Champs & Chumps: Summer 2007
Every day, one stalwart citizen does the right thing while another acts like a blithering bonehead. Here's a recap of admirable acts and embarrassing blunders for the the past season.
Champs:
Montana Senator Bob Hawks, for voting in favor of streamside setbacks, as outlined in the Montana Stream Legacy Act. Bob looked past the immediate future and tried to preserve Montana’s character for future generations. Alas, such foresight goes unappreciated in politics; the bill was defeated.
Jim Goetz, for taking anti-public-access activist Terry Anderson to task after his ridiculous letter to the editor in the Bozeman Chronicle. We particularly liked Goetz’s comment about “academic sycophants who depend on wealthy benefactors for funding their research centers.” Nicely put.
George Carter, KMMS DJ, for giving up his car for a year to reduce his consumption of natural resources. George pedaled a bike, walked, rode the bus, and otherwise minimized his environmental footprint. Note to right-wingers: He didn’t die.
Chumps:
Montana Senator Joe Balyeat, for voting against streamside setbacks as outlined in the Montana Stream Legacy Act. Was it property-rights fanaticism, development-industry bootlicking, or general myopia? We don’t know, but he’s sure not making any friends among fishermen and other outdoor folk.
Terry Anderson, for denouncing the state’s stream access law and proclaiming it the enemy of conservation. What? Fishermen around Montana immediately formed lynch mobs; lucky for him, a slew of respondents put him in his place and the whole thing blew over.
The City of Bozeman, for terminating the glass recycling program. While everywhere else in the country is ramping up recycling efforts, ours is on a downslide. What gives?
