[at-l] 3

[Bob Cummings <ellen@clinic.net> (Bob Cummings)]

Frankly, I found it difficult to follow all IJ's arguments, but if the North
Carolina agency was still seeking public comments on August 29, that suggests to
me that letters starting a month earlier probably were useful.

I'm also inclined to believe the testimony of the local organizers of the mine
opposition that Wingfoot made an important contribution.

Add the fact that as far as I know the issue still isn't finally resolved, and
it's my conclusion that Wingfoot's effort probably was useful.

I think we are all aware of Wingfoot's problems. I was a useful contributor to
his list. It was insane for him to kick me off -- not once, but twice.

And because I still believe he played important roles in the Saddleback, Gulf
Tract and Putnam Mine efforts, and no one else has been more effective in
generating public comments on important trail issues, it was destructive of him
to shut down the forums that made this useful work possible, and it was foolish
for him to so antagonize many of his listers that he damaged his effectiveness.

However, neither am I surprised. I dealt with controversial environmental issues
for three or four decades. Often the people on the cutting edge of issues were
what most people considered nut cases.

The guy who first told me about the
400,000 acres of lost Maine public lands, lived in a one room tarpaper shack and
hadn't held a steady job in decades.

The guy who kept the issue alive for years was a semi-retired diesel engine
mechanic.

The attorney who wrote the book that rallied support for Maine's first water
cleanup efforts was considered crazy by many for devoting his hours to such a
foolish and hopeless issues.

Human nature is complex, as I'm sure OB knows better than most. I like to focus
on the good people do, and try to ignore the rest. I still have hope that
Wingfoot will emerge from his self-imposed retirement and again make useful
contributions. It will be sad for him and sad for the trail, if he doesn't.

Weary