08-29-2003, 04:53 PM
People speak out, they just aren't heard often enough. Politicians will only listen to those with money to donate. State and local officials will only listen to those who can help them look good at raise and bonus time.
Trout Unlimited is just one organization that started out with good intentions but slowly drifted into the political arena and started hiring politically savvy guns and lobbiests, losing sight of their original goal.
Unfortunately for those of us with little, or no, politial clout, we must content ourselves with letting off steam to others with the same thoughts. It just doesn't get too far. I, for one, am just not content with sitting back and watching our fishing heritage be controlled out of our control for the sake of the environment being saved for a previleged few.
Once upon a time, our ancestors could walk out their back door and shoot a deer for meat. They could walk down to the lake or river and catch as many fish as they could eat, whenever they wanted. Now, we need a license to even bait a hook. Colorado is bad but California is worse. Yes, I lived in the San Jose area for many years and every time I wanted to go fishing, I had to drive farther and farther to find a place that wasn't posted private. When I fish, I like to rough it and I don't mean driving an RV to the water's edge or setting up a pop-up camper. My old bones does require a cot now but other than that, give me the old times back. When lighting a camp fire didn't bring in the fire brigade and a dozen Forest Rangers armed with guns. When you could bait a hook with a worm or blood bait and it wasn't considered illegal simply because someone sitting behind a desk designated that particular spot a Gold Medal fishing hole. Yes, the good old days are gone, but not forgotten.
Whenever I see a piece in a paper or magazine that gets my Celvin Kleins bunched in a knot, I write with an opposing point of view, in a nice tone of voice. I especially love getting on PETA's case big time. I think if more fishermen (fisherpersons to be politically correct) wrote their Congressmen, elected officials (state and federal) and let their feelings be know, that just maybe we'd start to be heard and being considered. I'm sure there are a lot of people out there a lot smarter than I am but they don't use common sense most of the time. I'd love to get back to applying that old standard, is it right or is it wrong? measuring stick. Alas, it isn't meant to be.
I aplogize for burning up the keyboard again.
[signature]
Trout Unlimited is just one organization that started out with good intentions but slowly drifted into the political arena and started hiring politically savvy guns and lobbiests, losing sight of their original goal.
Unfortunately for those of us with little, or no, politial clout, we must content ourselves with letting off steam to others with the same thoughts. It just doesn't get too far. I, for one, am just not content with sitting back and watching our fishing heritage be controlled out of our control for the sake of the environment being saved for a previleged few.
Once upon a time, our ancestors could walk out their back door and shoot a deer for meat. They could walk down to the lake or river and catch as many fish as they could eat, whenever they wanted. Now, we need a license to even bait a hook. Colorado is bad but California is worse. Yes, I lived in the San Jose area for many years and every time I wanted to go fishing, I had to drive farther and farther to find a place that wasn't posted private. When I fish, I like to rough it and I don't mean driving an RV to the water's edge or setting up a pop-up camper. My old bones does require a cot now but other than that, give me the old times back. When lighting a camp fire didn't bring in the fire brigade and a dozen Forest Rangers armed with guns. When you could bait a hook with a worm or blood bait and it wasn't considered illegal simply because someone sitting behind a desk designated that particular spot a Gold Medal fishing hole. Yes, the good old days are gone, but not forgotten.
Whenever I see a piece in a paper or magazine that gets my Celvin Kleins bunched in a knot, I write with an opposing point of view, in a nice tone of voice. I especially love getting on PETA's case big time. I think if more fishermen (fisherpersons to be politically correct) wrote their Congressmen, elected officials (state and federal) and let their feelings be know, that just maybe we'd start to be heard and being considered. I'm sure there are a lot of people out there a lot smarter than I am but they don't use common sense most of the time. I'd love to get back to applying that old standard, is it right or is it wrong? measuring stick. Alas, it isn't meant to be.
I aplogize for burning up the keyboard again.
[signature]