[JG1222]

As an outside observer, I can’t help but observe the overtly childish behavior many of you are exhibiting here. I choose the word “childish” carefully and intentionally because it tough not to draw the comparison to a four year-old throwing a temper tantrum in the grocery story because they’re not getting exactly what they want.

I think back to a time when skateboarders would use local strip malls to skate down the stairs, railings, benches, etc. The property owners, for whatever reason, decide to ban this activity from their property. Despite the many rational explanations (mostly having to do with liability issues), the kids all whine about it being their “right” to skateboard, and how “skateboarding isn't a crime”, and “we’ve been doing it for years”, etc.

Yes, many of you have been snowmobiling on Castle property for years, but that doesn’t make it your “right”. The only thing that would make it your “right” is if you were to own the Castle property.

So, where does that leave you? You could build a respectful and informed case to try to change the owner’s (or in this case the LRCT’s) mind, or you can bitch and whine about how those tree-hugging SOB’s will never get another red cent from you, blah, blah, blah… I commend the first group, and I’m positive that they’ll have a better chance of accomplishing something than the second. Hey, maybe the first group might even get a reasonable owner to offer some sort of a compromise to closing the property off to snowmobilers entirely (perhaps like allowing Route 15 to stay open?).

Listen, private owners don’t owe you, me, or anyone an explanation or "public discussion" as to what they decide to do with their land unless it adversely affects or harms other people. Any reasons they choose to give are given out of courtesy - not requirement. If the Castle property owners decided that they were going to ban only the blue snowmobiles this year, as ridiculous as it sounds, it would still be their right.

Oh, and if your argument is that the LRCT “tricked” you into giving them your money, just keep in mind that the supposed reason you gave them a donation in the first place was to support them in their efforts to conserve the land using their best judgment. So far, I've seen nothing that has led me to think that the LRCT is not doing what they believe is in the best interest of the land. If the reason you donated is to ensure you can snowmobile wherever you want, maybe you should check the receipt for that donation you made to see if it was to the right organization.