Fernando Echevarria: Stop playing nice and fight those who would steal our water
The landscape of agriculture is being forced into drastic changes. Powerful elitists have already decided the outcome of the state’s “water grab.” Their token gestures are only to appease the public’s perception as sympathetic to the region’s plight. Elected officials need to take off their “nice gloves” and begin a bloody fight to regain what is rightfully ours. A water blockade is long overdue. Pumping should begin immediately in defiance of corrupt regulations. The once quiet farmer and Latino farmworker should unite and voice their commitment for change. Without our water, families across the region will begin a downward spiral that will last for generations to come.
Fernando Echevarria, Merced
This story was originally published January 11, 2017 at 5:25 PM with the headline "Fernando Echevarria: Stop playing nice and fight those who would steal our water."