[John Stossel] Religious fanatics terrorize American farmers

Jewish World Review ^ | 6/14/06 | John Stossel

[rhema]

Media coverage of environmental regulators makes them look like dispassionate scientists. But too often they are dangerous religious fanatics.

Years ago, when ranchers and farmers told me that our government's environmental regulatory agencies had been captured by fanatics so hostile to the idea of private property that they'd use the endangered-species law to drive just about every landowner off his land, I thought they were overwrought. Then I learned the story of the lynx.

Thousands of lynx live in North America, but since environmental officials weren't sure whether there were any in the Gifford Pinchot and Wenatchee National Forests in southern Washington state, they commissioned a million-dollar study to find out.

The discovery of threatened or endangered species would be terrifying news to ranchers and farmers who depend upon use of the land for their livelihoods. Property-rights advocate Mike Paulson told us: "We basically say if you have an endangered species in your area, we're going to take your livelihood away, we're going to destroy your communities, and we're going to make it very difficult for your families to survive." The Endangered Species Act has been used to shut down logging, take away water rights, and stop multitudes of construction and development projects.

I want to save endangered species, too, but government is supposed to protect the rights of the people — not destroy their lives because threatened animals might be in their area.

For their study in Washington state, government biologists nailed pieces of carpet soaked with catnip onto trees, hoping a lynx would rub up against them and leave some fur — evidence of the lynx's existence in this particular area. Sure enough, when biologists sent carpet samples to a lab, they came back positive for hairs from a Canada lynx.

That may sound like good evidence that

[Graybeard58]

That may sound like good evidence that there were Canada lynx in the area, but actually, the regulators went to a zoo, got hair samples from captive lynx, and sent those hairs to the lab to be tested.

Furthermore:

No biologists were fired for the lynx fraud. They were just "disciplined." The fanatics protect their own.

[Red Badger]

Solution: If any endangered species appear on YOUR land, SHOOT IT and burn the body!................

[hosepipe]

Lots of Lynx in Alaska,, some people eat them..

[Graybeard58]

Hard to shoot something that doesn't even exist - see post #2.

[WideGlide]

Lynx have been discovered in Maryland too! (:^D)

[Red Badger]

Thus, the "If". Here in Florida a few years back, the DEP (Department of Enviro-Whacko People) wanted to count all the panthers in FL. But they cannot go onto PRIVATE PROPERTY to "see if any panthers are there". Landowners steadfastly refused to give permission to DEP personnel to come on their property. The DEP wanted the legislature to pass laws to make them immune to tresspass laws so they could go on to private property to count the panthers that aren't there. It didn't pass. The DEP would have made the property worthless if they so much as found a single turd from what may have appeared to be a panther. No development, No farming, No hunting, No ANYTHING!..................As Oscar Wilde (?) once quipped, "If called by a panther, don't anther!".........

[Red Badger]

.......some people eat them......and Vice Versa.......

[rhema]

Solution: If any endangered species appear on YOUR land, SHOOT IT and burn the body!.........

If it's the last of its kind, couldn't you mount it to sell it on eBay? ;>)

[Red Badger]

.....or throw the body onto your neighbor's land...........(if you don't like him)...........

[Grut]

Ogden Nash.

[PzLdr]

I recall reading some other "scientists" did the same thing with grizzly bear hairs from a taxidermist specimen - for the same purpose.

[Red Badger]

Thanks! I knew it started with an "O", so Oscar was the first name to pop into my head!.................

[hosepipe]

[ .......some people eat them......and Vice Versa....... ]

Nope their too small to attack a man.. They live on rabbits and meice..

[Red Badger]

Yeah, they're small but I'm sure they could kill a man.........

[Mrs. Shawnlaw]

John Stossel is, like, soooo my hero! Its nice to finally see someone on the primetime networks exposing the bureaucrats and activists! Bureaucracy is crushing and killing this country.

[diogenes ghost]

MmmmMmmmmmmm, Meice stew, my favotite.

[John Lenin]

Hey Red, DU is calling ....

[rhema]

"If called by a panther, don't anther!"........

. Watch out for those lions, too.

"The Lion" {Ogden Nash]
Oh, weep for Mr. and Mrs. Bryan!
He was eaten by a lion;
Following which, the lion's lioness
Up and swallowed Bryan's Bryaness.