Fraters Libertas

We Haven't Had That Spirit Here Since 1969

I like the out of doors. Campin’, hikin’, bikin’, blastin’ beasts with large bore weapons--all stuff I enjoy immensely. But it seems every time I go out in the woods I run into some whiny little puke who sounds like Beavis and Butthead’s teacher telling me that I am, in some arcane fashion, abusing Our Mother The Earth.

A while back I was hiking with a couple of friends in New Hampshire’s White Mountains. After trekking up a decent-sized mountain we came to a large, flat, rocky area where several other hikers were hanging out, enjoying the view and having a snack.

I broke out an apple, polished it off and zinged it down the side of the mountain. “Hey!” an unemployed social worker exclaimed. “There are bears down there!” I just kind of laughed it off when another joined in. “We practice leave no trace here!” said another, angry and indignant.

“It was a fuggin’ apple core” I say, starting to get annoyed. They then began berating me for putting them in harm’s way (the bears were going to get them later, they said) and for polluting the pristine environment. After nearly coming to blows, I finally told them that I did not practice “Leave No Trace” and we headed back down the mountain.

I was reminded of this story yesterday when I saw the middle column of yesterday’s Journal. It seems the Boy Scouts are no longer encouraging the scouts to build campfires, citing "Leave No Trace".

In hikes into the Sierra Nevada back country, scouts often are told not to light fires. Doug Aubushon, facilities manager of the camp, helped guide one trip when boys camped in the dark and took apart rings of stones and that had been created for campfires, going so far as to wash the rocks. “I hate campfires anymore,” Mr. Aubushon says.

They washed the rocks.

Never to be outdone, or behind the trend curve, the Federal gubment has gotten into the act:

The US Forest Service two years ago declared campfires off limits in large parts of four California wilderness areas in the Sierra Nevada. Rangers said too many fallen tree limbs were being used as firewood.

FALLEN tree limbs! People weren’t chopping down trees to make fires, they were using the dead stuff. You might think that would be okay.

They said the limbs are needed to help enrich the soil as they decay.

So that is how our boys are learning to be men, being brought up with this nutty environmental nonsense, being scared of everything?

Scoutmaster James Camp, a 42-year-old owner of a construction company says he permits only one fire on every seven-day trip. “You’re looking at a hazard, boys and fire,” he said. “The problem is if any kid gets hurt, the parents could go after the Boy Scouts, and maybe even us adult leaders.”

Now that's leadership.

Watch out you terrorists of the future. We're raising some serious ass-kickin' boys here!