m0llusk's Journal: responses to my post about Moffet Airfield

Google is using Moffet airfield for some of their civil aviation needs. There was a post about this on Slashdot, and I replied with some issues with this. My reply got heated responses and was marked as a troll. In my opinion this is an example of how the Slashdot tends to be stupid and mean to a stunning degree.

The Moffet airfield has always been opposed by some in the community to which it is adjacent. The community came first by quite a long time, so the opinion of some Slashdot responders that this is an example of people near an airfield complaining after the fact is way off and utterly false. Because of the controversial nature of the airfield it has historically been limited to military uses, and the expectation has been that in time the need for military use will fall away and the land can be put to other uses. This is the long standing agreement which was in place through WWII and the Cold War. Instead of keeping the focus on redevelopment for pure Research and Development, the airfield is now being used for civil aviation. This change in usage has historically been opposed by the community. Effectively advocates of the airport have used war and persistance as excuses for violating community trust. Democratic action has been circumvented in favor of profit motives.

This is not a question of being pro or anti airport. Airport advocates have three other major facilities in the Bay Area that are all being expanded. All these other airports were built in coordination and cooperation with local communities. Flight paths of these other airports are also dramatically different from those of Moffet which puts aircraft very close not only to residential areas, but especially close to recently developed areas with high densities of habitation. The situation at Moffet is not one of a generic airport, but of a location that forces flight paths over densely populated areas, which has been opposed ever since it was proposed, and which has multiple superior alternatives nearby.

By supporting use of Moffet for civil aviation by Google people are ignoring the whole history of land use both generally and as specifically applied to Moffet. They think they are endorsing that people check for airports before moving to an area, but in fact what they are endorsing is that milatarists and the rich be able to build airports and fly wherever they want without regard to population density or democratic action.

It is also yet another great irony that "do no evil" Google is playing the role of screaming fascist here, insisting on flying their planes over the heads of the less powerful because they can and because it is convenient for them. Because they are on top for the moment they see no problem in bending the rules of land use in a democratic republic. The whole thing is sick and stinks. For shame, Google and supporters! Blaming the community for the problems caused by the unwanted airport is totally stupid!