Dustin the River Guide

I was on vacation this past week so I missed an entry on to the blog. Anyway, I went to Idaho for a week where I spent four days on the Salmon and Snake Rivers white water rafting and camping on the banks of the river. I must say this was an extraordinary experience. The natural beauty of this country is beyond what words can describe. Experiencing man-made beauty such as art, architecture, theater and cuisine can be impressive but they don't nearly approach the majesty of the natural world.

On the river we had guides who led our party. One of them was a twenty something guy from Montana named Dustin. A very bright young man who was planning to attend law school in the fall. Obviously he was a democrat (young, prelaw, tree hugger) and me being on the opposite side of the political spectrum led to several contentious conversations. I asked him if it was possible to be conservative politically as well as pro-environment to which he responded no. Naturally, I asked to explain why and he could not come up with a reasonable answer. It is unfortunate for the right/conservative/republican side to be associated with an anti-environmental position. I cannot reconcile the fact that views of less government, more individual responsibility, and greater emphasis on religion is somehow connected with being less environmentally friendly. And contrarily, more government involvement in our lives, less stress on religion, and more reliance on the state are positions that somehow are connected with the pro-environmentalist position. The left should not have exclusivity when it comes to being pro-environmental.

The only connection I can see is that the right has historically placed greater emphasis on business and profits and sometimes this may have come at the expense of the environment. The extreme environmentalists would have us sacrifice any profit generated at the expense of the environment regardless of its benefit to humanity. Obviously, a middle ground has to be reached that is sensitive to both the preservation of the environment and the use of its abundant natural resources for commerce.

The environmental issue should not be a right/left issue at all. There is no reason why the right cannot be as green or more green than the left. In fact, I can make the argument that one's heightened sense of individual responsibility and liberty would lead to a greater feeling of one's responsibility to the land. Much more so than can be controlled or legislated by the government. Yes, it is important for the government to set aside land for preservation but who is going to pick up the wrapper, clean the campsite as if no one had been there or be obsessively careful with campfires? the government? Only the individual can micromanage his actions.

The democrats use environmental issues for political gain They create or exaggerate environmental issues to polarize the electorate and claim they are the only truly green party. It's time for a conservatives to boldly claim that they will not concede this issue to the left. Their slogan should be "conservatives for conservation" and should claim to advance the position of using the environment in a responsible manner.

The platform of the right should include limited government, greater personal responsibility for their lives and their land, and the preservation and care of the environment. Natural resources must be used in the most efficient and minimally destructive manner. So to my friend Dustin, the river guide, I hope you can reconsider your political affiliation and feel comfortable being green in the red party. The right needs young people such as yourself to lead us into the future.