| Show Standard-Examine- Opinion r Letters & Columns To our Readers MAIL Please keep letters to 300 words or less and include your name address and daytime phone for verification Letters must be signed and may be edited and condensed 1 as long Prejudice as the rest of us say nothing flourish For nearly two centuries the American West has symbolized that place of unlimited opportunity for people of every persuasion It is as if the spaciousness of the mountains and canyons makes room for a larger more accepting social atmosphere Too bad it’s only a myth Intolerance lurks here just as it does in the rest of the country even penetrating bustling tourist towns such as my hometown Moab where ethnically diverse hordes from all over the world pour in to gawk at the wonders of our canyon country Last New Year’s Eve two young men allegedly assaulted an interracial couple with racist epithets One of them Jaric Robison was charged with a third-degrfelony based on Utah’s new hate crime law Whether he is found guilty is up to a jury of his peers But weeks after the incident stories of an underground white supremacist subculture in Moab persisted fueled by a circular distributed in town by the National Alliance in Hills- boro W Va: “The Leftists are celebrating the fact of the Nonwhite America in the future The is ignoring it But it is so:called right-win- g coming and we are all going to die like a bunch of dumb grasshoppers if we do not get ” White America fired up soon It then urges its readers “Show that you do not agree with ‘Hate Crime’ laws by supporting Jaric Robison And share this with a friend” Naturally no one attaches a signature to this garbage Another gutless wonder for White America I grew up in Louisville Ky and in my mind’s eye I can still see the black people sitting at the back of the Blue Motor bus One summer when I was about eight my family FAX -- I walked into Snowbasin to explore with Alf and Corey Engen - at that time going through Wheeler Canyon Fred Sr Ken Pierce Felix Koziol Jack Whitaker Dick Vining and myself started skiing The Civilian Conservation Corps developed the road and the only building was the old CCC barracks There was a big stove in the midblack pot-beldle of the main room If you s’ wanted a hamburger Corey wife would cook it for you Ogden City built a rope tow on the old City Hill Ora Smith built one on Becker Hill About that time the Forest Service came in and built a day lodge that still stands Ogden City contracted with Constom of Denver to build a chair lift on Wild Cat Ogden City sold out to Sam Hunting-to-n who later built the lift on Porcupine Sam also built a lift on Becker Hill to replace the rope tow I personally cut every tree and hacked out “Beck’s” in 1948-4- 9 It has had a certain amount of notoriety as a very advanced and challenging run One of my great pleasures was instructing skiing for many years at Snowbasin Pete Seibert bought out Sam Huntington and built the Middle Bowl Lift Three areas cated to veterans of World War II are Lewis Filpot Chuck and John Paul Jones of the 10th Mountain Division Building permits were issued to Hill Air Force Base and Mt Ogden Ski Gub Mt Ogden Ski Club built the existing water lines for the two lodges All our Mont-monen- cy ly En-gen- De-mois- ey 625-450- 8 spaces Several years ago three young men came to our home from Snowcrest Junior High in Eden to interview me for my part in Snowbasin’s history The first thing I asked them was if they had skied Snowbasin A resounding “you bet” was heard We talked for two hours discussing history different runs snow conditions difficulty and the enjoyment they have had skiing with friends parents and grandparents at Snowbasin Thanks to a great teacher at Snowcrest reports were written and published and a reception was held for those who participated with these students A lot of pride was felt by all Notable people involved in Snowbasin just to name a few include: Spence Eccles Bob Chambers Dick Webber Dick Mitchell Dean Perkins Corey Engen Earl Miller and Roy I feel motor home owners are being discriminated against as they are required to pay higher taxes for legal operation in Utah Mercedes and some of the large 4x4 pickups pay only $150 maximum Motor homes are licensed as if they are commercial vehicles Normally motor homes are units and very therefore they do not put the wear and tear on the state highlow-milea- ge ways Because they are low units more gasoline taxes are required per mile mile-per-gall- My motor home is my second home When used it is generally out of state I travel to Arizona for the winter Normally the onuse it has is when it is ly at my Utah residence parked te Even though the value of my mois half the value of my house its taxes are greater Motor home taxes are based on resale value I have no intentions of selling my motor home as replacement sales taxes add significantly to the cost of ownership Weber County and the state of tor home Tired of moral judgments complainers I agree with the author of the April 17 letter “Reader resents moral judgments of others” It is about time someone from this great state of Utah stood up for something they believe in besides church issues (no offense intended to the governing church of this state) There are so many things Ogden City could do with its time and money - like clean up the in- ner city remove (not reduce) gang activity get rid of those dam get more businesses interested in the Ogden City Mall and help the homeless - than to worry about legislating morality on some who like to go to places that have exotic dancing If more of us looked like pot-hol- es them we would be dancing too! I am in total agreement with the author and wish others would take the time to speak their piece and take a stand We appreciate Mr Holding and his financial ability to add and improve Sun Valley in Idaho is a beautiful resort It has its own history There are stories of the Union Pacific train line and Mr Averell Har-rimSonja Henie etc which do not in anyway relate to our Snowbasin an We have our own heritage and would appreciate being able to reflect on our history The name Snowbasin should be cherished not changed! Robert B Beck has been interested and involved in the development on Snowbasin since its conception He is a resident of Ogden welcomes The Standard-Examincontributions to this column which er features commentaries of about 600 words on any issue To have us consider your column please send it along with a photograph to Another Voice Editorial Page PO Box 951 Ogden UT 84402 ore-ma- letterslistandardnet il ' fat! In a class dubbed “fashion” the school invited an outside speaker to inform the girls what a company is looking for in a model That’s OK many girls are interested in modeling It’s the manner in which it was conducted that I found appalling Had she refrained from pointing out what she considered neg- ative features everyone could have left the class feeling good about themselves Instead a few left that class devastated and open to ridicule for possibly the rest of their school years How many cases of anorexia bulimia or depression is this one woman responsible for? We agonize over the anger in our schools only to find some is brought in by the very schools we trust to protect our children Carole C Bell Riverdale Tram would bring tourists new perspective ternative new plan A plan by Dr Evan F Evans was published in the Standard-Examinon Dec 14 1999 (guest commentary “Worthwhile Let’s worry about things that are important - like our First Amendment rights and the right to make our own choices If you don’t like a place stay home! If you don’t like what is on TV turn it off If you don’t like the movie leave the theater! Geri Brown Roy INS agents followed legal procedures dence that it was in fact an arsenal Marisleysis Gonzalez Elian’s “happy” cousin warned INS the rescue of Elian Gonzalez agents that if they came back Sure enough recently I read such again they would find more than a letter saying “The ClintonRe-n- o just cameras! The family would Gestapo-typ- e troopers kid- be ready for them! napped poor innocent Elian This was justification for armGonzalez from his relatives hapthe INS agents but everyone ing py home in the dead of night” should be happy that those arms 1 “Elian now doomed to did not have to be used The INS (May life in communist Cuba”) agents should be commended and applauded for their conbeIt was not a kidnapping cause there was a legal warrant straint We should be delighted issued by a court The warrant that no shots were fired and nohad to be issued because a feder- body was hurt al judge had awarded Elian’s faThat is why a growing number ther custody and his Miami rela- of American citizens now up to tives would not comply 62 percent are telling Congress that they do not want hearings e They were not “Gestapo-typheld on the matter Let’s just were legally troopers” They hope our congressmen finally Imcommissioned agents of the have the good sense to listen to Naturalization and migration Service following legal and their constituents instead of launching yet another procedures attack Dennis D Wakefield As for the "relatives’ happy South Ogden home” there was substantial evi time-honor- enced in school this past week Force Base issues well let me tell you folks something: The base was there long before most of the people who complain about aircraft noise ever thought about building homes right below the path to the runway! I’m sure the beautiful pastures that existed before had no complaints The Air Force base employs a majority of the people in this area and pays a lot of tax dollars to the surrounding areas I for one am glad it is here think of the al- And in regard to Hill Air I was sure that eventually some conservative would write a letter to the editor whining about would never be models Hips too large bosoms too large sloping shoulders unattractive noses too I would like to relate an incident my granddaughter experi- Utah provide no services that benefit owners If services are used at state parks fees are as- The lecturer pointed out that sessed If overnight camping applicants should be tall (OK) higher fees are charged but then she went on to emphaPeople have items of value size thin thin thin! She called that are not assessed these high several girls to the front and fees such as jewelry diamond pointed out the various attributes that each had If only she had rings etc Earnest A Shepherd stopped there! But this “expert” Roy then proceeded to detail all the reasons these particular girls Nelson fax 5$ Students humiliated by insensitive lecturer Motor home taxes are too high er 8 -- Africa- Mt Ogden Ski Club was instrumental in promoting and encouraging young people to learn to ski and enjoy it They sponsored the Miller films the Snowbasin Hill Climb car races and the Ski Swap Shop for many years All proceeds went to supplying skis and bindings for kids to participate in the free original Standard-Examinski school 625-450- MONDAY: Dale McFeatters wonders 'Is there any such thing as too much football?’ Lettersstandardnet IL n-Americans children have heard stories for years written articles read skied and enjoyed comradeship at Snowbasin It is sad when people don’t reflect upon their history There is a history we are proud of at Snowbasin and we need to keep it alive Originally the name Snowbasin evolved from a Forest Service contest won by Art Nord’s wife who suggested Wheeler Basin be changed to Snowbasin Opinion pages 1 ex-frie- Snowbasin’s name reflects its history By ROBERT B BECK (801) HA Coming up in the: er took a trip to Florida Passing through Chatcampaigned actively in support of Propositanooga Term we noticed an old black man tion 22 It is too easy to blame intolerance and bigwalking along the shoulder of the highway Suddenly the car in front of us jerked and who is otry on ignorance I have an swerved to the right The old man leaped out educated makes a more than comfortable livof the way as the occupants of the car ing and has been given all the cultural and laughed and jeered social opportunities anyone could ask for My father slowed And yet he used to sit in front of the televidown and pulled alongsion watching the nightly news foaming at side the man who the mouth muttering racial slurs and delifted himself up from nouncing gays the litter and weeds “Tell me” I asked one of our last brushed off the dirt and encounters “how have during homosexuals and nodded to us that he made your life worse?” He was all right I will nevand refused to answer but I pershrugged er forget his face sisted “What would you do about the AIDS etched with sadness epidemic?” and a great dignity It He glared at the TV screen for a few secwas an odd combinaonds and then snapped “I’ll tell you I’d take tion of resignation and all the people infected with AIDS and put defiance them on a small island in the South Pacific In these times intoland I’d drop a nuclear bomb on them” We erance can take other no longer stay in touch forms Earlier this year few years later after the brutal beating A Matis a gay Stuart of Matthew Shepard in Wyoming one of the man in Caliyoung man’s killers Aaron McKinney fornia committed suicide on the steps of a his Mormon church in Los Altos His family and shared a similar sentiment Many blamedecodifficult on the and homophobia bigotry is connectdeath Matis’ not insist friends that nomic and social circumstances of his life yet ed in any way to the March 7 vote on Propohere are two men with vastly different backinitiative controversial that the 22 sition grounds and with the same irrational hatred states only heterosexual marriages can be recWhy? the But California the of state ognized by I believe it is due to our tolerance of intolsuicide note is telling Matis wrote “I am no erance For every one person who aggressiveI hate in no and myself longer longer pain As it turns out God never intended me to be ly and actively expresses this kind of hatred there are 10 of us who turn a deaf ear and a straight Perhaps my death might become a blind eye to it Prejudice and intolerance catalyst for some good” flourish not because it is the predominant and But what a desperate tragic Perhaps philosophy of humans but because we give it way to seek acceptance from a society that permission to survive by doing nothing still cruelly mocks and rejects his lifestyle Jim Stiles is a contributor to Writers on the And because Matis was a member of the LDS Church his death has grave implicaRange a service of High Country News He publishes the Canyon Country Zephyr in Moab tions for Utah as well since the LDS Church ANOTHER VOICE This resort may not be Sun Valley but its heritage is just as rich Standard-Examin- POBox 951 Ogden UT 84402-095- Intolerance lurks in West’s wide-ope- n will Sunday May 7 2000 I am in total support of the tram I think it would bring tourism to the Weber County area With proper care to maintain the beautiful ravine and surrounding roads it will bring a wonderful perspective gion of our re- Joshua Whiteman North Ogden Legislators should respond to welfare plan “Worthwhile welfare reform requires a tougher approach” Recipients must be accountable and taxpayers accounted for in a er welfare plan requires a tougher approach”) I talked to the good doctor about his plan and I feel it is worth pursuing Dr Evans stated he had sent a copy to Rep Saunders and Sen Hull and never received any acknowledgment of receipt Pretty rude of both if the copy was As a registered voter in their districts I request a public response as to why they didn’t respond to the plan It’s apparent that the current welfare plan is not very successful and is creating hardships on many of the honest folks in the system Those dishonest folks draining the current system think it’s great bilking the taxpayers I would appreciate hearing from both Saunders and Hull on their thoughts on the “soda tax” It would appear that the complete welfare program could be financed with it alone George A Sorensen Ogden Take stand on nude club or let minority rule In the United States we have been blessed with freedom unparalleled in all the wdrld We have the opportunity to elect those whom we feel will represent our views in managing our governments Through this system we are responsible for the laws that are enacted and we are therefore obliged to live according to those rules Our government is a system of “majority rules” with balances in place to also protect the rights of the spineless attitude Let’s not be people who allow all ills to creep into our society Let’s stand up and be counted for right or for wrong To allow laws to be enacted that are contrary to the desires of the majority be- cause we do not wish to offend the minority creates a govern- ment ruled by a minority A country ruled by a minority is not a democracy For the record let me clearly state that I believe nude dancing to be morally wrong and do not It is not only our right to voice our opinion it is our duty! How can the voice of the majority be heard if we hide our opinions behind other issues? For someone to say for example "I do not believe that nude dancing is morally correct but it is not my place to want it present in my society Nude dancing is not a form of art but a vice trying to hide behind claims of freedom of speech I am not blinded by that cover I see it for what it is That is how I stand and how I wish to be tell someone else what he should or should not do” is a weak and Steve Brown Roy counted! |
