What might be the story of two giants who loved the earth, its beauty and its mysteries, above and beyond what we choose to call civilization? A civilization, as far as I'm concerned, that has spent most of the time trashing itself. One giant was known world wide and has been eulogised by past presidents and other heads of state around the globe for his active role in trying to save it. The other is revered for his books in defense of the southwestern deserts that he loved---the place where he lived and where he died.

What do we say about these two?

Both took separate paths to the same end. Both were effective---fellow fighters for the same thing. One reached around the world, with fingers in many pies; the other concentrated on the place that nurtured him, the place he loved. Both knew where their influence would be felt most effectively.

David Brower had a silver tongue.

Edward Abbey, a silver pen.

Yet they both spoke and wrote---David with eloquence, and as often as not, off the top of his head. Ed rarely spoke unless he was reading his own words---yet when he did, in a tone some have likened to a "coughing bear," the message sank in deep enough to make convert after convert for his beloved desert.

David felt the whole earth at risk beneath his feet. Knew more about the political arena and how to work it than Ed, who couldn't tolerate the assholes in Government who would never listen to what he had to say, because they flat didn't have the brains for it. David had a way of getting into their doublespeak and tweaking their conscience enough to make them listen, at least for enough time to hear a few key words, like "save", "national heritage", irreplaceable" and "restore."

Ed's eyes were brown, David's blue---the desert and the globe.

Both had large egos that weren't even distantly related. David was in truth, a shy person; he was uncomfortable with women who stood up to him. Ed, on the other hand, couldn't wait for a woman---a young one-to stand, sit or lie on top of him. There will be plaques all over the world for David Brower. A lament for his death came from President Clinton, and the knowledge that he stopped three grotesque dams in the Grand Canyon will live forever in the memory of all who love rivers and canyons.

Abbey will be linked to a simulated crack on the surface of Glen Canyon Dam, commemorating its ultimate destruction; a novel about that same dam, The Monkey Wrench Gang and another about the desert that no one will ever forget once they have read it, Desert Solitaire. Both men can rest easy in their perspective hitches in history---men who fought for what they believed in and died with the knowledge that they did their very best for the earth, and those who will live upon it for generations to come.

It has been my great honor to be seated beside one or the other of these two a various conferences, meeting, and on stages for events relating to the preservation of this or that. I've sung for their causes whenever they asked, whenever I could, been interviewed with them, photographed with them, listened to their lectures, presentations, their stories and dreams. What came from both men, in spite of their disparate personalities and singular approaches to a cause-was the ENERGY, DRIVE and CONVICTION they exuded when they spoke of the things dearest to their hearts.

Ed would go before a congressional committee or a regional scoping, stand and growl out his carefully written words-so finely tuned they sounded like poetry in spite of the growl, then do a flip and end his appeal or proposal with words balanced on a blade of sharpest steel! Then, he'd come away mumbling, "Bastards-swine-Neanderthals," certain that they weren't about to listen, or even understand the alternative to whatever destruction was being planned.

Whereas, David Brower, long mindful of bureaucratic bullshit, could wrap his tongue around that lingo in a way that was startling-even to Utah politicians, who only listen to more of their kind and not the voice of the people, which was David's. He made friends in very high places, unlike Ed, who made them in low, fertile places that bloomed and flowered into activism. David's friends helped him win the bureaucrats' and politicians' ears, if not their wholehearted support. At least they knew there was opposition. He was good at name-dropping, as well as speaking off the top of his head, but what he perfected to a state-of-the-art were his one-liners (with brilliant help from Ann, his dear wife) like the one that literally saved the Grand Canyon from three dams!

"Should we also flood the Sistine Chapel, so tourists can get closer to the ceiling?"

Neither man's words will be forgotten by those who have read, heard, or been fortunate enough to know the Colorado's great canyons from river to rim, and seen the immense damage that many huge dams already in place have done to a unique and irreplaceable ecosystem.

Will we ever learn from our mistakes? From history? As long as there are bureaucracies, politicians and pimps, warmongers, whoremongers and Sybarites.

No.

 ©Katie Lee - May 2003