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A J ale of iwo Women
Marjon Stonemnan Douglas and larijoric 1 larris Carr
Segment: MSD and MHC discuss why people in Florida are less interested in the environment, media
support and why a democracy helps with environmental issues
Source: Interview with Marjory Stoneman Douglas and Marjorie Harris Carr. Videotaped in Islamorada,
Published 1985.
Length of Segment: 00:03:42
Transcript and audio recording are copyright 1983-2009 Florida International University.
TRANSCRIPT
(4:55) Interviewer: (5:05) "So, let me begin by asking a question about the past. How has public opinion
been important in the environmental issues and the public policy development about those issues, that
you've been involved in, in your work?"
M Carr: "Who are you looking at?"
MSD: "You go ahead. Which one are you looking at?"
M Carr: "Dark glasses, eyes."
MSD: "Oh, the dark glasses? I can't see her anyway, so.
Interviewer: "Marjorie Stoneman Douglas and Marjorie (Carr), I want you to join in as it's appropriate."
(5:37) MSD: "Well, in my experience, it's been a long process of getting people interested. I think the
problem has been with us, in South Florida, that most everybody came from somewhere else and it took
them a long time to understand that they were living in a completely unique country, that had its own
problems, totally unlike everything else. So, it's been a long process but I find that a great many more
people have are knowing about it and certainly we've been trying to educate them. And we have a much
stronger background of public support than we used to, simply because people are getting to
understand. When they understand, they support."
M Carr: "Exactly. Exactly."
MSD: "Has that been your experience?"
M Carr: "Oh, absolutely, and I think...you know, in this effort, in the environmental effort, I am
constantly made aware of the advantages of a democracy."
MSD: "Ah!"
M Carr: "Because truly, you do not ...you don't get action until you have people involved ...public are
educated and express their feelings. And, from what I have known of a totalitarian or an authoritarian
government, what the public's attitude is does not really cut much ice."
MSD: "Consequently. Yes. There's no strength actually then except in the power of the
totalitarian...military power. There's really no strength.
M Carr: "He is the steward. And, if you get a bad steward, everything goes to hell."
MSD: "You're out of luck."
M Carr: "But where the citizenry accepts the responsibility of stewardship, as you have to have in a
democracy, if it's working, or... we have the opportunity, in a democracy...and I think that's why the U.S.
is extraordinary in the field of the environment and where Florida is a leader, too."
MSD: "Yes, I do feel so. And I think that in the schools they're doing some very good work about
environment, so the children are coming up already oriented already a little bit informed. They're not
totally ignorant about it. They have a feeling for it."
M Carr: "That's essential."
MSD: "And the children who are born here and brought up here have a greater feeling than people who
just came down."
M Carr: "I think the media has done a superb job."
MSD: "Oh, wonderful!"
M Carr: "I think it deserves, you know, several gold stars."
MSD: "Every possible credit, yes."
M Carr: "Of course we need to have even more. We need to have even more exposure, media education
for the public, but they're doing a magnificent job. We need more more!"
MSD: "Oh yes, where I am always so grateful. Always so grateful." (8:35)
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