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Show PAGE 10 U THE ZEPHYRJANFEB 1992 And this Is not Just occurring. In the lest few months, some rentals hsve gone up by 150. for some time and here rented a problem for newcomers, but rather for people who have who now can't afford to stay where they've been living. Into Somehow, we must become more tolerant In Grand County, less polarized different camps. somewhere left of right by Jane S. Jones HOW WILL WE EVER ALL GET ALONG? SPIRITUAL AND MATERIAL VALUES Added to the difficulties between new and old residents is a broader divergence of philosophy, of expectation of what life Is all really about I'm unable to come up with a comfortable terminology for this. The best way I can describe It is the person who Is concerned primarily with basic survival and physical creature comforts and material accumulations, and the person who Is concerned with things of the spirit, someone more Inclined to turn Inward rather than outward. Those are the two different ends of the spectrum I envision, with complicated personality types and mixtures of the two philosophies in between. Now, you cannot have much peace of mind If you are hungry, or cold. There Is a basic prioritization here of what we might call a "need." It is hard to wonder at the beauty of a wildflower if there is a nagging burning in the pit of your stomach because you need to eat The diversity of the population in Grand County Is good for many reasons, economically and socially. But It is also a part of the reason we have so much trouble with certain Issues that involve public lands and traditional ways of making a living. NEWCOMERSOLDCOMERS ' - Those who have lived here for some time are frequently saying these days, "Why dont you all ust go back where you came from?" Its not a very friendly thing to say. It wasn't meant to be. But it Is a very honest expression of the frustrations that build up In many residents. I understand this reaction. It Is not fair for people new to the area to tell everyone who lives here what to do. The new residents, "newcomers," have no concept of the history behind why something Is done one way and not the other. They make some pretty stupid, uninformed Judgements about how this cattleman doesn't care about public land, or that oil rig worker Is only motivated by greed. They know nothing about the big sacrifices families and business owners have made to continue to live in Grand County. Many who live here come from a pioneer heritage. Some families trace back to the Mormon settlers. On through the turn of the century, the diversity of Grand County's early population was a notable exception to many Utah towns. But the msny different types of people who settle here and stayed were the same in some ways. They all experienced the land in a personal way. They all learned survival skills. Their descendants know timber, mining, drilling, livestock, farming. How could it be otherwise? Their very existence has depended on their expertise. They've worked hard and have been cold, dirty, and hungry while they did It. Many have suffered a lot from living off the land." They've lost family members or suffered physical Injury. They dont see the land In romantic terms, but In more of a relationship between adversaries. Respect for the land is part of their ethic, because of what the land has taken from them. They have learned to try and not lose too much when they utilize the land's resources. And the ones of the more recent generations who may not have had such a brutal time of It as their ancestors did? Well, they might as well have lived It too, because in these families, oral tradition is alive and well, and lessons learned are not forgotten. There are also many who now live here who do not have this longstanding pioneer in their family. Nonetheless, they identify with it and fed at home. They've been heritage residents. Often they come from here for some time now, these "somewhat-older-than-nea rural or small town upbringing, Interested In a community of neighbors, a self-sufficie- nt community of freedom. And when day is done, you will find no group of people in Grand County who more appreciates the radiant pink glow of a sunset on the slickrock. But most of us are not hungry, at least not for a very long period of time. Even so, we may have difficulty getting beyond this survival mode, even though we're not threatened now. It may depend on how far back In recent memory we or our ancestors were living "on the edge." It also depends on how we were raised and on how much oral tradition has been carried forward through family and friends. An example of how this survival ethic can be activated was when our family's future was threatened by Wilderness Study Ares (WSA) designation of Mill Creek Canyon. It's the basis for my fight against any more wilderness designations In Utah. Our family's way of living as miners, our "survival" was st risk when we discovered our mining claims were in a WSA, and would probably become a wilderness area at some point in the future. It was a very personal thing, as all decisions by government must finally have an Impact at the personal level of certain Individuals. It made us very angry, as it has others similarly affected. Because we were resourceful, we floundered around for a bit and then came up with alternative survival techniques. Some people faced with the disruption in their lives that wilderness designation has meant haven't done so well. They're on public welfare roles or have otherwise dropped out because they may Just not know how to make it In another way of life. They also feel disheartened by the strange and Incomprehensible turn of events that has shut them out of their livelihood. So, you can see the problem. When one person Is talking about preservation, about some kind of spiritual value, and the other one Is talking about what he perceives as basic survival well, there simply will be no communication between the two. But like I said, most of us have our basic needs satisfied; In fact, more than satisfied, satisfied to the point of insanity. We don't need to worry about basic survival. In our relative comfort, somewhere along the line we take different paths to happiness and security. Some people will continue to want more materially, others will want more spiritually. Now let me make the point very strongly that values of the spirit are perhaps the most Important values of all. And I need to learn to want less from the store, and to want more from my soul and from my heart. This spiritual value system Isn't a luxury either, only to be afforded by the comfortably supported, the financially secure. Ir can come to anyone who turns off the "buy now pay later" conditioning coming loud and clear on all channels of modem society. It doesn't mean copping out, it means getting smart, getting by on less and enjoying it more, Many here In Moab are doing it But maybe we should all understand that It is almost an alien mind set to many who live here, to those still in a reality where they are Just getting by, Just surviving. - A NEW IDEAS ARE NOT ALL BAD ' To look at the other side of the coin, every old dog should try to learn some new tricks. Because It is not fair to brush off troublesome new philosophies Instead of dealing with the good points they raise. We must grudgingly acknowledge that one of the founding principles of this country Is freedom of expression, so that In open public debate, every voice will be heard. Our newcomers have made some very pertinent observations. For example, newcomers have pointed out that public land in Grand County doesn't belong exclusively to Grand County residents. And they've stated that environmentalists and developers can work side by side for the betterment of the community-- if they really want to, I might add. I think it was newcomers who first raised the Issue of the "Aspenlzatlon" of Moab and Its Implications for everyone. One problem, lack of affordable housing, Is already Postscript on the Master Plan There Is some good discussion occurring st County Planning Commission meetings regarding the Grand County Master Plan. It will be discussed' probably at least through January, so I would encourage anyone interested in the topic to attend. The Grand County Planning Commission welcomes citizen Input at these meetings. See you there, RIVERSIDE PLUMBING & HEATING Residential o Commercial Sales o Service o Installation Drain Cleaning senior discounts on labor - '.V Complete Line of Plumbing Fixtures Kohler oGrohe Am. 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