Peace be with you
Shalom
As-salaam ‘alaikum
Peace be with you.
In Judaism, Islam and Christianity the common blessing is “Peace”. This refers to inner-peace as well as to the safety that political peace brings to communities. All people wish to raise their children in peace; the most basic of human requisites for healthy lives, economies and political states.
When one country attacks another there is no peace for any on either side of a border. The reality is there are no real borders between us anymore.
We can cross any river, mountain range or political line in this modern era. We are one world, one people. We harm our descendants if we harm those across the border from us because harm spreads harm, not healing.When I was a Girl Scout long ago we sang a song around the campfire:
“Peace I ask of thee oh river,
Peace, peace, peace.
When I learn to live serenely,
Cares will cease.
From the hills I gather courage,
Wisdom of the way to be.
Strength to lead and faith to follow
All are given unto me.
Peace I ask of thee oh river,
Peace, peace, peace.”
Illene Pevec
Carbondale
Robison for town trustee
Carbondale is voting for Town trustees on April 2. There is a strong list of candidates.
One who would contribute new and valuable energy and intelligence is Jess Robison.
Here are just three reasons to vote for Jess:
Jess comes from a multi-generational family who have lived in the Roaring Fork Valley for decades. Members from each generation continue to live in Carbondale. They all like what Carbondale offers, especially the strong sense of community. Jess knows our values, the way of life we want to preserve, what needs to change and our priorities.
Jess owns a construction consulting business. She understands business and finances, labor needs, how to work well on a team and holds vast insights into managing business and community growth — along with a commitment to sustaining community flavor. She understands how town government can meet our needs today and in the challenging years ahead.
Jess is committed to Carbondale in a way we have not seen matched in our 28 years in the Valley. She has excellent communication skills, is willing to do the hard work, listen to different interests and do the next right thing that we can all understand and agree to.
A vote for Jess Robison is a vote for an understanding of our way of life, for business, community growth (still committed to community interests) and a new Trustee who will work every day for what is best for Carbondale.
We encourage you to vote for Jess!
Shelley and Jerry Evans
Carbondale
Unaffordable housing
The Sopris Sun just reported on more affordable housing. But what I never see is this question: “We have been building housing for decades, so why is there never enough?” The answer: (Drum roll) affordable housing is ITSELF growth. Adding more housing increases growth in all sectors, and creates added employees, who require still more housing. Believe what they say, “You can’t build your way out of
Growth.”
Affordable housing is “conventional wisdom,” defined as an idea that was generally accepted at the time. But conventional wisdom can be a shield that blocks opposing facts. Today, our valley is caught in a “growth spiral.” There are many reasons for this: it’s a nice place to live; climate change “refugees”; constant promotion and marketing from pro-business groups.
“Vibrancy” is a new catchword. Vibrancy just means more development. People say, “If you are not growing, you are dying.” They say growth is inevitable. Funny thing is, there is never enough growth.
A friend asked, “Why aren’t we more concerned about the folks that already live here? What about the quality of life of the locals?” More traffic. Longer lines for about everything. Sign up for recreation. Rents and costs of homes go up. Schools are crowded. Wait to see doctors. More crime. More stress. More pollution. More health problems.
I’m sorry, but all this push for affordable housing is just plainly misguided. Instead, do this: Stop the growth of business and all the jobs that go with it. Un-American, right? Even more, let some of the current business go away. Limit the business licenses and the total number of working people. Growth is just profits for developers. Today’s taxpayers pay to support the new people. Enough already!
Patrick Hunter
Carbondale
Salt on an open wound
It was a sad day for our beloved community. On Feb. 28, two mature blue spruce trees were taken down as directed by the Aspen-Sopris Ranger District. This is yet another tragic development after nearly four years of deceitful procedures by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to avoid adequate public input. This pattern of deceptive actions began on Nov. 19, 2019 when the USFS utilized a Categorical Exclusion for “repair and maintenance” — normally reserved for minor projects such as mowing and painting — for a $6.3 million redevelopment project in the heart of downtown Carbondale. They also failed to list this project on their website.
On Sept. 25, 2023, they added the project on their website and then added the new Decision Memo with a more appropriate updated Categorical Exclusion for demolition and reconstruction. This gesture does not undo the past history of insincere and inappropriate actions by the USFS that will adversely affect our beloved community for generations to come.
In addition to the recent loss of two majestic trees, the USFS will soon demolish the two remaining buildings on site. These structures are of significant historic and cultural importance. They were constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930’s when our country was recovering from the Great Depression. By these actions, the USFS is exhibiting a complete and distressing disregard for our community’s past and future.
The USFS made a sympathetic gesture of goodwill by donating a majority of the wood of the fallen trees to a Roaring Fork High School woodshop class.
This gesture is like rubbing salt on an old and festering wound. I would have preferred to have these trees still standing strong, beautifying Main Street. What’s left behind is a void that reminds us of a federal agency that does not truly care for our beloved community.
Jim Coddington III
MainStreet Alliance
Gaza
Do you remember the part in the movie Casablanca where Victor Laszlo, the French resistance leader confronts his Nazi nemesis, Major Strasser?
He says, in response to Strasser’s assertion that Germany will wipe out the resistance, “From every corner of Europe, hundreds, thousands would rise to take our places.”
Today, Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu pledges to wipe out Hamas — along with any innocents who might get in the way.
This is an impossible goal. You cannot wipe out an idea or a cause. Hamas is the manifestation of hatred for Israel by elements within the Gazan community. They have their history, and their point of view. The savagery of the Israeli invasion only inflames their already white-hot enmity.
Imagine you’re a young Palestinian in Gaza. Maybe you formerly had no strong political or nationalistic feelings. Now suddenly you watch your mother die from an Israeli airstrike. How might that shape your future course in life?
Of course Netanyahu comprehends the futility of this war. You don’t become president of Israel by being naive. But this most unpopular president has a job to hold onto, and that job appears safe as long as Israel is at war.
Nothing justifies the unspeakable attack on Israel by Hamas that claimed 1,200 lives and hundreds of hostages. But the Israeli response – 29,000 Palestinians dead and counting, plus countless more suffering from injuries, starvation and disease – smells more like revenge than self-defense.
Did I say self-defense? Self-destruction would be more like it.
What happens in six months or a year when Gaza lies in utter ruin and Israel finally declares the war over and Hamas dead and buried in the rubble? Will it really be over? Is Hamas finished? Or, to paraphrase Victor Laszlo, do thousands more rise to take their places?
Ed Colby
New Castle