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Show logistical reasons, and perhaps to seduce some of Macomb County's decidedly Democratic voters. Neither he nor his advance crew realized that they had chosen to hold a rally at the house of a Utah Wilderness supporter. The advance crew was busy staging the good ‘ol American A LESSON FROM THE MOTHER COUNTRY: Not wishing to be consistently out-travelled by the esteemed publisher of the Zephyr, Colonel Stiles, I seized an opportunity for overseas travel. However, unlike the Colonel who freely banishes himself to Australia as the Mother Country likely would have done with him in centuries old, I chose England herself with the thought that my antics would acquire for me a magistrate-ordered ticket to Australia soon enough (Alas! Two for the price of one!). Was there a better way to escape the pounding need for wilderness activism than to numb oneself in a country patchworked with totally tamed pastoral pastures? Hell (I mean, Heck), even the cows looked comfortably numb, fat and happy chewing their cud. (Was America's Southwest the “Australia” for banished bovine?). I too would lounge without care, pickling myself with pints, and relish my escape. Right? Impossible. First, Mr. Stiles informed me the day prior to my departure that my article was due during my trip. Second, I landed in a hot-bed of citizen activism, although this time with the luxury of being a mere spectator... The Labour government in England had placed heavy tax on gasoline (‘petrol’), originally with the intent to apply the funds toward environmental improvements. The population was amenable to this. But the intention of the government to utilize funds for environmental measures quickly waned, and was changed to “education and health services.” The public was tolerant of this as well. But the government failed this promise too, using the funds instead for foolish developments like “The Dome,” an ugly non-permanent structure constructed in celebration of the millennium that cost taxpayers over 90 million pounds (or 1.2 billion dollars). The price of fuel continued to rise; yet promised benefits from the high tax were nowhere to be found. People were outraged...outraged enough to take action! Within a few days time, protestors blockaded oil refineries and brought the entire country to a virtual standstill. The crisis, spawned by the government's failure to listen to the vast majority of people who support the protest, has not been resolved--the government is more inclined to deal with development interests than to capitulate to the public's needs. Protesters have promised to turn up the heat in sixty days if the government doesnot respond. And the protest is not confined to England; people in France held a similar theme to match the town's Peach Festival with straw bales, corn stalks, bushels of peaches, and debating whether to cut down two trees in the front (how fitting!). The Secret Service Captain was in a quandary over how to secure the premises when our family insisted on following through with its plans to barbeque, as well as our insistence that we needed access into the house for necessary implements like hot sauce and relish. Bush's advance team did not even notice the framed SUWA poster of White Canyon, bearing the Abbey quote “The idea of Wilderness needs no defence, only more defenders,” that hangs behind. my Dad's desk above an array of letters my family had written to Bush. My family and I greeted George W. as he entered through the backdoor, smiling and dressed in a silk rendition of a denim shirt--its fineness would later make my dad dizzy pondering how much it cost. I took the moment while our hands were clasped to explain that we were giving him a duplicate of the framed photo he would soon see, and asked him to read the letters on the desk. Moments after this greeting, Bush addressed the crowd of 8,000 that formed outside the house. As expected, his speech totally ignored environmental issues, instead focussing on “restoring integrity to the White House,” and other plans to benefit the American people. I caught myself nearly exploding with exclamations as to how that was possible without protecting the integrity of our public lands to benefit all species and for the sanity of humans. I bit my tongue. Following the speech, Bush circled the front line of the crowd. signature on various items from posters to t-shirts, the whole pomp He scribbled his and circumstance covered live on c-span. When he caught sight of me, he extended his hand and thanked me for my hospitality. I responded by handing him a “Protect Wild Utah” sticker (which he endorsed on the back) and yelling the same words into the microphone above his head. Perplexed, he exclaimed, “Yes!” Will Gov. Bush hang the framed photo of Utah Wilderness behind his desk? Will he announce his endorsement of Utah Wilderness as his presidential platform on national television? Stay tuned . .. but don't hold your breath! SOME THINGS ABOUT RIM HAVE GOTTEN SMALLER... me demonstration the week before, and it has now spread to Germany, Brussels and Holland. I could not help but draw parallels from this circumstance with our situation regarding communities and public lands in the American West (how surprising.) Taxpayers, with good reason, expect state and local government to spend money on community and envirortmental measures that protect and improve quality of life. Instead, Utah State and county governments use taxpayer dollars to litigate ridiculous “road” claims — dollars that could be spent on measures to protect community water sources, view sheds, surrounding _ wilderness lands, and better schools, hospitals and cultural centers. Taxpayers also expect federal agencies to carry forward their mandated promises to ensure that our public lands are not degraded. To the overwhelming majority of Americans, this includes wilderness protection for our remaining wild lands. Yet the government and agencies have failed to listen to the people, bending over backwards instead for industry and development interests. People should be outraged!...outraged enough to take action. GEORGE W. BUSH CAUGHT IN THE WEB OF WILDERNESS: Phone call, Thursday, August 30: “Son, why don't you come to Michigan for our Labor Day barbeque? There are some interesting folks coming over.” I responded flippantly, something like “no mon, no fun, your son.” However, such a late invitation was intriguing, so I was forced to inquire “Who?” nonchalantly. Now, mind OTHER THINGS ABOUT RIM HAVE GOTTEN LARGER... COME VIEW OUR NEW HUGELY EXPANDED SELECTION OF EVERYTHING. “Governor George W. Bush,” my Dad stated ‘ye (pardon me, “understand that”), I am not a Republican, though I am willing to seek and exploit, with utmost sincerity and truth of purpose, any opportunity that assists Utah Wilderness. I wondered, would it be possible to get a message to Gov. Bush, and if successful, to what use would it serve? I mean, wasn't he the one who shot an endangered bird while on a hunt with reporters? Like any activist, I dismissed the thought of defeat, secured two cheap on-line tickets, one for my nine-year-old, Jacob, packed a “Utah Wilderness!” banner, bumper stickers, and other paraphernalia, and flew to Michigan. Michigan receives wilderness well, and the Michigan delegation knows a bad bill for Utah Wilderness when they see it. In all, seventy-five percent of Michigan's House delegation voted against the San Rafael Western Legacy District and National Conservation Act, endorsed by Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt and two Utah Republicans, namely Hansen and Cannon. The fact that Michigan wants to protect Utah Wilderness is important to any politician wishing to secure such a critical electoral state. But Bush was entirely oblivious‘to this, as well of his hosts' desire and designs to impress this fact upon him. x Rather, his campaign advance people chose the location for Tex's RIVERWAYS 3-D RIVER VISIONS, INC. You ve got to find your own musk ox herd. P.O. Box 67 Moab, UT 84532 435.259.5101 info@texsriverways.com 691 W. 500 West www.texsriverways.com CANOE OUTFITTING & RENTALS SHUTTLE SERVICE JETBOAT TOURS D. 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