Politics and People
Posted by Farm at January 30th, 2007
I’m sorry, but I have to rant. If you don’t care, that’s fine, but I’m really tired of seeing good people hurt. No matter whether it’s goats, dogs, horses, schools or whatever, there will be people who are dedicated to bettering that area of interest, and there will be people interested in bettering their own lot in life.
I’ve been the brunt of this on many fronts, and it hurts all the time. But when it just goes on happening without stop, destroying organizations, disillusioning patrons, harming futures for children, animals, farmers, etc, then I can’t stand it anymore.
There’s no way to stop it, except to ask people why they want to participate in something. When a decision is made that doesn’t make sense, ask the question “Why do it?” If you can’t find a reasonable answer, assume politics.
Even in the fight against NAIS we have many groups who want the program stopped, but some are so insistent that it be stopped “their way,” that they disrupt the momentum to the solving the problem.
Many people think that farmers are anti-social. That’s not true, mostly. Some of us do want to “hunker down,” and ignore the politics of the greater world, but most of us want a better world. If we can’t get everyone else to do it, we take charge of our own lives.
Who ever is reading this, please consider the groups that you support. Ask questions about why they do what they do. Get involved. And if you see that a considerable group of people has left, ask THEM why, and the one’s left behind. There are two sides to every story, and you owe it to yourself to find both sides and decide for yourself. If the changes ignore the work that has gone before, consider the costs of those changes.
Okay, that’s enough rant. Good news is that the USDA has announced a plan to “opt out” of NAIS, which is a recognition of the feelings of many farmers. Now we need to make sure that really happens, and we need to stop the program on the state AND federal level, so the government can find a sideway around their own regulations.
Take care, stay warm,
Pat
