build bridges
RN, you first claimed that the Sierra Club organization sanctions and condones malicious acts such as tree spiking. Now you say it just tacitly condones such acts by doing too little to condemn them. What evidence do you have for your modified claim?
It sounds like I'm angling for a fight, but I'm really just trying to make a point, which is -
Even though it may feel good to vent frustration by demonizing our opponents, such venting is actually counterproductive. There is something like 6 or 7 hundred thousand people in that Sierra Club. No doubt some are loonies. But there are others like my brother in law, a cardiologist, who LIKES sleds. (It only took one blue sky mountain ride for that). He is a reasonable person and scary smart. Fortunately we AGREE on most things. I imagine him now bumping into Snowest and reading the claim that he supports and condones ecoterrorism. You've given him a reason to replace a benign attitude toward snowmobilers with outrage. The other problem with unfounded innuendo and shotgun slander is that it mischaracterizes opponents: WE are the ones who suffer if we fail to understand our opponents, if we replace an appreciation of their strengths and weaknesses with canned (misleading) stereotypes.
It is great that you are working in the system RN, even though it has proven to be frustrating to you. I say keep at it. In Calif, for instance, we are finally gaining after years of setbacks. A win once in awhile is very energizing. Note that some of our recent success has come from cordial negotiations with people you have been calling terrorists.
OK rant off. Thanks for listening.