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Constitutionally Correct
By Bill Sutton
About the Author
September 3, 1999
Judge Roy S. Moore once said "Have we forgotten that NOTHING in the Constitution guarantees that an individual won't have to see and hear things that are disagreeable or offensive to him?" Read that again. The Constitution does not guarantee that anyone will be free of being insulted; nor will they be free from hearing words or noises that may be personally offensive to them, nor will they be free from seeing vehicles or animals or even people that they either don't understand or don't like. The Constitution does not assure that people will not see other people smoking, or drinking, or even wearing short-shorts. And yet we have been led to believe, over some 40 years of Liberal hogwash, that the elite and intelligentsia should have their delicate sensibilities protected from any perceived insult. Indeed, from any imagined offense to their dainty psyche or that they find personally offensive, and they should, nay must, be protected by the Government. That's why we have a government, isn't it? Isn't the government's job to make sure the whiney sniveling liberal intelligentsia are not offended in any manner or any way, by us, the proletariat class? You've got to be kidding!
The Politically Correct (PC) crowd has all but taken over the tried and true concept of "common sense" or what used to be called "manners." PC, and the inherent elitist demand that our legislators legislate away anything that is not PC, and they are making a mockery of our Constitutional freedoms. Smoking nazis are everywhere, and more bans are being implemented daily. The food police are watching every morsel you ingest, and trying to pass laws to keep you safe from yourself and your lousy eating habits. You can't even tell a good ethnic joke anymore without someone being "offended" or "insulted." And Lord help anyone who may want to whisper a prayer in a school setting. It is against the LAW, don't you know. And you want to carry a GUN? I don't think so. We are rapidly approaching the point where it will be impossible for anyone to think for themselves, or to have any personal ethical beliefs or morals. The only litmus test will be to check the laws and see if it is illegal. If it is not illegal, it must be morally acceptable. So do it. Big Brother is watching out for you, and will make sure you always do the right thing. Or at least the "right thing" according the those elitist jerks. Don't you feel better now?
And that brings us to the wacko environmentalists and their selfish agenda. After witnessing four decades of rampant political correctness and foolish legislation, it only made sense for the environazis to adopt the same strategy. They, the self-appointed elite, ARE INSULTED by you and your ATV or dirt bike. They DON'T LIKE THEM so you should do what they want. ATVs make noise, and they don't like noise in their special places, or anywhere else for that matter. Some ATVs make a little smoke, and that is offensive. ATVs bend over grass and that make them really upset. ATVs use gasoline; Gomer Gore says that is BAD, and they love Gomer Gore. And if you should happen to smoke or carry a gun while riding an ATV, you should be sent to prison. The current breed of environut bases their arguments on "feelings" rather than facts. They "feel" like there should be some secluded place for them to go, some place really close to where they live, whenever they "feel" like it, and they want the government to make sure that they have it. They "feel" like they are entitled to whatever they want, and they want all public lands to be Wilderness Areas.
How is their ploy working? Too darned well, if you ask me. Currently the White River National Forest in Colorado is in the throes of a revised Forest Plan, and the preferred Alternative (D) limits motorized use to just 3% of the Forest. A retired career wildlife biologist from the Colorado Division of Wildlife, John Monarch, states that-- "It is fair to say that human recreation in our forest has taken a distant back seat." And, referring to the 1984 Forest Plan,". many of the road and trail closures at that time were based on incorrect or corrupt data." He further observes that the road and trail closures in 1984, based on faulty scientific data and conclusions, was "insignificant when compared to the net loss proposed in the current forest plan revision."
Finally the public is beginning to wake up to the fallacies of the environmental movement. A newly formed group, the White River Forest Alliance, is waging war against the radical environmentalists, and is planning to take them, and the Forest Service to court. In Idaho, another group has been formed to press for a review and possible revision of the 35-year old Wilderness Act. They propose to bring together county commissioners and other local officials to support a remand of some to the idiotic restrictions contained in the present wilderness legislation; things like not being able to use mechanized equipment for emergency rescues, or using modern equipment to suppress forest fires. They also propose allowing the use of mountain bikes in Wilderness Areas, an idea that is sure to cause a huge rift between the mountain bikers and Sierra Clubbers. It's about time.
All across the nation small groups of like-minded individuals are banding together to oppose the elitist radical environmental agenda. But we have a long way to go. Even though we have rational thinking and science on our side, we don't even come close to the financial backing that the Sierra Club and it's clones enjoy. We have the AMA, the BlueRibbon Coalition, and various state and local clubs all fighting the good fight, but we are severely out-moneyed.
Both the White River Forest Alliance and the Wilderness Act Reform Coalition are desperately seeking funds. If you are in agreement with their goals, why not contact them at the following addresses:
White River Forest Alliance
PO Box 1000
Carbondale CO 81623
Phone: (970) 945-4242
Wilderness Act Reform Coalition (WARC)
1540 North Arthur
Pocatello, ID 83204
Phone: (208) 233-6570
Until next time, keep the rubber side down and ride safely. And remember, be an enviromotorist. That is the only way to ride.
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