watching endangered species

[Neil Jones]

On 9 Feb, in article
     <002601c1b1a7$d9941560$a01c3b44 at gscrk1.sc.home.com>
     gatrelle at tils-ttr.org "Ron Gatrelle" wrote:

<snip>
> 
> For the record I support treating endangered insects with as much respect
> as endangered mammals or birds.   I thus consider destruction of their
> habitat (as above) and disturbing them (as above) things that _should_ be
> restricted.   Unless this is as John Shuey mentioned in legitimate official
> activity (e.g. burns) to help promote the habitat and increase population
> size and health.  When it is demanded that we in the US forfeit our rights
> in favor of animal "rights" there needs to be some very solid reasons for
> this.  I don't think animals have rights, or care - so it is a matter of
> human responsibility.

It isn't a question of animal rights it is a question of preserving something
unique and irreplacable. Here in the UK we have preservation of "Listed 
Buildings". These are laws insisting that people treat this part of our 
heritage well. We have a nice and very ancient norman Castle in the City in 
which I live  and I was please to see another "Listed Building" a fine old 
cinema given a new lease of life as the city's largest bookshop recently.
Nobody suggests this is a matter of giving rights to buildings.

(BTW the Castle might actually be protected as an "Ancient Monument" but it
is the same basic principle.)

>  Oh, and I still think the endangered species act is
> unconstititional

This doesn't hold water. It is the property rights issue but having property
doesn't give you the right to do as you like. Having a piece of land does
not entitle you to use it for building a brothel does it? Brothels are illegal.
You can't grow Marijuana on it either. I cannot see how banning prostitution
and banning the smoking of dope would be unconstitutional in the USA.

> and that the US has no authority to enforce other
> countries laws (via Lacy Act) on US citizens.

Is that why the US is so lenient on releasing IRA terrorists for trail in
British courts? :-) Seriously though, this happens all the time. If the USA
can impose its rules on others like the people held at camp X-ray then surely
other countries can expect the same. It is an extreme example I know and
I am not intending to compare butterfly collectors with terrorists but 
it seems quite reasonable to have international collaboration.


> Another post with something somewhere for everyone to agree with and
> disagree with. :-)   Repeat after me.  Spring is on the way, spring is on
> the way, spring is on the way.  It is not easy being a libertarian and a
> conservationist at the  same time.
> 
> Ron Gatrelle

-- 
Neil Jones- Neil at nwjones.demon.co.uk http://www.nwjones.demon.co.uk/
"At some point I had to stand up and be counted. Who speaks for the
butterflies?" Andrew Lees - The quotation on his memorial at Crymlyn Bog
National Nature Reserve


 
 ------------------------------------------------------------ 

   For subscription and related information about LEPS-L visit:

   http://www.peabody.yale.edu/other/lepsl