Opinion by Paul Revere
Fresh water is a precious natural resource that belongs to all the people.
It is also a valuable “commodity” that some people would like to own and control for their own economic benefit.
The only effective way to avoid the privatization of our communal resources is for more people that want to retain their communal ownership to be more active and influential in the major political parties.
Legislation that is said to be for the “common good” is imposed on us by the minority of people that have political authority and power to achieve what is good for them.
The majority of people do not pay much attention to politics (except during election campaigns) or what is being done for or to them by the political and economic elites that make the decisions for the rest of us.
Game of Politics
It is also a valuable “commodity” that some people would like to own and control for their own economic benefit.
The only effective way to avoid the privatization of our communal resources is for more people that want to retain their communal ownership to be more active and influential in the major political parties.
Legislation that is said to be for the “common good” is imposed on us by the minority of people that have political authority and power to achieve what is good for them.
The majority of people do not pay much attention to politics (except during election campaigns) or what is being done for or to them by the political and economic elites that make the decisions for the rest of us.
Game of Politics
Politics is a game that few people learn to play but like to believe is for their benefit rather than the benefit of the more successful players.
Most people are apolitical because the elite players of the game want them to be spectators that have no understanding of or influence in the game.
The aim of the game of politics is to gain authority and power over the rest of the people and govern them “for their own good” but the people with the authority and power assume that they know what is “good” and the rest of the people do not.
If we really want to protect our communal ownership and preserve our natural resources we will have to join and play the game and encourage other like minded people to do the same.
That is the only way to gain the political influence, authority and power to impose our ideas of what is “good” on the rest of the people.
What can one or a few of us achieve is a realistic question but also an excuse for avoiding the game in which we might gain some influence and encourage others to do so as well.
Influence
Most people are apolitical because the elite players of the game want them to be spectators that have no understanding of or influence in the game.
The aim of the game of politics is to gain authority and power over the rest of the people and govern them “for their own good” but the people with the authority and power assume that they know what is “good” and the rest of the people do not.
If we really want to protect our communal ownership and preserve our natural resources we will have to join and play the game and encourage other like minded people to do the same.
That is the only way to gain the political influence, authority and power to impose our ideas of what is “good” on the rest of the people.
What can one or a few of us achieve is a realistic question but also an excuse for avoiding the game in which we might gain some influence and encourage others to do so as well.
Influence
The strategy for gaining influence in the game of politics is to infiltrate a political party, learn more about it and the influential people in it, find ways to disrupt the ambitions of the party authorities, persuade other people to join and help reform the agendas and policies and eventually take over.
There are very few party members that are actively involved or have any real influence.
That provides people with different agendas with an opportunity they are not aware of.
While providing people with more information about what is happening to their fresh water and other resources and communal assets is valid, we should also be encouraging them to become politically responsible, active and influential to do something about it.
There are very few party members that are actively involved or have any real influence.
That provides people with different agendas with an opportunity they are not aware of.
While providing people with more information about what is happening to their fresh water and other resources and communal assets is valid, we should also be encouraging them to become politically responsible, active and influential to do something about it.
I’ve long advocated anglers should get involved politically. Stand for your local council, lobby your local MP (politely but firmly) and as Paul Revere recommends, infiltrate and influence.
There’s a quote which goes like this “Apathy adds up, in the long run, to cowardice”
Yes it is gutless to sit by, do nothing but take what you can from the resource – in this case, rivers and trout and salmon.
Probably like talking to a brick wall to most anglers. they are too busy inward looking than to heed the advice. But well said Paul Revere