Edward abbey remarks, glen canyon dam, spring equinox 1981 1981 this speech was given at one of the first public events by earth first. Glen canyon has been the focal point of recreation and controversy in southern utah and northern arizona for many years. Interdisciplinary studies in literature and environment, volume 11, issue we use cookies to enhance your experience on our website. Two proposed dams were never built, but glen canyon dam, located in an. Activists unrolled a 300footlong polythene black plastic sheet from the parapet over glen canyon dam, creating the illusion that a huge crack had been drilled into the dam. Edward abbey is what you would call an extreme environmentalist. This is the reason why the author edward abbey feels that he is qualified to evaluate how the land has changed after the building of the glen canyon dam.
Eco dissentnot terrorism edward abbey glen canyon dam art of resistance when edward abbey went to the glen canyon dam to drop a banner, earthfirst. Canyon dam, investigating the aesthetics of crack the dam as a case in. In a rare film of him in front of the dam, he says its justified to resort to whatever means necessary to defend our lands from destruction, invasion. Edward abbey glen canyon dam 1 translations dotsub. Edward abbey, southwestern philosopher, writer and. Edward abbey, the mischievous author and defender of the natural. The speech, which abbey titled simply, remarks, glen canyon. He stated that before the damnation of the canyon that there were streams, waterfalls, plunge pools, and plenty of. The cracking of glen canyon damn with edward abbey. Glen canyon dam and lake powell changed the way the american. A voice in the wilderness is a 1993 pbs documentary by eric temple.
Edward abbey speaks at the cracking of glen canyon dam. The dam is named for glen canyon, a series of deep sandstone gorges now flooded by the reservoir. A tour group visits the 710foottall glen canyon dam in page, ariz. Edward abbey was a desert rat, a chronic contrarian, a serial government employee with a penchant for anarchy. The cracking of glen canyon damn with edward abbey and earth first.
The colorado river will flood, causing great damage. Bring it on, i say, since writer edward abbey s condemnation of glen canyon dam was whats the word wrong. Edward abbey s remarks at the cracking of glen canyon dam, isle. Edward paul abbey january 29, 1927 march 14, 1989 was an american author, essayist and environmental activist whos work focused heavily on glen canyon and the freeflowing colorado river. Abbey had made two raft trips through glen canyon before the gates of the dam were closed. He talks about how it was an environmental disaster to place a dam in which to create lake powell, a reservoir formed on the border of utah and arizona. And over the years, id have lunch or breakfast with edward abbey, whose novel.
A few weeks later, the monkey wrench gang appeared on bookstore shelves and i was one of its first buyers. Opening in the socalled aftermath 1 of the novel, abbey immediately situates the reader in media res, at the site of a newlybuilt bridge between arizona and utah, over glen canyon. The grave of western writer and environmentalist edward abbey is said to be where no one would find it, but author sean prentiss tried. Author edward abbey s fictional characters in his 1975 novel the monkey wrench gang dreamed of blowing up glen canyon dam as the ultimate act of technological sabotage in defense of the earth. And were grateful filmmaker christopher mcleod was there to record it. What does edward abbey believe will happen if the dam is. Since 1966, this massive dam has flooded the colorado river above the grand canyon, disturbing the ecosystem by slowing the river, and turning glen canyon, a once equally beautiful area containing ancient native american rock drawings. When the government built the glen canyon dam, which in 1962 closed the colorado river just above the grand canyon, abbey said the dam should be taken down because it would kill the natural system. The windmill abbey wanted to tear down most was the glen canyon dam, constructed in 1962 just 60 miles north of the grand canyon, a 792,000ton hydraulic monstrosity that had cost u. The harmless activity brought welcome media attention that gave environmentalists a forum to voice their protest of the dam, one of abbey s favorite topics. Glen canyon dam nature, culture and history at the grand. For his introduction of numerous people to the wonders of glen canyon on countless river trips, visionary efforts to halt the construction of glen canyon dam, and passionate advocacy for the restoration of the glen. Escalante, utah in the early 1960s, the nations environmental movement cut its baby teeth on a fierce battle to stop construction of dams along the colorado river. The birth of the radical environmental movement is captured in this short, poetic film on the legendary direct action at glen canyon dam in.
Abbeys early life took place in indiana, pennsylvania. Celebrating the spring equinox with the voice of edward. Edward abbeys remarks at the cracking of glen canyon dam jstor. After abandoning a hollywood career, she immersed herself in her true passion. The film contains one of the only interviews ever given by the late, great author edward abbey along with his classic speech from the back of a pickup truck.
Cussing like the cowboys she learned from, kickass katie lee celebrates 97 yearold singer, songwriter, actress, and activist, katie lee. The cracking of glen canyon damn with edward abbey and. Please visit his website and check out and support his work. Abbey railed against glen canyon dam in desert solitaire, even as the canyons he loved were being turned into lake powell. The cracking of glen canyon dam in 1981 is best known as the first public action of. Sleights campfire companion was edward abbey, who had by then written his desert solitaire memoir but not the monkey wrench gang. He is one of the few that have actually seen the way glen canyon was before they changed it into a reservoir. Glen canyon dam had submerged its fabled grottoes, ancestral puebloan cliff dwellings and slickrock. Edward abbey s remarks at the cracking of glen canyon dam. The damnation of a canyon essay environment on study boss. The author tells us that he had known the area before the dam was built, and had spent considerable time there. The birth of the radical environmental movement is captured in this short, poetic film on the legendary direct action at glen canyon dam in march of 1981.
Dam, spring equinox 1981, is significant for several reasons. And in his iconic novel the monkey wrench gang, author edward abbey imagined a group of friends secretly plotting to blow up the dam and free the colorado river. In 1962, when the flow of the mighty colorado river became halted by glen canyon dam, creating lake powell and submerging geologic and historic features that some people deemed sacrosanct, a war of words was launched that. Glen canyon, a damnation, or not jkabbrisons photography. The cracking of glen canyon damn with edward abbey and earth. In real life, though, glen canyon dam and lake powell made it possible for millions of people to live and grow food in the arid southwest. His love of the desert southwest found its zenith in this exquisite canyon made up of narrow labyrinths with fern grottos and places with names like music temple and tapestry wall. Glen canyon dam, with lake powell spreading out behind it. Drought unearths a buried treasure the new york times. Following environmentalist edward abbeys footsteps in. The film contains one of the only interviews ever given by the late, great, monkey wrench gang author edward abbey. What does edward abbey believe will happen if the dam is shut down and the reservoir is drained. Founded in 1981, its first public act of guerillatheater was to.
Edward abbey never saw himself as a nature writer or an icon. Edward abbeys remarks at the cracking of glen canyon dam. It was a doodle of glen canyon dam in serious disarray. Revisioning environmentalist mythology, writes that. Edward abbey worked as a seasonal park ranger for glen canyon national recreation area back in 1967, so of course he would be against any environmental action taken to change the canyon. Novelist edward abbey would still love to tear down tucson. The reclamation of glen canyon and the american west. Perhaps the pivotal event that made edward abbey who he was occurred in 1962, when glen canyon dam was first brought on line. Celebrating the spring equinox with the voice of edward abbey j. The elusive grave of author edward abbey colorado public. When the idea of damming glen canyon was first floated, she opposed it. Wed talk about edward abbey s idea to detonate a houseboat full of explosives against the dam s upstream face, sending the lake careening down grand. Glen canyon dam was built based on the metrics of the last couple hundred years which were thought to be typical for the american southwest, but it turns out that it was on the back end of a fairly wet period and we are now in a more normal rainfall pattern for the colorado river drainage including snowpack. Edward abbey lives in the sonoran desert, surrounded by things he lovesand, increasingly, by things he hates.
Produced by toby mcleod, glenn switkes and randy hayes. Glen canyon dam had submerged its fabled grottoes, ancestral puebloan. Essays from the outside, edward abbey initially expresses his one time belief that the canyonland country had no heart, he conclusively reckons that the canyonlands actually do. Those interested in learning more about abbey, including his lifelong connection to the appalachian hills, should read the excellent biography, edward abbey. Philippon, dj 2004, edward abbey s remarks at the cracking of glen canyon dam, isle. Edward abbey s essay the damnation of a canyon view of a lake powell cove and the horizon in 1986, utah, usa. Two proposed dams were never built, but glen canyon dam, located in an unprotected area, was completed in 1963. I went west to find edward abbey in the 1970s, determined to give him a drawing id done in his honor. Edward abbey, the writer who inspired a generation of southwestern environmentalists, fantasized about blowing up glen canyon dam in his books desert solitaire and the monkey wrench gang.
Published by seldom seen under damn dams, edward abbey, glen canyon dam,videos on april 10, 2008 oppose the destruction of our homelands from these alien forces. The windmill abbey wanted to tear down most was the glen canyon dam, constructed in 1962 just 60 miles north of the grand canyon, a 792,000. The monkey wrench gang by edward abbey disco demolition. Interdisciplinary studies in literature and environment, vol. The land will eventually return to its natural state. Tim kania environmental writers works remain current. A workman 4 in a hardhat makes an adjustment to the bridges barrier ribbon, which seems to trigger an explosive device that cracks the middle of. A wrenching new film explores the legacy of edward abbey. That 1975 novel envisioned a handful of saboteurs battling the wests creeping industrialism and working for glen canyon dam s demise.
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