Our local newspaper, printed on dead trees, condemns Republicans for tree murder
Our Nobel Prize-winning local paper — owned and operated by the same folks who, for over a century, owned and operated The N&O — has produced an editorial taking Raleigh to task over recent billboard legislation. Are they taking Rep. Stephen LaRoque and former Senator Debbie Clary to task for pushing legislation that benefits billboard owners while they, themselves, have ownership of billboards? Sadly, NO:
OK, Moore Countians. Everybody who is dying to see more billboards along our roads, raise your hands.
We didn’t think so.
Now. Let’s see the hands of those who’d rather have more trees.
That’s more like it. Trouble is, the N.C. General Assembly does not appear to be listening to you or others who agree with you. Instead, the newly dominant Republican majorities in both houses seem to be paying more heed — surprise! — to the business community.
New rules, adopted in January pursuant to a billboard law enacted in 2011, permit advertising companies to cut more trees than they previously could. And in most cases, they no longer have to replace them. According to reportage in The News & Observer of Raleigh, the change, pushed by GOP Sen. Harry Brown of Onslow County, could result in the loss of tens of thousands of trees across North Carolina.
*Ahem. * I have just a few questions for the author of this op-ed:
1. Where did the wood, used to build your house, come from?
2. Where did the material, on which your newspaper is printed on, come from?
3. How did the street that runs in front of your house get constructed?
4. Where did the material, used to print the books in the local bookstore your paper owns, come from? How was it produced?
Since we are all-digital, I am proud to say I AM DOING MORE TO SAVE TREES THAN THE LEFTIST WHINERS AT THIS PAPER. (The trees “LOSE”? Really?)
Seriously. It’s a fact of life: for there to be progress, things have to be destroyed. Trees have to be cut down so roads, houses, and paper can be made. Fish and animals are killed to protect ourselves and our property, and to put food on our tables.
I don’t know of anyone who enjoys tearing up the landscape for no good reason or purposely polluting water. No one is FOR that.
Go over to the Moore County Historical Association and check out the photos of the county’s early days. In the early 1900s, all of the trees in the Southern Pines-Pinehurst area were cut down. You could see the Carolina Hotel in Pinehurst from downtown Southern Pines. Southern Pines was initially called Pine Barrens. (Gee, I wonder why … )
This same paper here in Moore County cheered on a group of kooks protesting the cutting of one tree in downtown Southern Pines so a restaurant could be built. The tree got cut. The restaurant was built, and its business has been booming since it opened.
Unfortunately, the environmental movement and the mainstream media has been hijacked by anti-capitalism radicals who push for rules and red tape to purportedly “save trees,” but really mean to throw a monkey wrench into our economy and way of life.
Brant, you have again nailed it! Congratulations on a well-written, insightful article. I enjoyed hearing a voice of reason take down the hypocritical posturing of the co-opted media and environmentalist pretenders. You’re doing a great job here!
I believe Rep LaRoque’s interest in the business creates a conflict of interest, and so does everyone (R&D) I’ve discussed this with.
And Mr. LaRoque’s description of the decison fell somewhat short of what was stated in the document.
At any rate, the commission found a way to wriggle out of making a difficult decison against a lawmaker who should have known it was wrong. Just the fact he persued the decision tells us he did.