At Liberti

As a coach I recommend people write to the editor of their newspaper, on things they feel strongly about, as a way to access and express their authenticity. Have you? I highly recommend the process to you. Let me know how you feel afterward.

Here’s a letter I wrote regarding artist Christo’s proposed Over The River Project - a plan to install 5.9 miles of fabric over the Arkasas River:

“Sorry citizens of Howard, canyon neighbors and US 50 commuters, our goose is cooked, or should I say our lamb is skewered. Complain, stick pins in a Christo voodoo doll, but nothing will stop Over The River. It’s a done deal.  

Christo has a right to be artistically selfish. We have the right to like or dislike his art. He should not have the right to impose his art and the colossal disturbance it creates, on any of us! And no, the gift is not free. At the least, the project will cause inevitable death of sheep and the loss of many hours of life waiting in traffic jams. 

Comment on the EIS? Write your representative? I think you must but I don’t think it will matter. What’s three years of miserable inconvenience, risk of life in emergencies and the death of a few critters when money’s at stake? 

Incidentally, the EIS, financed by Christo, reads like a prospectus, justifying each risk with a statement about how locals will profit. EG “…increased traffic from OTR visitors would cause some delays and congestion on US 50…” Followed by “…Additional visitor spending during the exhibition period would temporarily add to residents’ personal income. (DEIS 4-133)  What’ wrong here?. 

As a society we justify inconvenience, risk to life or damage to nature in the name of progress or necessity. This project is neither. It is a profitable ego trip for the artist and a potential cash bonus for some others.  Stop it? How?’ 

Thanks for reading and a special thanks to fellow Coloradans. All comments are welcome.