This is tough to do here, because I know Jon would prefer we stay non political in our discussions on the boards.
Unfortunately, we're already in the maelstrom, so it's my intention to move forward with these thoughts in a positive manner, respectful of others beliefs, and with a resolution as the goal.
What we do is demonstrably econeutral enough that I'm of the mind that in the particular case of the Bonneville Salt Flats International Speedway, we're more likely to find allies in the environmental community than enemies - especially when issues of mismanagement on the part of the BLM are front and center.
I think it's reasonable to assume that many environmentalists would consider what is happening to the Salt Flats abhorrent.
I know I do.
Many environmental organizations with political sway have stated agendas and goals that are, on face value, contradictory to automotive recreation on public lands. But realistically - at Bonneville - racers and environmentalists share a common boogieman.
It is not the racers who have degraded the salt flats, it is the mining interests who have, and under the purview of the BLM.
I suspect it goes against the very grain of what many of you hold dear to embrace a tree hugger, but as a tree hugger who knows a lot of other tree huggers, many of us are not nearly as militant or radical as you might think.
JC alludes to a possible negative scenario in which, out of concerns for the Salt Flats, we could be prohibited from racing by government decree. But if that happens, that means one of two things has happened. Either the environmentalists made this a cause and won, or the mining concerns made it their cause and simply sucked the salt right out from underneath us.
In my view, this is a three way fight, the racers are the moderate force, and the mining interests are winning - yet any uncommitted allies we might have in the environmental movement have not been tapped out of fear that they might take the salt away from us?
I don't think that makes any sense.
Within the political and activist organizations regarding Bonneville, as with ANY political movement, there are moderate influencers on both sides who we need to reach out to. While Save the Salt has communications with Intrepid, I'm unaware of any approach on the part of organized racers to reach out to any environmental organization.
It is the moderate environmentalist that must be politically activated in this fight, and who we must win over as allies. Some may be members of organizations you/I/we don't agree with, but such organizations are not homogenized monoliths in their makeup. I believe outreach on our part to the environmental community will do more to strengthen our position than it will to hurt us.
Yes, it potentially puts us in the crosshairs of a crossfire, but not reaching out has left us with little solid salt to stand on.
We're kinda at the point that if we want to get some additional help, we might have to put a little trust into someone we might not like.
