It's Worth Fighting For

"If it's worth fighting for, we'll do it."

These are the words of Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, defending his request that the Bureau of Land Management protect the Vermillion Basin proposed wilderness in northwestern Colorado from oil and gas drilling. The request has spurred ire from a handful of northwest Colorado good ol' boys who would just as soon deed Moffat County to the highest bidder than keep it safe for future generations. Understandably, the Governor is sticking to his guns on this one.

And that's what strikes us. While most politicians would retreat and try to mend relations with the local good ol' boys, Governor Ritter is remaining steadfast in his commitment to safeguarding Vermillion Basin, even in the face of some pretty harsh criticism. The Governor seems focused on the values here, not on political expediency. If this isn't leadership, we don't know what is.

True, by remaining steadfast, Governor Ritter may very well be scoring political points with some Coloradoans. But we think he's truly genuine here. It's not often that our elected leaders remain strident in the face of criticism. And while some might see the Governor's comments as rhetoric, his words ring with more honesty than any rhetoric we've heard.

The Vermillion Basin is a wilderness gem in northwestern Colorado, it's full of wildlife and diversity, it is a gem that's managed to stay untouched in the face of booming oil and gas drilling. It is worth fighting for, plain and simple.

Governor Ritter is not just being a leader for Colorado, he's being a leader for the west. Because what he is doing is not partisan and it's not political; it's about values. Here in the west, we value our land, we value our clean air, and we value our clean water. What's more, we value standing up for what we value.

Sticking to your values takes guts. Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action knows this first hand. Governor Ritter is fighting for Vermillion Basin and in the process, showing that when it comes to western values, he's not one to back down.

Vermillion Basin is a sign of the changing winds here in Colorado and the west. Those winds are being fueled by you and by us, people who are not just demanding something better, but are willing to fight for it. A gale is upon us.