Once again, I am going to have to put out a reminder that boo@xxxxxxxxxxxxx is
available to express opinions on Malheur or to raise any other concerns on the
minds of Oregon birders that do not meet OBOLs guidelines. And once again, I
need to remind all OBOL users that these guidelines did not come from the
moderator. They came from the Board of Directors in place some time ago and
that I do expect some of them had been to Malheur many times and respected what
we have in Malheur very well. But I could not be more emphatic that comments
that somehow we have this policy being enforced because our moderators haven't
been to Malheur enough to really get it is totally inappropriate. The
moderators did not set the guidelines but rather are the messengers and now we
lost one and a very good one at that who deserves our thanks for all that he
has contributed through the years. I will say again that the moderators did not
create the guidelines.
Further, some comment about election year cowardice clearly does not meet those
guidelines either and for that matter is not even accurate. In fact a number of
us have been back in DC, some since last Monday, interacting with both of our
Senators, the Congressional Committee on Natural Resources, the Judiciary
Committee, the US Fish and Wildlife Service and National Wildlife Refuges Staff
and Friends groups. Some have had interaction with the FBI. We are here at
least through tomorrow, but what we can tell you with absolute certainty is
that discussions are happening, strategies have been put together, none of
which are driven by election year politics and further that Malheur and the
birds will still be there when all is said and done. Last night in Washington,
the Friends of Malheur's Executive Director Tim Blount and I had a chance to
respond to concerned National Wildlife Refuge staff and friends groups from
across the country on what has happened at Malheur and how they can best help.
The message was a simple one. We want the image of Malheur that people retain
to be a positive one, not for them conjure up a picture of armed cowboys and
some kind of standoff every time that they hear the word Malheur mentioned in
the future. Rather we need to share what Malheur means to us, why it is such a
special place. It is time we took the platform away from those occupying it by
focusing attention on Malheur and what it has to offer all of us. We created a
forum for birders to discuss Malheur, your feelings about it or again any other
issues that you feel strongly about. Our moderators developed that site for you
so you have an opportunity to vent or share your frustrations, again as policy
directed by the Board. Many of us share similar frustrations personally and you
will see our comments there. Harv Schubothe, PresidentBoard of Directors
