Out of the Political Closet

I had a letter to the editor of the Salt Lake Tribune printed today - I guess I am now out of the closet as the "radical left-wing democrat" that I am. Although that is only in relation to the majority here in Utah that in spite of all that has happened is still the strongest supporter of the current administration. Embarrassing. I think in most of the rest of the country I would be seen as a left leaning moderate, but who knows.

Read the letter here.

{Update 03/02/2007 - Unless you have archive access the link above no longer works so below is the text of the original letter. I don't remember if/how it was edited by the paper.}

A banner hanging downtown reads, "We feel safer because President Bush is in
charge." Let me state clearly that this banner does not reflect my
view, nor should it reflect the view of most Americans.

During the Bush Presidency we have:
- Trembled as family members marched to wars that have no clear
objective or timeline and that serve to incite and inflame our
enemies.
- Heard of the torture of prisoners in foreign lands and in American bases.
- Seen the loss of civil liberties, and privacy protections guaranteed
by the constitution yet ignored under presidential fiat.
- Witnessed decreased tolerance, the government funding of
"faith-based" initiatives, and an erosion of both the separation
of Church and State and the founder's ideals of plurality.
- Watched as the religious right and so called "Christian Nationalists"
successfully mandate the teaching of revisionist history and science
in our schools, eroding the principles of reasoned scholarship and
science.

Under the leadership of President Bush, we watched the towers fall,
and the rise of the political culture of fear. I certainly don't feel
safer because President Bush is in charge.

Back To The Site Of The Crash

Friday NeilK, JuniorSprinter and I went for a ride up emigration Canyon. The plan was to park near the zoo and ride over the Little Mountain Summit and continue on to Big Mountain. As usual when the grade gets steeper or longer than the average highway overpass, NK and JS rode away from me easily and early. So I had a while to meditate on my experience the last time I rode down the canyon.

On the way up I stopped for a minute in the area where I bought it. It turns out that there must be a fairly significant number of crashes in the area because I was able to see a handful of bike parts in the grass and rocks. Mostly is was reflector parts, but there was a pump head and what looked like a derailleur pulley.

I continued to the Little Mountain Summit, down past Little Dell Reservoir and about halfway up the climb to Big Mountain when I turned around. I figured the others would have reached the summit and be turning around about then. I made it back up to Little Mountain a little before they did and had a few minutes to prepare myself mentally for the coming descent...

I was slow going down. It's going to be a while before I get my "descending chops" back.