conservation and snowmobiles - February 25, 2009

'A Snow Mobile for George' by Alex Gersovitz. Ever wonder why the Bush administration banned and then un-banned two-stroke snowmobile engines? Don't worry, neither did I. That is, till I saw "A Snowmobile for George." And, rarely do I say this: Go watch this movie. No, seriously. Writer/director/producer/one-man-band Todd Darling embarks on a "Roger and Me"-esque journey from his secluded California cabin to Washington, D.C., to answer this simple question. Along the way, he looks for clues in several Western states, with moving results. A major factor in the film's appeal is that it presents a non-partisan and simple question about snowmobiles. Unlike Michael Moore's movies that present an obvious political agenda which can immediately polarize viewers at the beginning, Darling encourages us to open-mindedly go on a journey with him. Why did rules on two-stroke snowmobile engines change? Like all good questions, the answer is not simple and involves much more than just snowmobiles: Native Americans in southern Oregon, sports enthusiasts in Wyoming, farmers and ranchers in Montana and South Dakota, and engineering students in Michigan. Everything ties together in the translation of Washington politics into varying rural ways of life. I'll give you a hint: it involves single-issue politics, votes, business economics, wilderness, and individual sovereignty. Do you live in a rural state? Yes, you do. Which means the issues raised in this film directly affect you. And you're doing yourself a disservice if you don't see it.

Organizer:Rick Thompson
Phone:801-255-8058
Date:Wed Feb 25 2009
Meeting Place:Tower Theatre, 876 E 900 S , SLC
Meeting Time:9:00 pm