Tree-sitting activist finds another perch (yup, Ferret again)

The Eugene Republican Guard ^ | April 29, 2003

[NittanyLion]

Can we please allow OUR Ferret back on-line?

Agreed. I remember him as a reasonable and honest debator, albeit for stances I may not hold. But FR should be about open discussion from wide-ranging viewpoints.

[DainBramage]

Ferrett/Hobb/ and last freepmail I received it was Glutton, the self proclaimed anarchist/activist, always treated me with respect, never seemed to call names even though barraged with insults, and was as open about who he is as anyone I've ever met.

He served in the military, worked as a wildland firefighter and seemed very knowlegable about forrestry and logging. We hardly ever agreed on anything to do with that, but he is always courteous, and detests some of the more militant of his group.

His last stated goal to me was that he wanted to be on the Eugene City Council.

[EBUCK]

He is basically a nice guy, and he just loves the other peoples trees too much.

[Grampa Dave]

Yes, Mike should buy land with trees on it or plant trees on land that he owns. Then he can guard them and treasure them.

[Clinging Bitterly]

Yes I know him personally, he is the former FReeper Ferret (and hobbb, and 3 or 4 other names), he does have a current FR screen name (I ain't telling), and I wish the admin didn't ban him whenever they discover who he is).

I thnk it's sorta dumb what he's doing with the tree sitting around town (and you can read here on FR about some other stupid things he's done), but I have to echo what a lot on this thread have said - he's a good guy overall, who, if you should catch him on the rare occasion that he is wearing one, would give you the shirt off his back.

Dave in Eugene

[Clinging Bitterly]

Millrace water...
Don't know how long it's been since you've been around, but the millrace is pretty much the same (as it's been in my lifetime). It still has the overabundance of waterfowl swimming in it, and people still use it as a place to toss various things they don't want found, but if there's anybody in this town tough enough to drink it (or even swim in it), it'd be Mike.

Dave in Eugene

[albertp]

You ought to save your admiration for those who are committed to making their society a more peaceful and just place rather than for those who adhere to an ideology.

There is a great deal of food for thought in your statement. Proof that most of us who call ourselves conservatives are the true pacifists in this "postmodern" society.

Russian author Leo Tolstoy put it another way, "Of course, there is a difference between revolutionary violence and reactionary violence. It is the same as that between dogshit and catshit!"

Another post refers to PROPERTY. This also is true. The fundamental premise of personal property is the integrity and self-determination of the PEACEFUL individual.

[Welsh Rabbit]

From the posts I read, it seems like this guy isn't the anti-propery rights idealogical sort of tree sitter, but a man who has a unique, emotional connection to trees, which makes his motives somewhat more tolerable. Why was he banned?

[Clinging Bitterly]

>>Why was he banned?

I dunno for sure, but I think it's probably more about what folks that know him say about him, than what he says himself. Most of us around here know the neighborhood and the type of folks he hangs out with.

His particular causes mesh somewhat with those of the world famous Eugene anarchists, of Seattle WTO riot fame, and he's been seen with them in local media.

I just think Jim Rob probably has no use for someone who would be seen with them.

And it's funny, because some of my own causes mesh with theirs too, but they are not right about enough stuff that I would, at this time, dare to be seen with them. That will get you put on lists you don't want to be on (I have been on one of those list before, and it took a lot of work to get off of it, but I haven't been beaten up by a cop since 1975).

Dave in Eugene