Please go here and thank Tim DeChristopher.
Yesterday, in an act of classic civil disobedience, University of Utah student Tim DeChristopher, threw a monkey wrench into the Bush administration’s final parting shot at the American people -- to auction drilling rights on more than 100,000 acres Utah’s most scenic redrock desert.
Tim is facing serious federal charges because he bid up some leases and won other’s for which he cannot pay.
"He didn't pour sugar into a bulldozer's gas tank. He didn't spike a tree or set a billboard on fire. But wielding only a bidder's paddle, a University of Utah student just as surely monkey-wrenched a federal oil- and gas-lease sale Friday, ensuring that thousands of acres near two southern Utah national parks won't be opened to drilling anytime soon. – Salt Lake Tribune"
I think the move was pure genius. Consider the Machiavellian survival tactics going on right now in arguably the most disgraced Justice Department in history. I imagine Dick Cheney has already made a few threatening phone calls to US District Attorney for Utah demanding DeChristopher be jailed pending a trial that will likely never happen given the looming transition to an Obama administration.
Today at least, Tim DeChristopher is free after an hour of questioning by federal authorities. You can read his statement here.
But we do need to find him a lawyer. If anyone is interested, please e-mail me at cliff (at) ManyOne (dot) net.