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  • From: Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Missouri Design for Conservation
  • Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 18:52:00 -0500


I am a past member of the Sierra Club. I am not anti-conservation, nor
anti-environment. I was disgusted, though, by the anti-farmer attitude that
I found within that organization.

Years ago I was sitting at my desk about to write a check to the Sierra Club. But I noticed something in the mail stack and read it. It was about the so-called Natural Streams Act in Missouri. Being pushed hard by the Sierra Club. Research found that if passed the Act would essentially create a police state of inspectors constantly checking on farmers and other rural landowners to make sure they obeyed the many rules. Cripes, the thing covered all land in a watershed. Duh! To make a long story short I began writing editorials and sending money to those opposed to the Act. Thanks to getting the facts out, we defeated the damned thing.

The Sierra Club will never get a penny from me. I have stopped calling myself an environmentalist. Don't want their brush by implication. I consider myself a steward of the land I own.

Just as I am against taking land for the building of new Walmarts,
particularly without just compensation, I am against governmental action
that harms people without compensating them justly.

Buy land far from development.

Coincidentally, today I read an article about what South Africa is doing to redress the sins of apartheid and return blacks to the land. White farmers are being forced to sell. Most agree with the morality; the issue is just compensation. One case that had me shaking my head was land owned by a Christian church. Something big, like 25,000 acres. Now what the hell does a church need with that much land?

Sorry, I'm losing control here. Bye.





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