28 replies to this topic

[WjColdWater]

Never work here.Some people think it's their right to trash the country.

And don't give a CRAP.

Frank

Yep! To many entitled jerks! The I and Me is more important than We!

[ski3pin]

I know that I am good at complaining. Real good at it. Can I be good at coming up with a solution, something to turn this around to a positive?

 

I had a talk with our National Forest Supervisor mid summer. The number of visitors was up over three fold. A survey suggested that over a third of visitors had never been into the mountains or really "outside" before in their lives. The Forest's response was to produce a series of videos posted to social media on the basics such as please just pick up after yourselves.

 

I don't do much social media - facebook, tweeter, instantgram, whatever else is out there - is foreign territory so I've not seen them. I hope they were even a little bit successful. But I was impressed an effort was made.

 

So what can we do? Can we make a difference?

 

I do think about this.

 

A start is to model good behavior, be excellent examples to follow. We try our best at this. Help others when they need it. Be kind and respectful.

 

We try to remember the way to climb a huge mountain is one small step at a time.

 

What else can we do? Ideas?

[buckland]

Citizenship. My parents were from Ireland. I never knew what was what as a kid as my parents were clueless about America... baseball.... anything,,,,my mom boiled a corn on the cob for 5 hours waiting for it to get soft! I was caught in between. I knew them... Their Irish ways.... but I had to figure out what USA culture was without it in the home. To this day I feel like I have a foot in each country. So... unstable in both!
I taught 13-15 year olds for 30 years... both in the US (25) and 5 years internationally in three countries (as did my wife).
Seeing cultures all have pluses and minuses but what is unique is the US really is a not too well mixed melting pot. Pretty much everybody is here though not as blended as it should be. But that in itself amazing ...the whole world in one country.

What the US lacks or has lost is civics.... the teaching of what our responsibilities are to the group (its the tie that binds us all different folks together) as wild as it is .... we have to have the strength to have self control over the ‘all for me’ attitude. In Japan where I lived and worked for two years in Kobe I was amazed at their ability to restrain their selfish wishes/actions if it disturbed the common civility....the community. The individual was not more important than the group.

I’d like to see citizenship taught again in schools. We have rights but also duties. We have too much an atmosphere of entitlement.
I was proud to be a boy scout ...it felt good to do good. It does need to be taught or otherwise we are only a big group of grabbers.

Lastly I am heartbroken at the high hopes my parents lead me to believe was our new country. All of our family other than us four live in Ireland..... they ask.... is it still worth it to stay. I have to admit I have started to wonder myself.

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Thanks Rob,it's not just the need to be taught but for our leaders to act it.

Remember "monkey see monkey do". Lead by example.

 

Your comments are well said IMO.

 

I am also from immigrant roots.My grandparents left Italy around 1900

to come to the "shining light of America". They made their children become Americans.

I wasn't taught to think of just "ME" and I tried to teach my children the same.

I think for the most part for my family it has worked.

Don't know what to do about the bigger problem though.

 

I have no family back in Italy at least any thought of as close.

 

My daughter lives in Barcelona Spain and there are times we think maybe to move

there. I hold duel citizenship with the EU (Italy) so I could live anywhere in Europe.

Can't see running away from the issues ,yet.

 

Thanks for your thoughts and comments.

Frank

[craig333]

I'd love to see Tread Lightly taught in schools. Modeling good behavior helps but seems kind of like spitting into the wind. 

 

Dumpsters. We have a huge problem with the homeless trashing areas and illegal dumping. I'm nearly ready to give up and just say lets puts dumpsters at strategic sites and just bite the cost. 

 

I can't deny there are times I'd like to go a bit further.

[buckland]

I agree ...I nearly go bonkers (see how good that don't be a litter-bug campaign was?!) when I see people do this .... how are they processing that "it's OK" ?

If I had a billion extra I would implement a free bathroom/shower/haircut and laundry place in every major city for the homeless. Having been in 'low places' myself ... the dignity that a clean body gives is amazing. And maybe a Salvation Army clothes place right next door. One can lift themselves up when they feel they are ok ...looking good.... can compete. 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

I agree ...I nearly go bonkers (see how good that don't be a litter-bug campaign was?!) when I see people do this .... how are they processing that "it's OK" ?

If I had a billion extra I would implement a free bathroom/shower/haircut and laundry place in every major city for the homeless. Having been in 'low places' myself ... the dignity that a clean body gives is amazing. And maybe a Salvation Army clothes place right next door. One can lift themselves up when they feel they are ok ...looking good.... can compete. 

That's a great start Rob.Help is always needed.

Frank

[Lighthawk]

We are seeing the same in the TNF with hoards of tourists blocking roads and the instagram nation has moved in.

It's why I've become very careful about naming places in my TR's or photos.   Every cool place gets overrun by publicity seekers on the internets.

 

Thankfully, we've still got a few spots up our sleeves, mostly due to difficult access and our xc hiking.  We did do one reserved site this summer, but used none of their facilities and had quiet neighbors at Loon Lake CG.  I think we've gotten in six trips this past summer. 

Hope to start the fall camping season next weekend!!

 

Last two weekends have seemed much quieter with a ban on dispersed camping and campground closures due to fire danger.

[OutToLunch]

Don’t blame the homeless though they are not entirely blameless. I live in Flagstaff and we have a problem with homeless but we also have a bigger problem with tourist trash.  In winter, if we get snow, hordes of people come up from the valley (Phoenix metro) to take their kids sledding.  They leave plastic bottles, fast food wrappers, broken plastic sleds, and dirty diapers everywhere.  The Forest Service picks up and hauls out tons of trash every year that we have snow.  Here is an article from 2019,  https://azdailysun.c...c082240f34.html

 

i used to teach my college students that Americans confuse license and freedom.  Freedom involves responsibility for your actions and for its impact on others whereas license means you can do what you want and are not responsible, if you have the right use with an F off to others.