Denny California Gold Miners 1977

[calnatv]

Cool old video of dredging back in 77 on the New River

 

[KevinInColorado]

Russ, respecting your opponents will empower you and us to action much more than name calling and pejorative terms. Only by taking them seriously will we focus our energies and win!

The green groups figure out in the 70's (when we miners were still dumb and happy) that they needed to become the establishment if they wanted to see their ideas implemented so they went and did that. Shame on us for failing to run candidates and failing to encourage our kids to become Rangers, etc. Let's fight back now with the law AND also beat them at their own game in the next generation.

 

[Clay Diggins]

Russ, respecting your opponents will empower you and us to action much more than name calling and pejorative terms. Only by taking them seriously will we focus our energies and win!

The green groups figure out in the 70's (when we miners were still dumb and happy) that they needed to become the establishment if they wanted to see their ideas implemented so they went and did that. Shame on us for failing to run candidates and failing to encourage our kids to become Rangers, etc. Let's fight back now with the law AND also beat them at their own game in the next generation.

Well said! Thanks for that Kevin.

I'd like to add that as long as we choose to battle the most extreme believers and choose sides we will continue to lose ground. Shrill words and divisiveness will never result in a win for miners.

Seek out the thoughtful and undecided and show them the facts and logic of your position. Those thoughtful and undecided are the bulk of the citizens and the key to success.

Only when we engage the majority can we progress. Trying to convert the extremes on either side of any issue is a losing strategy. We need to appear thoughtful and knowledgeable to change public sentiment. To do that we will have to become thoughtful and knowledgeable.

I'm really working on the knowledgeable part with my writings and Land Matters. I hope I'm being effective there. The thoughtful part is going to be up to each individual miner.

Heavy Pans

 

[goldenIrishman]

I for one think that you're being effective Clay. Many miners here and on land matters are becoming more and more informed thanks to your efforts. I know it's not an easy task to get miners to work together since by nature we are very individualistic. We're used to doing things on our own and in our own way. While that may have worked in the past, if we want to maintain our chosen lifestyle we will have no option but to come together. If we don't hang together, we'll hang separately.

 

[Clay Diggins]

And another thing, why the US Marshal Service? It's not their cup of tea.....unless the hippies in question were considered federal fugitives. NFS and BLM has their own LEOs why not them? DOI has in house guys too. The local SO should have been the second string on the roster if the in house guys weren't up to the task.

Not making accusations to either side it just look right even on the surface. If there is a good answer, even a bad, could someone point it out.

ratled

Denny was 1977 ratled.

The BLM didn't even get any law enforcement authority until 1971. Even then they could only arrest for violations of the Wild Horse and Burro Act. The BLM hired their first LEO in 1974 and didn't even have a badge so they borrowed the Fish and Wildlife badge. (look at their current badge). The trend to BLM and Forest "agents" packing heat is recent.

Even today the BLM doesn't have any direct mandated law enforcement authority other than the 1976 FLPMA. In 1977 they had 13 Rangers and they were all in Riverside and San Diego due to the California Desert Protection Act authority from the FLPMA. Today they operate under interagency agreements with County law enforcement otherwise they would just be running around looking for people illegally riding wild burros.

It was a different world in 1977. Law enforcement was still generally of the mind that not everyone was an enemy and shooting was the last resort rather than an alternative to actually talking to people. Forest Service and BLM employees belonged to the communities they lived in and were often known by name to most locals. Smiles all around was the general enforcement plan with stern talks for those who weren't paying attention.

Since the late 80's when a few months LEO training became the short path to a job in the BLM the LEOs have become the one function that are never subject to layoffs or pay cuts. LEO training has become almost mandatory for anyone that doesn't want to be stuck at a low paying desk job in the BLM. The culture has changed from managing the lands for the use of the public to keeping the public off their lands, by force if necessary.

I've seen this evolution close up and personal. I know others here have too. It's disturbing for those who remember a friendlier time. Life wasn't all roses but you didn't enter the public lands in fear of being accosted by a manager with a gun and an itchy trigger finger.

Heavy Pans

 

[ratled]

Thanks Clay I didn't know that about the BLM LEOs. I never had an opportunity to meet any LEOs until I started mining and then I was the one requested they be present. When I use to be a fin and fur killer the guy in the Smokey the Bear hat was usually my best source of intel where the best spots were.

ratled