High Sierra Topix

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

News about the meetings:

http://www.ksrw.sierrawave.net/site/con ... w/1074/38/

http://www.ksrw.sierrawave.net/site/con ... w/1070/38/

At Bishop, the government people opened the meeting with pius sounding words to the affect that "this is what we're going to take and there's nothing you can do about it." No wonder people were pissed ...

Then again, maybe this was the intent of those words, to inflame and turn opinion to their stand, putting into the minds of the undecided that equates angry behavior with nature shredding lunatics in Jeeps. See the comment under the first news report from a reader.

I was at the Bishop meeting, nothing "pious" about it or Rep. McKeon's staffer. He was trying to explain the circumstances, and invite people to give constructive feedback (as in, I don't want this area included in the bill because... or it looks like my favorite trail might be closed). He didn't say anything about "what we're going to take"--besides, it's all federally owned land anyway.
I could see why opponents to the bill would bristle at being told 'if you don't like this, just wait 'til the Obama or McCain administration gets in--you'll be sorry.'
Not like most of the audience was actually listening.
Too busy spitting on enviros (seriously, a redneck kid spit on me when I walked by him, apparently because I had on a green ribbon--and he didn't even have the guts to look me in the eye when I stopped and stood in front of him). Oh, and booing/hissing at hikers from Santa Clarita who spoke in favor of the bill, noting that they come to the Owens Valley to backpack and spend money in local businesses. Someone actually yelled "go home!"
As an editorial in the Inyo Register pointed out, we locals don't have any more "rights" to these public lands than someone in New Jersey.
Mob mentality = not good for anyone.

It's one thing to be a rude jerk, booing and hissing when somebody who has the audacity to disagree with you has the floor and is speaking at a community meeting, but MAYBE that can be written off to ignorance.

But to SPIT on somebody you don't agree with -- that's beyond pathetic.

The irony (which I'm sure is lost on the sorry excuse for a human being who spit) is that inexcusable behavior (which hopefully we all agree spitting on somebody qualifies as) doesn't help the side of the issue the spitter supports, it HURTS it.

I guess stereotypes persist because no matter which stereotype you pick (I'm not singling out rednecks), there are always at least a few individuals who fit the stereotype so perfectly that it lives on. Unfortunately.