Letter from Betty Hurt
Erik Moore’s article in August 99 edition – September 1999
Many changes in Colorado, and they’re not for the better
Editors:
First of all, I must tell you that yours is one of the few magazines I receive that I read cover-to-cover as soon as I get it. The articles are controversial, funny, informative, and always interesting.
I particularly enjoyed “The Invasion of the Vicarians” by Erik Moore in the August edition. I came to Colorado 33 years ago and have seen profound changes here in that time.
My first husband and I graduated from the Geology Department of Colorado State University, he as a geologist and I as an Earth Science teacher. When he died in 1979, I established a scholarship in his name for students going into exploration geology. Now, I’m having to re-think that, since few students see a future in exploration.
The Geology Department is now the Natural Resources Department, and the thrust seems to be in the direction of recreational environmentalism. Yikes!
Where do the mountain bicyclists think the metal for their top-of-the-line titanium bikes come from? Where do the people who have trophy homes built think all the wood and metal comes from to make their dream homes come true? We’re seeing some real NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) attitudes here.
I also see a trend in the environmental movement toward exactly what Mr. Moore stated: “The true agenda is to control other people.” We will see a New Socialism, led by politicians like Al Gore who glom onto every new environmental “issue” as a way to control the citizens of the United States.
I agree with Mr. Moore that we don’t want to “foul our own nests.” Rationality and balance have to be part of the environmental discourse. I want clean water and my washer and dryer. We can have both. Technology makes it possible.
Betty Hurt, Westcliffe
