Wolf Politics
Most of us were taught not to discuss politics or religion at a cocktail party if you’re hob knobbing out west this holiday season you’d be wise to add wolves to the list. I’m Susan Allen stay tuned for OpenRange. An November 28 editorial for the New York Times called Wolf Politics provides us a peek into the mindset of an uber urbanite. I remember my dad telling me “ I can talk to you I’m blue in the face and you just don’t get it.” We’ll for the folks that make their living running cattle in the West that in a nut shell depicts the “wolf hugger” mindset. When a paper with the distribution and clout of the New York Times publishes an editorial that makes outragious statements stating for example; “the “gray wolf is in trouble in the Rocky Mountain West and Washington D.C. all due to a bill that would remove the predator from the protection of the Endangered Species Act”. Ranchers would do well to realize the depth of disconnect they contend with. The Times piece went on to lambaste Governor Otter of Idaho over his anger at the recent court decision that canceled his states ability to control their wolf population by saying Idaho was “political pandering to hunters.” The Wolf Politic piece was featured on the Opinion page , thus I would love the author to share his “opinion” on why a slaughtered lamb, calf, even someone’s beloved dog fails to stir any emotion with fellow who spends the bulk of his life isolated in a high rise, and thinks he’s know better how to manage wildlife in a region he’s probably only visited on a guided fly fishing or ski trip maybe a handful of times.
