bigdumbhoosier’s Recent Comments

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  Shampnois' elevator pitch

  that's quite good!On An elevator pitch for environmentalism posted 4 years, 10 months ago 154 Responses

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  stranded

  We're stranded on island Earth in an otherwise lethal universe.

  Only here can we make the sacred journey of life.

  Every day, Earth gets more crowded and everybody wants more.On An elevator pitch for environmentalism posted 4 years, 10 months ago 154 Responses

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  doing blue things in a red place

  Living and lawyering in a small town in very-red-state Indiana, and representing clients taking environmental stands in litigation has given me quite a bit of experience in dealing with these issues. It can be frustrating, a bit lonely, and sometimes you think your tires might get slashed, but it's possible to get some 'blue things' done too.

  My first observation is that there are certain kinds of religious conservatives that will prove almost impossible to reach -- they're the ones expecting the rapture at any moment. Why worry about the decline of the yellow-billed cuckoo if you really believe the end times are nigh?

  However, other religious conservatives are very sympathetic (in my experience, the Amish, for example), though they may be somewhat hesitant to be politically active. Making the parallel between conservative and conservation can help -- interestingly, many outdoors loving but right-leaning people feel perfectly comfortable with being a 'conservationist', but hate 'environmentalists'.

  In Indiana most outdoorsmen (hunters, fishermen) have been somehow convinced to hate 'liberals' and 'environmentalists' -- I really think this has been the product of effective symbol manipulation by right-wing radio personalities. At the same time, the Izaak Walton League is a model of an outdoorsman oriented enviro organization that has been amazingly effective given its small size. Try reading their publication 'Outdoor America', it's member driven, practical, and shows you can tote a gun and be on the front lines of the environmental movement simultaneously.

  For most of the issues I deal with, agriculture is by far the most powerful interest group. Again, there are conflicting currents: most farmers have a genuine love of the land, and most landowners have a tie to their places that transcends purely economic production. Stewardship is often pretty good; if it weren't conditions would be much worse than they are. On the other hand farmers tend to be unwilling to share any amount of control over the landscape with any other interest group (regardless of ownership...it's a common misconception that farmers own most of the ground they farm, much is leased).

  Another thing about agriculture -- farmers are conservative in the sense that they resist being forced to change their ways, but progressive in the sense that if they are convinced there's a better way it can be amazing how quickly they will adopt an innovation or improved management system. It's all a matter of inducing the change through education and financial incentives.

  Perhaps the biggest thing I've learned in representing environmental interests in public meetings and courts in this convervative region is the importance of making a persuasive case for the economic considerations favoring my client's position. People like living in clean, healthful, beautiful surroundings, and that's just as true of Republicans as of Democrats.

  Being in a rural area in a much maligned state, I have to say I share a bit of the rural right-wings irritation at being referred to as "fly-over country" and stereotyped as a buffoon just off the turnip truck. It's true that country people often look a bit confused in dealing the big city...but I can assure you that city people often do similarly inappropriate things when visiting the country. Suburbanites, in particular, are often very status conscious and tend to think if they've got a nicer car than you do, they must be a whole lot smarter too.

  I suppose I'm saying that the most important thing is to make a persuasive case that taking the necessary steps to preserve and restore the environment are really worth doing. I also think it would help if the pro-environmental people would foster more personal contacts with people living in rural areas where the rubber meets the road in terms of landscape preservation.On Making environmentalism palatable to social conservatives posted 5 years ago 19 Responses