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Erasing a Racist Past
Racism makes you feel guilty? Really? And that's a bad thing? Maybe you don't see racist behavior in yourself—and your children, oh, they're innocent. So, that makes it OK to shield them from the hard truth that America was once a slave-owning, white supremacist nation of arguably courageous and liberal thinkers. Black men only earned the right to vote in 1870 with the 15th Amendment. With all the angst around pulling down "historic" confederate statues, you have to wonder why the conservative history preservation buffs want to whitewash our racist past. Of course, this is about the non-issue of Critical Race Theory, which parents told Fox 13 News, would create "blame, shame and guilt." An opinion writer from The Washington Post has another idea. She thinks it's actually a "direct personal challenge to the race in power." So, by all means, let's forget about George Floyd, the Tulsa massacre, even that our Founding Fathers' owned slaves—whitewashing will make us feel powerful again.
Build It Cheap 'n' Easy
It's all about business. Republican government simply responds to money and how to make more of it for businesses because of the deep ideological belief in supply-side economics. It's about reducing costs for business, trade and investment, which is exactly what the Utah Legislature did with a new law exempting rules on new homes and easing any enforcement, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. There doesn't appear to be good research on whether easing regulations helps with affordable-housing needs. A report from Shelterforce notes that developers will simply use whatever is cheapest and easiest in new construction. Utah cities may find land-use and zoning issues harder to navigate, the Trib reports. But legislators and developers got their way using affordability as a smokescreen.
Sounding the Alarm
Utah's reputation as the fraud capital of the nation goes far beyond Ponzi schemes, with the Republican cabal dancing around the truth to keep the masses in the dark. Activist groups like Stop the Polluting Port sprung up to fight for the little guy. That fight grew legs recently when the group sent out a letter of alarm about a new transloading facility that would "supersize" the port with more warehouses, trucks and trains—and pollution. "In a nutshell, it looks like UIPA intends to use at least $13.2 million in taxpayer dollars to build a transloading facility to benefit private businesses, developers and the Port of Oakland," the group said. The port has steamed along despite public pushback and major environmental concerns. It's hard to make the case when the Legislature can employ sycophants like LaVarr Webb of Utah Policy. "It seems the Utah Inland Port can't come fast enough," he writes.
About The Author
Katharine Biele
A City Weekly contributor since 1992, Biele is the informed voice behind our Hits & Misses and Citizen Revolt columns. When not writing, you can catch her working to empower voters and defend democracy alongside the League of Women Voters.
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