Chapter seven is all over the place
talking about Randy, Peter, Tamara, Kris, and more. I thought it was nice to
hear about other people’s lives. Diane is one of the people Kris talks about
and becomes fairly close with due to work. Diane takes Kris out to lunch one
day and starts talking about moving on from Rocky Flats. Diane’s conversation with
Kris about leaving Rocky Flats made Kris realize it is time for her to get out
of there. Diane states, “You’ve got options. I don’t. You’re in school, you’ll
get your degree…if I were you, I’d get out of here, understand?” (Iversen 276).
Is it too late for Kris and is she already contaminated from the chemicals at Rocky
Flats?
Kris begins to feel sick and worse
every day. Her left lymph node is constantly swollen. She is worried that it
may be cancer but in the end it isn’t. Iversen explains, “No cancer. I cry with
relief. My mother brings the boys back home and we spend the afternoon planting
spring flowers in our front yard.” (285). I felt Kris’s happiness when she
found out she didn’t have cancer.
People surrounding Rocky Flats
continue to get diagnosed with cancer and other problems. It’s extremely sad
how many innocent lives are being taken over by the contamination from Rocky
Flats. Rocky Flats was supposed to stop plutonium production and yet people are
still getting sick or have other problems. For example, Peter Nordberg, a
lawyer working on the case against Rocky Flats, finds his perfect women. Together
they combine their family and start a new one. His wife, Mykalia, works side by
side with him on the Rocky Flats case and is very invested in it. Iversen
states, “Eventually he adopts the girls, and Mykalia and Peter have another
son, a special-needs child named Brinkley.” (281). I believe that the special
needs is caused from Rocky Flats. Mykalia and her children are just as exposed
to the contamination as Peter is. If the contamination is causing so many
problems, why doesn’t the government just shut down Rocky Flats or stop
production?
Jenny,
ReplyDeleteReally passionate, well-written post. Thank you. One small detail: you have double punctuated the end of the in text citations. Take the first period out and keep the second, so that it looks like this: "...special-needs child named Brinkley” (281). Otherwise, fantastic use of quotes, and this blog entry flows so well and touches on profound events.
Spring
Did the book say that Peter and his wife live near Rocky Flats? I didn't think the special needs child was because of Rocky Flats.
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