[at-l] Re: Hiking Ethics

[kahley7@ptd.net (kahley)]

At 08:58 AM 6/15/01 -0400, rick boudrie wrote:
  why can't R & R and others do the same without being told "Sit down, shut 
up and hike your own hike".  It also brings me to the realization that 
talking about and promoting hiking and backcountry ethics is no way to win 
friends.

Come on Rick..nobody told him to shut up and sit down or to sit down and 
shut up for that matter.
This isn't the first time we have been subjected to someone
blowing in here and lecturing us.  R&R is just the latest and maybe the lamest.

He accuses us of stuff we didn't do.
Answers questions by changing the subject.
Requests our allegiance to an "ism" that he can't or won't define,
to standards that he can't or won't enumerate and to a quota scheme
which would work out somehow if we just really really try hard.

Bottom line is AT-L was not formed as a conservation group or
advocacy group.  The fact that we are involved as a group
or as individuals is a natural outgrowth of our love for hiking.
It was formed so hikers would have a place to talk about what we
love without people looking at us like we were nuts.

We have no rule that says we have to be committed or supportive
(cept maybe to each other). We have no rule that says we have to
listen to people who insult us.  All this debate has probably caused
poor Shandra to leave us (if she can figure out how..)

I think we have gone waaaay outta the way to give R&R a hearing.....
but beyond all the accusations and smoke, there just is not very much to 
hear......
But we never tell people to shut up....we just stop listening.