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Show THE ZEPHYROCTOBER 1995 parameters of domestic existence. Thus, the sight of the female gender (especially pale skinned and bare armed) causes both solicitous stares and much consternation. Not to mention that a brief 10 minute interval (AKA pit stop) in a village results in a minimum 10 to 1 ratio of Pakistani males to American (or otherwise) females! The dark brooding stares are both intense and unabashed. For a full four weeks, the feeling of no less than 4 and as many as 100 pairs of penetrating eyes was a common if not unnerving part of the experience. So... to read about women filing a "visual harassment" suit because a few AMERICAN "simple, helpless creatures" visually gorged themselves on a delectable (we can only surmise) creature of the opposite sex seems absolutely ludicrous! Perhaps this fine female should venture beyond her scope of security to Pakistan. After such an excursion, the incredible anonymity afforded a citizen in the almighty U.S.A. seems like a priceless treasure! Or could it be that my rating on the scale of life proves as low as the scum I'm defending because I once worked at Boise Cascade in Moab, Utah and learned by the school of hardknocks how to have a sense of humor about "galvanized nipples", "bastard files", "virgin Teflon tape", "male & female ends", and a "caulk with a watertight seal"? Sarcastically yours, Terry L. Doherty Dear Editor, I appreciate the opportunity to express my opinions, to have a dialog, and to I feel that it would be better for all concerned if last editorials. two respond to your we could identify the issues that divide us, work on the areas that we agree on and work to arrive at reasonable solutions in areas that we don't agree on. It sometimes seems that everybody has strong opinions and wants to express them the at top of their lungs and nobody wants to listen. I have observed that the people who yell the loudest are the ones that care the most. We tend to identify the one that is yelling back at us as the enemy. I have learned to appreciate people who care even if we are on the opposite side of the fence. Just because we disagree docs not make us enemies, if it did there would be no marriage and our race would die out. Concerning the issue of them Feds. I wish to inform Cherie Gilmore that just because we disagree with "the big brother knows best" type of government concept that it does not make us Oklahoma City bombers. The people in Moab that I talked to considered the Oklahoma bombing to be an unorganized barbaric act that killed innocent American citizens and their children. Last spring in her articles in the Zephyr she ignored the Waco massacre and the Ruby Ridge standoff and the attempted Fed coverups which to me represents acts of organized barbarity. She shouldn't have ignored the other side of the issue. Does she think that Federal employees and their children are all that counts? I think that the real question that should be concerning us is, are we witnessing a trend towards the breakdown of civilization and civilized behavior? I think that organized barbarism represents a greater threat to us at this point in time. The threat comes from both the right and the left. I look upon the Federal employees as just another bunch of American citizens and trying to make a living. The good and the bad is mirrored within taxes paying them roughly within the same proportion as to the general population. They should remember whom they are working for and that they have sworn an oath to uphold and protect the Constitution. I Regarding State land management vs. Federal land management. think that the the land at County level. stewardship of the land lies with the people that live on the The State and Federal governments have a part to play in it. It is land that is held in trust for the people of the United States and both government entities should be involved in order to protect each of their respective constituency's interests. It would be a mistake to assume that anybody is seriously contemplating abolishing the Federal presence on the public lands. At the risk of ruining a perfectly good relationship I am generally in agreement with your assessment of State and local governments. The main unanswered question as I sec it is will the unelected bureaucracies succeed in completely taming the elected authority on all levels of government within the United States? 1 My influence and vote count the least on the Fjederal level so trust them the least. The State comes next because my vote counts more. I trust local government the most because they arc the easiest to control. You seem to be concerned about the militias. 1 haven't heard much about them in talking to people around town. If it was an old respected tradition around here like it is in some places I am sure that there would have been one. As it is it doesn't seem to be much of a concern. Maybe you have been listening to CNN too much. Time and space considerations prevent me from commenting on other issues such as the Sportsmans' Club controversy on which we disagree. Maybe at a later date. Thank you, jerry stocks Moab Letters to Feedback should be received by the Zephyr by the 20th of the month to be considered for publication. Winners of the "Letter of the Month" receive a one year subscription. Write: The Zephyr, POB 327, Moab, UT 84532 Dear Jim, The "K. Walker" who wrote last month's Letter of the Month" was not me Kevin Walker Moab PAGE 39 Dear Jim, Your column this month, September, really got to me. The golden light as autumn approaches is a phenomenon I have been noticing for some time. I really hadn't thought much about it and I guess that is why writers are so important. You, the artist with words, can paint a wonderful picture for those of us whose talents lie elsewhere. To my liking, you framed my feelings exactly. Perhaps it is because we are similar ages and have arrived at similar points in our lives. I came out to the Southwest in 1974. From Detroit to Albuquerque to be exact. I found the perfect place to live. Unfortunately don't share your feelings about having 20 years ago Albuquerque was just the right size for a musician, particularly one whose interests include classical music. Now it has become an urban giant, with all the urban giant problems. My wife and I really would like to move to a smaller town (thus making it bigger, I know) but our work prevents us from leaving. A Drummer and an Artist aren't usually welcome in small towns. In any event I just wanted you to know how lucky you are, having found the home that was meant to be, and how much I enjoy your column and Marooney's. I also feel compelled to comment on the federal-stat- e land .situation. To me giving BLM in time. If this trend is backwards land a step the state control over what was continues I think at some point individual states will declare themselves independent countries. The federal government, not wanting to deal with the increasing problems of fighting 50 different states will be further weakened. If we continue down this road and follow it to its logicaK?) conclusion, we will see cities fed up with the way the state is running things and thus declare themselves independent. This has already happened in Albuquerque. One part of town didn't like how things were being run, and declared itself a different town. Their bottom line for making this decision was taxes. They didn't want to pay taxes for things like libraries and such that they felt they weren't going to use. This separatism business will only drive our country to its knees. I guess what worries me the most is I feel the federal government of our country is failing miserably and to such a point they want to pass the problems down to the state. To see the federal government cowering at the cries of the state sickens me. This is not unlike a parent handing down the problems of running a household to the children. Before making any decisions people must listen to both sides and then make a moral decision. Wouldn't it be wonderful if those with the power to make a decision of consequence could actually use morals instead of money issues when making that decision? At what point in time did the citizens of this country sell out? All issues now boil down to who can help me personally enlarge my wallet. Not a wond about what is right for the country as a whole or what is just plain right. By the way, every time I've been in southern Utah, and I've been there many times. I've noticed a huge population of foreign tourists. Wouldn't this mean that our decisions actually have a world impact? Of course, but who cares? A few ranchers have to feed their families and have the right to do it in the same fashion their fathers did. If it was good enough for them, its good enough for me. Using that same philosophy we would still have stagecoaches and icemen coming to our doors. Times change but what is morally right, not correct, doesn't change. And when did environmentalists become the bad guys? Has our thinking become so twisted that we now see people who want to protect the nation's lands as rats? In closing I would just like to leave you with one thought about this land business. When the talks get heated and you're not sure who to believe, ask yourself one thing. Who has something to gain? Let's say you went to a used car lot looking for a second-han- d car. You spot a vehicle you like and then ask the salesman about it. He gives you a glowing report, of course. Suddenly the previous owner of that very same car just happens by. Who do you think is most likely to give you the truth? The man with nothing to gain or the man with everything to gain? To the powers that be, when all is said and done, and you find yourself on the death bed, I hope you find yourself on the clear conscience side of the line. Thanks Jim, for letting me vent my feelings. Keep up the good fight. Who knows, maybe someday you'll see a musician and artist on your doorstep. Don't worry, w'e just want to shake your hand. With great respect, Jeff Lunt Albuquerque, NM Dear Zephyr: In 1958, at the ripe old age of 7, 1 visited Moab with my grandfather, who had friends there. These friends were all Grand County Commissioners. I've forgotten their names, but there were 3 or 4 of them, all commissioners. Anyw'ay, I recall it well. Everyone wras sitting around after dinner at a local restaurant (1 forget the name) - they were enjoying a few drinks. Cramps gave them $100 for some land - he wanted to build affordable housing for the recall it well. The commissioners were real excited about the deal and promised to patent the land from the BLM. They promised -- 1 remember that part rvrfectlv! Could you please advise me on how to settle this claim? the deal wras for all the land between Spanish Valley (inclusive) and the Castle Valley turnoff (excluding the Atlas Mill site and tailings and Dos Amigos) - it was to be put in my name (I also remember that part real well). Cramps was a good honest man, and 1 feel he's been cheated (me too). Sincerely, Meg Miller r.S. I'm the only one left of the bunch, so you'll have to trust my memory - nothing was put in writing... NOTE: Two particularly long letters and several more we received just prior to press time will appear in the next issue. |
