6 ms·

We’re headed for a future where only the wealthy can enjoy nature

SpikeDad 8y ago
And health care. And get elected in govt.
tomohawk 8y ago
These are long overdue reforms. The states east of the mississippi did not have the lionshare of their land retained by the federal government when they became states. West of the river is a different story. With the federal government owning 2/3rds of the land in the west, things are way out of whack.
- jschwartzi 8y ago
  Are they? A huge portion of my state is federal or state park land, and people flock to these places to get away from the cities and the suburbs. If Lee had his way, the federal government could start selling lands in places like Mount Rainier National Park or the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. These areas host numerous trailheads, picnic areas, campgrounds, and the like. I can't help but agree with the author of the article, that Lee just wants to sell these lands off to rich people who will deny access. We have a long history in Washington of exploring the Cascades and the Olympics and I want that to continue for the foreseeable future. These lands are the birthright of our children and we should steward them as such.
  - Deadron 8y ago
    Having moved from the seattle area to the state of maryland, the lack of parks and public land feels very depressing. You drive by giant majestic horse pastures, but the parks are so small that you can still hear cars driving by.
  - JDWolf 8y ago
    well said
  - omegaworks 8y ago
    Worse: We don't have the right to roam[1] here in the US and given how trigger-happy people are, the more land is privatized the more dangerous it is to explore. 1.https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/right-to-roam/ https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/right-to-roam/
- nickthemagicman 8y ago
  Lol I hate conservative views that think that public land is a waste.
greggarious 8y ago
Anyone who's worried only the wealthy will be able to enjoy nature hasn't been to West Virginia.
- seattle_spring 8y ago
  I think "nature" in this article refers to actual natural treasures (Grand Staircase, Yosemite, etc.), not just some random forest on some rolling hills.
  - StronglyTyped 8y ago
    Clearly you've never been to Appalachia. It's beautiful, and it's full of poverty.
    - seattle_spring 8y ago
      Sure, it's beautiful. Just not nearly as beautiful as the mountain west and west coast.
  - woodruffw 8y ago
    I don't think the Blue Ridge Mountains count as rolling hills, and I would count them among our national treasures. That being said, the fact is that WV's natural resources have been subjected to some of the most profound (and least regulated) economic exploitation in the country. So I don't think the GP's point is correct.
    - thr0waway5678 8y ago
      It reads like "the Poors can live Outdoors!"* but I'm going to assume I'm mistaken or that that couldn't possibly be a popular opinion on hn. *this is a joke and if you want to argue that i'm implying that everyone in West Virginia is homeless, bless your heart
  - deleted 8y ago
    [deleted]
clevershot 8y ago
Let’s build a VC backed AI enabled blockchain VR version of nature for the poor. problem solved
- SamUK96 8y ago
  You forgot to use BlockchainVRAI.JS framework to orchastrate this together.
- nickthemagicman 8y ago
  It's better than nature because you can have pokemon there.
yosefzeev 8y ago
If the values are wrong, this follows.
bleigh0 8y ago
Made me think of this: At any rate, spring is here, even in London N1, and they can't stop you enjoying it. This is a satisfying reflection. How many a time have I stood watching the toads mating, or a pair of hares having a boxing match in the young corn, and thought of all the important persons who would stop me enjoying this if they could. But luckily they can't. So long as you are not actually ill, hungry, frightened or immured in a prison or a holiday camp, spring is still spring. The atom bombs are piling up in the factories, the police are prowling through the cities, the lies are streaming from the loudspeakers, but the earth is still going round the sun, and neither the dictators nor the bureaucrats, deeply as they disapprove of the process, are able to prevent it. —from 'Some Thoughts on the Common Toad' by George Orwell. Highly recommend.
thr0waway5678 8y ago
Hahaha comments agreeing with this sentiment are getting downvoted, and the thread itself has been flagged.
- dang 8y ago
  We've banned this account for trolling. Please don't create accounts to break the site guidelines with. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
  - tony_cannistra 8y ago
    was the article flagged because of comments or because of content? op, don't want to step on toes.
    - dang 8y ago
      Users flagged it, presumably because they didn't think it followed the site guidelines. Hard to say if they were reacting to the article or the thread. Divisive topics like this pretty much always turn into flamewars unless they include significant new information for the mind to chew on.
pochamago 8y ago
Aren't the areas Mike Lee is looking to sell already off limits to the public? They're not national parks, so I don't really know how usage works

And health care. And get elected in govt.

These are long overdue reforms. The states east of the mississippi did not have the lionshare of their land retained by the federal government when they became states. West of the river is a different story. With the federal government owning 2/3rds of the land in the west, things are way out of whack.

jschwartzi 8y ago
Are they? A huge portion of my state is federal or state park land, and people flock to these places to get away from the cities and the suburbs. If Lee had his way, the federal government could start selling lands in places like Mount Rainier National Park or the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. These areas host numerous trailheads, picnic areas, campgrounds, and the like. I can't help but agree with the author of the article, that Lee just wants to sell these lands off to rich people who will deny access. We have a long history in Washington of exploring the Cascades and the Olympics and I want that to continue for the foreseeable future. These lands are the birthright of our children and we should steward them as such.
- Deadron 8y ago
  Having moved from the seattle area to the state of maryland, the lack of parks and public land feels very depressing. You drive by giant majestic horse pastures, but the parks are so small that you can still hear cars driving by.
- JDWolf 8y ago
  well said
- omegaworks 8y ago
  Worse: We don't have the right to roam[1] here in the US and given how trigger-happy people are, the more land is privatized the more dangerous it is to explore. 1.https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/right-to-roam/ https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/right-to-roam/
nickthemagicman 8y ago
Lol I hate conservative views that think that public land is a waste.

greggarious 8y ago

Anyone who's worried only the wealthy will be able to enjoy nature hasn't been to West Virginia.

seattle_spring 8y ago
I think "nature" in this article refers to actual natural treasures (Grand Staircase, Yosemite, etc.), not just some random forest on some rolling hills.
- StronglyTyped 8y ago
  Clearly you've never been to Appalachia. It's beautiful, and it's full of poverty.
  - seattle_spring 8y ago
    Sure, it's beautiful. Just not nearly as beautiful as the mountain west and west coast.
- woodruffw 8y ago
  I don't think the Blue Ridge Mountains count as rolling hills, and I would count them among our national treasures. That being said, the fact is that WV's natural resources have been subjected to some of the most profound (and least regulated) economic exploitation in the country. So I don't think the GP's point is correct.
  - thr0waway5678 8y ago
    It reads like "the Poors can live Outdoors!"* but I'm going to assume I'm mistaken or that that couldn't possibly be a popular opinion on hn. *this is a joke and if you want to argue that i'm implying that everyone in West Virginia is homeless, bless your heart
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]

clevershot 8y ago

Let’s build a VC backed AI enabled blockchain VR version of nature for the poor. problem solved

SamUK96 8y ago
You forgot to use BlockchainVRAI.JS framework to orchastrate this together.
nickthemagicman 8y ago
It's better than nature because you can have pokemon there.

yosefzeev 8y ago

If the values are wrong, this follows.

bleigh0 8y ago

Made me think of this: At any rate, spring is here, even in London N1, and they can't stop you enjoying it. This is a satisfying reflection. How many a time have I stood watching the toads mating, or a pair of hares having a boxing match in the young corn, and thought of all the important persons who would stop me enjoying this if they could. But luckily they can't. So long as you are not actually ill, hungry, frightened or immured in a prison or a holiday camp, spring is still spring. The atom bombs are piling up in the factories, the police are prowling through the cities, the lies are streaming from the loudspeakers, but the earth is still going round the sun, and neither the dictators nor the bureaucrats, deeply as they disapprove of the process, are able to prevent it. —from 'Some Thoughts on the Common Toad' by George Orwell. Highly recommend.

thr0waway5678 8y ago

Hahaha comments agreeing with this sentiment are getting downvoted, and the thread itself has been flagged.

dang 8y ago
We've banned this account for trolling. Please don't create accounts to break the site guidelines with. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
- tony_cannistra 8y ago
  was the article flagged because of comments or because of content? op, don't want to step on toes.
  - dang 8y ago
    Users flagged it, presumably because they didn't think it followed the site guidelines. Hard to say if they were reacting to the article or the thread. Divisive topics like this pretty much always turn into flamewars unless they include significant new information for the mind to chew on.

pochamago 8y ago

Aren't the areas Mike Lee is looking to sell already off limits to the public? They're not national parks, so I don't really know how usage works