Drilling on the Roan Plateau threatens elk
Colorado’s world-class elk herd is in trouble! The Bureau of Land Management.
Many sportsmen understand the West Slope is the Serengeti of the West. We have more elk in Congressional District 3 than most of the elk states combined. Also, up until the oil and gas explosion drilling in 2003-2010 we had the largest mule deer population in the nation.
BLM is proposing gas and oil leases on the Roan Plateau of 126,744 acres. This is in the heart of the finest and most critical elk habitat in Colorado. The West Slope elk herd is over 250,000 animals, and this is its major range. The towns of Meeker, Maybell and Craig depend on fall hunting for important economics and recreation.
Elk range near Dinosaur National Monument is also open for oil and gas drilling.
Dinosaur National Monument, where a 156,000-acre lease sale will take place in mid-June. Included in a June 16 lease sale by the Bureau of Land Management encompass elk, pronghorn and mule deer migration corridors that extend into southern Wyoming. Many sit in Moffat County, which bills itself as the “Elk Hunting Capital of the World,” and relies on hunting in part for its economic stability.
Contact the BLM office before July 8th. No drilling on the Road!
Jerry Mallett, Salida
Philosophy and morality are a foundation of America
Re: “Philosophy exam a right of passage for teenagers,” June 21, news story.
Many thanks for headlining the article in last Sunday’s paper about the philosophy course required by all high schools in France. Philosophy literally means “love of wisdom” and involves the systematic study of basic questions about human nature, knowledge, and values, as well as the best ways to organize society. Our self-educated Founding Fathers drew heavily on their knowledge of philosophy, from the works of Plato and Aristotle up through the Enlightenment writings of Locke, Hume, Montesquieu, and Adam Smith, in creating our democratic republic and Constitution. They also repeatedly emphasized the critical importance of creating educational systems designed primarily to produce good citizens by cultivating intellectual and moral character, rather than providing a path to personal wealth.
An educated electorate, motivated by civic virtue, was considered essential to the survival of the republic, as ignorance would make people vulnerable to demagoguery and corruption. As the article states, the year-long French course requires students to think seriously about important universal issues, such as the nature of work, freedom, justice, truth, and happiness. Sadly, in this country, philosophy is often seen as an esoteric subject, with little relevance to everyday life. Most high schools and colleges provide little exposure to philosophy, and philosophy majors have represented less than half of one percent of college majors over the past 10 years.
As an increasing number of people are getting their information from social media or highly biased news commentators, what an important difference it could make if our schools were able to help us think more seriously about the important life issues addressed by philosophers and learn from the wisdom of the past! Perhaps we would all be able to better discern what really matters and engage in more informed and respectful discussions about core life issues and a democratic republic that works for everyone.
Karen Timmons, Westminster
NBA’s foul problem will haunt the Nuggets
Re: “Want Jokic to sign an extension? You’ll have to break up the core,” June 30 sports story.
I don’t claim the game of Basketball is getting more like hockey; it clearly is.
Tactical fouling seemed in the forefront this last season, using grunt defenders to viciously pester and foul where they think they can get away with it. The reffing can’t keep up. Scratching and tripping and pinpoint joint-disruption are considered ticky-tacky and unworthy of delaying the game. Hooray. All I see is Jokic throwing in the towel because it’s all so stupid and degrading. Europe calls sooner than we realize.
I wish you’d see it this way and talk about it more. In the meantime, I favor David Roddy as a defender and an in-kind response to the Lu Dorts in the league, a lot like enforcers in hockey. He may be short by NBA standards, but so was Barkley. He sure played well in the few games they let him in.
I don’t believe the Nuggets will win another title, nor do I care if they don’t. I just want to watch Jokic as a Nugget while I still can. And Murray and Gordon and Braun and my Dear Watson.
Geof Erdahl, Evergreen
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