[GeoStL] Re: Challenging the NPS ban on geocaching RE: Re: FW: ohiobill contacting you from Geocaching.com
- From: "John Kinder" <jkinder@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <geocaching@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 27 Aug 2002 20:02:28 -0500
Jim,
A few comments on your draft letter:
First, I'm a newcomer here. I have been "lurking" around, reading the posts,
watching SLAGA, and having a great time finding caches with my wife & daughter,
but have never jumped in and said hi or introduced myself. So I hope you and
the others take my comments in the manner intended - to just convey my initial
reaction, and make some suggestions for consideration. I sincerely hope the
letter will have the intended effect.
1) I fear that portions of the letter - especially the opening sentence - are a
bit too much "guns blazing". You might want consider toning down, or deferring
until your follow-up letter (if you get a stand-offish reply) certain words and
phrases like "capricious, illegal and unconstitutional", "some crackpot thief",
etc.
2) Nice work researching applicable law and precedent. Maybe some of this
should be saved as "backup" for the second round of letters. I.e., on the
assumption that you would receive a reply citing a specific policy that caches
violate. Or, in retrospect, I'm more concerned about the length of the letter.
You work a lot in - your personal experiences, love and respect of nature, what
geocaching is, and law and policy citations. While its all good, it certainly
makes for one long letter - I'd hate to loose the attention of the reader.
3) Any value in trying to establish that "leaving a cache is not littering" by
explaining that the caches are not abandoned, but are merely resting there on
the ground until a undefined "later date" when it is retrieved (archived by
physical removal)? To me, litter is something that the discarder never intends
to pick back up.
4) Last sentence: maybe just ask how you can contact O'Donnell (even if you
know) so that you can retrieve your cache? It could appear you don't even want
to try and deal with him so your "going over his head". Just trying to minimize
being confrontational, no matter whether someone is right or wrong.
Good luck!
John Kinder
"DJ&R"
----- Original Message -----
From: Jim Bensman
To: geocaching@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, August 27, 2002 6:26 PM
Subject: [GeoStL] Re: Challenging the NPS ban on geocaching RE: Re: FW:
ohiobill contacting you from Geocaching.com
Here is a draft of the letter I will send. Any thoughts or suggestions for
improvement?
Superintendent
Ozark National Scenic Riverways
404 Watercress Drive
PO Box 490
Van Buren, MO 63965
OZAR_Superintendent@xxxxxxx
Dear National Park Service:
[snip]
Other related posts:
