This land is your land (and it's for sale)

[montana500]

www.wilderness-sportsman.com



"This past September, I packed my gear, including my dog, Kate, and traveled to Montana for a week of hunting on some of these public lands. I did this without benefit of expensive outfitters or booking agents or other assistance. I just went to Montana to hunt, for a week, on my own, on land that belongs to me, and 200-plus million other Americans. The previous year I had the privilege of hunting the National Grasslands in southwestern North Dakota, and the year before that I was in Nebraska on federal public land.

Now, this latest, most outrageous action by the U.S. House, threatens my ability to pursue such recreational activity. The House of Representatives has decided that it is appropriate to sell portions of my heritage to the highest bidder. As a hunter and fisherman who has long enjoyed the privilege of pursuing these activities on the federal public lands, I must express my loudest, most profound objections. These lands have been held in trust since the Louisiana Purchase and their subsequent exploration by Lewis and Clark in the early 19th century. In fact, my recent hunting trip was on a portion of their route across the Rocky Mountain West and adjacent to the Bearpaws National Battlefield where Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce were captured by the U.S. Army in 1877. Much of this territory is public land — with old mining claims — and it may be for sale."

[annabanana]

1. we watched this pass

in stunned stupifaction.. It seemed to be invisible for the comment it caused in the usually alert conservation community..

[montana500]

2. it seems they are awake now

Tons of papers are running editorials on this. The Denver Post has called on top dems to "nix" the ammendment.

I noticed some groups celebrating about the Arctic measure not being the House bill , but I wondered how they could celebrate when something much worse had just passed. It almost, in all honesty seemed like a poor tactic. the Arctic by itself is a high profile issue, and garners headlines everywhere. This hidden measure should of been given full attention.

Hopefuly this won't pass and conservationists played their cards right. That would indeed be a great victory.

[Hubert Flottz]

3. All the hunters voted for Bush because they said Gore would

take thir guns. * They were fools. The NRA people are like the bible thumpers, USED by the neocons to gain control then shat on, scorned and laughed at by bushco!

[ToeBot]

4. Outrage Fatigue. The Feinstein - Pombo spat made one headline...

but it wasn't enough. There was so much shit going on at the same time it couldn't get any traction. It would be nice to see this issue rise above the illegal alien, blame the foreigners, bipartisan pile-on, but I'm not holding my breath. Allot of Republicans in the West have been creaming over this land grab for decades, they are just about to pop.

[Bushy Being Born]

5. Please, anybody who has followed this, is there still time??

I wouldn't even have found out about this if not for DU, the media has been real quiet on the subject (at least up until recently, AFTER it passed in the House). So please, anybody who has followed this closely, is there still any way to stop this madness?? Will it have to pass in the Senate too? What can I do to help? This literally makes me sick to my stomach!

[annabanana]

6. an evening kick. . . . . n/t