Re: MOLLY IVINS ON THE STATE OF IDAHO

[Robert Hoffmann <escape@alt-escape.com>]

At 02:10 PM 8/17/98 -0700, you wrote:
>> With regard to Tax payers money being used for gathering places, such as
>> the Women's center, and other groups of non-traditional types, I would
>> rather see the money going to these groups than to continue to support the
>> ranchers and their "Free Range" cattle that are destroying the ecosystem
>> with their S@*T and Urine, not to mention the depreciation of the river,
>> lake and stream banks.
>
>Yeah, right, let's restore the ecosystem to the bison, who had the
>good sense to stay away from the streambeds...didn't they?

Hmmmm.  Bison vs. cattle.  You may have a point there.  Of course, there
will still be skeptics who say, "hey, maybe the ecosystem evolved with
bison, and therefore was able to deal with whatever bison did.  Sure, maybe
bison stampeeded like hell through streams, but, since they tended to
migrate huge distances, any damage to streams was temporary, and given the
widespread distribution of (what we now consider 'sensitive') fish species,
those species were obviously not threatened by the occasional excesses of
the bison.  Maybe bison 'overgrazed,' but since they migrated, and were not
fenced into certain areas and constantly abusing the same land, prairie,
streams, & forests, as cattle do, then perhaps the land, prairie, streams,
& forests could recover once the bison had moved on.  What you might have
seen back then as dangers to the ecosystem might have actually played an
integral role in the maintenance of the ecosystem (as we now acknowledge
fire does in prairies and many forests)."

[end speculative quote]

Re your email address, Mr. Probasco, I am only familiar with the initials
"RCP" as standing for "Revolutionary Communist Party."  Since the RCP, to
my knowledge, does not take a stand on bison or U.S. range policy, may I
presume that "RCP" is also your initials?


Robert Hoffmann                      115 N. Jackson St., Suite D
Alt-Escape Adventures                Moscow, ID  83843  USA
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