Posted on 10/19/2002 12:14:50 PM PDT by comwatch
Saturday, October 19, 2002
By ERIC STAATS, emstaats@naplesnews.com
After three weeks on the road, farmers and ranchers from as far away as Oregon and Ohio pulled into Collier County on Friday for a peaceful rally for private property rights.
Local property rights advocates met the cross-country caravan about 10 a.m. in the Public parking lot at Immokalee Road and Collier Boulevard. From there, a 40-vehicle convoy headed to the rally — dubbed the Sawgrass Rebellion — in the front yard of a remote Golden Gate Estates home on 18th Avenue Southeast.
People came and went throughout most of the afternoon with the crowd topping out at about 200 people at any one time, authorities said. They sat in lawn chairs or stood in the shade as a parade of speechmakers and musicians stepped up to a microphone on a makeshift stage erected across the home's front porch. The rally was set to end at 10 p.m. with a candlelight vigil.
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The rolling rally heads to Homestead today, completing a 5,000-mile trek that took the Klamath convoy through 11 states. Convoy leaders said they heard pleas for relief from federal environmental policy at almost every stop along the way.
"We can take that message to somebody, and it's a message from all across the United States," said Bill Ransom, 52, a logger and farmer from Klamath Falls, Ore., and chairman of the Klamath Bucket Brigade. "We're not going to give up our property rights without a fight."
The bucket brigade was born out of a crisis that resulted when federal agencies shut off irrigation to 220,000 acres of farms last summer to ensure enough water for endangered suckerfish and threatened salmon. A peaceful standoff with federal agents began July 4, 2001, at the headgates of an irrigation canal and ended Sept. 12 in the wake of the terrorist attacks.
The problem in South Florida, landowners say, is too much water. The Klamath Bucket Brigade made the trip after receiving a plea for help from the Dade County Farm Bureau. Plans for Everglades restoration would turn part of Miami-Dade County called the 8½ Square Mile Area into a place to store water.
Local property rights advocates, led by the Property Rights Action Committee, have made the Sawgrass Rebellion a touchstone for their own fights against a new plan for rural growth in Collier County, a proposed wetlands mitigation bank in Golden Gate Estates and a project that would restore natural water flows to stretches of the Estates south of Interstate 75.
Property Rights Action Committee President Bill Lhota said it was a "great sight" to see the caravan pull into town. He said the rally has opened people's eyes.
"I definitely think it's going to have an impact on the way people think about things, the way they vote and the way they relate to their elected officials," said Lhota, a construction consultant.
It was Lhota's home that served as a backdrop for Friday's rally — and he even picked up a fiddle and guitar to play some bluegrass music for the crowd with his son, Bill Jr.
The road in front of Lhota's house was lined with vehicles for a half-mile, including a rig that carried a 10-foot-tall silver bucket from Klamath Falls — a symbol of Western action against federal environmental policies.
Signs of support dotted DeSoto Boulevard, the route the convoy took to the rally site. "Sawgrass Rebellion Convoy We Love You," read one. "Welcome home," said another.
An informal survey of rally-goers found people there from Texas, New Mexico, Ohio, Kentucky, Alabama, Michigan and California. About half the crowd was from the local area.
Volunteers cooked hamburgers and hot dogs in the back yard amid tents set up for sympathetic organizations to raise money and distribute fliers.
The atmosphere was at times angry with speakers railing against "the government." Signs hanging from a wire said "Send all eco-thugs to their brother Castro" and "Together we will throw out the liars, vermin, druids, misfits, drones, United Nations and new robber barons. Don't tread on us."
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Tarrant called it a "night of shame" when county commissioners in June voted unanimously for a Transfer of Development Rights program that is part of a new plan for rural growth in Collier County. The TDR program is designed to compensate property owners for lost development rights, but landowners fear it won't work.
"They were looking out for red-cockaded woodpeckers, when you know and I know, we're the endangered species," Tarrant said.
Coletta said before his remarks to the crowd that he disagrees with the way "property rights advocates spread their gospel" but that the County Commission agrees with the basic principle of protecting private property rights.
"We plan to uphold that," he said.
Coletta was the brunt of a national e-mail campaign started by Sawgrass Rebellion organizers who blamed Coletta for trying to run the rally out of the county. Coletta denies trying to do that.
He presented a Collier County flag to Klamath Bucket Brigade members to add to their collection of state flags presented to them in state capitals along the convoy route.
After today's rally in Homestead, the convoy plans to turn around and head back home after follow-up stops in Jackson, Miss., and Albuquerque, N.M., Ransom said.
They'll see the sun set in their windshields, instead of in their rearview mirrors, knowing their own beds are still days ahead of them.
Klamath farmer Bob King, 72, says he's losing money every day he's away from his ranch.
"To me it's worth it, for my kids and my grandkids," he said.
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"This is the first October, since 1992, that we have not been flooded," said Madeline Fortin, "…and it's because the Convoys came here. They don't want to run the risk that the press might get wind of what they are doing to us."
That sentiment was echoed across the nation along the convoy routes, and at every rally, from the largest to the smallest.
"We are just so grateful to know we aren't in this alone. We can't thank you enough for taking the time and effort to come here. You are our heroes," said business owner Linda Whitely of Miami, as she donated $200.00.
Members of the Klamath and Ohio Convoys indicate that the outstanding success of the relief effort has bolstered spirits among the crew, as well. "We hear that kind of thing a lot," said crew member Rocky Dippel, "that's why we know we are doing the right thing."
Dale Rapp of the Ohio Convoy spoke of his experience in Columbia South Carolin a: "I spoke to a group of more than 150 farmers, most of whom were African Americans. The land had been handed down over generations. These farms were first titled to freed slaves. Well, some of these folks hadn't transferred the titles from one generation to the next. An ordinance was passed that required these farms to be sold at public auction. In effect, forcing the heirs to either purchase their own farm at current values, or be relocated. They can't afford to buy the farms at today's prices. The next day approximately 15 people in 10 cars went down to the television station with signs," Dale continued, "and before long they were being interviewed on camera. This battle is winnable."
"The convoys have achieved an unprecedented level of success in bringing public awareness to government takings without just compensation," said everglades expert and Floridian Jan Jacobson, "You people have renewed my hope."
Turning homeward, the crew is eager to return to loved ones and more familiar surroundings. But, it isn't over, yet. Perhaps the most credible evidence of victory is that more requests for assistance have been received, as well as many requests for the convoys' return. There is a long way to go, yet, in the struggle to ammend the Endangered Species Act and personal property rights must always be dilligently protected.
Friday was great. How was the media coverage, anyway? There were lots of vans, but we didn't exactly have time to watch the TV to see what was being broadcast.
Matt, if you're ever in my area of operation (Venice), let me know, and it's Miller time. Maybe go out to the local range and bust a few caps, while we're at it!
We got a nice 2 minute piece on Fox national. And all those towers you saw there were local networks.
WINK/WNOG, our local talk radio (who broacasted from the event) was buzzing on both their morning and afternoon shows Monday. Wall to wall 3 hours in the a.m. and 4 hours in the p.m.
It was great meeting you Matt, I know a golden guy when I see one.
Every time I meet up with a FReeper, I make a close friend. Been tight with Joe ever since we got together a while back for some range time. Same thing with Gene.
Looking forward to our next fellowship meeting.
The RATS Are In Disarray...Eradicate The Rodents !!
Fire Democrats, Hire Republicans !!
GWB Is The Man !!
Snuff Saddam, NOW !!
Death To all Tyrant's !!
The Second Amendment...
America's Original Homeland Security !!
Freedom Is Worth Fighting For !!
Let's Roll !!
Molon Labe !!
And THANK YOU to the Hero's of the Sawgrass convoy! All over the world, since the beginning of time, Kings, Commissars, leftist-tax supported bureaucrats have been pushing the little land "owner" around.
This is the beginning, and those of you there will be the subject of doctoral history papers in a hundred years!
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