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Janalee Tobias sits in her backyard watching Mallards approach a spring-fed brook and tries to be upbeat.

"I love it here," she sighs. It would be convincing if tears weren't running down her face.

Tobias, an urban open-space activist who earlier this year settled a $1.7 million lawsuit with developers over preserving a Jordan River wetland near her South Jordan home, is obviously emotionally drained.

In the nine-year legal battle, the homemaker complains she has gained weight and fights a stress-related skin ailment. Despite her pink T-shirt, huge matching earrings, and carefully applied makeup, she looks battered.

"I've lost some of the will to fight," she says, petting a large tuxedo cat in her lap.

"When I got involved in gun rights, my conservative friends told me black helicopters would be hovering over my house," Tobias says. "But facing years of litigation and the possibility of losing your home and everything you've worked for because you spoke out at a city council meeting was something I never expected."

Anderson Development sued Tobias and compatriot Judy Feld for contractual interference after the homemakers organized a group to oppose development in the bottomlands along the Jordan River.

Though the suit was settled and Tobias and Feld won $50,000, they still owe $350,000 in legal defense bills. And their beloved wetland is mostly gone. "They got their way. They got everything they wanted," Tobias says.

Tobias and Feld's loss, however, is a gain for other open space activists. With two suburban homemakers leading the charge, the Legislature passed a law prohibiting so-called strategic lawsuits against public participation or SLAPP suits.

Characteristically, Tobias refused to give up her right to speak about the issues or the lawsuit in the settlement. A bit of the fiery Tobias peeks through the tired eyes. "It would be better for someone to cut my tongue out than for me to voluntarily sign away my right to speech. They'll have to pry my free speech out of my cold, dead fingers."

Tobias is famous in Utah as a citizen who seems incapable of staying out of the middle of a fight.

"Janalee realized early on that she has the ability to influence people and be noticed," says Clark Aposhian, chairman of Utah Shooting Sports Council, the local National Rifle Association affiliate. "Some people can feel other people's suffering. Perhaps Janalee can sense that need more than others. She has a gift to want to incite people."

Tobias' list of causes includes gun rights, tax limitation, government term limits, fluoridation, anti-light rail, excessive homework, Rosie O'Donnell's gun bashing, and, of course, protecting urban open space.

"America's great," she jokes. "In any other country, I would be executed by now."

Claire Geddes, a citizen advocate at the far end of the political spectrum from Tobias, admits she holds her gun-toting fellow activist in high esteem.

"I admire anyone for going out and being a part of the process. What drives Janalee isn't personal gain. She's willing to take the time because she cares enough," Geddes says. "If more people would do that this country would be a far better place."

Tobias' enemies have labeled her everything from a loose cannon to a loose woman. "They went as far as to accuse me of having extramarital affairs," she says, laughing.

Geddes says such attacks are the price of activism. "People who are involved get labeled all kinds of things, it's a way of discouraging other people from speaking out."

Though Geddes is diametrically opposed to Tobias' position on guns and just about everything else, she believes democracy is only self-correcting when everyone is passionately fighting for their beliefs. "I don't know why people think activism is a bad thing. It's the people who don't care enough that are the problem."

Steve Gunn, a Salt Lake lawyer who is on the board of the Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah, also grudgingly respects his long-time nemesis. "Janalee is a crusader who enjoys the fight, and to a certain extent the limelight. I admire someone who believes passionately about something and acts on that belief. At least she believes in something. In that regard, I admire Janalee."

Gay rights activist David Nelson says Tobias' spectrum of causes hides a unifying philosophy. "Janalee is about individualism. She applies it to every aspect of her life."

Though Nelson has not been able to convert Tobias into a gay marriage advocate, she turned him into a gun rights activist. With her help, Nelson started Stonewall Shooting Sports of Utah, a gay and lesbian gun-education group. "Imagine," Nelson says. "A Mormon housewife embracing the idea of gays and lesbians protecting themselves."

One thing on which the activist community, right and left, agrees is no $1.7 million lawsuit will ever scare the activism out of Janalee Tobias.

"She may say she'll never do it again. But she'll do it again," Aposhian says. "The next cause that comes up, Janalee will be just as strong and as influential as ever."

Tobias reminisces about the great blue herons that once ate the koiout of her pond. The explosive development in the south Salt Lake Valley drove the majestic birds away long ago.

"I could be the perfect suburban housewife," she says. "Go shopping, lay out in my yard and get a tan."

Don't believe it.

Tobias is already putting together a coalition of citizen groups in northern Utah to oppose developers who would fill what open space remains. The tireless activist in Tobias re-emerged when Sen. Al Mansell, a developer, attempted to pass legislation to reduce local control of zoning.

"The only way to fight big power brokers is to have a big coalition," says the suburban homemaker.

Janalee Tobias' worldview

On civic duty:

"I got into activism accidentally. I opened my mouth."

On mixing gun rights and environmentalism:

"To respect beauty is a conservative value."

On the theory that having a gun in the home leads to teenage violence:

"That's a crock."

On urbanization contributing to violence:

"We've got to have natural areas where people can chill and de-stress."

On living in the moment:

"The best thing about being a gun rights activist is that I know a lots of people with big guns. Have you ever fired a Russian Kalashnikova full auto? That's fun."

On combining sex education and gun safety training in the schools:

"Why not? The rules are the same."

(And here they are:)

1. Treat every gun as if it's loaded.

2. Always keep it pointed in a safe direction.

3. Be sure it's safe to operate.

4. Wear protective equipment.

5. Know what to do in the event of a misfire.

6. Do not mix guns with alcohol and drugs.

On feminists opposing gun rights:

"It's irresponsible. It sends a message that women are helpless in their homes and on the street."

What women should do if an intruder enters their home:

"Call 911 and grab your 9 millimeter."