DISQUS

"`They do it for the publicity,' says Catron County Manager Bill Aymar."

Excuse me? Hollywood stars like negative publicity because it increases their profile and therefore job prospects, but how would publicity enrich the people who comprise Wild Earth Guardians? All their members are either volunteers, interns, or very low paid permanent staff. It sounds like Mr. Aymar comes up with half-baked rationalizations to justify his own position.

"`There’s no difference between a wolf and a burglar trying to break into your house and hurt you. I wouldn’t hesitate a second to shoot him.'"

How is a wolf attacking livestock to fulfill its natural drive to eat like a burglar breaking into your house in any way? Livestock is property, it is replaceable, and typically it is replaced at maximum sale value, and the money comes from these environmental groups the ranchers seem to think hate ranchers so much.

"`The hardest part of the whole issue is that most of the people who have a very strong position on this don’t have wolves in their back yard,' Aymar says. `It’s easy to sit up there in Santa Fe and say wolves are a great idea.'"

I know several liberal environmentalists who live in Catron County. They aren't huge landowners and can't afford to contribute to political coffers in exchange for influence over Fish and Wildlife practices, but they are there because they love nature too much to live apart from it. I know other liberal environmentalists who hunt for recreation, but they hunt deer and other prey animals, not critically endangered predators that can't support the practice. The rest of us live in the city because we don't want to park ourselves on the habitat of wildlife all over the state and force these kinds of man vs. nature conflicts.

As for the poll cited in other comments, I certainly support the return of all wildlife that is native to New Mexico. The environment was damaged by deforestation too much even before European settlers arrived, and the disappearance of more fauna is a sign that it is only getting worse.

"`They do it for the publicity,' says Catron County Manager Bill Aymar."

Excuse me? Hollywood stars like negative publicity because it increases their profile and therefore job prospects, but how would publicity enrich the people who comprise Wild Earth Guardians? All their members are either volunteers, interns, or very low paid permanent staff. It sounds like Mr. Aymar comes up with half-baked rationalizations to justify his own position.

"`There’s no difference between a wolf and a burglar trying to break into your house and hurt you. I wouldn’t hesitate a second to shoot him.'"

How is a wolf attacking livestock to fulfill its natural drive to eat like a burglar breaking into your house in any way? Livestock is property, it is replaceable, and typically it is replaced at maximum sale value, and the money comes from these environmental groups the ranchers seem to think hate ranchers so much.

"`The hardest part of the whole issue is that most of the people who have a very strong position on this don’t have wolves in their back yard,' Aymar says. `It’s easy to sit up there in Santa Fe and say wolves are a great idea.'"

I know several liberal environmentalists who live in Catron County. They aren't huge landowners and can't afford to contribute to political coffers in exchange for influence over Fish and Wildlife practices, but they are there because they love nature too much to live apart from it. I know other liberal environmentalists who hunt for recreation, but they hunt deer and other prey animals, not critically endangered predators that can't support the practice. The rest of us live in the city because we don't want to park ourselves on the habitat of wildlife all over the state and force these kinds of man vs. nature conflicts.

As for the poll cited in other comments, I certainly support the return of all wildlife that is native to New Mexico. The environment was damaged by deforestation too much even before European settlers arrived, and the disappearance of more fauna is a sign that it is only getting worse.

Mr. Price, somebody had to say it, so thanks for being that person. I'm upset that most people write off the current housing crisis or massive personal bankruptcy filings as simply irresponsible behavior by Americans who weren't taught to handle money. Few of us grow up with a working knowledge of mortgages, retirement plans, and auto loans, but it didn't used to be a serious problem because the laws protected us from, say, sub-prime mortgages, or early payoff penalties. The only thing the current generation was not taught was that the portion of America that makes the majority of their money off stock ownership was out to get their money at all costs, even the impoverishment of the middle class.

Mr. Price, somebody had to say it, so thanks for being that person. I'm upset that most people write off the current housing crisis or massive personal bankruptcy filings as simply irresponsible behavior by Americans who weren't taught to handle money. Few of us grow up with a working knowledge of mortgages, retirement plans, and auto loans, but it didn't used to be a serious problem because the laws protected us from, say, sub-prime mortgages, or early payoff penalties. The only thing the current generation was not taught was that the portion of America that makes the majority of their money off stock ownership was out to get their money at all costs, even the impoverishment of the middle class.

I couldn't agree more, except with the optimism in Barack Obama. Al Gore was and is, above all else, all about stopping global climate change by moving to more efficient energy consumption and renewable energy...except when he was in office. Obama may likely fall into the same trap, especially if conservatives and big business continue to control Congress. Obama has already threatened to bomb Iran if they want a nuclear weapon, to bomb Pakistan without Pakistani permission in order to kill bin Laden, and has admitted we couldn't immediately and totally pull out of Iraq or cut off Halliburton and Blackwater, even though many returning soldiers are recommending just that. I don't think he wishes to do these things so much as wishes to deflect hawkish criticism for not doing them, but whatever the reasons, whatever the motives, the longer we are meddling in Middle Eastern (Iraq, Saudi, Iran), African (Nigeria), former Soviet (Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Azeristan), and South American countries (Venezuela) subsidizing ExxonMobil and friends' control over oil with taxpayer dollars and soldiers' lives, the longer it will take for the expensive energy crisis to hit that will finally convince us humanity cannot continue to exist largely on non-renewable energy. And unfortunately we have always, as a species, been a crisis-oriented bunch. In short, no one man can save us, we have to take this fight to all levels and all branches of government, and it is going to get worse before it gets better.

I couldn't agree more, except with the optimism in Barack Obama. Al Gore was and is, above all else, all about stopping global climate change by moving to more efficient energy consumption and renewable energy...except when he was in office. Obama may likely fall into the same trap, especially if conservatives and big business continue to control Congress. Obama has already threatened to bomb Iran if they want a nuclear weapon, to bomb Pakistan without Pakistani permission in order to kill bin Laden, and has admitted we couldn't immediately and totally pull out of Iraq or cut off Halliburton and Blackwater, even though many returning soldiers are recommending just that. I don't think he wishes to do these things so much as wishes to deflect hawkish criticism for not doing them, but whatever the reasons, whatever the motives, the longer we are meddling in Middle Eastern (Iraq, Saudi, Iran), African (Nigeria), former Soviet (Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Azeristan), and South American countries (Venezuela) subsidizing ExxonMobil and friends' control over oil with taxpayer dollars and soldiers' lives, the longer it will take for the expensive energy crisis to hit that will finally convince us humanity cannot continue to exist largely on non-renewable energy. And unfortunately we have always, as a species, been a crisis-oriented bunch. In short, no one man can save us, we have to take this fight to all levels and all branches of government, and it is going to get worse before it gets better.

I agree with the Republicans, Democrats, anti-nuclear activsts, and the LASG, but they are all missing part of the solution. The Republicans are right; we have to live within our means. However, we have plenty of money if we would forget about this humiliating and damaging "global war on terror." The Democrats and anti-nuclear activists are right to say that the labs' focus need to change. Nuclear weapons should not be a priority in an age when the greatest dangers come from our own misuse of the environment and waste of resources, which I believe they do. However, cutting funding to the labs is not going to ensure it goes to alternative energy research instead. And LASG is right in that changing SNL and LANL to alternative energy research centers is probably a hippie-fantasy, and the real changes will come from private business, like Tesla Motors or . However, that is no reason not to do it. The private sector isn't going to refrain from getting into the alternative energy biz because the feds have plans to maybe think about starting to convert some labs over to doing free research that will benefit everyone.

I agree with the Republicans, Democrats, anti-nuclear activsts, and the LASG, but they are all missing part of the solution. The Republicans are right; we have to live within our means. However, we have plenty of money if we would forget about this humiliating and damaging "global war on terror." The Democrats and anti-nuclear activists are right to say that the labs' focus need to change. Nuclear weapons should not be a priority in an age when the greatest dangers come from our own misuse of the environment and waste of resources, which I believe they do. However, cutting funding to the labs is not going to ensure it goes to alternative energy research instead. And LASG is right in that changing SNL and LANL to alternative energy research centers is probably a hippie-fantasy, and the real changes will come from private business, like Tesla Motors or . However, that is no reason not to do it. The private sector isn't going to refrain from getting into the alternative energy biz because the feds have plans to maybe think about starting to convert some labs over to doing free research that will benefit everyone.