How did those boots tame sharp rocks? What made them
laugh at soggy rail beds? They were crafted to endure and protect, to carry
human sized weights with comfort and strength. They gave sure footing.
Rural and suburban residents of Whatcom County are facing
sharp rocks and steep inclines these days. Certain “neighbors” have taken it
upon themselves to “democratize” the rest of us, to use lawsuits and social
action groups to “correct” land and water usages which they have decided are
immoral.
There will always be playground bullies, acting out the
good cop/bad cop routine. When bullies
gather in gangs, they usually get their way. When bullies are sophisticated in massaging
the truth to their ends, they can go quite a ways towards gaining their
objectives before their victims even know they are being plundered. Surprise
and subterfuge are important. Paralyzing dismay indicates the “game” is almost
over, the plunder is almost complete.
Such is the state of Whatcom County, of Washington State,
of America. The progressives have been termiting our culture for many decades.
How did we get here? Is there anything that can be done?
What victim reactions will do more damage than the oppressors could ever
imagine? Who are the oppressors? Who ARE the victims?
Is the system beyond repair? What compromises must be
endured? Are compromises even a possibility? Must the polarizing of this county
and country increase? What happened to win-win solutions?
I would like to use three of Solomon’s proverbs to
attempt to craft footwear for these perilous times here in Whatcom County.
(Just as the Bolsheviks redistributed the wealth of
Ukrainian businessmen in the 1920’s, and brought decades of famine and death,
so we have progressive politicos who are toying with the money of Seattle millionaires to affect redistribution of
property and water rights in Whatcom County by electing extremely progressive
legislators who appoint extremely progressive judges and commissioners.)
Proverbs 22:3
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the
simple pass on, and are punished.
Proverbs 28:28
When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the
righteous increase.
Proverbs 29:18
Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth
the law, happy is he.
Good people are now calling for an all out appeal to the
newly elected Whatcom County Council over their expected decision this coming
Tuesday evening, regarding the water
rights appeal lawsuit before the Washington State Appeals Court. It is good to
speak up for rights established in law. I would encourage you to speak up in
favor of completing this appeals court lawsuit.
It can be argued that where “conservative” council
members have been besieged by legions of foppish progressive proxies, the
appearance of awakened conservative land owners in county chambers has slowed
the progressive onslaught somewhat. Such appeals strengthened the resolve of
conservative leaders to oppose redistribution of wealth and unlawful takings of
property.
But is this the full hiking boot that is needed for the
razor sharp perils we must walk through? What is the vision that will surmount
the evil day?
1) Identify and
work with real problem solvers. Cut out the pretenders. Cross boundaries
and de-stratify conservative action groups.
Last week, I listened to a group of farming community
leaders discuss plans to counter the progressive land and water grabs.
ReSources was there, and used their allotted to ten
minutes to put their best foot forward. Carl Wiemer, ReSources guru, attended,
and listened attentively as Wendy Steffenson painted the ReSources project in
the Ten Mile Creek watershed in glowing water stewardship colors. Sharp
questioning was deferred, and a civil atmosphere was maintained.
The Lummi Tribe was there. Jeremy Friemund made a case
for Lummi water rights, however, in contrast to the ReSources presentation, there
was extensive, substantive questioning that went back and forth.
The last hour of that meeting was a nine member working
group of farmers, three each from dairy, berries and general horticulture, who
presented a plan to create county wide Water Improvement Districts. By law, a
WID can self organize itself, collect, and use taxes to carry out its agreed on
projects. In other parts of Washington State, WIDs have worked together with
tribes to hammer out win-win solutions. The state legislature seems to look
with favor on such coalitions, sending millions of dollars of funding to help
with capital infrastructure programs such as separation of handling facilities
for potable water from irrigation water. After the meeting, farmers were
encouraged to sign up for involvement in setting up WIDs in five or six
sub-watersheds in Whatcom County.
What is my point?
Farmers are large water users. For a couple of decades,
farmers have been hiding themselves. A barrier to the EPA/DOE WA onslaught was
created by having WSDA inspect local dairy farms for manure handling and water
quality standards. That barrier is now under large assault by progressive
change agents.
Now, however, with a progressive dominated county
council, farmers have their backs to the wall. Other resource use groups such
as the BIA of Washington State are stepping up to plate to offer funding for
this water appeal. Such developments are heartening, but late in the game. Still,
the progressive bullies may have to play hardball instead of plundering other
surprised citizens.
My question is this. Farmers who feed the rest of us have
grounds to push back against water and property grabs by the progressives. But,
where are the farmer’s kids? Where is the next generation? There were many
youthful faces in the farmer’s meeting. But, how can an electorate that votes
to deny local slaughterhouses come to terms with the practical careers of
producing food?
2) Invest in
children. This is a contest of generations. Get ready to pass the baton to
the next generation.
Many conservative water rights activists themselves live
the life of Riley, eating but not producing food. After the farmers’ WID
meeting, the question was, what is the role of the non farmers in water rights
discussions? If the WID group dominates, what about well owners? Manufacturers?
Other non farm groups? The stratification of modern culture is much more pervasive
than we realize. Do we really understand and accept and work with other groups
we pay initial lip service to?
One more window. Last week I was invited to a multi-level
marketing promotion. A privately held company, ACN Inc, has gained the confidence
of many essential service providers. With the legislated deregulation of gas
and electric utilities, individuals will be able to shop rates from businesses
that buy and sell gas and electricity futures. There is big sales force money
to be made as service providers prefer the efficiencies of multi-level marketing
groups such as ACN.
Apart from disliking multi level sales pressures, I am
alarmed. The return on investment of corporate employees has fallen so low that
all large cellular providers allow ACN to underbid their own in house plans,
knowing they will make more money from the motivated external sales and service
agents than from their own employees.
What a commentary on our culture. What a rebuke to our
business systems, to our educators, to our parents. What footwear can give sure
footing in such cultural quicksands? The problems of water and property rights
in Whatcom County pale in comparison to living in a nation of incompetents.
What hiking boots will carry the day? What gives sure footing?
An evil day brings suffering to all.
One. Survivors measure
objectives against abilities. Douglas MacArthur did return to the
Philippines to lead liberation forces against Japanese invaders, but he had to
leave first. Sure footing requires sure ground, and engagements in quicksand
usually end in both parties being sucked to doom.
Two. Survivors see
the end game. Folly collapses under its own weight, but not usually the
first day.
Three. Survivors
stay fit. Seriously, why did conservatives along the BNSF right of way become
the slim majority that gave the progressives this most recent Whatcom County election?
Maybe we conservatives need to lose some pounds to fit into the hiking boots.
Maybe we have become like the monkey that is easily captured because it will
not let go of the peanuts in the entrapping gourd. What is more important?
Money? Investments? Retirements? Luxury waterfront homes? Or skills, character,
generosity and generational transfer of values?
Four. Ultimate
survivors see and serve the hidden hand. There is a transcendent element to
this life on this ball. We are not just animals, fighting out survival and then
vanishing forever. There is a God who rules and rewards, who even allows
progressive county councils for his larger purposes. Is Whatcom County the
destination, or a “green room” for something bigger?
In his book, “How Civilizations Die”, David Goldman singles out evangelical Christians
and orthodox Jews as ethnicities that will survive when other groups fall below
a reproduction rate of 1.2 children per family. He says it is their sense of
heaven or a coming kingdom of God where physical death is reversed and life is
restored in an ultimate paradise that motivates them to bear and raise full
families that preserve their traditions.
So, let’s speak up. Let’s organize. Let’s force the
progressives to stop playing shell games. Let’s work with real stake holders
like the tribes, not these phony pretenders like Stalheim
and Melious and their millionaire meddlers.
Let’s grow some of our own food. Let’s encourage the farmers who feed us. Let’s
understand the tribal groups and give them a measure of the certainty that they
desire. And, let us also be willing to invest, even die for the next
generations, not just our own petty comforts.
-- JK
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