Name withheld on request
Peak Performance
In all fairness, I need to salute Michael Roberts, who reached the pinnacle of his career with his October 17 story on Miles Davis and Gil Evans. I never liked his reviews or taste before and even called him a "dickhead" in a letter last year that Westword printed, unedited, to my surprise.
"The Odd Couple" is brilliant writing and insight, and Roberts is at his best when he writes "While Davis was in some ways as analytical as Evans, he never shied away from spontaneity--a tool that the tightly structured, heavily arranged backdrops Evans constructed prevented him from using as he otherwise might have." Roberts goes on to note that Miles's "chafing at the restrictions" produced some of the most interesting music to be heard. This tells you the reason Miles reinvented jazz four times. He simply had the best taste in the history of music. Of course he was a brilliant musician, but he had the good taste to explore all his sides, as well as his projects, with other artists, such as Gil Evans.
J. Intravia
Littleton
Pop Goes the Weasel
On September 12, Westword ran Steve Jackson's "Athlete, Artist, Indian Chief" article on Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, in which the senator discusses our disagreements over environmental policies. In the article, Senator Campbell refers to me as a "weasel" who lives in a dream world. While many readers may have recoiled from the personal quality of Senator Campbell's remarks, this is somewhat of an improvement over the senator's prior attacks in newspapers in which he referred to me as a "coward," "a mouse," and "a rodent defecating on [his] floor at night."
I am concerned less by the personal attacks than by Senator Campbell's statement that he came to the campus to debate his environmental record "but [Professor Turley] barricaded himself in his office." As the senator was informed before he conducted his rally with young Republicans, I was in Denver on the day in question, meeting with the Rocky Flats grand jurors. While the image of me cringing in my office in fear of Senator Campbell may present a satisfying image for the senator, I was completely unaware of his demonstration until my staff called me in Colorado.
Nevertheless, Senator Campbell insists that he is eager to debate his environmental record. So be it. I will debate the senator at his earliest convenience. There is clearly much to talk about.
I doubt, however, that Senator Campbell is truly interested in debating the facts of his record. The wonderful thing about a record, however, is that it speaks for itself. In the last year alone, Senator Campbell's legislative actions included efforts to limit the Safe Drinking Water Act; to block legislation requiring that communities be informed of toxic or hazardous spills; to freeze the Endangered Species Act; to kill funding to protect wolves; to sell millions of acres of public forests to lower the deficit; to open up areas for timber salvage; to protect restrictions on grazing rights on public lands; and to develop protected areas.
Let it not be said that environmentalists opposing his policies, according to Senator Campbell, live "in a damn dream world." The damage caused by Senator Campbell's pro-development record are all too real and apparent in Colorado and other states. If we are living in a "dream world," then Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell is certainly our common nightmare.
Jonathan Turley, director
Environmental Law Advocacy Center
Washington, D.C.
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