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View Full Version : The AT is a political issue



Blue Jay
03-02-2003, 12:10
Some people have expressed an interest to stop all political discusion on this forum. The AT was created by political action, it exists solely due to the continued political support of the United States Government, since much of it is on Federal land. If you do not wish to read threads that contain political issues you may want to stay with the gear sections where you can read about the ten thousand ways to make a Coke Can Stove. Wait a minute, Coke is a multinational Corporation and therefore a political issue, sorry I guess you can't go there either. May I suggest the vanilla, insipidly boring other "place".

MOWGLI
03-02-2003, 12:43
You are correct Blue Jay. Everyone who is a US citizen visiting this website has a Congressional Representative. Check out the following website;

http://www.americanhiking.org/policy/caucus.html

There is a House Trails Caucus that is active in the 108th Congress. Click on the site above and see if your Congressional representative is part of the caucus. If not, write or call them and ask them to join the caucus. This is a group of Congressional Reps who meet to discuss trail issues, and allegedly take a hike or two together from time to time. Imagine that!

You can also ask Representative to fully fund our National Scenic Trails in the upcoming budget appropriatons. Let your Congressman know you hike and you vote, and that you want them to spend a little money to protect the AT, PCT, and our National Forests & Parks. Current funding for the Interior Dept is $18 billion, which is less than 1% of the entire US National budget!

FYI, I sent my Representative a note last week, and one of his assistants called me a few days later to say that the Congressman was joining the Caucus based upon my request. A simple letter or email can bear fruit from time to time.

TJ aka Teej
03-02-2003, 22:47
Originally posted by TNJED

http://www.americanhiking.org/policy/caucus.html
There is a House Trails Caucus that is active in the 108th Congress. Click on the site above and see if your Congressional representative is part of the caucus

No reps from Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, West Virginia, or North Carolina - yet.

MedicineMan
03-03-2003, 06:10
My great great Aunt Mary told me once that all conversations turn to either sex, religeon, politics or going to the bathroom. I told her I could see all but the bathroom discussions. She told me it was just a matter of time.

MOWGLI
03-03-2003, 10:16
Originally posted by TJ aka Teej
No reps from Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, West Virginia, or North Carolina - yet.

Come on y'all. There's alot of people registered to this site. Most of you are probably lurking, which is just fine. Come on out of the woodwork for this issue, especially if you are from the (6) states listed above where the AT cuts through. Contact your Congressional Rep and ask 'em to join the House Trails Caucus! Thanks.

Little Bear
GA-ME 2000

Ezra
03-03-2003, 10:44
Hey TNJED thanks for the info ! I am handwriting two letters urging senators Edwards and Dole to join the caucus. Can you believe North Carolina is not yet represented? Good lord! By the way, I am one of those who said politics should not be discussed on this website, I think some issues yes and some issues no. It depends on what we are discussing. I'll let you know if I get any kind of response from the senators.

Blue Jay
03-03-2003, 11:31
So, Rich, I take it you decide which political issues can be discussed. You like this one, so it's OK. If it's one you or Baltimore Jack do not like, we cannot. It's kind of like Hike Your Own Hike, every one says it, but we all really want everyone to hike like our hike. I'm not complaining, I want everyone to agree with me also (like that's going to happen).

DebW
03-03-2003, 12:09
I've sent an email to my Massachusetts rep, Marty Meehan. This appies to congressmen only, not senators?

Kerosene
03-03-2003, 12:16
How about just keep the discussion, political or otherwise, firmly rooted in the AT, avoiding needless finger-pointing and disparaging comments and recognizing the limitations of written text?

Blue Jay
03-03-2003, 13:47
Kerosene, I'll try to agree with that, although I am fond of needless finger pointing, I had to look up disparaging and I'm not entirely sure I'll be able to recognize the limitations of written text. I know that it's true because I cannot in any way, write about the trail, that even begins to compare with, actually walking it.

Redbeard
03-03-2003, 16:02
Baltimore Jack probably doesn't want new members to be scared off of a valuable informational site. At the same time it kind of has it's own "culture" created by the most frequent posters, CBGB's wouldn't have been interesting if all the musicians played Kingston Trio songs.

Jack Tarlin
03-03-2003, 18:34
In regards to non Trail-related political threads, commentaries, rants, screeds, flames, etc., and whether or not they serve a valuable purpose here, Redbeard wrote:

"Baltimore Jack probably doesn't want new members to be scared off a vaulable informational site."

Precisely.

smokymtnsteve
03-03-2003, 19:40
you know the AT is nothing like a 'wilderness' experience..and the trail is full of folks ...folks dat git ta jawing with each other...it's a mtn tradition...ALL REAL mtn men just love to yap about polyticks and boy howdee RELIGION...you used ta couldn't go anywhar in this southern hills woth out a hearin bout polyticks ...goood gawd amighty you bettern be a known bout religion ....it is a central theme of appalachain life...and appalachia is just full of storytellers

Trail Yeti
03-03-2003, 19:56
I emailed my NC congresssman yesterday...can't believe NC wasn't represented....it has over 1 million acres of National Forest!!!

MOWGLI
03-04-2003, 11:24
Baltimore Jack, since you're up in NH, maybe you can contact your local Congressman and get him/her on board with the Caucus. NH doesn't currently have a representative on the Caucus, and the budget appropriations are just geytting revved up.

There probably are few people who can talk about the trail more passionately than you. If you do, please let us know how it turns out.