Fish used for political leverage

To the Editor:

I know we are allies in the war against terror, against government takeover of private property and our local businesses, and against the Karuk Tribe Leadership's intended takeover of Siskiyou County. I have carefully read your material for long enough to know that we are on the same side; on the right side!

Therefore, I was disappointed in the headline story you printed his week concerning the Karuk's latest attempt to kill off suction dredging in Siskiyou County (and now also in other places).  We have fought hard and long holding off their continuous attacks against us. 

 

Having been on the front line of most of the battles, I have come to realize that their problems with suction dredgers (dams, agriculture, etc.) have little or nothing to do with fish or science.

They just use fish for political leverage.

No matter how many times we defeat their objections with science and real data, they just keep coming up with the very same old arguments as if they were never addressed.  This has been going on for years!  Bottom line; they use their arguments to sway public attention.  While it is not surprising to see their propaganda printed in the Los Angeles Times, I am upset to see it printed on the cover of the Pioneer Press!

Since your publication, for the most part, presents a more conservative viewpoint which is consistent with preserving the honest, natural resource development and other wealth-creating activity which is as much or more a part of Siskiyou County's heritage as the Karuk Tribe ( or the Salmon River Restoration Council or Pot Growers Association of America), my guess is that most of your readers will generally accept your judgment on matters which they personally have little knowledge of.

That's why I am very surprised that Phil Hayworth didn't take the time to contact me, Jim Foley or someone else from Siskiyou County's mining very long-established mining community (started here in 1850) about the press releases put out by the Karuks -- just so he could to get our take on it.  Our organization alone possesses over 2,000 members who mine responsibly in Siskiyou County.  We have a viewpoint which is based upon reality.

 

Clearly the Karuk leadership is just trying to get rid of us.  So why would Phil Hayworth just blindly accept Leif Hillman's extremist views? Isn't that the guy who is being prosecuted for breaking a beer bottle over his wife's head?

Because Phil didn't talk with the miners, the piece was little more than one-sided reporting which likely misinformed many of your readers who don't know enough about our activity to form an informed judgment of their own.  That's really unfortunate!

If you, Phil Hayworth or any of your staff ever need more information on mining issues, want to experience mining directly, or just want to understand the miners' position on issues being raised by extremists (Karuk leadership) or anyone else, please don't hesitate to contact me personally at dcmccra@attglobal.net  or Jim Foley at jfoley@sisqtel.net

I'm really sorry about that.