Guest guest Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 Published on Friday, December 26, 2008 by The Seattle Post- Intelligencer One Man’s Bid to Aid the Environment by Amy Goodman Tim DeChristopher is an economics student at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. He had just finished his last final exam before winter break. One of the exam questions was: If the oil and gas companies are the only ones that bid on public lands, are the true costs of oil and gas exploitation reflected in the prices paid? DeChristopher was inspired. He finished the exam, threw on his red parka and went off to the Bureau of Land Management land auction that the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance called " the Bush administration's last great gift to the oil and gas industry. " Instead of joining the protest outside, he registered as a bidder, then bought 22,000 acres of public land. That is, he successfully bid on the public properties, located near the Arches and Canyonlands National Parks and Dinosaur National Monument, and other pristine areas. The price tag: more than $1.7 million. He told me: " Once I started buying up every parcel, they understood pretty clearly what was going on ... they stopped the auction, and some federal agents came in and took me out. I guess there was a lot of chaos, and they didn't really know how to proceed at that point. " Patrick Shea, a former BLM director, is representing DeChristopher. Shea told the Deseret News: " What Tim did was in the best tradition of civil disobedience, he did this without causing any physical or material harm. His purpose was to draw attention to the illegitimacy and immorality of the process. " There is a long tradition of disrupting land development in Utah. In his memoir, " Desert Solitaire, " Edward Abbey, the writer and activist, wrote: " Wilderness. The word itself is music. ... We scarcely know what we mean by the term, though the sound of it draws all whose nerves and emotions have not yet been irreparably stunned, deadened, numbed by the caterwauling of commerce, the sweating scramble for profit and domination. " Abbey's novel " The Monkey Wrench Gang " inspired a generation of environmental activists to take " direct action, " disrupting " development. " As The Salt Lake Tribune reported on DeChristopher: " He didn't pour sugar into a bulldozer's gas tank. He didn't spike a tree or set a billboard on fire. But wielding only a bidder's paddle, a University of Utah student just as surely monkey-wrenched a federal oil- and gas-lease sale Friday, ensuring that thousands of acres near two southern Utah national parks won't be opened to drilling anytime soon. " Likewise, the late Utah Phillips, folk musician, activist and longtime Utah resident, often invoked the Industrial Workers of the World adage: " Direct action gets the goods. " More than just scenic beauty will be harmed by these BLM sales. Drilling impacts air and water quality. According to High Country News, " The BLM had not analyzed impacts on ozone levels from some 2,300 wells drilled in the area since 2004 ... nor had it predicted air impacts from the estimated 6,300 new wells approved in the plan. " ProPublica reports that the Colorado River " powers homes for 3 million people, nourishes 15 percent of the nation's crops and provides drinking water to one in 12 Americans. Now a rush to develop domestic oil, gas and uranium deposits along the river and its tributaries threatens its future. " After questioning by federal authorities, DeChristopher was released. The U.S. attorney is currently weighing charges. DeChristopher reflects: " This has really been emotional and hopeful for me to see the kind of support over the last couple of days ... for all the problems that people can talk about in this country and for all the apathy and the eight years of oppression and the decades of eroding civil liberties, America is still very much the kind of place that when you stand up for what is right, you never stand alone. " His disruption of the auction has temporarily blocked the Bush-enabled land grab by the oil and gas industries. If DeChristopher can come up with $45,000 by Dec. 29, he can make the first payment on the land, possibly avoiding any claim of fraud. If the BLM opts to re-auction the land, it can't happen until after the Obama administration takes over. The sales, if they happen, will likely be different, thanks to the direct action of an activist, raising his voice, and his bidding paddle, in opposition. © 2008 The Seattle Post-Intelligencer Amy Goodman is the host of " Democracy Now!, " a daily international TV/ radio news hour airing on 500 stations in North America. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 Ummmmm, If I weren’t 56 years old…. I’d marry him and have his children. This old broad’s in love. Everyone who despairs about the younger folks, respectfully, shut up and sit down. Cyn On Behalf Of fraggle Friday, December 26, 2008 6:13 PM vegan chat One man's bid to aid the environment Published on Friday, December 26, 2008 by The Seattle Post- Intelligencer One Man’s Bid to Aid the Environment by Amy Goodman Tim DeChristopher is an economics student at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. He had just finished his last final exam before winter break. One of the exam questions was: If the oil and gas companies are the only ones that bid on public lands, are the true costs of oil and gas exploitation reflected in the prices paid? DeChristopher was inspired. He finished the exam, threw on his red parka and went off to the Bureau of Land Management land auction that the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance called " the Bush administration's last great gift to the oil and gas industry. " Instead of joining the protest outside, he registered as a bidder, then bought 22,000 acres of public land. That is, he successfully bid on the public properties, located near the Arches and Canyonlands National Parks and Dinosaur National Monument, and other pristine areas. The price tag: more than $1.7 million. He told me: " Once I started buying up every parcel, they understood pretty clearly what was going on ... they stopped the auction, and some federal agents came in and took me out. I guess there was a lot of chaos, and they didn't really know how to proceed at that point. " Patrick Shea, a former BLM director, is representing DeChristopher. Shea told the Deseret News: " What Tim did was in the best tradition of civil disobedience, he did this without causing any physical or material harm. His purpose was to draw attention to the illegitimacy and immorality of the process. " There is a long tradition of disrupting land development in Utah. In his memoir, " Desert Solitaire, " Edward Abbey, the writer and activist, wrote: " Wilderness. The word itself is music. ... We scarcely know what we mean by the term, though the sound of it draws all whose nerves and emotions have not yet been irreparably stunned, deadened, numbed by the caterwauling of commerce, the sweating scramble for profit and domination. " Abbey's novel " The Monkey Wrench Gang " inspired a generation of environmental activists to take " direct action, " disrupting " development. " As The Salt Lake Tribune reported on DeChristopher: " He didn't pour sugar into a bulldozer's gas tank. He didn't spike a tree or set a billboard on fire. But wielding only a bidder's paddle, a University of Utah student just as surely monkey-wrenched a federal oil- and gas-lease sale Friday, ensuring that thousands of acres near two southern Utah national parks won't be opened to drilling anytime soon. " Likewise, the late Utah Phillips, folk musician, activist and longtime Utah resident, often invoked the Industrial Workers of the World adage: " Direct action gets the goods. " More than just scenic beauty will be harmed by these BLM sales. Drilling impacts air and water quality. According to High Country News, " The BLM had not analyzed impacts on ozone levels from some 2,300 wells drilled in the area since 2004 ... nor had it predicted air impacts from the estimated 6,300 new wells approved in the plan. " ProPublica reports that the Colorado River " powers homes for 3 million people, nourishes 15 percent of the nation's crops and provides drinking water to one in 12 Americans. Now a rush to develop domestic oil, gas and uranium deposits along the river and its tributaries threatens its future. " After questioning by federal authorities, DeChristopher was released. The U.S. attorney is currently weighing charges. DeChristopher reflects: " This has really been emotional and hopeful for me to see the kind of support over the last couple of days ... for all the problems that people can talk about in this country and for all the apathy and the eight years of oppression and the decades of eroding civil liberties, America is still very much the kind of place that when you stand up for what is right, you never stand alone. " His disruption of the auction has temporarily blocked the Bush-enabled land grab by the oil and gas industries. If DeChristopher can come up with $45,000 by Dec. 29, he can make the first payment on the land, possibly avoiding any claim of fraud. If the BLM opts to re-auction the land, it can't happen until after the Obama administration takes over. The sales, if they happen, will likely be different, thanks to the direct action of an activist, raising his voice, and his bidding paddle, in opposition. © 2008 The Seattle Post-Intelligencer Amy Goodman is the host of " Democracy Now!, " a daily international TV/ radio news hour airing on 500 stations in North America. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 dang younger generation! get off my lawn! dang kids!! heh heh CKG Dec 26, 2008 3:25 PM RE: One man's bid to aid the environment Ummmmm, If I weren’t 56 years old…. I’d marry him and have his children. This old broad’s in love. Everyone who despairs about the younger folks, respectfully, shut up and sit down. Cyn On Behalf Of fraggleFriday, December 26, 2008 6:13 PMvegan chat One man's bid to aid the environment Published on Friday, December 26, 2008 by The Seattle Post-IntelligencerOne Man’s Bid to Aid the Environmentby Amy GoodmanTim DeChristopher is an economics student at the University of Utah inSalt Lake City. He had just finished his last final exam before winterbreak. One of the exam questions was: If the oil and gas companies arethe only ones that bid on public lands, are the true costs of oil andgas exploitation reflected in the prices paid?DeChristopher was inspired. He finished the exam, threw on his redparka and went off to the Bureau of Land Management land auction thatthe Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance called "the Bushadministration's last great gift to the oil and gas industry." Insteadof joining the protest outside, he registered as a bidder, then bought22,000 acres of public land. That is, he successfully bid on thepublic properties, located near the Arches and Canyonlands NationalParks and Dinosaur National Monument, and other pristine areas. Theprice tag: more than $1.7 million.He told me: "Once I started buying up every parcel, they understoodpretty clearly what was going on ... they stopped the auction, andsome federal agents came in and took me out. I guess there was a lotof chaos, and they didn't really know how to proceed at that point."Patrick Shea, a former BLM director, is representing DeChristopher.Shea told the Deseret News: "What Tim did was in the best tradition ofcivil disobedience, he did this without causing any physical ormaterial harm. His purpose was to draw attention to the illegitimacyand immorality of the process."There is a long tradition of disrupting land development in Utah. Inhis memoir, "Desert Solitaire," Edward Abbey, the writer and activist,wrote: "Wilderness. The word itself is music. ... We scarcely knowwhat we mean by the term, though the sound of it draws all whosenerves and emotions have not yet been irreparably stunned, deadened,numbed by the caterwauling of commerce, the sweating scramble forprofit and domination."Abbey's novel "The Monkey Wrench Gang" inspired a generation ofenvironmental activists to take "direct action," disrupting"development." As The Salt Lake Tribune reported on DeChristopher: "Hedidn't pour sugar into a bulldozer's gas tank. He didn't spike a treeor set a billboard on fire. But wielding only a bidder's paddle, aUniversity of Utah student just as surely monkey-wrenched a federaloil- and gas-lease sale Friday, ensuring that thousands of acres neartwo southern Utah national parks won't be opened to drilling anytimesoon."Likewise, the late Utah Phillips, folk musician, activist and longtimeUtah resident, often invoked the Industrial Workers of the Worldadage: "Direct action gets the goods."More than just scenic beauty will be harmed by these BLM sales.Drilling impacts air and water quality. According to High CountryNews, "The BLM had not analyzed impacts on ozone levels from some2,300 wells drilled in the area since 2004 ... nor had it predictedair impacts from the estimated 6,300 new wells approved in the plan."ProPublica reports that the Colorado River "powers homes for 3 millionpeople, nourishes 15 percent of the nation's crops and providesdrinking water to one in 12 Americans. Now a rush to develop domesticoil, gas and uranium deposits along the river and its tributariesthreatens its future."After questioning by federal authorities, DeChristopher was released.The U.S. attorney is currently weighing charges. DeChristopherreflects: "This has really been emotional and hopeful for me to seethe kind of support over the last couple of days ... for all theproblems that people can talk about in this country and for all theapathy and the eight years of oppression and the decades of erodingcivil liberties, America is still very much the kind of place thatwhen you stand up for what is right, you never stand alone."His disruption of the auction has temporarily blocked the Bush-enabledland grab by the oil and gas industries. If DeChristopher can come upwith $45,000 by Dec. 29, he can make the first payment on the land,possibly avoiding any claim of fraud. If the BLM opts to re-auctionthe land, it can't happen until after the Obama administration takesover.The sales, if they happen, will likely be different, thanks to thedirect action of an activist, raising his voice, and his biddingpaddle, in opposition.© 2008 The Seattle Post-IntelligencerAmy Goodman is the host of "Democracy Now!," a daily international TV/radio news hour airing on 500 stations in North America. "Will we ever get to the point that we realize that we will be more secure when the rest of the world isn't living in poverty just so we can have nice running shoes?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 27, 2008 Report Share Posted December 27, 2008 Thank you for posting this fraggle! What Mr. DeChristopher did is very inspirational. This article made me smile because his actions had a major impact in the Bush administrations plans. It doesn't get better than that! Nice work Mr. DeChristopher! What a true activist this man is. Debra , fraggle <EBbrewpunx wrote: > > Published on Friday, December 26, 2008 by The Seattle Post- > Intelligencer > One Man’s Bid to Aid the Environment > by Amy Goodman > > Tim DeChristopher is an economics student at the University of Utah in > Salt Lake City. He had just finished his last final exam before winter > break. One of the exam questions was: If the oil and gas companies are > the only ones that bid on public lands, are the true costs of oil and > gas exploitation reflected in the prices paid? > > DeChristopher was inspired. He finished the exam, threw on his red > parka and went off to the Bureau of Land Management land auction that > the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance called " the Bush > administration's last great gift to the oil and gas industry. " Instead > of joining the protest outside, he registered as a bidder, then bought > 22,000 acres of public land. That is, he successfully bid on the > public properties, located near the Arches and Canyonlands National > Parks and Dinosaur National Monument, and other pristine areas. The > price tag: more than $1.7 million. > > He told me: " Once I started buying up every parcel, they understood > pretty clearly what was going on ... they stopped the auction, and > some federal agents came in and took me out. I guess there was a lot > of chaos, and they didn't really know how to proceed at that point. " > > Patrick Shea, a former BLM director, is representing DeChristopher. > Shea told the Deseret News: " What Tim did was in the best tradition of > civil disobedience, he did this without causing any physical or > material harm. His purpose was to draw attention to the illegitimacy > and immorality of the process. " > > There is a long tradition of disrupting land development in Utah. In > his memoir, " Desert Solitaire, " Edward Abbey, the writer and activist, > wrote: " Wilderness. The word itself is music. ... We scarcely know > what we mean by the term, though the sound of it draws all whose > nerves and emotions have not yet been irreparably stunned, deadened, > numbed by the caterwauling of commerce, the sweating scramble for > profit and domination. " > > Abbey's novel " The Monkey Wrench Gang " inspired a generation of > environmental activists to take " direct action, " disrupting > " development. " As The Salt Lake Tribune reported on DeChristopher: " He > didn't pour sugar into a bulldozer's gas tank. He didn't spike a tree > or set a billboard on fire. But wielding only a bidder's paddle, a > University of Utah student just as surely monkey-wrenched a federal > oil- and gas-lease sale Friday, ensuring that thousands of acres near > two southern Utah national parks won't be opened to drilling anytime > soon. " > > Likewise, the late Utah Phillips, folk musician, activist and longtime > Utah resident, often invoked the Industrial Workers of the World > adage: " Direct action gets the goods. " > > More than just scenic beauty will be harmed by these BLM sales. > Drilling impacts air and water quality. According to High Country > News, " The BLM had not analyzed impacts on ozone levels from some > 2,300 wells drilled in the area since 2004 ... nor had it predicted > air impacts from the estimated 6,300 new wells approved in the plan. " > ProPublica reports that the Colorado River " powers homes for 3 million > people, nourishes 15 percent of the nation's crops and provides > drinking water to one in 12 Americans. Now a rush to develop domestic > oil, gas and uranium deposits along the river and its tributaries > threatens its future. " > > After questioning by federal authorities, DeChristopher was released. > > The U.S. attorney is currently weighing charges. DeChristopher > reflects: " This has really been emotional and hopeful for me to see > the kind of support over the last couple of days ... for all the > problems that people can talk about in this country and for all the > apathy and the eight years of oppression and the decades of eroding > civil liberties, America is still very much the kind of place that > when you stand up for what is right, you never stand alone. " > > His disruption of the auction has temporarily blocked the Bush-enabled > land grab by the oil and gas industries. If DeChristopher can come up > with $45,000 by Dec. 29, he can make the first payment on the land, > possibly avoiding any claim of fraud. If the BLM opts to re-auction > the land, it can't happen until after the Obama administration takes > over. > > The sales, if they happen, will likely be different, thanks to the > direct action of an activist, raising his voice, and his bidding > paddle, in opposition. > > © 2008 The Seattle Post-Intelligencer > Amy Goodman is the host of " Democracy Now!, " a daily international TV/ > radio news hour airing on 500 stations in North America. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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