Republicans expose the Blue Ribbon Coalition!!!

[Ithaca 37]

Even some Republicans are sick of the anti environment extremist Blue Ribbon Coalition!!

"A representative of a Republican conservation group threw out a challenge here to the Blue Ribbon Coalition – and the coalition threw it right back.
James Monteith, Northwest field representative of REP America, accused the coalition in an Aug. 9 news conference in Billings of “peddling an unbalanced, extreme position on public lands access that is curtailing the very freedom they say they’re defending.”"

Those Blue Ribbon Coalition wackos are really screwed up!!

Is anyone here in SI a member of the BRC?

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 04-17-2003 22:34: Message edited by: Ithaca 37 ]</font>

 

[Ithaca 37]

Here's a little more:

"The information that is available shows a wide range of effects. Last year, a research study funded in part by the North Carolina Beach Buggy Association found that ORVs were one factor, along with floods, high winds, and predation, that caused a "dismal" nesting season for a number of shore bird populations, including piping plovers, which dropped to their lowest levels in 11 years. ORV tracks were observed in tern nesting colonies, and three dead chicks were found in tire tracks at the edge of a temporary closure.

In addition, at Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Mojave National Preserve, Cape Cod National Seashore, and dozens of other parks, trespassers from adjacent national forests and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands trample vegetation, disrupt sensitive wildlife, and cause noise pollution.

The wounds that ORVs blaze in fragile arid and wetland ecosystems allow noxious weeds, one of the greatest threats to native plants and animals, to gain a foothold."

http://www.npca.org/magazine/2001_issues/march_april/beaten_path.asp

And another great article about BRC and the Wise Use Movement!:
http://nwcitizen.us/publicgood/reports/wuinps/preface.htm

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 04-17-2003 22:45: Message edited by: Ithaca 37 ]</font>

 

[Oak]

From Ithaca's link above:

"A plethora of ORV lobbying organizations, spearheaded by the Pocatello, Idaho-based Blue Ribbon Coalition, claim they are interested only in safeguarding recreational public land access for American families. Blue Ribbon, which claims to have 600,000 members, has also worked alongside politicians in the West who are trying to remove the snowmobile ban in Yellowstone. With billions of dollars in potential profits at stake, ORV manufacturers who support Blue Ribbon's efforts see national parks as tools to help them build consumer markets and to wield more political clout with Congress."

Wouldn't you think, with 600,000 members, there would be some landowners in there that would allow the ORV crowd in to ride on their own property? I wonder what the private land holdings of the BRC members is? It seems that they wouldn't have a problem with it, since ORVs don't really do any serious damage to the land.

Oak

 

[Muledeer4me]

I am proud to be a member and supporter of the BRC.
While I don't agree with doing damage and anyone cought doing such should be punished ,I strongly support group's that support multipal use.

Oak,there are landowner's that give premission for ATV's to use there land.
I have been given permission to go off road on private land to get to down game (by the way we still used pack frame's and stayed on the road's).
A neighbor of our's was told that he could hunt private land ,but the only thing the landowner would let drive out there to retrieve game was an ATV because the ground at that time was wet and pick-ups did to much damage,as did horse's.
My neighbor being disabled and not have an ATV was not able to hunt there.
He was however able to buy himself an ATV the next year.
Let's not forget it's the person doing the riding that cause's problem's ( just as it's the person behind the firearm that makes the choice to do wrong,)so we need to punish the law breaker's not ban all ATV's (or firearm's.)

 

[JoseCuervo]

I am not sure the "ATVs don't trash the environment, ATV Riders do!" argument works. I have, many times in life, witnessed mild mannered, even timid, people get on an ATV, and begin doing incredibly stupid things, that are completely out of character.

I think there is something about the ATVs, perhaps the lack of oxygen around the rider, that causes them to do stupid things. That may be why Search and Rescue commonly has to go looking for these guys, who decided to ride in farther than they could walk out.

I do have to give the ATV industry credit, for creating this Marketing organization, BRC, that is one tool in their marketing plan, for fooling 600,000 people in to fighting for their "right" to billions $$$ in revenue. It is great that people are proud of being manipulated like that. What would be even funnier is if there is some sort of membership fee to join the BRC, then you would know the ATV industry is genius.

er

 

[Ithaca 37]

Elkgunner, "I think there is something about the ATVs.." There's something about having 500 pounds of hot, throbbing, vibrating metal between their legs that turns those riders into lunatics!

Especially the women and the young guys!

Maybe Freud could explain it.

 

[ELKCHSR]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> I am not sure the "ATVs don't trash the environment, ATV Riders do!" argument works. I have, many times in life, witnessed mild mannered, even timid, people get on an ATV, and begin doing incredibly stupid things, that are completely out of character. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I've seen a lot more of these same "Type" of people with alcohol in their system do a lot worse!!! And I really doubt they all road ATV’s at all, so that is a pointless go nowhere statement...

 

[MarlandS]

Actually, there is a point to it. I'm pretty safety oriented most of the time and conservative. Even when I'm on my ATV or drinking (seldom both at once) but if I get on a dirt bike I lose all fear and safety goes right out the window. The reason there's two wheels on them is to keep one in the air all the time. Anything that can be jumped will be jumped. Nothing more fun than doing donuts and having the mud shower down on you... don't put me on a bike anywhere you want to keep grass. But like I say, on my ATV you'll barely know I was there.

Certain things key people different ways. Just like I've known people that acted like total idiots until they got a gun in their hands then they were sober and solemn.

 

[Muledeer4me]

"There's something about having 500 pounds of hot, throbbing, vibrating metal between their legs that turns those riders into lunatics."
LOL

Woooooooooohooooooo ,well Ithaca ,you might want to try it sometime,Im sure it will be the only way someone like you would feel anything hot & throbbing between your leg's.LOL
Would you like to tell us more about that vibrating metal

Elkgunner,I have to admit I have seen people get mighty stupid after they got on a ATV,or motorcycle.
Then again I have seen my share of moron's that bought a raft and thought they were rafter's.
I really dont think stupid has its hand on just the ATV rider's.
Come to think of it I have also seen some great stupid horse tricks that some yahoo's did after they bought thereself a horse and thought they were(packer).
I think trying to blanket-statement all of any group just make's our case weak.
We all understand ALL GUN OWNERS arent drunken sign shooting blood thursty killer's .Don't we?

 

[JoseCuervo]

MD,

I am a bit confused on the analogy, as I am not sure what is wrong with shooting signs? I am pretty sure it is endorsed by Guv Kempthorne, judging by the number of signs in Idahome with holes in them....

And trying to leave alcohol out of the discussion, as that makes us all do things we maybe shouldn't, (and we should probably leave testosterone out, as that makes us REALLY stupid!). I still think I have a point, that ATV's give people a sense of "Superman", or something, as I have seen many people do stuff out of the ordinary.

I just came in from loading an ATV in my garage into a trailer. Total distance, straight line, 80 feet. Actual distance, probably about 400 yards, as driven, unless you only count half of it, as only 2 wheels were on the ground.

I have seen the same with Jetskis. Although, unlike Marland, when I am on a dirt bike, I seem to become much more conservative. Not sure why 2 wheels slows me down.

er

 

[Muledeer4me]

"I am a bit confused on the analogy, as I am not sure what is wrong with shooting signs? I am pretty sure it is endorsed by Guv Kempthorne, judging by the number of signs in Idahome with holes in them.... "

ROFLMAO,you got me on that one.
I usually just moon em,it's safer then shooting out of a moving truck.

 

[Ithaca 37]

MD4M is a proud member of the BRC. The BRC is affiliated with the Wise Use Movement, as are:Movements and groups:
CHRISTIAN IDENTITY
ARYAN NATIONS
SCRIPTURES FOR AMERICA
JUBILEE
THE ORDER
KU KLUX KLAN
CHRISTIAN PATRIOTS
POLICE AGAINST THE NEW WORLD ORDER
S.P.I.K.E.
STATE CITIZENSHIP SOVEREIGNTY
CHRISTIAN RIGHT
FREE MILITIA OF WISCONSIN
U.S. TAXPAYERS PARTY
GUN OWNERS OF AMERICA
CHRISTIAN RE-CONSTRUCTIONISTS
OPERATION RESCUE
RESCUE AMERICA

 

[dgibson]

Here's the bottom line on what I have personally concluded about the whole ATV issue. Yes, I still believe they can be a viable means of transportation when used correctly in the proper places. They don't have to be destructive. I use one myself for chores and for the occasional trip into the back 40.

However, I have also seen an increasing number of riders who aren't riding them for any sensible utility; they're not going from point 'A' to point 'B.' They're riding in circles or willy-nilly, all at breakneck speed.

Not a one of these gents is wearing a helmet, and all to often my wife gets to meet them in the hospital.

They don't respect property boundaries, and will ride anywhere they can get their vehicle. I have personally had to throw three separate assholes off my property (two of them twice each) to keep them from tearing things up. All three of them acted like I was the asshole for asking them to stop riding their ATV's on the property that I bought and paid for. There is one farmer in the area who has repeatedly thrown riders off his property, and has asked the sheriff for help. He is by-and-large ignored, given the usual excuses of "we can't do anything if we can't catch them" and "get pictures and we'll straighten it out."

The worst part about all of this, to me, is that every one of the riders I'm thinking of when typing this is a kid. Their parents let them behave like that, and they think it's their right to do so. And why not? Everybody does it, and only a jerk would keep a kid from having fun. Right? I know a lot of adults do the same sort of thing; asshole kids grow up into asshole parents.

If the rider wants to kill himself or tear up jack on his own property, then more power to him! Just don't do it on public land or MY land.

So, in summary, it probably is "the rider and not the machine." MD might bring up that this is the same argument we use in defense of the Second Amendment. My reply to that is that if gunowners had such a pitiful record as ATV riders we would have lost our guns a LONG time ago. Someone, somewhere, has GOT to draw the line soon and put a stop to this nonsense. Self-policing and enforcement of existing laws can work wonders if someone will do it. Unfortunately, the BRC isn't getting it done, and might even be contributing to the problem.

*whew*

 

[Ithaca 37]

dg, "Unfortunately, the BRC isn't getting it done, and might even be contributing to the problem."

Exactly the point Buzz and I have been making for a few years! In spite of all the talk about the "hard working groups and clubs who are educating people about ethical ATV riding" the problem just gets worse. The BRC claims to have 600,000 members! How many of the 600,000, do you suppose, are educating everyone about ethical riding?

I think the 600,000 thousand are having ZERO effect!

I even think the 600,000 members are contributing to the problem by supporting the BRC.

 

[ELKCHSR]

I have two close neighbors that run the roads the right way with their toy's and I know for a fact that they teach their kids and the other friends that ride with them proper etiquette...
I am not personally around any one else that has them, even though I see them all over town; I also hike a lot of the hills around this whole region and don't see the wonton destruction that the rest of you seem to be having problems with. I do see some, but it is pretty minimal...

 

[1_pointer]

Elkchsr- I agree it is probably a localized thing with the degree of harm increasing as one approaches a metro area. Visit the Wasatch Front sometime and you'll get an eyefull.

DG- Good post!

 

[ELKCHSR]

We just need a good fire in the area and I will be all over it....LOL...

 

[1_pointer]

That is certainly a possibility, especially this summer!

 

[ELKCHSR]

LOL!!!

!!!I say-bring it on!!!!

 

[Oak]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>I also hike a lot of the hills around this whole region and don't see the wonton destruction that the rest of you seem to be having problems with. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Elkchsr, I haven't seen any Chinese food destroyed by ATV riders either. Why are you bringing Chinese food into the discussion?

Oak