Re: Free Speech Protections

Kary,

Welcome to the forum and thanks very much for the post. You have addressed many issues in your post in a very truthfull way. Speaking for myself, I think it is great that you decided to share your opinions with us. That is what free speach is about. You may be only 17, so for many you "are just a kid" as you put it. I still remember when I was young even though some of my own children now are only a little younger than you. In my opinion even a child is a person and their opinions do count, however that does not mean that you should always say yes to them or they are always correct. We all have made our mistakes and hopefully have grown wiser from them.

You seem to notice that for many freedom of speech means that 'you are free to think like me', or in some cases the rest of mainstream America. I am sure that this is not what the founding fathers had in mind. Freedom of speech should be not only the freedom to express ones beliefs in a non-offensive way, but also to accept other people's views even when you do not agree with them as long as they are not harmful to other human beings, the enviornment and mother earth.

You have obviously read some of our post regarding trying to get a group going. Although it may be true that many young folk like yourself may enjoy partying at the springs, what is not true is that it is only young people that trash the place. I have witnessed older folk leaving their trash behind or hiding it behind bushes, and I have also witnessed younger folk with a very responsible attitude and taking their trash with them.

You say that you are begining to feel 'how very special this place is', a feeling that is shared by many of us. You also say you like the idea of conserving the creek, of the flyers and signs to educate people, and of what we are trying to achieve however you question being able to put it into action. How about considering being a part of it and helping us do so?

However, I do not share everything you say. How can free access be more important than caring for the environment? You do say that 'free access is our right even if it hurts the environment', yet in the next sentence you say that 'conserving the creek and springs are a good idea'. These statements appear contradictory and it may have not been what you intended. Care to clarify? In my opinion a person that wishes to go down to the springs, to leave their trash everywhere, break glass bottles, @!#$ and pee in the creek and hot pools, brake branches off the trees, start fires, kill the wild life, and vandalise the pools that volunteers created have lost their right to free access. But this is just my opinion. What do you think?

However other than this, I agree with most of what you have said, and think it is real cool that you posted here. Hope you do not see this as a "daddy talk" from one more adult, but more as the opinion of a fellow hotspringer.