Sometimes I just shake my head and want to cry. I bitch alot about Memphis, quite frankly I bitch about alot of things. The only reason I get away without being dismissed as a total crackpot is that I get involved in the causes I believe in and it's hard to totally dismiss a guy if he's out there on the line speaking his mind and holding a sign, even if he's wrong. What I bitch about the most is apathy. I bitch about people who are against the war, but don't do anything about it. I just generally bitch about people who talk alot, but never take action. I hate to say it, but I know alot of people like that. I know alot of people that have alot of money. That's probably why most of them walk on egg shells and are afraid to act, biting off the hand that feeds them, you know what I'm sayin'. I'm glad I quit work and I'm poor, I can pretty much say what I want to and do what I want to and not worry about it.
Here is the latest on Memphis and you'll understand what I'm talkin' about. We have this great urban park called Overton Park. It's 347 acres of which 140 are an old growth forest. The other 207 acres are developed as recreation areas and it is where our zoo, The Memphis Zoo is located. Last week, the zoo brought a bulldozer in and leveled about 4 acres of the old growth forrest to build a new exhibit, Teton Trek, which will try to duplicat the ecosystem of the Tetons. Yep, they are gonna squeeze the Teton's into 4 acres. Should be very realistic. They are however going to capture and re-locate grizzlies and timber wolves to the area to range in the expanse. They should feel right at home this summer here in Memphis when it's 100 degrees and the humidity is in the 90's. Yep all in the name of conservation.
Back to the forest. The 140, oops, 136 acres, of old growth forest are the last remaining in shelby county. Some of the last remaining in the southeast. There can never, ever be new, old growth forest. Once it's cut, it's cut. Done, end of story. The Zoo also has an option to develope another 17.5 acres of old forest and they plan to do it.
Here is the rub. They just did it, no thought, no community input, bulldozer, wham, done deal. Old growth forest been there a million years, gone.
Luckily this has gotten' some local press. Some people, like me are truly pissed off and we aim to ensure the remaining 136 acres of old forest are protected from developement. It's gonna stop here. It's like, fight like hell, get lawyers, stand around with signs, monkey wrench if we have to, but damn. This stuff is gonna end on my watch. I don't want my kids thinking their dad stood around while our land is destroyed for the sake of "progress". I want my kids showing pictures of me to their kids, me on the front row, throwing rocks at the bulldozers and my grandkids hearing, "yep, that was your grandpa, some people thought he was a crackpot, but he helped save the trees."
My dear friends, find your cause and act, I know alot of good people out there that do, but I know alot more good people out there that don't.
Ask yourself, What would Ed Abbey do?
If you are interested in this cause, saving the Old Forest in Overton Park, go to www.overtonparkforever.org.......this group of people will get things done.
