Editor:

Regarding the March 8 guest editorial letter from the Summit County Commissioners, I doubt we’ve ever read more creative fiction!

Our family and our neighbors have attended numerous planning commission/county commission meetings on city/county development projects. We’ve witnessed such blatant support for the developers in these proposals, that we are absolutely convinced there is no objectivity in commission decisions. EVERY project that has come before these commissioners has been approved, and the negative consequences to our community have been mitigated, trivialized and, lied about in the proceedings. The zoning ordinances are continuously rewritten in an arbitrary manner, depending on who benefits.

Park City continues to digress towards an over-developed valley, which now more resembles the suburban-hell of Sandy, instead of the unique mountain town environment we moved here for years ago. Our quality of life erodes with this trend. Where does this end? Does every acre of real estate need a new development built upon it?

Such erroneous and misleading quotes as “the truth is you elected us to protect the special quality of life we enjoy here…” and “don’t be fooled by the constant drumbeat of media noise and rhetoric…” that were printed on behalf of Mr. Woolstenhulme and Ms. Elliott, is propaganda on the level of Mr. Bush and his war efforts. Our “special quality of life we enjoy” is NOT being protected by these commissioners. They have blatantly catered to the developers’ desires. We met with Ms. Elliott prior to her election; we listened to and wanted to believe her pro open-space, trail-friendly posturing, and she got our votes because of her admirable past work in these areas. Her change of heart couldn’t have come at a worse time for residents of Park City, as she and her two peers use their power to allow the gradual destruction of a beautiful place to live.

We can’t allow these commissioners and developers to tell us they’re doing the right thing for our community. We need more of our fellow Park City residents to attend planning meetings, and speak their minds against this rampant development, as we have been doing for years.

Bruce and Marianne Bicksler

Very concerned Summit County residents

Video game hazards

Editor:

In response to Ecker Hill sixth-grader Mitchell Morrison’s March 18 letter to the editor, I am elated that one youngster has pulled the plug of his video games and is spending more quality time with his family.

Mitchell mentions a study done in Japan about video games. I am from Japan, and would like to offer my views related to how the Japanese society is dealing with the entertainment system that it created. Unfortunately, it isn’t dealt with very well.

Mitchell’s Japanese counterpart studies rigorously for more than 10 hours a day. He leaves for school at 7 a.m., finishes school at 3 p.m., goes to his club activities, and then he is off to an after-school tutoring service until dark. Every day. After a quick dinner, he will do homework from school and work with the tutor for another three hours.

Space is limited in the big city, so there is no safe place for a child to run, dig, climb and ride bikes. “Play time” for the Japanese student is now almost always video gaming. Unfortunately, this is creating a generation void of emotion and creativity.

What we do not hear on this side of the world is the sad news about the increase in young adults’ cruelty to animals, bullying peers and disregard of elders. Sure, Japan produces some super-brains that produce great engines, gadgets and newer electronic games, but it also produces robotic learners who cannot assimilate to society.

Mitchell, on the other hand, has grass to run on, clean air to fill his lungs with, a tree to climb. Isn’t that why most of us live in Park City? Real “play” sparks his imagination, and hopefully, the childhood he spends in these mountains will instill in him a respect for his surroundings.

Kids: Turn off that game. Turn off that TV. Enjoy your loved ones. Don’t let your imported machines cause a rift in your family. Parents: Don’t use the machine as a babysitter. Invest in the time with your kids. You have a wonderful “backyard.”

…And Mitchell, good for you! Continue to spread the word!

Sincerely,

Keiko Ito Moffett

Park City