Quit personal attacks on those who don't agree about oil trains 

Since he doesn’t have facts, Patrick Sidun, a Phillips 66 employee, is personally attacking those opposed to hauling 520, mile-long oil trains through the county each year.

He called them "a minority of retired wealthy people living in exclusive, expensive homes in a relentless fear campaign against working families’ lives," in a letter to the editor printed on Sept. 24 (“Fact vs. fear in the Phillips 66 debate”). Nonsense. He’s simply appealing to peoples’ lowest instincts to lash out when they dislike someone else’s opinion. Objective people will see through his shameful attempt.

Let’s examine just one distortion—“retired wealthy people.” Two of my Trilogy neighbors left at sunrise for their jobs at strawberry farms. Another’s a dentist. Another advises people on weight loss. Another commutes to Gallo in Fresno. Another’s in biomedicine. Another commutes to Santa Barbara as an ER physician. Another works at a B&B. Another at a water company. Three are realtors. Another investigates fraud. Another writes software. Another advises SLO County on key issues. Another sells window shades. I could go on, but there’s a word limit here. And I’m sorry, but I need to get back to my job helping companies build their businesses.

Oh, and those who ARE retired feed hungry children, help them get clothes for school, raise money for needy families, etc., etc.

Your neighbors are not sitting on their butts trying to take jobs away from other working families. They’re too busy for that. And so are citizens in the 27 California counties and cities also opposed to polluting, volatile oil trains.

Mr. Sidun—quit your personal attacks. State relevant data, if you have any, as to why oil trains make sense for anyone except those making money from the oil industry.

-- Martin Akel - Nipomo

-- Martin Akel - Mesa Refinery Watch Group