Wednesday, May 23, 2007
From Hans Noeldner on an article by Tamira Madsen in The Capital Times:Please contact the Cap Times regarding an obnoxious article they just ran - Fast Track to the Fast Lane. The story is about a ten year old who is learning to amuse himself by driving in circles at top speed in fuel-guzzling half-scale NASCAR racers. In truth his behavior is no more reprehensible or oblivious to the predicament of Earth than that of millions of nominal adults who play with fossil-
fueled toys, but it is especially galling to see it glorified in a "progressive" newspaper.
WE CANNOT BE AGAINST WARS FOR OIL WHILE ACCEPTING SUCH NONESENSE. We cannot fight Bush and corporate ownership of government with one hand behind our back - a hand that is shovelling billions of dollars to Cheney's chums as it frantically pumps gasoline into the thousand-and-one gadgets that comprise our addiction.
My letter to the editor follows - I hope it inspires you to act!
Dear Editor:
"Fast Track to the Fast Lane"? Fast Track Towards Addiction to Oil and Motor Vehicles would have been a more appropriate name for this article. And "...need for speed"? Give me a break! What planet Earth, the future of humanity, and US Armed Forces "need" is for YOU and ME to learn how to amuse ourselves without gasoline. God help our heirs if we-the-people can't manage to find recreation that
doesn't WreckCreation!
Yesterday evening at the Memorial Union, John Nichols gave a splendid speech on impeaching the Bush administration and withdrawing from Iraq. Meanwhile everybody with a functioning brain now realizes that this "occupation" is all about controlling access to Mideast and Central Asian oil supplies. But when it comes to stopping profligate consumption RIGHT HERE, the Cap Times puts on blinders. Can't you folks connect the dots?
WAKE UP! Not only do we need to impeach Bush & Co., we-the-people need to start BEHAVING like we oppose wars for oil. That means cobwebs on gasoline pump handles, folks - no waiting, no excuses.
It's time for little Morgan - and millions of nominal adults - to find nice ways to play.
1 comments:
Ross DePaola wrote:
You go, Hans!
It's about time someone said something about this country's obsession with vehicles. Teaching kids to worship and glorify them sends the wrong message. Parents expect their children to own vehicles when they're old enough to drive and can't imagine a world where vehicle ownership is not a God-given right. We need to start viewing transportation as simply a way to get from point A to B. Sure, ingenuity should be appreciated but the ingenuity should be in how to get from point A to B with the least amount of vaporized carbon.
Well said, a great start - I hope they print it!
Hey, did you catch the new Lexus hybrid in Sunday's paper - 8 cyl., 465 horsepower - geeze, could it be the biggest hybrid yet? We're savin' the world now, aren't we!
Ross DePaola
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