sectors for every one job created in the business of chemistry? How about more than $700 billion in chemistry products flowing through our economy every year? Many of those products are helping to revolutionize medicine in the United States – and they’re saving our lives.

More than 96 percent of all manufactured goods are directly touched by chemistry. We know them as the cars and trucks we drive every day; the clothes we wear; the shoes we run in; the insulation and windows that keep us warm when we need it and cool when we don’t; the battery-powered portable device you might be holding in your hand right now; the lightweight plastic containers that keep our food safe from the farm, to the local store, to our homes; and those life-saving drugs and medical devices that help keep our loved ones healthy and in our lives as long as possible.

That’s why making sure we get it right in reforming our nation’s outdated chemical regulatory law is so important. Americans deserve to be able to shop at their favorite stores with confidence, knowing that the product they need is made and available in store shelves here in America – and that the chemicals used to make those products have been thoroughly tested. And chemical manufacturers want consumers to be able to have this kind of confidence. They want a comprehensive regulatory program that has everyone’s buy-in so that they can continue focusing on what they do best: creating solutions that enhance our lives and can solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

The chemical reform bill currently under review in the U.S. Senate is “The Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act” (S. 697). In the House, the bill is called the “TSCA Modernization Act of 2015.” With the support of our community, we can help ensure strong reform is delivered to President Obama so he can sign them into law – and become a champion of one of the greatest compromise efforts of his presidency.

Harry C. Alford is the co-founder, President/CEO, of the National Black Chamber of Commerce®. Website: www.nationalbcc.org Email: halford@nationalbcc.org.

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Seth Curry Makes Impressive Debut with the Golden State Warriors

Seth looked comfortable in his new uniform, seamlessly fitting into the Warriors’ offensive and defensive system. He finished the night with an impressive 14 points, becoming one of the team’s top scorers for the game. Seth’s points came in a variety of ways – floaters, spot-up three-pointers, mid-range jumpers, and a handful of aggressive drives that kept the Oklahoma City Thunder defense on its heels.

Published

4 days ago

December 4, 2025

Oakland Post

Seth Curry is a point guard on the GSW team.Photo courtesy of the Golden State Warriors.

By Y’Anad Burrell

Tuesday night was anything but ordinary for fans in San Francisco as Seth Curry made his highly anticipated debut as a new member of the Golden State Warriors. Seth didn’t disappoint, delivering a performance that not only showcased his scoring ability but also demonstrated his added value to the team.

At 35, the 12-year NBA veteran on Monday signed a contract to play with the Warriors for the rest of the season.

One of the most memorable moments of the evening came before Seth even scored his first points. As he checked into the game, the Chase Center erupted into applause, with fans rising to their feet to give the newest Warrior a standing ovation.

The crowd’s reaction was a testament not only to Seth’s reputation as a sharpshooter but also to the excitement he brings to the Warriors. It was clear that fans quickly embraced Seth as one of their own, eager to see what he could bring to the team’s championship aspirations.

Warriors’ superstar Steph Curry – Seth’s brother – did not play due to an injury. One could only imagine what it would be like if the Curry brothers were on the court together. Magic in the making.

Seth’s debut proved to be a turning point for the Warriors. Not only did he contribute on the scoreboard, but he also brought a sense of confidence and composure to the floor.

While their loss last night, OKC 124 – GSW 112, Seth’s impact was a game-changer and there’s more yet to come. Beyond statistics, it was clear that Seth’s presence elevated the team’s performance, giving the Warriors a new force as they look to make a deep playoff run.

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Activism

Essay: Intentional Self Care and Community Connections Can Improve Our Wellbeing

At the deepest and also most expansive level of reality, we are all part of the same being, our bodies made from the minerals of the earth, our spirits infused by the spiritual breath that animates the universe. Willingness to move more deeply into fear and pain is the first step toward moving into a larger consciousness. Willingness to move beyond the delusion of our separateness can show us new ways of working and living together.

Published

1 month ago

October 27, 2025

Oakland Post

Lorraine Bonner is a retired physician. She is also a sculptor who works in clay, exploring issues of trust, trustworthiness and exploitation, as well as visions of a better world.

By Dr. Lorraine Bonner, Special to California Black Media Partners

I went to a medical school that was steeped in the principles of classical Western medicine. However, I also learned mindfulness meditation during that time, which opened me to the multifaceted relationship between illnesses and the interconnecting environmental, mental and emotional realities that can impact an individual’s health.

Therefore, when I began to practice medicine, I also pursued training in hypnosis, relaxation techniques, meditation, and guided imagery, to bring a mind-body focus to my work in medical care and prevention.

The people I saw in my practice had a mix of problems, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and a variety of pain issues. I taught almost everyone relaxation breathing and made some general relaxation tapes. To anyone willing, I offered guided imagery.

“My work embraced an approach to wellness I call “Liberatory Health” — one that not only addresses the treatment and management of disease symptoms but also seeks to dismantle the conditions that make people sick in the first place.”

From my perspective, illness is only the outermost manifestation of our efforts to cope, often fueled by addictions such as sugar, tobacco, or alcohol, shackled by an individualistic cult belief that we have only ourselves to blame for our suffering.

To put these ideas into practical form, I would quote the immortal Mr. Rogers: “Find the helpers.” There are already people in every community working for liberation. Some of them are running for office, others are giving food to those who need it. Some are volunteering in schools, libraries or hospitals. Some are studying liberation movements, or are working in urban or community gardens, or learning to practice restorative and transformative justice, or creating liberation art, music, dance, theater or writing. Some are mentoring high schoolers or apprenticing young people in a trade. There are many places where compassionate humans are finding other humans and working together for a better world.

A more compassionate world is possible, one in which we will all enjoy better health. Creating it will make us healthier, too.

In community, we are strong. Recognizing denial and overcoming the fragmenting effects of spiritual disorder offer us a path to liberation and true health.

Good health and well-being are the collective rights of all people!

About the Author

Dr. Lorraine Bonner is a retired physician. She is also a sculptor who works in clay, exploring issues of trust, trustworthiness and exploitation, as well as visions of a better world.

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Activism

Opinion: Can Donald Trump Pole Dance?

Given all that is happening, if the presidency was more like pole dancing, you know Trump would be flat on his butt.

Published

3 months ago

September 14, 2025

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Emil Guillermo

The news cycle has been buzzing the last few weeks. Xi, with Putin and Kim, the sweethearts of Trump carousing alone without him? The victims of the pedophile Epstein speaking out publicly in DC.

Then, there’s the release of that salacious letter Donald Trump allegedly wrote to Jeffrey Epstein. Trump said the letter didn’t exist. But it does.

Timing is everything.

Additionally, there are further concerns, such as the Supreme Court removing restrictions on ICE interactions. ICE Agents can stop anyone now. For any reason. And there’s the threat of the U.S. sending the military to fight crime in Chicago. Trump even posted a meme of himself as a character in “Apocalypse Now.”

All that with bad polls and bad economic numbers, and these topics are dominating the news cycle — Trump era chaos.

Given all that is happening, if the presidency was more like pole dancing, you know Trump would be flat on his butt.

The reality is the opposite. He keeps going strong like nothing’s happened. Inexplicably, Trump always seems to defy gravity.

That’s why to reassure myself with reality, I just think of Trump on a pole. Dancing. He was born on Flag Day, after all.

I’ve got pole dancing on my mind because I’m in Canada at the Vancouver Fringe Festival doing my show, “Emil Amok 69, Everything’s Flipped,” about how the current political situation gets very personal.

Get tickets here if you’re near:

I’ve performed at 16 fringe festivals, and I always look for unique performers. This year, in my same venue (the Revue Stage) I found her in a show, “The Pole Shebang.”

Andrea James Lui may look like a typical Asian American at first.

But she’s Asian Canadian, married to an Australian, who now lives down under.

At the Vancouver Fringe, she highlights her special identity.

Pole Dancer

Yes, pole dancing has come to the fringe. Leave your dollar bills at home, this is not that kind of pole dancing.

This is more Cirque Du Soleil-ish- acrobatic stuff, yet it’s hard to deny the sexiness when a woman flawlessly swings from a pole with her legs apart.

The show is more intriguing than it is titillating.

Lui has created a behind-the-scenes look at the “polar” experience.

“She could have been a physicist,” says her big sister Christina, who despite saying that, supports her sister 100 percent.

Lui touches on some of the emotional depth in the poled subculture. But there’s plenty more to mine in the future. “Polar Bare,” the Musical? I’d see it.

Trump on a Pole

So that’s how I’ve come to the polar metaphor.

As Trump flails in the news, I picture him on a pole.

The letter to Epstein is further proof of the character of the man.

Will he stay afloat?

Not if the presidency were more like pole dancing.

You can’t lie on the pole.

That’s one way all of us in the Trump era can get to the truth.

About the Author

Emil Amok is a veteran journalist, commentator, and stage monologist. He has written a weekly column on Asian Americans for more than 30 years.

Contact: www.amok.com