No matter how passionate you are about the planning process currently under way for the Bitterroot National Forest, it's wrong to make threats of violence. It's wrong to curse at people with whom you don't agree, and it's wrong to shout them down when it's their turn to speak.
Not just rude - wrong.
But that's what happened last week in Darby, when a crowd of more than 200 people squeezed into a meeting room to talk about updating the travel management plan for the Bitterroot National Forest. Many of those in attendance were respectful participants, but apparently, more than a few people forgot to bring their kindergarten manners.
They interrupted others with boos and insults. They were disrespectful and hostile. And one man allegedly said to “put a bullet in her head” while a woman was speaking in favor of conservation. That kind of comment is so far out of line, it's probably illegal - and in fact, Darby law enforcement has pledged to follow up with an investigation.
If they find that this man did make this threat, he should be barred from any future public meetings. Indeed, law enforcement should feel free to kick out anyone who disrupts future public meetings, because no one should be allowed to exercise her rights to comment at the expense of someone else's. After all, there are plenty of other ways of providing your two cents if you can't control yourself in public. You can mail or fax a letter to the Stevensville Ranger District, for instance, or you can send an e-mail to comments-northern-bitterroot@fs.fed.us.
Our state is changing. It is becoming more populous, and our public land is becoming valued as much - or more - for its recreational uses as for its extractive resources. It's difficult to find a balance among so many competing interests.
It helps to recognize that no one's interests are served when the opportunity for public input is diminished.
The Forest Service had to cancel
two additional public meetings after it realized the venues it had booked would be insufficient for the expected turnout. It has since rescheduled one meeting for Tuesday at the Bitterroot River Inn in Hamilton. A third meeting may be held in Stevensville at a later date, but the Forest Service is still working out the details.
We hope just as many, if not more, people turn out for those meetings as for the meeting that was held last week. After all, these are our friends and neighbors, and every one of them deserves a chance to say his piece - even if we don't always agree.
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