[at-l] OT - Unification and other stuff

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

I hate to intrude on reality here, folks - but - I can name two places right 
now that I have emotional involvement with (read that "wonderful memories and 
bad ones too") and this has nothing to do with Trails. (and the fact that one 
of them is on the Chesapeake Bay shouldn't sway anyone's opinion - but I know 
how to spell it for a reason - I grew up there) The fact is, some places get 
to us more than others - I personally think those are mountains, woods or 
water bodies.  Those certainly seem to be more in contention.  The problem 
comes when a bunch of people get together and decide that they want those 
places, and don't want to be harassed, and if they have the money to change 
(or buy) everyone's opinion in the area, then they get them.  Now, is that 
us, or is that the ski developer?  Those people who do not GET why we want to 
preserve these places, or to give them corridors, can come up with a good 
argument why they should have them for their own use.  Money talks.  I'm not 
talking conservation here, I'm just talking reality.  Naturally I want to 
preserve wild places, but I wonder if the folks that want something else see 
*me* any differently than the people I opposed when I said I had the RIGHT to 
walk down to that beach.  Sure, our aims and desires are different.  But when 
you get two normally nice people who are ready to shoot each other over these 
issues, it makes you wonder.  Like, how could they NOT see what I'm 
saying???? (and they, in turn, are saying, "how could they not see what *I* 
am saying??)   Naturally those of us who love the woods see it one way.  And 
just as naturally, those of them whose job it is to bring in more money for a 
place see it otherwise.  In truth, I've heard a few people on the list 
complaining about day fees, for the privelige of parking next to a river, 
with campsites and a grill at each one, with easy access to a river.  I don't 
get that.  I'm pretty poor, but I have NEVER not paid the day fee to take 
Cassy down to the river to swim.

Maybe it's true that if I can't afford a $300,000 house on the ocean, I 
shouldn't be allowed to be in their actual back yard.  But to say I can't 
walk past that house and stick my feet in the sand . . . well.  Being a beach 
baby, I take exception to that.  If everyone thought like that, I wouldn't 
have grown up on the beach. By the same token, if the ATC, whatever their 
faults, weren't involved in our Trail, would we still be hiking it?

I've watched this thread. That's not normal for me these days.  I've felt 
like the family I had here has disinegrated, in a large way.  I've watched 
the whole "race" thing go by.  I've seen the "shelters" thread.  I've enjoyed 
the alternate places people have found, and I've winced when people made it 
seem like us "Sectioneers" (new term, per Tdays) are the cause of those 
problems. I haven't spoken up when I felt I should, but didn't want to 
contribute to the "screw you, you are wrong" type of posts.   I've limited my 
comments to off list posts, for the most part, not wanting to stir up . . . 
well, anything.  My posts in the past few months, at least, cannot compare to 
what they use to be. And it had nothing to do with the fund drive to ATC, or 
Ryans wish that we all play nice.  (I hope all of you recognize that he just 
ASKED us to play nice, he didn't make us)  I listened to the comments (and 
gritted my teeth) when people said that just because Ryan asked us not to be 
rude to each other that it was in some way censorship of the list.  If you 
want to experience censorship, I understand there is another list that can 
give you that now.  If you want freedom of speech, it's always been here.  On 
this list, nothing will change that.  (Unless of course Ryan gets tired of 
the bickering and just stops paying for us.)

I can freely say that I object to the "races" thing.  Just because the white 
male majority has ruled in this part of the world for so long, doesn't mean 
that the people who live here don't feel the same way, regardless of skin 
color - or sex.  Mom talked to several different "colors".  They told us lots 
of stories, ones we wouldn't have experienced on the Trail just because we 
were white.  But nothing stopped them, just like we thought nothing would 
stop us.

Life - and death - is one hell of an equalizer.

I just wanted to say to all of you, really  (long post for this), that - the 
threads have been good, I've enjoyed the discussions, and except for some 
silly stuff about the pledges, I've been proud of you all.  I'm not so sure 
my "family" is back, but it is getting close - so let me say to all of them, 
and all of the rest of the listers, that no matter what happens, I love you 
all. It's nice to know there are still smashmellows, even it I am not the one 
tossing them out.

And Ryan - I love you most.

Red









(And that's all I'll say about that)