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Tori Woodard's Nuke Notes

Editor's Note: Action needed NOW - The author(s) of this column, Tori Woodard and Patrick Diehl, long-time environmental, anti-nuclear and anti-war activists are in Escalante, Utah, where they are opposing both the development of a reservoir for expanded development and a nearby uranium mill. Many in the town have responded to Tori and Patrick personally, and in an alarming manner. Please read on to see what you can do to provide some measure of safety to Tori and Patrick.

UPDATE The latest in the Escalante vs. Environmentalists saga is a movement to ostracize Patrick and Tori. The Last Wagon Museum has asked the Escalante Canyons Center for the Arts and Humanities ("The Canyons") to remove Patrick from The Canyons' board of directors (the museum and The Canyons both have representatives on the board of directors of the Escalante Center.) Locals are threatening to boycott any business that provides goods or services to Patrick or Tori.Only one business has refused service to us so far. The Escalante Outfitters (proprietors Barry and Celeste Bernards) not only refused to sell a map to Patrick, but told the police they don't want him in their store again. Businesses that have not responded to the pressure to ostracize us include the Serenidad Gallery, the Sinclair station, Cottam's 66, Frontier Service, First Security Bank, Griffin's market, Escalante's Bed and Breakfast, South Central Utah Telephone, and Escalante City.

HOW YOU CAN HELP We received several suggestions in response to our "Danger: Escalante" e-mail regarding what to do next. Below, we describe courses of action that we feel will be useful, as well as suggestions that didn't feel right. RESPONSE TO BOYCOTT First, the businesses listed above that are behaving honorably should be commended. If any of you have occasion to visit or call one of them, they would probably appreciate a quiet acknowledgment of their decision. As for the Escalante Outfitters, we would appreciate advice from people who know them regarding how to deal with them. The owners are former narcotics agents, and we don't want to be stung. WRITE LETTERS We think it would help us for supporters to write letters to the Mayor of Escalante and to the Salt Lake Tribune. You might write to one of them, and send a copy of your letter to the other. Here are some points you could bring up: freedom to express differing opinions without fear of retribution is crucial to our democratic form of government; the way Escalante is treating people who express minority opinions is against the law; the Mayor and City Council members should take steps to calm the citizens whose behavior borders on hysteria; the Mayor and Council Members should condemn the vandalism and harassment, thus setting a good example for the residents and returning some order and peace to the town; the Mayor and City Council members should encourage open, respectful debate about environmental issues in town meetings called for that purpose.   ADDRESSES: Mr. Lenza Wilson, Mayor, Escalante City UT 84726. Editor, Salt Lake Tribune, 143 S. Main, Salt Lake City, UT 84111 (tel. 801/237-2011; website: www.sltrib.com).  Please let us know if you send a letter, so we can keep track of how many are written. VISIT US Several people offered to visit on their way cross country. GREAT IDEA! That will help us feel less isolated and show the townspeople that lots of people support us. ESTABLISH AN OFFICE FOR "THE CAUSE" IN ESCALANTE Another great idea. The townspeople have a lot of misinformation about environmental issues. A storefront could offer printed material as well as a real live environmentalist with whom they could discuss wilderness and other hot topics. SPREAD THE NEWS We think the Mayor needs to receive fifty letters before he will change his attitude. Spreading the word through your networks will help get those letters. SUGGESTIONS THAT DON'T FEEL RIGHT, AND WHY ARM OURSELVES? We are nonviolent activists with no interest in carrying arms. We also believe that arming ourselves could make matters worse. SEND MONEY TO HIRE A BODYGUARD? We don't think that's necessary at this point. However, if the merchant boycott takes hold, we may need a support group that could, among other things, tow our truck if it needs fixing. A "HUMAN INTEREST" STORY ABOUT US? This could talk about our love for the Escalante area, our desire to help the town create a positive future, and how Patrick made a mistake commenting so frankly in the newspaper.

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