OCR Text |
Show 8! 3 ZEPH YR/ Pe oY 2004-JANUARY 2005 TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT Outsiders are slowly resettling Wayne County, like most of Southern Utah, because itis beautiful. The new group of settlers reveres Wayne County’s landscape, but often treats natives of the place with spite. Locals are labeled “hicks” and “rednecks.” Bumper stickers proclaim a desire to “Protect Wild Utah” as wilderness when that would deliver a powerful blow to local business and recreation. This is the culture of the New West, that is, the culture of Boulder and Santa Fe. The original culture of Wayne County is at risk of disappearing. Folks who move to rural towns too often think that the very life of the rural place the lives of the farmers, ranchers, loggers, and coal miners - is backward, even wrong. Writer Wendell Berry experienced this prejudice when he left a teaching position at New York University to return home to Kentucky. “There was the assumption,” he writes, “that the life of the metropolis. is the experience, the modern experience, and that the life of the rural places...is not only irrelevant to our time, but archaic as well because it is unknown (continued) disappear, even before I'd spit out all the words. He just stood there with an expression that combined the best aspects of disgust and boredom. He looked at the ground. But maybe there was time for recovery. “So what brings you to Hanksville? I asked. “] like it here,” he replied curtly. It seemed to me, he was turning a bit taciturn. Meanwhile Muckluk had stirred from beneath the VW. She crawled out from the shade and walked toward. Redford. Muckluk was a magnificent looking animal-half Husky, half Shepherd—with knowing eyes and a certain insouciance that belongs. usually to cats. Redford seemed interested; perhaps my dog will save the day. By now Muck was standing directly in front of Redford but facing me. Redford said, “Nice looking or unconsidered by the people who really matter - that is, the urban intellectuals.” With the resettlement of the west and the devaluation of the rural person, | fear that dog you've got.” He bent over and reached out to stroke Muckluk’s back. But before he could ever the land we grew up on will be closed to our children, and that our children’s rural heritage - touch hand to fur, Muck simply walked away from him. will be treated as“sométhing savage, something they must leave behind. The west, as happened THAT GODDAMN INSOUCIANCE AGAIN! when white men first came to this continent, will be ready for resettlement by He was left stroking air-and that was enough for Robert Redford. He couldn’t even bear to look at me,again and he said, “See ya,” to the sidewalk as he turned and disappeared inside the cafe.’ vic : I got in my car and drove away, toward Capitol Reef, crushed. Muck assumed her people~who believe they know better than we do how to live on land with which we are intimate. i : : position in the passenger seat, her head hanging from the window, her long tongue flapping in the hot wind. I scolded her for ruining my chatices for stardom. She acted Folks who move to rural towns too often think that the very life of the rural place--the lives of the farmers, like she didn’t hear me, but the truth is, the damn dog just didn’t care. ANOTHER UTNE NOMINATION... ranchers, loggers and coal miners-~-is backward, even wrong. : I recently received word that The Zephyr has been n ominated for another “Utne NOr Independent Press Award” in the “Local/Regional Coverage” category. This is The Z’s third consecutive nomination and I’m extremely grateful for the recognition. COLDWCLL BANKCR Gl We rural westerners are intimate with the land, but do not call ourselves environmentalists. We view the environmental movement as a hostile takeover, an elitist approach to improve upon ‘a west full of rednecks. We are afraid of the movement and, understandably, hateful toward it... _ But we are lying to and marginalizing ourselves if we don’t promote rural people as environmentalists in some sense. The environmental movement is well funded, mediafed, and internationally popular. Its holds the place of religion among its believers and is as rooted in the present human consciousness as was the doctrine of Manifest Destiny or the ARCHES REALTY 150 E. Center St. P.O. Moab, UT 84532 fever of the Industrial Revolution. We as the people opposed to its idealistic principles seem, in the larger community, heretical and dangerous. Embracing our part of the environmental movement might change the way the world perceives us and the way it perceives conservation. We have to end our stand as the enemy and make ourselves known as individuals. We have to open a dialogue with the people who move into our towns. Our organizations have to get organized, communicate professionally and eloquently, and get our personal stories of loss, struggle, and love for the land into the media. Knowing that our goal is to preserve a threatened culture and safeguard land and tradition as essential parts of our humanity and our natural environment might diminish popular support for the no-compromise stand of the environmental protection groups. Our unique viewpoint should want to save the wilderness at the cost to save the human heritage at the cost think deeply, to consider everything in os ees be our plea: we have a sense of balance. We don't of the people who helped raise us. We don’t want of the places we love best. So we are compelled to our plans. And, because we are the offspring of the places themselves, we want to create or maintain economic opportunities and a sense of rural pride so our children can enjoy life here in the future. KELLY MINGLES WITH THE TWINKLIN' STARS: The place I know best is not beautiful. Few tourists come to gaze at our Mancos shale, sagebrush, and snakebroom. The mountains are a dull gray, flecked with the most The Great subtle yellows and greens. It is a landscape I learned to love because most of my memories were created in its folds. Helper is vital to me because it is the seat of everything I know and everything I can learn about myself. I need this place. I say this on behalf of every family member who lives here. And I say the same thing on behalf of the families of Wayne County: Behunin and Blackburn, Chappell, Ellett, Brown, Brian, Torgersen and Torgerson. They need their place, too. RIVERSIDE PLUMBING & HEATING KELLY STELTER = Bianca Dumas lives and writes in Helper, Utah. 366 N. 500 ANG ¢ MOAB ¢ 259-8324 Residential - Commercial - Sales Installation - Drain Cleaning COMPLETE LINE OF PLUMBING FIXTURES Kohler - Grohe - Mansfield Ejer - Moen - Delta - Sterling - Price Pfister HOT WATER HEATERS - GARBAGE DISPOSALS WHIRLPOOL BATHS - SPAS le Western Character Actor BEN JOHNSON (H) 259-2339 (CELL) 260.8011 GOT A LEAK IN YOUR TEN GALLON STETSEN? Rick can plug those holes and git you back on the trail... HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!! PAGES BUS: 259-5693 xt:113 or (800) 634-0770 FAX: 259-5930 kelly@moabproperties.com s |