[at-l] RE: what is your problem?

[kahley7@ptd.net (kahley7)]

Somebody wrote something to me last night...questioning my motives.....
Why did I want to tear wingfoot down...
Ya just don't get it and I'm pretty sure this isn't gonna change that.
But I think I'm gonna go visit the trees, (it's still coooold out there!)
and do not want even a shred of this in my pack.

This started when I talked about something that I thought was common knowledge.
The thread had died until someone jumped up and basically called me a liar.
Well in the words of my dead Gram, "I know what I know" and calling me out
is not going to make me change my story.  If standing up for yourself, when
called a liar, is ego then I'm guilty.

It was never about tearing dan down because you can't tear down what isn't real.
TP is real.  The Handbook is real.  He did these things.  What was revealed, I 
guess for the first time to some people, is what he_hasn't_done.  The pretense 
was torn away.....the myth punctured......the hypocrisy exposed.  
How is that 'tearing down' anything that was real in the first place?

If you are a fan of dan's works, that's fine with me.   My problem is not with what he 
has done but with what he may seek to do in the future.  He has a vision of what he wants
the Trail to be.  He works tirelessly toward that end.  His media exposure advances his vision.
Some say he, and what he says and does is not that big a deal.  If that's true, then why is
it always his name we see in the media...his vision.

His vision of the Trail is not mine.   I don't want monitors.  I don't want quotas and fees.  I don't 
want more rules and regulations.  To tell the truth, I don't want more publicity for the Trail.  I don't 
think it's wise to go after the hunters that "own" the land thru which the trail passes, here in Pa.  
When  there is a threat to the Trail, I want everyone to fight it in the way that will be most effective, 
not the way that will best demonstrate dan's power.  These are some of the issues I have with 
him, and since the Trail is so gawd awfully important to me, I will continue to contend with him 
when I feel I need to....free country and all that.  And I'd prefer to contend with the man that he 
is, rather than the myth he has projected.  

It's not about my ego.  It's not about ATML-TP or AT-L.  It's about the Trail and what will
become of it.  I do give a rat's ass about that.  If he was just Dan the writer and web host, it
would be one thing.  But he seems intent on being Mr AT, by promoting himself, while
at the same time, disparaging and attacking the true Trail institutions.   That, to my mind,
weakens the Trail's protection and future.  I'm accused of attacking dan to feed my ego, yet 
who questions his motives for attacking the ATC?  Any ego in that?  Jim hints that the missing 
thrus are just the tip of the iceberg.  Anyone ever wonder the real reason why dan hates ALDHA 
and the ATC so much?  I bet that is another story to be told someday.

I haven't hiked yet.  I don't know when I will be able to.  I want desperately to hike the same Trail 
that dan and many of you have.  I know that isn't strictly possibly, but I can do what I can to keep it 
free until I get my shot.  If any of you want to wonder about my motivation...I can't make it any 
clearer than that. If this makes me a bad guy, so be it.