By Staff
We can be our brothers' keeper
There once was a painter who saw a child so perfect in his beauty and so angelic in countenance that he painted him and said that if ever he found a face as vile as that face was angelic he would paint that as a contrast to it.
Years passed and he had not seen a face so absolute in its degradation as that child's in its loveliness. But one day he visited a prison and there saw a felon still young but with a face almost devilish in its vicious demoralization. He painted this wretched prisoner, only to find that this man was the lovely child, as drink and lust and greed and hate made him.
We must be made to understand that our actions affect others. We help create those around us; we are our brothers' keepers.
You see there's more than one way to look at something, and I'm sure those who created the lease system had what they felt were good reasons. But I can think of many good reasons why we should go back to the permit system and remove locked gates.
One, for our children's sake. I believe every young boy and girl of our community should have the chance to see and enjoy our beautiful wilderness area.
We've already lost two many through the cracks. Having nothing to do, and all day every day to do it in, they've found themselves on the wrong side of the law and need our help.
State lakes, pay ponds and man-made nature trails just aren't the way to go. When man introduces his element into an environment its artificial and he destroys about as much as he creates; plus, no one assures the productiveness of the lakes and ponds and the nature trails are little more than boardwalks void of wildlife.
While some hold leases most can't obtain them. I know one man personally who tried to obtain a lease of the land around Wiggins Lake and was told 40 were already on the waiting list.
Fishermen were not considered. They've lost all access to natural lakes and ponds of our area.
Our fathers and relatives, some of whom spent their entire lives working for our lumber industry ought to be given special privileges, but they are not.
While some of the leaseholders are good, honest people, some are arrogant scoundrels that ought not to have special privileges.
Deer are overpopulating so many people are hitting deer. My son hit three on three separate occasions. A very sweet lady hit two on two separate occasions. A good friend totaled his truck, and you've heard of the young mother who lost her life recently when she hit a deer.
I hate to say this, but I will because it's true. Our road, Travis Road, looks almost decent for most of the year but during hunting season, it is trashed, beer cans and paper everywhere. And for some unknown reason, hunters place their dead deer carcasses in our ponds and lakes.
None of us lives forever, and when we meet our maker we'll all give accounts of how we treated our fellow man.
Donald Madden
Riverview resident