What an interesting turn this conversation has taken. Lots of controversial topics raised. Let's see: Federal Government as dedicated lands protector, often guilty of serious overreach and frequent mismanagement of lands. Use of technology in Wilderness Areas. Carrying weapons of any sort in wilderness areas. Grandfathered grazing permits for sheep and cattle on public lands. Violent resolutions to conflicts over backcountry behavior.
Winston Churchill once said that: “democracy is the worst form of government – except for all the others that have been tried.” I agree with Winston's somewhat cynical comment.
Earlier I said "The executive branch proposes, the legislative branch disposes." How this actually works is at the root of many of our problems. For nearly 15 years I had to travel about once a year from my comfort zone in the Pacific Northwest to Washington DC to meet with the NW Congressional delegation folks or their staffs. Our very small group of two or three would make the rounds to each office of the various Senators or Representatives and talk about NW issues related to fish, wildlife, habitats and power generation and distribution. Because we never came with an 'ask', which nearly everyone else does, we most often were greeted by friendly, chatty staff folks. When these folks came to the Pacific NW to gather information, we very often met and helped them out the best we could with introductions, field tours, issue summaries, etc. It was rare that any of the electeds or their staff members were anything other than sincere and usually very sharp and quick to pick up on what was being shown or said to them.
The point to all this is, to quote Smoke: "...it is amazing that there are any protected areas at all out on our public lands." The pull and tug on our elected representatives and the staff is unbelievably intense and confusing. How anything gets done is a wonder, that so many good things have got done is a miracle. That grave errors and injustices have occurred and continue to occur is, sadly, unsurprising and not unexpected. (I have a very long list of government successes and failures.)
Once the federal, state, county or tribal governments have decided on a course of action or a policy, the responsibility largely reverts to us citizens. There are not enough cops, agents, government technicians or scientists and volunteers to do more than try to keep things from going completely off the rails. It is everyday folks that really determine how things play out on the ground.
To quote DavidGraves, above: "I find lots of the toys that people use in the outdoors offensive.
I am glad if you try to use yours in as un-offensive manner as you can."
