In Memorium
We are sad to report the passing away of John O’Connor, who died suddenly
at age 46 on November 30. John O’Connor was a leader in the U.S. environmental
community who also cut his teeth as a labor organizer. As founder and executive
director of the National Toxics Campaign, he was instrumental in some of
the biggest grassroots environmental justice battles of the 1980s and early
1990s, lending support to community-based struggles against waste industry
proposals to build toxic waste incinerators and leading the campaign to
pass the Superfund and Right-to- Know laws in 1986. He went on to become
an environmental entrepreneur, author and Congressional candidate. John
O’Connor had a motto he kept over his desk: “The fun is in the
fight.” That summarized his philosophy. John O’Connor will be
very sorely missed for his leadership, humor, courage, audacity and unquenchable
thirst for justice. |
