My friends, you might think that with Barack Obama's victory over the Republicans I would be happy as a clam and ready to leave behind my criticisms of George Bush and his idiotic decision-making over these years. And I was happy to take that path, but this decision by the Bureau of Land Management to lease large portions of eastern Utah for oil and gas extraction has forced me into a u-turn.
Above is a photo that I took last year at Arches National Park. This is what the BLM under George Bush thinks is okay to jeopardize, dirtying up the landscape, marring the natural beauty and wonder of vast expanses of wilderness. I feel so lucky to have been able to make this trip; the west is a wonder and something every American should have the chance to see. That there are those who do not think that these are areas that need to be preserved for us and for posterity...I just don't understand this thinking. Don't we do enough marring the landscape in areas that we have to look at every day? I'd like to think we can leave it at that and not leave our smudges on every spot of beauty in this country.
Robert Redford posted an opinion that says better than I could my feeling on this subject. And as he notes, there is hope, as Obama has expressed his desire to reverse these leases once he takes office. I will be hoping this can happen. Meanwhile, if you can, schedule yourself a trip out to see some of the majesty that this country has to offer. In our lifetimes, ersosion, and hopefully dumb ideas like this, won't have a chance to change the beautiful land that awaits you on your roadtrip.
Happy trails!
Oops! I meant to include the link to Redford's opinion piece. Here it is :http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-redford/americans-rejected-drill_b_144499.html
1 comment:
Gas in Southern NJ is now $1.85 per gal. Hummmmm?
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