Tom writes, "Arizona is poor in natural gas, so you’d think it would escape the fracking controversy. Maybe not. The Copper State is one of the best places in the world to find helium, which has been in short supply. The catch is, it takes fracking to mine it. The pipeline company Kinder Morgan paid… READ THE REST
I remember reading that in the future the corporations will own the water and that water will be the “new oil”
One of the ways to make the water you control more valuable is to contaminate the water that you don’t control.
Fracking taints water supplies. So Arizonans might want to think about the impact of a tainted water supply. Or not.
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Ugh, as someone born in Arizona, who still enjoys visiting (I have family), I really wish the people living there would fight this more. Unfortunately, that state’s pretty red, and pretty much will decry the hippies in favor of big corps. on this.
I really hope my younger relations move out before the state gets wrecked by fracking, expensive water, etc., and the pretty parts are still owned by the NPS. I’m sure as hell not moving back.
Yep, attitude like yours is what changes things for the better!
Oh, wait, no, it isn’t.
As an Arizona native and progressive and someone who – 32 years later – still lives in and LOVES this state, I will stay here for you and work to make change. I’'ve been in central Phoenix for going on 13 years now, and I have seen a LOT of change. More than perhaps you’ll ever be able to realize, because you’re too busy being being a quitter.
Seriously, thank you for calling me out on this. In reading my comments from yesterday, I realize I was being a bit of a jackass. I’ve never lived full time in AZ as an adult, just extended time working remotely when I had some family issues to handle, and otherwise visiting. Most of the time I lived there was in my youth, part time when I wasn’t living in Michigan.
So, if I’m a quitter from anywhere, it’s Michigan (which has its own issues as well). In terms of Arizona, I’m an internet jackass whose qualifications to bitch about local politics come from what I’ve seen in national news and being otherwise disillusioned by my very conservative family who live there. I fell victim to the very sort of anecdotal crap I yell at my dad (who lives in South Phoenix and listens to right wing talk radio all day while getting virtually no outside input from any other people who disagree with him) for when he bases his opinions on nothing else.
Seriously, I apologize for being a jackass. Thank you for working on things. If you ever have a reason to visit the DC area (specifically Maryland, but really the whole area), I’m doing the same here. Sometimes it’s just easy to get frustrated, and the internet is a good place to take out my impotent rage.
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Shoot, @TripleE, you’re the best. You are 100% forgiven. I totally get it, though; even I get frustrated with Arizona sometimes – it’s often hard even for me to defend when we have Sheriff Jackass and Governor Drunk Face to deal with.
I did once visit the DC area – to protest John McCain and Don’t Ask Don’t Tell at a Senate hearing. I have personally pissed off John McCain. I have seen his face turn beet red as he (tried to) ignore us. It was the best moment of my life, particularly when we realized Harry Reid wasn’t going to have us arrested, heehee. One day I’d like to visit again when I’m not so distracted and busy!
I also worked on Paul Penzone’s campaign last year – super great guy, still bummed he lost. So I do promise there are those of us here working our bums off trying to get shit done. Hopefully you’re doing the same in your area – even if it is largely progressive, there is still shit to be done!
You should visit http://www.equalitywalk.org – they are walking 101 miles through the entire state of Arizona at the end of this month because they are bad ass and also motherfucking crazy. They are also doing LGBT 101 training for the border patrol in Yuma, which is pretty awesome. We have a HUGE and incredibly vibrant, and very active LGBT community here (and I happen to live smack in the middle of it).
Anyway, thank you for taking the time to respond and so thoughtfully. 
My brother and I were born in AZ. He stayed to fight the good fight. I bailed.
I’m sure we’ll talk about this in our next conversation, but neither of us are terribly politically active. My reasoning about leaving in general is that I would have to stay and suffer the crazy that is culture in Phoenix just to be able to be on the losing side of all the votes. No thanks.
I don’t think AZ has done one good thing with water, ever, in what I know about from school and the news, so I’m skeptical about headway on this issue. It IS called the copper state, and I think that says something about state identity and cultural priorities (think mining). Although I think golf is more important now, at least in Phoenix metro. Again. Water. Sigh.
I don’t encounter as much crazy as you might think, PARTICULARLY in Phoenix, the bluest city of all. I do notice that most people who complain a ton about this city rarely, if ever, venture out much outside of their homes, and yet still think they know the city…
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