In The Name Of Progress

IN THE NAME OF PROGRESS

Acres of tawny colored grass danced in the wind. In the distance the blue bluffs, peppered with forests of trees, outlined the horizon. Then, over the ridge, a transformation of highways, scarring the landscape. I was crushed.

I gazed upon the site with heavy heart. Year after year this trip descended into a valley rich with wildflowers bordering the highway in vivid colors of the rainbow. Pine trees lined along the side like soldiers protecting the land that stretched forever in the distance. Gone, all gone, never to return. Replaced by progress.

Maybe I have a pioneer soul, not able to accept this fast-paced world we live in. My mind pictured the creatures and what they must have felt when the rumble of machines thundered in their habitat and they tried to outrun the crashing of trees around them. I likened it to a tornado sweeping across the land, taking with it home after home.

I ask you, what’s acceptable in the name of progress? Should we set limits on destruction of wildlife and wilderness? How much is too much? These are all questions that I cannot answer, but know that the sight of it happening grieves me. Progress brings rewards for some; more jobs, faster travel, tourism, easier access. For others, it may seem to intrude on all the reasons they chose to live in a more isolated area. There is reasonable logic on both sides.

How does progress affect crime? I find that there is more crime in my area now that it has grown. Would that crime have visited anyway? That is a question I don’t have the answer to.

I hear people complain that deer invade their gardens now, and an occasional bear happens through town. Could that be because they are finding it harder to forage for food and have been forced out of their homes? I think so, but my opinion may be in the minority.

Whatever I personally think about progress, it is going to happen. We are a nation of progress and nothing can stop it, in my opinion. Whether this is good or bad, it depends on how you choose to look at it.

An Editorial for "Rising to the Challenge"