Sunday, 13 April 2008 - 2:22 PM NZT

I read this short entry with interest, speaking as a 'citizen' with my own opinions, I am as green as the next person, I love the trees and the bush and I love to enjoy all the recreational activities that the wilderness allows.  What I do take exception to is the rantings of one eyed greens agitators, lets look at it from both sides, the forest being logged was 'not' on Gulaga or otherwise better known as Mount Dromedary.  It was conducted in allocated state forest compartments, I personally had the opportunity to view the logging operations and saw them to be selective and well managed.  The protest activities were intimidatory towards all persons concerned including the local community, there were many reports of protestors jumping in front of private residents cars, like feral animals.  This is not the actions of a peaceful protest.  Their actions have also taken away valuable police resources to the local Narooma Community for extended periods of time, every time you needed a police officer we are told they are unavailable due to the protest.  Looking at the pictures supplied on this website I am surprised police have kept their cool, with the amount of camera's on them you would expect an average person to throw it all in.

 In my opinion, and this is my opinion only, a peaceful protest is a group of people not breaking the law showing their placards/signs/banners/posters/finger paintings or whatever chanting/singing and standing on their soap boxes, not blocking roads, jumping in front of cars, threatening people, or using foul language.  The only perceivable reason for shoving video camera's in people's faces is intimidation and to create their 'own' version of events.  I was always a fan of Greenpeace prior to these recent protests in the area, now my views on environmentalism have been sadly tainted.  Again in my opinion the protestors involved in this abuse of free speech have used this incident as a way of covering up their own inadequacies, it was a way of making them feel accepted in a group of people with a common goal, or like minded thinking.  I do feel a sense of sorrow for them that they could not find a better way to get their argument across, and there is some sense of anger that they have used some clearly mentally challenged people to do their bidding, with the ring leaders always standing back like puppeteers, watching their creations make arses of themselves.

 By all means protest clear felling, protest killing whales, protest the human rights atrocities in other countries, and take on a cause that has some meaning.  But protesting the logging of an allocated harvesting area is just silly, inane and a direct reflection on the intellectual capabilities or these poor people.

 My final words to the protestors are, think of others, stop being so arrogant, hypocritical, and selfish.  There is a greater community out there that don't agree with you, don't ruin it for them just so you can get your jollys by being part of a group.

 Duncan Peters