[at-l] Staying on Topic - LONG

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

--
[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
In a message dated 9/23/2002 12:51:24 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
shane@theplacewithnoname.com writes:


> Perhaps you could explain then, that when someone recently took the time to
> post MacKaye's entire article that was the birth of the AT, and included a
> commentary, that NO-ONE from that group of people who claim to be staunch
> trail advocates was the least bit interested in the topic?  I did notice
> that those same people continued to stomp out the 'campfire'.  It makes me
> wonder what's driving that bus...
>


     ***    Because the person who posted it was more interested in "stomping
out and tearing down" than he was in sincerely understanding what was being
said about MacKaye. What was said was all there and obvious. People who spend
their entire effort trying to undermine MacKaye by any means possible are not
people who should be allowed to judge a Trail Advocacy list. The problem with
MacKaye's AT is it is best fathomed with a pre-existing appreciation for
conservation. The pieces then fall together from there. People who refuse to
see Trail activism as anything beyond ranting or hijacking are ones who will
be hard to convince under any circumstances. The problem many AT advocates
have with the status quo view of such efforts is how they are viewed only in
reference to their affect on the list. Unfortunately, there is a much greater
reality from which these views are derived that goes outside lists and their
understanding of themselves that must be allowed to exist. It doesn't matter
how you deny something as long as the outcome is denial. In the same sense
this denial doesn't mean that the topic was invalid or flawed. There are many
who seem to suggest that through the guise of guarding site quality or tone,
however the outcome is no different than outright rejection of same...

       For reasons understood, this post topic should be over on the TA. If
you would like, I'll respond to it over there...