[at-l] On the cell phone argument

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

In a message dated 8/19/2005 10:42:57 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
optimyst@gmail.com writes:
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I'm with Weary on this one.  The only interesting <for a while> part
of the discussion was about the impact of CPs on thruhikers.  The
thought of banning the blasted things for the millions of day hikers
and such is way past its time.  And I say that with regret.  I cannot
imagine a serious initiative to ban them outright from the trail. 
They are ubiquitous.  That might be a topic for a nostalgia hiking
list, but just as we live with certain invasive species and do our
best to minimize their influence, ultimately the fire ants will remain
in Florida and the cell phone will go everywhere that man travels.

Happy trails,

Solar Bear
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           So you really don't consider their impact on the Trail that 
important? Well, that will gain you Gathering and list friends, but it won't do much 
for a downward trend on the Trail. 

     Hmm, forgive me, but I don't feel comfortable with a Trail member who 
stays out of the entire gist of the argument in terms of Trail background who 
then comes in and says "I agree with Weary, it's too late". I respect Weary, but 
my personal view of him (which I hope he doesn't mind my saying) is he deals 
in a broader perspective which includes staying conventional enough to draw 
donations from the ignorant masses. MacKaye was in the same position and he went 
down with his beliefs. Myself I see a direct connection between getting the 
Trail built in the first place and such a firm conviction. 

            Really, I think it would be much easier than you realize for ATC 
to take the official position that cell phone impact is becoming threatening 
to the Trail's purpose (like Baxter where cell phones had reached the same 
level). What is really wrong is allowing those who have given such defiantly 
indifferent responses a feeling of legitimacy. A wise Trail insider would realize 
we are not talking about cell phones here as much as the Trail's purpose.

                What is the next drop down ATC will consider too difficult to 
fight? 






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