Van Camp: Rap session with the young folks about oil and war
"I received your e-mail about the anti-Bush, anti-war, peace-march thing and reasons why Americans are living in the worst of times. You always are passionate about all your causes.
"And there always is a cause of the day. I remember save the whales, spotted owls, holes in the ozone, global warming and the rain forests. There are probably some I've forgotten.
"I saw you on TV protesting the war. I'm glad you're not one of those rowdy people who got arrested. I could even read your sign: 'President Bush, admit it. IT'S ABOUT OIL!' "
"You are so right. It's about oil. I'll bet you never expected me to say that. Let me explain over treats. Call Mike, Mike Jr. and Jennifer. We'll meet after work and school at the Dairy Queen on I-40 and Washington. My treat. I'm having a Tropical Blizzard.
"Love you, Uncle Virgil."
I'm so glad we could all make it. We don't get together as much as we used to. I chose this place to continue my conversation with my liberal niece about oil and the war and because I knew parking wouldn't be a problem. After all, there are five cars just in this little group.
Look out at rush-hour traffic. You can see the interchange, I-40 and I-27. When did Amarillo get big enough for a real traffic jam? I've seen every kind of vehicle ever made, from Yugos to SUVs.
Do those 18-wheelers ever stop? I counted more than 200 in 10 minutes before you all arrived. They're probably all full of made-in-China, Christmas merchandise moving to malls for the August pre-holiday sales.
The road construction crews are still working on the bridge. They've got backhoes, graders, bulldozers and cranes. And pickups. I'll bet each worker has at least two - one to come to work in and one owned by the state with flashing lights on top.
What do all these automobiles, trucks and road machines use a lot of? Gasoline and diesel fuel made from crude - most of it imported. Oh, sure, we still pump some old, dying wells and even drill a few new holes. But our oil companies spend more time filling out environmental impact paperwork than they do drilling.
The imported crude comes from some of the most politically unstable regions in the world. Venezuela has descended into anarchy. The Middle East contains some of the most corrupt regimes ever known. None of the members of OPEC have anything approaching democracy. It's doubtful that any of their citizenry are capable of self-government. Yet, at least half the proven oil reserves on the planet are located there.
Our way of life and standard of living depend on cheap energy. Sure, we are wasteful. We should conserve more. We should have more fuel-efficient cars. We can invent alternative fuels. But until we do, we must have oil.
An American president would be remiss if he allowed the entire Middle East to be dominated by the likes of Saddam Hussein. Had Saddam realized his dream - conquest of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia - we would be at his mercy. By cutting off crude oil to his enemies, he could ruin their economies.
We should install a friendly government in Iraq, then take charge of the Iraqis' oil industry and pump enough to pay for the war and rebuilding their country. Then we should continue to pump enough to drive the worldwide price of oil down and keep it down.
Or we could do it Virginia's way. Mike you'll have to sell your pickup and share your wife's Japanese hybrid. Junior and Jennifer, get your bicycles out and air up the tires. You're going to need them to get to school.
Are you prepared to do your share to lessen our need for oil?
I take the look on your collective faces as a definite no.
Virgil Van Camp can be contacted in care of the Amarillo Globe-News, P.O. Box 2091, Amarillo TX 79166, or letters@amarillonet.com.
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