As anglers and hunters, we have among us a good number of people who do not participate in the political process. This is much to the glee of anti-hunters and others who would foist their opinions upon an unsuspecting populace.
Other than occasional whining about something, we often do not look into things we hear about that may affect us, dismissing it as something we can't do anything about anyway. Most of us have our hands full trying to make a living or find a job. A lot of us don't vote. There was a time when I felt that way. But you should vote, at least to render your opinion as to the lesser of the two evils.
As sportsmen and conservationists, we need to keep abreast of political goings on. I also am not fond of politics. But, there is something on the horizon that I find particularly troubling. A somewhat quiet movement is going on that could have long-reaching effects for future generations in terms of fish and wildlife. In this day of "global" everything, there is also a global movement toward control of our inland and oceanic fish and wildlife. At the moment, this movement has no real authority, but the parts are in place for the future.
In the future, our children or grandchildren could wake up one morning and find out that Europeans and Asians have decided that they can no longer hunt certain lands or fish certain waters. Sound ridiculous? One would think.
Robert Montgomery, senior writer for BASS publications, recently wrote a column about the current administration's recent move to no longer accept public input for a federal strategy that could prohibit U.S. citizens from fishing some of the nation's oceans, coastal areas, Great Lakes and even inland waters.
Montgomery states, "Now we see NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and the administration planning the future of recreational fishing access in America based on a similar agenda of these same groups (World Wildlife Fund and the International Fund for Animal Welfare) and other Big Green anti-use organizations, through an executive order by the President. The current U.S. direction with fishing is a direct parallel to what happened in Canada with hunting: The negative economic impacts on hard working American families and small businesses are being ignored."
Does the average guy have a clue about any of this? Folks, the future is in the making right now. Did the average Russian or German have a clue about atrocities that were to be committed by Stalin and Hitler? That, of course, is a different ballgame, or is it? Do we want to have hunting and fishing regulated in any way by global organizations and executive order? Sounds pretty far-fetched now, but what will the situation be in 20 years?
I'm sick of global this and global that. I want America to be America. We have to find out how candidates feel about globalism, then vote.
n Ken Maurer, Herndon, is a licensed fishing guide and a regular contributor to the Outdoors section. E-mail comments to kenrose@tds.net.
