[at-l] A Few Comments about the ATC---

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

In a message dated 5/30/2005 1:28:07 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
optimyst@gmail.com writes:
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Okay, now I understand the comments and concerns about land grabbing
are based on past eminent domain proceedings.
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            I'd be all for "land-grabbing" if it came down to it. In an era 
where the earth is literally melting from what is basically, at its core, 
population overgrowth, where open space is burning away in a wildfire in earth 
timescale terms, and unfragmented greenways are being consumed by record-pace 
gratuitous sprawl, I wouldn't feel guilty at all. I'm sure some would say it was 
dangerous for Trail members to spout radical views, but realize these same 
people stay silent when members dynamite the very basis of the AT itself with 
statements asking for protection to stop and MacKaye to be divorced from the 
Trail. These people should be told so in no uncertain terms instead of the 
eloquent, yet ignored, finer words of people like Weary, Solar Bear, and others. I was 
hoping part of ATC's reformation would be making this more clear so it was no 
longer considered an option, or the mislabeled "hearing the voice of the 
membership". Wise people would realize some voices don't really represent a deeply 
considered AT viewpoint, but are more likely superficial reactions to 
much-more-deeply-entrenched-and-critical Trail matters than the messages convey. More 
often these people overblow things like land seizure in order to make the 
Trail a less demanding place, and therefore justify their lack of concern. I say 
to these people if your best is to undermine desperately-needed Trail efforts 
or interpretations, then perhaps you should join anti-AT organizations instead 
of flirting with the in-between. Because surely your thoughts are well within 
that description. The "real" picture is a Trail getting beaten up from all 
sides by ever increasing forces. That's hardly a time for Trail members to call 
for a weakening of the AT. The internet AT community continues to prove itself 
to be a body that voices counter-AT viewpoints more loudly than pro.

              I'm glad to see others putting it like it should be said...