The Strawman cometh

A Dec. 21 article about the Open Space and Trail board’s meeting regarding the Crystal River Trail highlighted the success of the minority-opposition’s strategy. The article expounds on the “temperature” of the issue, the feelings aroused by different parties, and the acceptability of hiring a consultant to massage the message. None of this is substantive, practical or truly relevant.

The NIMBY-landed-naysayers (supported by the self-hating misanthropes of the so-called environmental movement) win when they redirect the discussion to fight the strawman of “process.” Gas-lighting the problem-solvers and pragmatists by whining about how the discussion is happening rather than what the issues are is typical of those who have no better ground to stake out. The board and the Times’ reporting of it should focus on elaborating and educating with regards to the facts and nuances of building the trail.

William Brown

Carbondale