Re: The View From Below

First, let me go on the record as being sympathetic to those who want to save the Berkeley coastal oaks. I love trees and far prefer green landscapes to concrete jungles. I think it would be better if another site is found provided it is both environmentally and fiscally feasible. However, it would not be the end of the world if some of these great trees were cut down. The histrionics of the tree sitters and their supporters seem misplaced for reasons I will chronicle along the way. So, from my admittedly right wing, knuckle dragging, reactionary, deep south view:

1) The Burial Grounds: I'm loath to use Wikipedia as a source owing to their renown unreliability, but from their own report was this tidbit:

Kent Lightfoot, a curator at the University's Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology, said that there was no clear ethnic identification of the skeletons, nor evidence that they were part of a larger burial grounds and not simply isolated skeletons. Lightfoot went on to say that the only known artifact recovered near the skeletons was an Mexican coin from the second quarter of the 19th century.

Moreover, I don't find much credibility with this dude. Reminds me too much of this dude.

2) The WWI Site: I seriously doubt those cats in the trees have the dead of WWI on their minds while they're perching up there with their University provided protein bars and bags of poop. I'm thinking reason number 6 would be more to their ideological liking.

However, I am happy to see that Cal-Berkeley honored their WWI dead. Nearby Clemson University, with it's military tradition, did likewise with the "Valley". Though, I doubt that type of reverence for the American fighting man could be found in Berkeley now.

3) The Law: Interesting that a State University would enter into such an agreement with local government. Now they're obviously trapped in the uncomfortable position of trying to wiggle out of it. Personally, I hope they compromise and save the trees, but, as Reid said, C-B is the largest land owner in Berkeley. A pretty strong hand.

4) Shake, rattle and roll: Well, I'm no seis...seism....uh, er...earthquake studier, but I can't see how building the athletic complex down the street is going to make any difference. The whole frickin' state is on a fault line. If a quake occurs that has the destructive power to destroy the stadium where it is now, then probably no place in Berkeley will be safe. Perhaps a site in Nevada might do.

5) The lawsuits: City of Berkeley-check. After all, the impetus behind this whole thing is that pesky don't cut down the trees agreement- in which it seems the city has 'em by the short ones.

The California Oaks Foundation-check. I didn't even bother looking these guys up. Their name alone explains their interest.

The Panoramic Hill Association-I guess the residents of this exclusive neighborhood don't want their gorgeous view further spoiled by a bunch of football hooligans. Here is a comment I found from a PHA resident on the Homeowner's website.

Despite the sometimes oppressive presence (bold-mine) of Memorial Stadium at its base, the hill maintains a remote, unspoiled quality which enhances the presence of its numerous historic dwellings -

I suspect there are many other firmly held beliefs that encouraged the PHA to hop aboard the litigation train. If I lived there I'd probably take that haughty attitude myself.

Save Tightwad Hill-Now I can identify with pin headed college football fans, but you have to wonder what credence a bunch of guys too cheap to shell out the clams for a ticket to the games can lend to the save the trees cause. However, they seem to have saved their vantage point for the time being. Go Bears!


6)The Warming argument: Herein lies the place I diverge from the pack; stray from the fold and take tongue firmly out of cheek. Global warming/climate change does present challenges, but I do not agree that it is "the biggest problem we face today". I am more inclined to see growing, unaccountable, freedom squashing, socialists government, metastasizing, freedom robbing global Islamofacsism and blind allegiance to freedom stealing multiculturalism as far more dire problems for America (and the planet) than a debatable marginal increase in global temperatures. Of course, therein lies the problem. Many of those posing the "climate crisis" are unwilling to debate the issues that may or may not be causing the said problem, and are quick to label dissenters as "deniers". Despite the fact that thousands of scientists have jumped off the "crisis" bandwagon, and regardless of reports that global temps have actually cooled in the last ten years, the mainstream media continues to push crisis mongering with its blame America/Americans/humans first shtick. I think the approach taken by many in government and media underestimates the innovative, creative spirit of American ingenuity to adapt and prosper in a changing environment; but then, perhaps that is exactly their intention given their political proclivities. Get environmentalists and government out of the way and watch what happens. America, with all her myriad problems, is a problem solving country; and, when unencumbered by knee-jerk over regulation, is the greatest purveyor of freedom and, dare I say it, progress the world has ever seen. I sure as hell ain't waiting around on the rest of the world to do anything but punish achievement when it comes to climate solutions.

As far as the trees at Berkeley are concerned, cutting them down would definitely alter the view and violate local sensibilities, and, on the surface, looks like a dumb idea; but, in reality would have little effect on global climate or real quality of life there. After all, residents of the area have co-existed with the stadium since 1923. I think institutions like this (and hundreds if not thousands of others) are where the answers are to be found regarding our (humankind's) use and protection of the environment, and not in a quasi-religion being promulgated by many in the environmental movement. I'm all for conservation and intelligent energy uses, but I'm not willing to worship at the altar of the "isms" mentioned above.

So, in closing, Berkeley: get those idiots out of the trees and focused on REAL planetary problems, find some other place for your football team so as to save those awesome trees, and you Tightwad Hill guys keep cheering on the Bears and maybe you'll see these guys come January.