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Show Viewpoints The A-9 Park Record. Wed/Thurs/Fri, January 22-24, 2020 editorial Sundance story includes giving diverse filmmakers a platform rom the time the Sundance Film Festival gets underway Thursday until the closing credits roll Feb. 2, there will be many words spoken about the power of story. Indeed, the stories that will play out on the screen during Sundance, whether inventive fictional narratives or hard-hitting documentaries portraying real-life struggles, will reveal truths of the human condition, change perspectives, spark empathy — and yes, entertain. But beyond the recognition that story has the ability to enlighten and move us, a critical question remains: Whose stories, exactly, will be told during the festival? This year, Sundance will be able to provide a more satisfying answer than ever before as the festival rolls out perhaps its most diverse lineup. According to organizers, 46% of the directors in one of the four competition categories are women, while 38% are people of color and 12% are LGBTQ. Compared to the rest of the film industry, those numbers are remarkable (as one can attest after a quick scan of the recent Oscar nominations, which have been rightly criticized for being overwhelmingly male and white). It didn’t happen by accident, or overnight. Rather, it’s the result of years of Sundance leadership understanding the festival’s standing as America’s premier showcase of independent film and placing emphasis on seeking out and nurturing diverse voices. (To its credit, Sundance has also taken significant steps to increase diversity among F guest editorial It’s going to require sacrifice if we want to stop climate change ROGER MAROLT The Aspen Times We are all going to die. The Earth will not last forever. There are a couple of aspirins for the dull ache of global warming. Perhaps we need an icepack on inflamed worries, too. Something is going to get us, but I doubt it will be climate change. As they say, it is the bus you don’t see that hits you. I believe the world’s natural design will allow it to clean itself up, if we don’t. While I don’t think it will be a big deal for the planet to fix itself, nor believe it will even take a very long time in terms of its lifetime, that doesn’t mean I don’t think the process will have a profound effect. I picture it being pretty devastating, actually. At some point, maybe it is already happening, this sphere in the universe will undertake a cleanse. It will be like a weekend at the spa for it. We will be like the blockage in its large intestine that will be forcefully expunged. It will feel great again. As for us? Well, you know what happens to stored up toxins in a cleanse, right? Here’s the thing, though, the entire human population will not get wiped out. This celestial body will start eliminating us and our byproducts until it can once again sustain itself. Gone will be large chunks of cities, economies, automobiles, factories, plants and animal species, glaciers, landscapes and skiing. I added that last one for the folks at POW. It’s going to be horrifically painful, but there will be survivors. The good news is that this is not necessarily our destiny. The point, however, is that fixing this problem of global warming will involve a lot of real suffering. Call it “sacrifice” if that makes you feel any better, but the bottom line is that this is going to hurt, quite a bit, whether we solve this nature’s way or on our own. The Park Record Staff PUBLISHER ....................... Andy Bernhard Editor ................................... Bubba Brown Staff Writers ......................Jay Hamburger Scott Iwasaki Alexander Cramer Ryan Kostecka Contributing ............................. Tom Clyde Writers Teri Orr Amy Roberts Tom Kelly Joe Lair Copy Editor ............................ James Hoyt Engagement Editor............. Jeff Dempsey Photographer .........................Tanzi Propst Circulation Manager ............. Lacy Brundy Distribution........................... Henry Knight Accounting Manager ......... Jennifer Snow ADVERTISING Advertising Director ........... Valerie Spung Advertising Sales ................... Jodi Hecker Lindsay Lane Sharon Bush Emma Fedorowich Director of Digital Marketing .. Tina Wismer Production Director ..................Ben Olson Production ......................... Louise Mohorn This is only my opinion which, if valued on a per-word basis, is not worth very much, but banning plastic bags and recycling beer cans is not going to get the job done. What is actually more than opinion, however, is the data showing we are not making any progress in reversing the planet’s production of greenhouse gases. We have just about doubled our annual contribution to the cause of planetary overheating since 1980 and are not slowing down. There is an annoying thing that history suggests about human nature: We will do what we will, but rarely what we can. The proof is that we have invented a name for the few who actually do all that they can for a cause. We call them “heroes.” Needless to say, their value is more than a dime a dozen. Maybe part of our problem in making progress in this global warming thing is that we don’t really believe in the issue’s severity. If we felt serious jeopardy, we would likely be making bigger sacrifices. Remember Aaron Ralston? He was the young adventurer who lived in Aspen for a time. On a solo foray into the deserts of Utah, he was bouldering and got his arm stuck behind a giant rock. He could not move his arm or the rock. It was an imminent threat. He tried everything to free himself. Finally, convinced of the inevitability of his own extinction, he cut off his own arm with a pocket knife to save his life. The equivalent of this in terms of saving Earth from overheating is not catching the bus to work two days a week. If our planet’s arm is wedged in by a rock now, we haven’t so much as frozen a wart off its middle finger. Aspen’s own limbs are tanned and toned, helping us to bend over backward for the enjoyment of residents and visitors alike. We’re doing backflips for promotions like the X Games. A handstand, anyone? I think the problem of not recognizing global warming in fatalistic terms at a time definite in the near future is that we may, even if subconsciously, see it as somebody else’s problem. It’s hard to visualize the great grandkids suffering from this. It’s easy to guess that maybe only half the world will eventually feel the fatal effects of it, and the likelihood of it being us, we can convince ourselves, is probably pretty slim — at worst a 50/50 proposition, or better yet, I’ll be dead by then. Doing the difficult things now to possibly reverse global warming may be a bit like getting a flu shot in the fall. The weather is nice and you feel you will never get sick. A flu shot isn’t always effective, anyway. And who has the time to go and get one? Then the depth of winter hits and suddenly there are born many new flu shot advocates lying delirious in sweat-soaked sheets, wracked with body aches, wondering if the end is near. Roger Marolt is a columnist for The Aspen Times, a Park Record sister paper located in Aspen, Colorado. the media credentialed to cover the festival.) Lest anyone dismiss the diversity numbers as merely an opportunity for Sundance to pat itself on the back, one thing must be clear: Representation matters. In addition to the push for inclusion providing more equity for underrepresented filmmakers — a worthy goal in itself — the voices now being included are ones audiences need to hear. Their stories give us a more complete understanding of the world around us and how we fit into it, showing us what it’s like to grow up as a black child in America or illuminating the challenges women face in the workplace. Likewise, given film’s outsize role in shaping our culture and influencing thought, it’s imperative that young people of all colors, genders and sexual orientations see characters and themes they identify with on the big screen. They need to grow up knowing their stories are worthy of being told, too. Each year as Sundance approaches, there are more than a few Parkites who sigh while considering the prospect of navigating packed roads and crowded grocery stores, a frustration heightened by the fact it can be difficult for local residents to take part in the festival. But Sundance’s efforts to ensure a diverse range of artists are included on one of the film industry’s biggest platforms makes it easier to share our town with the festival for 11 days. And it makes the story of Sundance one all Parkites can take pride in. letters to the editor There’s a place for e-bikes on the trails I’ve never been part of a town more passionate about more things than Park City. We’re passionate about our art, music, culture, environment, pets and, most importantly, our mountains. Trial etiquette has always been a heated topic, but it’s become more so as people move to Utah in droves and trails become more crowded. I get it, change is hard. With the arrival of e-bikes on the scene, it’s made people in Park City nervous, and we’re taking a cautious approach. Which is OK. But here’s an impassioned plea from an e-bike enthusiast: I’m your friend, not your foe. I’m not overstating it when I say e-bikes have changed my life. What was once something my husband did alone, we can now do together. He generally rides his analog bike while I ride my e-bike. My mental health is better, my heart health has improved, my relationship has never been stronger, and my joints — ravaged by rheumatoid arthritis — are much happier in a pedal-assisted environment. My husband is a very strong rider — with or without pedal assist — and uses his e-bike as a way to decompress and stay motivated to go out and ride after a long 12-hour shift as a nurse. I want to high-five the old timers I see out on trails sweating and riding e-bikes. I nearly yell, “We’re doing it, guys! Great to see you out here!” As to the argument I’m somehow not “earning it” because I ride an e-bike, I’d be happy to share my Apple Watch data that consistently reports otherwise. Those against e-bikes on Park City’s trails just seem mean or elitist (or both) and I’ll never understand it. There will always be inconsiderate riders, just like there will always be inconsiderate skiers and snowboarders, and drivers, and dance fighters. But if you’re willing to ban a 40-year-old arthritic mother of two, I think that says more about Park City’s values and less about whether e-bikes are good or bad for trails. Jeni Jones Heber City Trump will walk away from the rubble I am stunned that few seem to care about Trump’s next assault on our planet. Significant changes are being made to the National Environmental Policy Act, allowing federal agencies to approve certain infrastructure projects without considering climate change consequences! This will stop federal environmental reviews of projects that lack government funding. This will endanger wildlife and lead to more carbon dioxide emissions being released into the atmosphere. Of course Trump’s person in charge was a former lobbyist for Big Oil. Greed for short financial gains to big polluters and our corrupt president are prioritized. Even national parks and monuments, our worldwide envied treasures, are being assaulted. Our public health and environment are at grave risk from the growing climate crisis and our own president. Trump has cut regulations put in place by prior administrations to protect our environment and will continue doing this. He is corrupt to the core. While he and his cronies are stuffing their pockets, our planet is dying. His staunch followers will reelect him again for our “booming economy” that cannot last. Our huge, growing debt will bring us to bankruptcy, something Trump is familiar with. As before, he will just walk away from the rubble. Maria Roberts Park City The Park record Pulse Here’s a sampling of the conversation readers are having on our Facebook page. To visit the page, go to Facebook.com/parkrecord/. My rebellion was I just left, I was priced out of PC and you all lost a valuable employee. I now work over in Alta where I was provided a place to live and the skiing is better over here. We don’t have the nightlife but I got over that pretty fast.” Kim you will be missed! Thank you for your dedication, consistent preparation and level head. Job well done!” Tonja Blonquist Hanson, on “Summit County Councilor Kim Carson, longtime public official, will not seek reelection” Jon Kenneth Youngblood, on “Park City Councilor concerned about ‘workforce rebellion’ someday amid mounting worker frustration” Since when is a 4 month ski resort job supposed to be a career? It’s student or supplemental income at best. If the resorts can’t fill the jobs they will have to increase the wage to fill the positions, that’s the way the market works.” Rob Giola, on “Park City Councilor concerned about ‘workforce rebellion’ someday amid mounting worker frustration” The solution to the world’s problems is not to have everyone move here. That would be an environmental disaster. The solution is for these troubled regions to embrace democracy, freedom, capitalism and the rule of law.” Steve Hancock, on “Summit County Council pens letter to Pompeo welcoming refugee resettlement” The Park Record attained permission to publish these comments. Some comments may have been lightly edited for clarity. |