Surely I’m not the only one who heard the voice of Woody Guthrie as we saw the news footage of planes carrying off deportees. Here is my sadly, regrettably, updated rendition of Woody’s 1948 lament.
You Won’t Have a Name, When You Ride the Big Airplane . . .
By Mary Susan Gast, 2025
Words in italics from Woodie Guthrie’s Deportee, 1948
Some of us are illegal, others not wanted
A tough guy’s in office with brawn up his sleeve
He’s tooled up each branch of the government forces To hunt us like outlaws, like rustlers, like thieves. ……….Adios to Kilmar, Namaste to Badar ……….Salaam to Mahmoud, Rumeysa, and Rasha ……….You won’t have a name when you ride the big airplane ……….All they will call you will be deportee.
You’ve got these tattoos so you must be a gangsta
With haphazard research you’re banished today
Jammed into the cells of a super-max prison
In El Salvador til the end of your days. ……….Adios to Kilmar, Namaste to Badar ……….Salaam to Mahmoud, Rumeysa, and Rasha ……….You won’t have a name when you ride the big airplane ……….All they will call you will be deportee.
They gave you a visa, they gave you a green card,
Without letting you know, they yanked it away
Ice Agents came at you while pulling their masks on
Shackled you up and dragged you away. ……….Adios to Kilmar, Namaste to Badar ……….Salaam to Mahmoud, Rumeysa, and Rasha ……….You won’t have a name when you ride the big airplane ……….All they will call you will be deportee.
Soon they will turn to get rid of the “homegrown”
The “worst of the worst” that’s what they say
So everyone’s subject to being deported
For what we have done, or might do, think, or say ……….Goodby to my friends, adios to my people ……….Shalom my kasamas, Namaste mis amigas ……….We won’t have a name if we ride the big airplane. ……….All they will call us will be deportee. ……….All they will call us will be deportee.
>> IN BENICIA: June 14th NO KINGS DAY! 1-2pm at the Gazebo (First and Military Streets). Bring your signs, noisemakers, and your goodwill. We’ll “parade” this block for the hour on the sidewalk.
– Susan Street >> MORE: NO KINGS DAY – Vallejo, Benicia, and all over the Bay!
‘We Don’t Do Kings’: Mass Protests Planned to Counter Trump’s Birthday Military Parade
“Donald Trump wants to spend tens of millions of taxpayer dollars to throw himself a big fancy parade with tanks in the streets,” said one organizer. “This is straight out of the authoritarian playbook.”
Pro-democracy campaigners late Monday announced a nationwide “No Kings” day of defiance on June 14—the same day U.S. President Donald Trump plans to hold a birthday military parade more befitting a dictator than an elected head of state.
More than 100 “No Kings” events have already been registered across the U.S., with many more expected in the weeks ahead of the day of action.
See the full list of planned events and locations here (mobilize.us)
“Donald Trump wants to spend tens of millions of taxpayer dollars to throw himself a big fancy parade with tanks in the streets,” explained Ezra Levin, co-executive director of Indivisible, on Monday’s broadcast of The Rachel Maddow Show (see below). “This is straight out of the authoritarian playbook. He wants to project strength. He wants everybody to think that he is all-powerful. That he rules the world.”
“He doesn’t,” Levin added. “Real power is not in D.C. It’s distributed all across the country. And what we’re looking to do on No Kings Day is to say, look—Donald Trump does not own the flag. He does not own patriotism. In fact, we can all show up in opposition to a king in this country.”
The event’s website says the goal of the mass demonstrations is to show that “from city blocks to small towns, from courthouse steps to community parks, we’re taking action to reject authoritarianism.”
“In America, we don’t do kings,” the website states. “On June 14th, we’re showing up everywhere he isn’t—to say no thrones, no crowns, no kings.”
News of the latest mass mobilization against Trump and his far-right agenda came days after the U.S. Army confirmed plans for a parade on June 14—the Army’s 250th birthday and Trump’s 79th.
“The Army anticipates featuring 150 vehicles, 50 aircraft, and 6,600 soldiers,” The Washington Postreported, citing an Army spokesperson. “The parade will accompany a fireworks display and a day-long festival on the National Mall with military demonstrations, musical performances, and a fitness competition.”
The price tag for such festivities could be massive, with two unnamed defense officials tellingNBC News that it could be as high as $45 million. In an interview that aired over the weekend, Trump called the potential cost “peanuts compared to the value of doing it.”
“We have the greatest missiles in the world,” Trump declared. “We have the greatest submarines in the world. We have the greatest army tanks in the world. We have the greatest weapons in the world. And we’re going to celebrate it.”
U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) said in a statement Monday that “this would be an unprecedented waste of money to please this self-absorbed con man, and the public should make clear it’s unacceptable.”
“The egotist-in-chief wants taxpayers to foot the bill for a military parade on his birthday,” said Cohen, the lead sponsor of legislation that would “prohibit the use of federal funds for a military parade in the District of Columbia intended for the personal celebration of President Donald J. Trump, and for other purposes.”
Jake Johnson is a senior editor and staff writer for Common Dreams.
Today, May 9, I read in the Mercury News the article headlined, “Is Gavin Newsom changing his tune with the oil industry?” It happens that yesterday I’d been discussing this possibility with Matthew Green (at KQED News). In his April 26th article, Matthew had conjured that Valero could be throwing a Hail Mary for regulatory relief, for at least indeterminate years’ survival of its Benicia refinery.
I’d followed up with his football analogy imagining who Valero’s wide receiver would be. Based on what I’d been hearing about possible legislative changes to authority governing refineries and other heavy industrial polluters, it wasn’t difficult to think Valero and its lobbyists with the Western States Petroleum Associates would be targeting the Governor, whose political career hangs on the state’s economy.
Newsom would be defended by CARB (Cal-EPA’s California Air Resources Board). In such scenarios in play, Valero’s long shot could end up “incomplete” or be intercepted; or somebody at scrimmage gets “off sides” yardage penalty. Whatever’s the case, right now the state’s plays aren’t over and neither are Valero’s. The only certainty, the game being played is a nail-biter for Benicians. But wait a minute.
The fire that happened Monday ignited at a furnace, as stated in the Air District’s Notice of Violations released this week. That particular furnace happens to heat the oil feed to 1000 degrees F, before it enters the distillation tower, the “FCCU”— the Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit or “cat cracker” which is the primary processing unit distilling gasoline, kerosene (jet fuel), diesel and other products, which then go on to be further refined throughout the facility. Without the furnace and FCCU there is no oil refining. Was the FCCU tower damaged in the fire?
It was uncanny that the fire was occurring just as our mayor was being interviewed on KQED’s Forum, when he was discussing the vexing financial problem for the City of Valero’s announcement. Certainly, in that very moment, the fire was adding complexity to Valero’s decision-making which they’d left hanging, purportedly til next year, April 2026. But, given that “idling” is one of three proposed options announced to the CA Energy Comm (CEC), I assume that the refinery is at least temporarily forced into idling as a result of the fire.
Will Valero decide to make significant capital investment now to fix the furnace and, if damaged, the FCCU, in order to keep operating for another year? I sure don’t think the City should have to wait weeks and weeks for a “root cause analysis” investigation to be completed to hear Valero’s decision. If their decision is to restore operations and do a temporary fix, OR permanently idle the facility now, this decision has immediate ramifications for the City and community, and certainly for Valero employees, operators, contract workers.
Putting optimum idealizations aside, under current circumstances, we here in Benicia are hardly experiencing the beginnings a “just transition” We’re going to endure an ABRUPT transition.
In the meantime, we have to stay vigilant and resolutely care about safety and health risks posed by a very vulnerable facility in its apparent final phases of operational existence.
We must look ahead: closure and cleanup, and the huge prices they exact, are near-term issues now that finally demand public attention.
Marilyn Bardet Good Neighbor Steering Committee BCAMP Board Member BISHO Working Group Valero Community Advisory Panel
VALERO FIRE: A CALL TO ACTION FOR PERMANENT CLOSURE OF THE REFINERY
By Dirk Fulton, May 8, 2025
[and appearing in the Benicia Herald on May 11, 2025]
Dirk Fulton, Benicia
Last Monday’s Valero Refinery fire and shelter-in-place order provided Benicia residents-including Robert Semple Elementary School students and teachers- with a real time reminder that the refinery should be shut down for good while the opportunity exists.
The fire allowed us to visualize the risks we face. Beyond this, there are known risks we cannot visualize: For at least 16 years, the Valero refinery secretly polluted us with cancer-causing toxins such as benzene, toluene, and xylene—all known to cause cancer, reproductive harm and other negative health effects. After discovery, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) imposed a record-setting $82 million dollar fine against the refinery. The settlement highlighted Benicia as an “air dump” for the State of California, further tarnishing the city’s image.
The fire and secret toxic emissions are stark reminders that it would be a grievous mistake to replace Valero with another operator. When Shell Oil Martinez recently ceased operations, the refinery was taken over by another company. Since then, shelter-in-place orders have become a regular occurrence. We can avoid such a result by pursuing a modern vision for Benicia without a refinery. By doing so, we can enjoy toxic-free air, nurture healthy children and realize higher home values as the “refinery town” stigma is eliminated.
We cannot surrender to published scare tactics that closure will cause a “financial doomsday”. This is wrong. We are no longer a small 1960s town of 5,000 dependent on the Benicia Arsenal for jobs, nor are we Vallejo of the 1990s dependent on the Mare Island Naval Shipyard for economic survival. The present Benicia economy is diversified and does not rely solely on a single military installation or oil company for its prosperity. We are a commuter-oriented residential community where our 13,100 working residents commute from Benicia or work from home. Less than one percent (1%) of our city’s residents work at the refinery and fewer than 100 of Valero workers live in town. Accordingly, the predicted job loss following closure, although unfortunate, is not material to our local economy.
Proponents of the refinery, including some city officials, falsely state that the city will immediately lose $12 million in revenue if the refinery closes. This is wrong. Taxes and fees do NOT immediately vanish when a business closes, or a home becomes vacant. Real properties maintain inherent value. Valero’s property taxes should largely stay the same, as its 900 acres, infrastructure and improvements continue to hold value. Additionally, Valero has already benefited from significant Prop. 8 property tax reductions after extensive litigation with the County Assessor. Further, any projected property tax loss should be offset by higher property taxes as post-closure, higher value homes turn over and new homes are built.
Additionally, without a refinery, there are many revenue streams available to Benicia:
New Development Fees. On the 900-acre refinery site, new housing construction along the East 2d Street corridor and clean energy projects sited in the refinery footprint will result in millions of dollars in new development fees.
Water Revenue. Valero pays the city a nominal rate of $2 million for 50% of the city’s total water supply compared to the almost $7 million that residents pay for the remaining 50% of our water supply. Accordingly, this newly available water resource once treated has a multimillion-dollar value when offered on the free market to other municipalities.
UTT. The Utility User Tax (UUT) generates ongoing revenue. Since 1989, Benicia residents have paid UUT at a rate of 4%. Valero has never paid its fair share of UTT as its predecessor Exxon sued the city to receive a special rate of approximately 1%. Valero remains under a reduced rate UUT agreement negotiated in 2018. Upon closure, the refiner should be forced to buy-out of its 2018 agreement or pay fees to rectify its 35 years of underpayment, which could result in millions of dollars to the city.
Increased Sales & TOT (Hotel) Taxes. Following refinery closure, Benicia will be more attractive to tourists, thereby increasing visits and business at shops, restaurants and hotels allowing the city to capture increased sales and TOT (hotel) tax.
Port Tax. Port tax is a potential source of revenue for port communities. The Port of Benicia handles approximately 260,000 imported vehicles annually accounting for about 20% of California’s seaborne vehicle imports. A $50 port use fee imposed on each vehicle entering the port could raise $13,000,000.00 annually for the city. Such fee could be passed on to consumers as an inclusion in the “vehicle prep” fees common on all new car invoices.
BAAQMD Funds. The BAAQMD’s Settlement Agreement with Valero provides $56 million to the city as pollution mitigation fees. The funds may be viewed as a safety net to bolster the city during the transition away from the refinery. The funds can be used to support various city projects, including refinery closure costs, oversight of environmental cleanup, assistance to schools, development of parks and open space, and the like.
In sum, to ensure clean air, healthy kids, and safe homes with rapidly appreciating values, we should heed the call to action presented by the Valero fire, envision a new modern-era Benicia without a refinery and resist scare tactics that promote its continued operation. As set forth above, the city can financially endure the transition in a just way.
Change admittedly can be challenging for all of us: I do miss Mabels, the art glass studios, Tia Theresa, the Brewery and Sam’s Harbor restaurant, but I will not miss refinery fires, secret toxic air emissions or shelter-in-place orders.
Dirk Fulton, Lifelong Benicia resident
Former Solano County Planning Commissioner, Benicia Vice- …..Mayor, City Councilman & School Board President
Visit: www.Greatdayforbenicia.com
You must be logged in to post a comment.