The sad and infuriating article “Fallon’s Deadly Legacy” (HCN, 3/3/14) is staying with me; I did not simply read it and move on to the next interesting article. Of course, there is no way to fully overcome the pain of the death of a child, no words that can be truly comforting. However, those affected by such deaths can at least try to comfort others who live under similar circumstances, as some in Fallon have done. The cause of these carcinomas is right in front of (and in) their noses, but they choose to ignore the obvious rather than move from their nice little town.
The real problems in Fallon are the dishonesty and lack of sympathy on the parts of governmental officials and businesspeople and the ignorance of the people who live there. Tax breaks are given to businesses that do what they want so long as they create jobs. Pollution of the environment is ignored, water becomes undrinkable, clean air occurs somewhere else, and a few children die. This is no small price to pay for jobs that can pay for cheap housing, flat-screen TVs, and a night on the town once in a while. The residents of Fallon say they rely on “local resources, family and friends,” but when problems arise, they are quick to ask for help from other taxpayers throughout the country in the form of federal, state and local support. The overall difficulty is the environmental disaster and pathetic situation that has been created over time.
Charles Calisher
Fort Collins, Colorado
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline The high price of cheap housing and falt-screen TVs.
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