Letters 12/1/05

ANWR drilling a mistake
It was such a relief to read that the provisions for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge were removed from the Budget Reconciliation Bill. How ridiculous it would have been to actually drill there when our own Department of Energy has calculated that doing so would likely only effect gas prices about a penny 20 years from now!
Thankfully, the moderate Republican Representative Ehlers and Schwarz of Michigan played a significant role in getting these provisions struck from the bill. It‘s excellent to know that such people will be protecting this area in the future to make sure it isn‘t pointlessly trashed for the insignificant resources there.
You‘d think the oil execs would be satisfied with the 95% of Alaska’s northern coast that is already opened to drilling and wouldn‘t feel the need to destroy every last bit of the unique ecosystem up there, wouldn‘t you? Especially considering that the proposed drilling area is the birthing grounds of one of the largest caribou herds on earth (130,000 members in size).
Fortunately, l have faith that enormous grassroots pressure will continue to keep ANWR drilling provisions from passing in Congress.
Adam Johnson • TC

Bucks stop here
I wanted to thank Bob Downes for so eloquently and accurately writing about Northwest Lower Michigan’s newest form of currency (“Keep it Local,” 11/24). Bay Bucks hit the streets and the hands of local merchants only two weeks ago and since then there has been a flurry of correspondence (and rightly so) around the legality, counterfeiting potential, and issues of accounting.
There has been much less attention, however, given to its properties as a tool for local exchange, its ability to enhance local businesses and further our local economy, and even the fact that a business becoming a member can get nearly twice as much in Bay Bucks as their membership fee (and, not to mention, a free ad in our first membership directory)!
I applaud Mr. Downes’ comments on Bay Bucks and very nicely linking the idea of keeping our bucks local and its importance for a viable and healthy economy and how the alternative (shopping at a big box retailer or even shopping online) degrades the value of our local jobs, products and even the unique character that is Northern Michigan.
While a business can still accept and spend Bay Bucks without being a member of the organization, the membership fees are what we are using to print the money, keep it circulating and how we are able to offer assistance to businesses as they take this leap to support their community. I encourage everyone to join Bay Bucks! It’s as easy as going to www.baybucks.org.

Natasha Lapinski • President • Traverse Area Community Currency Corp.


READINGS - on torture
“I have been asked often where did the brave men I was privileged to serve with in North Vietnam draw the strength to resist to the best of their abilities the cruelties inflicted on them by our enemies. They drew strength from their faith in each other, from their faith in God and from their faith in our country. Our enemies didn‘t adhere to the Geneva Conventions. Many of my comrades were subjected to very cruel, very inhumane and degrading treatment, a few of them unto death. But every one of us -- every single one of us -- knew and took great strength from the belief that we were different from our enemies, that we were better than them, that we, if the rules were reversed, would not disgrace ourselves by committing or approving such mistreatment of them. That faith was indispensable not only to our survival, but to our attempts to return home with honor. For without our honor, our homecoming would have had little value to us.”

-- Sen. John McCain on “Torture‘s
Terrible Toll” Newsweek, Nov. 21.

Correction
“A Chance to Dance,” the Fall Gala Finale to benefit the Heritage Association Opera House Restoration project had the wrong price listed in an ad in last week‘s issue. The correct price is $45 in advance, $50 at the door.



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