That's how I feel about this blog right now. Only a few comments from my regulars on the last post, which I thought was bringing up a very important issue. Esmerelda stated how I feel..."Fiddling while Rome burns."
It's obvious that I will never make contact with the people that can change things. I'm not a millionaire or do I own a big corporation. Those folks don't read silly blogs about birds. And it's very clear that they don't care.
I received a reply to an email I sent Ohio Senator Rob Portman. He doesn't read your letters. Nor does his staff. They send out generic replies thanking you for your support. He let me know, once again, how wasteful the EPA and their regulations are. According to him, we need big business in Ohio, not nature.
I may be back someday...or not.
Thanks for stopping by. Go visit a park while you have time.
Writing politicians does more good than you think. A letter writing campaign is better.
ReplyDeleteYour blog cetainly has lots of info.
I hear ya, Dave. There are days when you're just banging your head in the wall, but there are also battles we win. This freakazoid wierdo-ness with the Teapublicans is their dying gasp. We'll have to clean up the mess~~again~~but clean it up we will.
ReplyDeleteNow go get drunk or something.
I'm sorry you are feeling down about the blog response and the congresspeople. I do raise my voice on issues when they come up (i.e. sulfide mining in the U.P., Asian Carp in Lake MI, etc.). Need to get a letter out about the EPA. My main job right now, though is to raise five kids to care about the environment. I figure if I can get the message across to them, they will be the most important people that I get the message across to. None of my kids really use the computer much, but I do share things I see on your blog with them if it helps much.
ReplyDeleteOne of my big gripes (not politically related) is that we have joined Audubon in order to be more informed and to give the kids some experiences on field trips etc. and we are finding that the society is really not very kid friendly. When we joined, we asked if families were welcome and were assured that they are, but *I* feel like my kids get the cold shoulder and they are really very polite, quiet at meetings, and very interested, even in difficult to understand topics. Two field trips that we had planned to attend got cancelled last minute because I think the leaders really only count me, the adult, instead of considering that there is an adult and two-three kids (depending on the day). So, I feel like throwing my hands in the air and trying to do it all myself because I don't want my family put through that (and secretly feel like barging in on a board meeting and asking what's gonna happen when all of you "go the way of all the earth?" Because no legacy is being left through Audubon to the younger generation through this meeting anyway!!) I was telling a friend and she said that people just don't like kids these days. GRRRRReat! Sorry for the vent!
Anyway, I'm here listening, just busy and don't always comment. And, just know that you are having impact in some small way in five kids lives!
Cindi
Cindi- I really understand how you feel about Audubon. Most of the members of those groups are older and only interested in getting birds for themselves. They have forgotten about the youth and the future(hmmm, there's another post!)
ReplyDeleteWe have the Ohio Young Birders group at BSBO, you should check them out and see if there is a similar group in your area. They are very kid friendly...and even let me in!
Thanks Cindi!
Thanks Marianne!
Thanks Red, I hope it helps a little...
...doing a bit of catching up--don't lose heart, Dave. People will fight--and my generation had better! Conservation was such a huge part of our childhood education. From 1968 - 1972 the schools did a great job teaching it (at least they did where I grew up). I guess it was all tied in with the formation of the EPA in 70. I wonder what Nixon is thinking now that he sees his own party trying to dismantle it! I'll send in a letter and let you know what kind of response I get. I always assumed the EPA would be there to keep an eye on the environment...it's really disheartening.
ReplyDeleteDave, we don't have Young Birders. For a few minutes I considered joining the Ohio Young Birders, but that would be four hours of driving each way, in general. I'd so love my teenager to be involved in it though. We recently attended a Jr. Audubon meeting near Grand Rapids (about an hour and fifteen minutes for us) and it was great, so we did decide to join that one. My fourteen year old can't even mention that his hobby is birding in school or he gets teased mercilessly. He can barely say that he likes hiking around other teens. He's also looked down on because he's not up on the latest media, including pop stars, movies and pop music. He'll be in ninth grade next year. We also have an 11 y.o., 10 y.o., 8 y.o. and a 5 y.o.
ReplyDeleteYou make a great point "they have forgotten about the youth and the future." It's a scary thought as I've been pondering it today. The generation of leaders we have today might still have a memory of being brought up in the outdoors and certainly the one before that has fond memories (my dad can go on and on about the unguarded time he spent outside in the woods, in the lake, in the ditches in the farming community he grew up in). What about the kids today? They are growing up, for the most part indoors, sitting in front of the media and technology. Some of them may be watching National Geographic, but seeing something on a screen is so much different from getting out and hiking, learning how to be quiet and observe, making field notes and more. Sometimes I forget just how different we are from other families. But, just imagine when these kids grow up. They won't even have a collective memory big enough to value the natural world. What will happen then?
My kids learn conservation in school now, but it's more on a global scale. It kind of scares me because they learn about how the habitat of the Polar Bear is going away and they see pictures of lonesome polar bears on icebergs. It shocks and alarms them, and yet there's nothing they can do about the polar bears. This leaves them feeling hopeless and I bet a lot of kids figure, well, why try?
Cindi
P.S. Besides, you have to keep writing. From what I can see your blog fills a definite hole. Half the time we see birds, it's from behind. What would we do if we didn't have your blog to identify them? Plus, warbly season is almost upon us. You know you will be in an exuberant mood then ! :)
ReplyDeleteI write my blog as a diary for myself to look back on. I never expected when I first started other people from all over this beautiful planet would read my words never mind make comments. The power of the internet has blown me away and many friendships have been formed (I include you Cindy)so just post for yourself,relax and enjoy your wildlife. It has done wonders for me. I used to have the Fatbirder counter at the top of my blog and worried when I was dropping down the list. Since moving it I have started to enjoy just blogging for me.
ReplyDeleteTake care sweetpea.
Kind regards Andrew
Cindi, your message has struck a nerve and now I realize why I should continue my blog. If only a few young people see these photos(even the bad ones) maybe they'll get that 'spark' and go outside and start an interest in the GREAT outdoors. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThanks Andrew, you're right, we need to take a break from the news and just watch and enjoy everything we see. And in the midst of that enjoyment, maybe send a little message to everyone.
Dave - The ONLY reason for you doing this blog is if YOU want to do it. I know exactly how you feel. My blog is worthless. It does not reach ANYONE. It's Crapola. The ONLY reason I keep doing it is because once in a while I want to post a photo of what I have seen.
ReplyDelete.
The TRUTH is that mankind will defend what they think they need to "LIVE". Even if in the next generation there IS NO EARTH! That is the TRUTH! It always has been the truth and always will be the truth. When push comes to shove, MONEY & POWER will ALWAYS be the winner. It's as simple as that and as for the MAJORITY of "normal folk", here's a quote and it sums up what I see every day! When a discussion came up about republicans, a local small business owner who didn't want democrats in office, simply said about other people's problems with health and money, "Hey I got Mine & I don't give a shit about anyone else" He was supposedly a "respected republican member of the community". That's the truth in life "I got mine" and it sums up what we see each and every day. It will not change, it NEVER has changed and optimists are idiots! HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF...