Oh, is that what this is about?

Joel Martin <> wrote:There was a very wise posting on PA-BIRDS recently, where this thread has 
also been taken up. The writer pointed out that all people behave badly at times, 
because they let their emotions get in the way of good judgement. Basically, 
we all do irrational things, not because we're bad people, just human.

I've been bothered by the tone on both sides of this discussion, especially 
in the strereotyping that's going on, even by well-meaning folks. As if, "all 
country people think this way" or "all urbanites behave that way." There are 
small-minded, xenophobic people in all populations, just as there are arrogant, 
disrespectful people. But these are generalizations. There have been examples 
of exemplary behavior from all parties involved in the Lapwing event.

It would be nice if everyone acted reasonably all the time. A farmer who 
fears a birder with a scope 500 feet away may be acting irrationally, but a birder 
who leaves tire tracks across a graveyard is acting not just irrationally but 
probably illegally. The bottom line is, we birders are intruding on the 
community of Creagerstown, not vice versa. The onus is on us to behave as good 
guests.

Joel Martin
Catonsville, MD


		
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