Saturday, August 15, 2009

Redford joins call to conserve the West

During a gathering of politicos, analysts and policy wonks at the Colorado History Museum on Thursday, celebrity Robert Redford wowed the crowd with his thoughts on how to save the West. Sponsored by Project New West, the day-long gathering of several hundred people listened to lectures and discussed ways of expanding and solidifying the West's new-found political power. Seated on stage in two leather chairs, Redford and U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., informally chatted about Redford's rise from movie actor to high-profile environmental champion. "I think the New West should return to the Old West, when there was an emphasis on communities, on families and neighbors," Redford said, comfortable in bluejeans and a blue shirt. "Dams, all dams, should go away, the faster the better," he said. "The Colorado River today has only half the flow it used to have. "Time and resources are running out for the West. Compromises are needed. I hope we wake up before we lose it for our children." In his outspoken manner, Redford called the leaders of his home state, Utah, "retarded and no friends of the environment," although he had some praise for former Gov. Jon Huntsman, a Republican who recently resigned to become U.S. ambassador to China. Seated in the front row was Utah's delegation to the conference, including state Senate Minority Leader Patricia Jones...DenverPost

2 comments:

Dan P. said...

"Conserve the West"? Redford thinks that removing every dam in the West is a good idea? Insanity, thy name is Robert Redford. (Complicity, thy name is Denver Post.)

Brett said...

This thing looks like another one of those stupid "Our Progressive Future" sort of events. The West remains as Libertarian as ever, and thank God for that. We just want to be left alone.

Redford is a talented actor, but a lousy advocate. Just another HollyWeird Democratic stooge. Neither major party gives a damn about the West. Both continue to worsen existing problems in their own peculiar ways.

Now, onto this dam business. I love the dam haters, because of the irony. Were it not for the dams and their bounty, most of the people that now inhabit Sun Belt, including the dam haters, would not be here. That might suit a Cowboy type like me just fine, but methinks Redford & Company would be very much out of place in the Old West. I liked Jeremiah Johnson, too, but I do not think most people really want to be Jeremiah for any period of time.