Re: RC: RE: Self contained camper

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

In a message dated 5/5/00 1:44:16 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
guest@endurance.net writes:

<< You are right Heidi, nothing excuses the raid. Tempers 
 flared after 2 years of being "ignored". But that is the 
 RMs fault as well, don't you agree? >>

Well, Jessica, you sent this privately, and I replied privately, but since 
you sent it here as well, I'll reply here, too.  No, I don't automatically 
blame the RM.  Having dealt with similar issues with the USFS, the first 
thing I've learned is that the government officials don't always tell the 
unadulterated truth in these situations, either.  Furthermore, it has been a 
repeated tactic by the USFS (yes, different agency, but still the government 
body assigned to deal with public land) to try to discredit RM's by making a 
scene with the riders.  We have worked for several years on issues here where 
the USFS would not follow its own rules.  We requested an "immediate judicial 
review" as specified in the rules, and were told that the USFS did not know 
what that was.  We spent over a year going through their administrative 
review process--and guess what--they back their own!  We finally made it to 
the judicial level, and had a settlement agreement mediated by a federal 
judge, and signed on behalf of the USFS by an Assistant US Attorney--and 
guess what--the USFS is still breaking that agreement!  So no, I don't just 
automatically "assume" that this is the RM's fault--until I know what they 
have gone through with this agency behind closed doors.  And I hope AERC 
finds out the actual FACTS in the case before taking any action against this 
RM.

Yes, likely there was a better way for the RM to handle this to the riders.  
But it may well have been unexpected on their part, too--we've had the bully 
boys out when we thought we had the situation well in hand in meetings with 
the rec people.  In fact, we had to call the county sheriff and lodge a 
complaint of harrassment to get the USFS "law enforcement" people to leave 
one of our ride sites.  (And it was amazing how quickly they evaporated after 
we made that call!  But then we had discussed our misgivings with the county 
sheriff prior to the event, too, because we had reason to believe that what 
had been agreed would not be what was done--because of harrassment of 
previous RM's at different rides.)  If people do NOT stand up and object when 
the agencies break the rules, then we WON'T have trails in the future.  And I 
hope AERC walks a careful path on this issue, as preservation of access to 
public trails is part of our mandate and in our best interests.

Heidi