By Cornelia de Bruin The Daily Times
Article Launched: 05/24/2008 12:00:00 AM MDT

FARMINGTON — Attendance at the Totah Theatre showing of "Mine Your Own Business" in Farmington Thursday — 80 people — set a record in New Mexico.

The film is a documentary by filmmakers Phelim McAleer and Ann McElhinney. Although initiated and bankrolled by Canadian mining company Gabriel Resources Ltd., the filmmakers retained all editorial control over its content. Gabriel Resources Ltd. is one of three companies targeted by environmentalists for overseas mining projects.

Its premise of well-known environmental groups' opposition to mining projects is that no mineral extraction should be allowed anywhere — ever. The stance does not consider the economic needs of the Third World people whose homes are in the areas to be mined, said Paul Driessen, a featured speaker whose comments followed the film.

Driessen has written several books aimed at exposing what he says is the deeper environmentalist agenda. He is a Senior Policy Advisor to Congress of Racial Equality.

Speaking after the film, his comments — intended to localize the film's message — angered local activists Mike Eisenfeld of San Juan Citizens Alliance and Dailan Long of Diné Citizens Against Ruining Our Environment.

"Don't come here and accuse us of the things you do," Eisenfeld said, adding that Driessen had no idea about the dynamics of the Navajo Nation-Desert Rock Power Plant issue.

San Juan Citizens Alliance's 500 members work locally — and independently, Eisenfeld said.

"We don't pretend to have the answers," he said. "To say I'm an obstructionist is laughable; I'm just a little guy trying to create some balance."

Driessen and Marita Noon, representing Citizens' Alliance for Responsible Energy, or CARE, are "PR people," Eisenfeld said.

Diné CARE's Long challenged Diné Power Authority's public relations spokesman Arthur Shirley's statement regarding support for the coal-burning plant. His comments followed a question and answer session after Driessen spoke.

"I said most of his community consensus' statements were false and that Desert Rock is not supported by all the people," Long said. "The Navajo are standing up and speaking out because they've endured so much so long. Diné Power Authority is wrong."

Driessen tried to take the microphone away from Long as he spoke, he said.

Long was "not convinced" by the video or by Driessen's presentation because "it ignores a lot of the complexities of energy projects."

"Don't come to our community and ask us to sacrifice so that you can turn on your TV," he said. "The video ignores our legacy: coal mining that is inevitable, two dirty coal plants and cancer victims continuing to suffer because of uranium mining."

CARE and the Río Grande Foundation sponsored Noon and Driessen's trip to Farmington.

Paul Gessing, president of the Rio Grande Foundation, said before the showing that the film is not meant to destroy environmentalists.

"They may think they are well-intentioned, but they don't really care how others are living their lives," Gessing said. "We think that, done responsibly, oil and gas drilling can be done right."

Both local producers and environmentalists attended the showing.