This has been really disappointing to see this thread turn so sour, there are (some) legitimate issues that could be discussed in a manner that would be informative and productive, but that wasn’t exactly what happened. I wouldn’t bother to try and argue the issues any further, as I think most folks minds are pretty set. The personal insults get usnowhere.
Meanwhile....
There are some pretty big threats to our fisheries, issues that frankly make these seem like a trivial joke in comparison. The proposed Pebble Mine being a prime example of a threat of epic, catastrophic proportions, is currently as likely as ever to become a reality. Anyone who is not scared straight by that prospect really needs to understand the risks now before it’s too late! It would also be an embarrassment of equal proportions if we are not able to get everyone on board to put up a substantial fight!
The point? If we care to keep the Pebble Mine from becoming a reality, and address many other substantial threats, we are going to have to build and sustain broad coalitions...including some folks who we don’t entirely agree with on everything. A bunch of petty bickering amongst ourselves is equivalent to chopping off our own foot to spite our toe... There are many powerful interests here and abroad who would love nothing more than to see us divide ourselves further and further and further into a whole bunch of marginal “niche groups” with zero effective lobbying power. We need all the friends and allies we can get; let’s not help the folks at Westlands (for instance) to gain more power and sway than they already have?
We need concerned anglers, and non anglers, fly anglers and gear anglers, guides... we need biologists, geologists, geomorphologists... we need engineers, photographers and video producers, bloggers, lawyers, and yes politicians too. Etc, etc, etc
We will need all the help and co-ordination we can get, and these kinds of flame wars aren’t the way to do it. I’m not singling any one person out here, I’m hoping this is a friendly (but urgent!) reminder to ALL. It’s my sincere belief that everyone who posted here ultimately wants what’s best for the fish; so while it’s important to have discussions and differences of opinion, it is more important to remember that we are debating with people who ultimately are on our side, and that there are much bigger issues we can and should be uniting behind.
Sorry for the rant, but someone really needed to say it imo
JB
"Lord help me to be the person my dog thinks I am"
- unknown
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