Someone in a discussion about the Senate vote allowing drilling in ANWR made a good point. When you see the images, the argument for protecting those lands and their inhabitants become a lot more compelling.
Over at
Alaska Wild they have a collection of incredibly vivid postcards ready to email that will bring this loss home in a way no abstract idea can.
I think every one of the Senators who voted to allow that refuge to be gutted by "environmentally sensitive" exploration should get multiple emails asking them:
You want to drill in here?
Or, perhaps across this meadow?
Can you remember the
Exxon Valdez?
What the heck, it's only a few thousand caribou.
But what can you do? America needs oil.
So we should consider that an even trade for a few discomfited musk oxen, right?
Here's the mailing list of those who prefer their wildflowers soaked in crude oil:
- Alabama-Sessions, Shelby
- Alaska-Murkowski, Stevens
- Arizona-Kyl
- Colorado-Allard
- Florida-Martinez
- Georgia- Chambliss, Isakson
- Hawaii-Akaka and Inouye
- Idaho- Craig, Crapo
- Indiana-Lugar
- Iowa-Grassley
- Kansas-Brownback, Roberts
- Kentucky-Bunning, McConnell
- Louisiana-Landrieu, Vitter
- Mississippi- Cochran, Lott
- Missouri-Bond, Talent
- Montana- Burns
- Nebraska- Hagel
- New Hampshire-Gregg, Sununu
- New Mexico- Domenici
- Nevada- Ensign
- North Carolina-Burr, Dole
- Ohio-Voinovich
- Oklahoma-Coburn, Inhofe
- Pennsylvania-Santorum, Specter
- South Carolina- DeMint, Graham
- South Dakota- Thune
- Tennessee- Alexander, Frist
- Texas- Cornyn, Hutchison
- Utah- Bennett, Hatch
- Virginia-Allen, Warner
- Wyoming- Enzi, Thomas