Re: CP Conservation

John and Cecilia (jandce@iglobal.net)
Mon, 25 Nov 1996 09:43:05 -0600

> From: Michael.Chamberland <23274MJC@MSU.EDU>

> Government agencies already withhold information (Nixon tapes, Hanger 18
:-)
> Businesses withhold information too (just ask Coln. Sanders for his
recipe :-)
> I am sure that in your business or profession, not all records and
information
> are freely available to the public.

Just because the government withholds information doesn't make it correct.
And by doing so, look at the mis-trust it has brought upon itself.
I wouldn't also mix this information with proprietary information, unless
of course this information is to be proprietary in nature.?

> I wouldn't get too worried about a cataclysm arising from withholding
exact
> locality data. Withholding or generalizing information is very different
from
> true deception--which is providing false information. Please try to
imagine
> how free access to precise locality date for rare plants under collection
> pressure could be misused (out of bad intent or uninformed good
intentions).

I think there is a very gray area between blurring information and
deception.
I agree, the information could be greatly misused. But I still believe
society, and individuals have the right to make thier own decisions. It
should be the job of the conservation societies to inform people so they
can make thier own decisions for the benefit of society and nature.

> I define vigilante conservation as conservation attempts (or acts billed
> as conservation) executed by persons on their own, without liability, and
> based on intuitive procedures rather than tested conservation
methodology.

This reminds me of some incidents I heard of where some conservationist
drove steel spikes into trees. When Mr. Lumber jack hits the spikes with a
high speed chainsaw, chunks of metal schrapnel get impaled into Mr.
Lumberjack's chest. Definately not good.

> I am sorry if all the discussion about conservation has got people to
feel
> they want to get involved, but do not know an outlet for doing so. This
is
> why I am trying to encourage people to hook up with existing
organizations
> which deal with conservation.

I agree with this also.

> Power is not equally distibuted among people on this planet anyway.
> I would hope that those who gain power are educated in how to use
> it. To freely dispense power might contradict that, no?

It sure would be nice for this to happen.

John Boehme
http://www.iglobal.net/pub/JohnAndCe/webmap.htm
http://www.iglobal.net/pub/JohnAndCe/ftpcontrol.htm

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