[at-l] MacKaye And The Silent Majority (OB)

[DaRedhead@aol.com (DaRedhead@aol.com)]

In a message dated 1/14/02 12:32:06 AM US Eastern Standard Time, 
RoksnRoots@aol.com writes:

RnR sez:

> Persons who view the Trail on a deeper level than equipment itemizing, 
> organizing get-togethers, or abusing others on a list, realize this.
> 
> 

and then he sez:

> 
>     ***   This is silly and beneath the level of discussion we were having. 
> For a man who bloats his psychiatric background as much as possible on the 
> List I find this a rather weak and shallow-minded response <snip lots of 
> other put downs on OB>

and then:

>       (I assumed since nobody protested his deliberate hack that I'm allowed 
> to respond...)  
> 
> 

Obviously you are allowed, as you did so.  However, if you claim the right to 
put OB down because he made some comments about you, how do you justify the 
first comment up there?  A few '02 prospective thru hikers, and other section 
hikers,  have itemized their gear lately, asking for advice or help.  Last 
time I checked, that is more in tune with what this list is about than 
arguing about the different philosophies between Avery and MacKay.  So you 
are going to put them down and make it sound like since someone posts their 
gear list and asked for help that means they don't view the Trail on a 
"deeper level" like you?  As for organizing Trail get togethers - it might 
have escaped your notice, but the Trail wouldn't be an issue without people, 
and these particular get togethers were organized to bring long distance 
hikers and future long distance hikers together, to talk about gear and 
everything else that goes into a thru, as well as the simple company of other 
people who share the same passion.  I guess you don't consider that 
important, since you used it in the context of a put down.

No one questions the fact that trail advocacy is very necessary to protect 
and preserve and maintain as much wilderness as possible on the Trail.  What 
you don't seem to be getting, or are choosing not to get, is that this isn't 
a "Trail Advocacy" list, although lots of people on the list *do* support and 
are involved in said advocacy.  This is an AT list designed to let hikers 
interact with other hikers, get information, share information, moral support 
for a variety of hiking issues (like non-hiking spouses, how former thru 
hikers dealt with reentry into society, etc) and a bunch of other things, 
which also includes gear *and* hikers getting together.  I think we've said 
before - we welcome being advised of issues, but it isn't the sole purpose of 
this list, and to demean the list as a whole because we don't dedicate the 
list to that one single thing is simply wrong.

I am not saying this as a put down on you.  It is obvious that you are 
passionate about this subject.  So instead of putting us down for engaging in 
the purposes this list was created for, how about getting your own list up?  
How about a list devoted to nothing BUT trail advocacy issues and the 
"deeper" meanings of the AT or the visions of the people who conceived of it 
in the first place?  Then you could stop trying to make us feel bad for not 
changing the purpose of the list to the only thing about the Trail you 
apparently find important, and we could stop bashing you for doing it.  It 
would then be a win-win situation for us all.  Something to think about.  I'm 
sure if you needed help in getting one started, Ryan and many other computer 
literates on the list would be glad to help you out.

Red 



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