Dear HCN,
As a longtime
environmental activist living in Montana and involved in a number
of collaborative efforts, I question Mr. Ring’s assumption that it
is environmentalists alone who have failed to compromise or work
towards shared solutions.After all, it takes two to tango. Looking
at the environmental scorecard of Montana Conservation Voters, we
see a zero rating next to nearly all the representatives of those
rural districts, nearly all Republican, many with a reactionary
anti-government bent.
Furthermore, the attitude
of Mr.Wayne Hirst, from the soon-to-be Superfund-designated town of
Libby, speaks volumes about the contradictory, self-defeating
thought processes of so many Montanans. Rather than blame the
company that poisoned his fellow citizens, he dutifully repeats the
industry line, blaming bears and Clinton for the Champion
International pullout. Pictured on his deck enjoying his private
piece of paradise, he decries “yuppies and developers” for pushing
residential sprawl to the mountains!
On a
positive note, there are a few collaborative, watershed-based
efforts, such as the Big Hole River Foundation, The Blackfoot
Legacy and the Bitterroot Water Forum, providing a ray of hope for
Montana’s unique landscapes.
David
Jones
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
The writer is a former board member of Montana Trout Unlimited and Montana Conservation Voters.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Tango took rural reps, too.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
