Fredericton — We all know about the flood, and we here at The Manatee have covered it extensively, but what about the cleanup? All of the debris that has been washed up onto roads and public places has to be taken away, right?
Well, not necessarily, argues one group.
“If the Earth moved it to where it is, then the Earth can take it away,” proclaimed Kora Phoberman, leader of the new group “Mother Knows Best.”
The group is already gaining traction in Fredericton, with 42 likes on its Facebook page.
“Our goal is simple: if something is put somewhere by Mother Nature, leave it! Let the Earth do what it wants. We humans have intervened with the Earth’s processes before and it’s caused nothing but trouble!
“I say it’s time we let the chips fall — or float — where they may!”
We asked what she and her followers plan to do to prevent the cleanup. “Well, first of all they aren’t really followers… it’s more of a club. Like fight club! Except there’s only one rule, ‘don’t move anything,’ and we’re allowed to talk about it…and also we don’t fight. So I guess it’s pretty different, although some of us do make soap!”
The group has organized a number of rallies and protests, drawing tens of volunteers from all walks of life, to prevent city workers from clearing away the debris before Mother Nature wants it to go.
“We also have friends who are very high up in the DoT who did excellent work this past winter with budget cuts to the snowplows and sand trucks,” added Phoberman.
“Club” members were eager to share their thoughts on the process.
“Well I guess,” said Erma Macintyre, a 93-year-old Frederictonian who joined the group by accident, thinking it was a pro-choice movement, “I guess I would hope that Mother Nature hurries it up and clears the road! I’m not gonna miss bingo for the first time in 78 years because of a piece of driftwood.”
“I suppose if I’m being honest I’d love to be able to leave the hotel I’m living out of, because my house is currently inaccessible…” said Chester Esty. “I really hope that I can go back to it someday. But that’s up to Mother Nature.”
Phoberman said her ideal outcome is that, “…people realize that Mother Nature knows what she is doing and we shouldn’t mess with her!”
We wished them good luck, although for our sake and everyone else’s, we hope they aren’t successful.