ENVIRONMENTALISM RUN AMOK

COURT DECISIONS

Leave it to a California Federal Court Judge to take things to the extreme.

Judge James K. Singleton of the Eastern District Court of California ruled in July against a project to remove charred and damaged trees, which could kindle a future fire, in the Sequoia National Forest.

Not only can't they remove dead, damaged trees that could be the fuel for future forest fires, but this ruling even threatens the cutting of a National Christmas tree. Even Boy Scout trips, hunting and other outdoor activities are threatened.

I agree we need to protect the environment, but that's going a bit extreme. It was the notion of not having controlled burns that almost caused the whole park to go up in flames. If the dead trees and thick underbrush not burned out, then when a fire does break out, all that brush and dead wood acts as fuel and makes the fires worse.

And what harm can the Scouts do? They are taught to protect the environment. And hunters don't want to destroy their hunting grounds.

But, you have to remember, it was the California courts that wanted to take out "under god" out of the pledge of allegiance. I know there is a lot of Cocaine out that way, maybe the judges have been sniffing it too.