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Show A Not Anonymous Answer Just recently I received an anonymous letter in the mail concerning con-cerning the Burr Trail Panel Presentation sponsored by KUED Channel 7. It was postmarked in Escalante with an "Earth First" sucker on the back of the envelope. There was some language in the letter that I feel Garfield County citizens should be aware of so they can better understand what we are up against. Several places lam quoting verbatim from this letter, including the misspelled words. It opened by saying "I had the misfortune of tuning into an aci-nine aci-nine debate on TV about a few inbred in-bred locals vs. one of the last remaining re-maining wild areas in our increasingly increas-ingly crowded world the Burr Trail area. If Escalante wants "progress" so much, why don't you all move to Provo or St. George? A senior citizen friend of mine comes to town each year, spending money in your dirty unpaved little town, and photographing and enjoying your natural splendor. Due to the ignorant, under-intcllected and self-centered self-centered bleeding harts or the local attitide against the land, he calls Escalante "THE TOWN TOO STUPID TO GET OUT OF ITS OWN WAY"! Believe me, some of us in Southern Utah wouldn't shed a tear if Escalante would dry up and blow away. The land would be better bet-ter off . . . ". It is hard for me to keep my cool when someone tells me what to do with four generations of struggle, sacrifice and love of our land-" Why don't you all move to Provo or St. George?" they ask. Why don't they all move to Africa where there are lots of deserts? Using their own words, "Believe me, some of us in Southern Utah wouldn't shed a tear" if they did. Our ancestors settled this country 150 years ago and passed down that inheritance to us. How long have Earth First been coming here, ten perhaps fifteen years? And they have the right to tell us to move someplace else if we want progress? Let them move someplace else if they don't want progress. Our right to the land goes back a great deal further than theirs. They go on to say " Congress should decree that all permanent human habitation between be-tween Escalante and U-276 be banned!" "When the final collapse of the military- industrial- religious complex com-plex comes, (rapidly I hope) this magnificant land will begin to heal, but our foolish scars will take a long time. With proper stewardship and love for the land, and realization that population growth must be limited, perhaps we can survive as an 'Earthmanship Society'." What loyal American could hopefully be awaiting the "final collapse" of our society. What type of individual would wish for the destruction of his country to bring his own selfish desires and beliefs? , The answer: Those individuals who claim membership in "Earth First" and don't have enough pride in their cause to even sign their name. Louise Liston Garfield County Commissioner |