Show R Conflict Turns Into Middle Earth Battle Nick Opinion The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska is beautiful Its rolling expanse breathtaking views exotic animals and solitary location make for a unique topography and ecology not found anywhere anywhere anywhere any any- where else in America Caribou polar bears and even musk oxen how many of you have actually seen a real musk oxen make or ANWAR as its it's sometimes sometimes sometimes some some- times called their home Such a gorgeous place gives hope to the thought of ecological ecological ical retribution in America Picture with me now surrounded surrounded surrounded sur sur- sur- sur rounded by tall spires of spitting spitting spitting spit spit- ting flame huge tankers crumbling the ground beneath them and hundreds of careless careless careless care care- less workers with loads of littered littered littered lit lit- garbage The two ideas create a stark contrast but soon they may not be so opposite Lobbying groups many members of congress and President Bush would like to mix the two in legislation legislation legisla legisla- legislation tion allowing for the exploration exploration exploration ration and possible subsequent subsequent subsequent quent drilling of oil and natural natural natural nat nat- ural gasses in ANWAR AN AN WAR Let me put this into terms many of you can likely under under- stand Think of as Middle Earth President Bush as and environmental tal protestors as the strong- strong willed but outnumbered fel fel- fel- fel Bush is trying to cut down the forests of Middle Earth in order to create his army of darkness and evil oil profits Hell He'll stop at nothing until he heis heis heis is satisfied with the result of Middle Earths Earth's destruction In a panic the environmental tal protestors attempt a harrowing harrowing harrowing har har- rowing journey to Washington DC D.C. in order to cast the mighty ring of power drilling legislation into the pits of Mount Doom congressional congressional congressional con con- gressional wastebasket Along the way they encounter a strange being Gollum Ralph Nader means well but ends up causing more trouble than help due to his terrible mental state extreme liberal agendas Will the brave fellowship make it in time to save Middle Earth or will the evil prevail in his destruction of all that is decent and pure This whole VR AN drilling thing is disgusting Sure wed we'd only be exploring about 01 percent of the refuge but when this precedent is set what will we limit ourselves to What happens when we find massive amounts of oil in inthe inthe inthe the heart of the refuge What will America do when natural gas is fo found nd among other places in Alaska's beautiful plains Will we destroy those lands like we have the 48 contiguous contiguous contiguous con con- states Could you outdoor enthusiasts imagine if by some freak chance we weSee weSee weSee See continued on page 8 3 1 continued from page 7 found oil all allover over Zion or Arches National Park Would you want those beautiful spires to be devastated by machinery and continuous ous rough use Supporters of this folly insist that such excavation would help our economy lower gas prices and lighten our reliance on foreign foreign foreign for for- eign oil However OPEC controls oil allover all allover allover over the world If there were to be he a slightly higher amount of oil such as what ANWAR would provide the corporation would probably probably probably ably just regulate output to keep the price at ata ata ata a similar level We wouldn't necessarily even use the materials in the US U.S. since most of our oil is sold to Asia anyway Is there nothing sacred in America Have we gone so totally mad for oil that well we'll resort to butchering one of our most precious precious precious pre pre- cious beauties in order to satisfy our addiction addiction addiction addic addic- tion to that sweet sweet black gold Perhaps America is looking at the wrong eco these days Lets Let's shift the focus from from ECOnomics to ECOlogy |