Environmental arguments should reflect both sides of issues
by Tom Egan, Helendale CA
Re: "Death, taxes and the litigation dodge" (Our Opinion, Aug. 21), and
"Shoot, shovel and shut up" (Commentary, Aug. 21).
Throughout history, effective government "watchdog" groups and involved
citizens who make successful stands for justice have been challenged by the
various unscrupulous profiteers, "mob bosses" and corporate "robber barons"
of their day.
Attempted public manipulation via editorial propaganda is often the tool of
choice used to court public opinion in these assaults upon American
intelligence, and has been used with sheer abandon in both High Desert
arenas and national politics of late. When the ability to challenge government
decisions affecting our public lands and policies, with regard to the cited
editorial and today's public land management climate in general, becomes
threatened; and the promotion of illegal activities a small segment of society
disagrees with, becomes glorified, as is the case of the latter published
commentary submitted by a so-called "Wise Use" private property rights
advocate, and no opposing viewpoints are aired, print media steps over
the line of professional journalism.
There will always be those Machiavellian libertarians who believe that which
belongs to all should be utilized by a few at the expense of the rest. There
will also always be those supporters of the status quo who fear for their
current subsidized uses of public resources, such as the water diverted from
salmon recovery purposes for Mr. Pombo's Central Valley private land grape
farms. There will also always be those supporters of subsidized goodies
occurring on public lands and national forests, when such uses are not
sustainable, and those who misrepresent the condition of our public lands
and/or intent of our public land laws, as well as those who steal from our
children, cheat the taxpayer and/or threaten the rights/property of other
citizens.
Still, one wonders why we let such unAmerican practices continue virtually
unchallenged day after day.
from: DAILY PRESS & DESERT DISPATCH -- Aug 25 05 -- OPINION
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Tom Egan is a friend of nature, fairness, and a friend of mine. He is a dad,
wildlife biologist, and conservation activist in the Mojave Desert of California.
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