[at-l] purism - long

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

"...You know better, Bob." says Jim and or Ginny.

 Methinks Jim protests too much.

 I don't think anyone on the list truly cares how others choose to hike the
 trail.

 Many of us do object to filling out a form claiming we did something we didn't
 do.

 I neither know, nor care, how or why the rules were proposed. I agree they are
 dumb rules, which suggests that no one put much thought in them. However, I
 think it silly for folks to claim that Wingfoot never did anything useful for
 the trail, but that somehow he's responsible for the harmful things.

 Dumb rules are not changed by people lying and saying they observed them. Dumb
 rules are changed by people ignoring them. If you don't like the ATC rules,
 just don't apply for a 2000-miler certificate. Better yet, write a letter
 saying you walked 2,160 miles but you refuse to fill out a senseless
 application.

 Yes, I sometimes exceed the speed limit. But in matters of law, I'm innocent
 until proven guilty. In matters of conscience, I try to be honest -- well
 mostly honest.

 BTW. A careful reading of the posts on this list will reveal that quite a few
 are not members of ATC. They should be, despite the dumb 2,000-miler
 application. And most section hikers -- which includes anyone who hikes the AT
 -- are not members of ATC. If they were the conference would have millions of
 members, not a few thousand.

 Weary