The Radavist

These past few weeks have been a time for action, introspection, listening, and resisting. Radavist reader Sasha Schellenberg sent in this submission to us for a Readers Write, reflecting on their own perspective of what’s going on in the world right now with the murder of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests. Without further adieu, here are Sasha’s words…

I do a lot of listening while I ride my bike. I listen for traffic and the odd redneck that will try to drive their diesel truck within a hairsbreadth of my handlebars (an unfortunate reality of cycling in parts of rural Alberta), I listen to my bike, always alert for unusual sounds (a result of seeing firsthand how small mechanical discrepancies can turn colossal if they go unnoticed for a time), and I listen for birds and wildlife (the upside of cycling in rural Alberta that makes it worth putting up with smelly trucks). Riding alone, cycling becomes a sensory experience, and it’s on those long gravel climbs, that half of me hates and the other half loves, that sounds seem to resonate clear as a bell.

I’ve been trying to figure out a way to word this post, without being overtly political and without alienating anyone based on their beliefs, but it’s kind of impossible so I’ll jump right in. Right now, our National Parks and public lands are in a delicate position. The GOP passed a bill that “establish(es) a spending-neutral reserve fund relating to the disposal of certain Federal land.” and another that plans “To direct the Secretary of the Interior to sell certain Federal lands in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming, previously identified as suitable for disposal, and for other purposes.” What this could mean is our National Parks, or other federal lands, could be sold off to corporations who would be able to do as they please. This leaves possibilities open to, yet not limited to: strip mining, fracking, drilling for oil or pipeline access. Unfortunately, no one knows what this bill could or would allow, but it’s terrifying to imagine the potential ramifications.

Now, some might call this an overreaction, or what have you, yet we’re already seeing an effort to sensor various National Park’s Twitter accounts by the current administration. You can do some simple Google searches to form your own opinion on the matter.

While no one can look into the future, it is important for people who enjoy spending time in these lands to pay close attention to the current events and most importantly, support our National Parks. One of the ways I like to do so is each year, buy a National Parks Pass. It’s $80 and it pays for itself after a few visits.

Apologies for inserting politics into a website that has, for the most part, stayed politically-neutral.