Knowledge is Power: The people of Klamath Basin are not alone in their fight with the ESA

December 21, 2002

By Barbara Hall

Klamath Falls, Oregon

kfalls@aol.com

They say knowledge is power. The people of the Klamath Basin -- and many
other places in America and beyond -- need all the environmental issue
knowledge they can get.

Just two years ago, I was like most people -- uneducated about property
rights, land use laws, the ESA and suckerfish, Biological Opinions, "green"
groups, Federal intrusion in my life, and in-depth knowledge about where I
live.

In early 2001, we thought we were alone, fighting the ESA (Endangered Species
Act) battle here in Oregon. Since then, a small group of us have learned to
network, using the Internet, to bring information about other battles to the
attention of as many people as possible here and around the county. Our
group is not so small any longer, and:

We are not alone!

The battle is being waged in every state, county, and small town across
America, and is even coming to the bigger cities disguised as 'smart growth,'
'high density housing,' and more.

On all fronts, it involves private property rights!

The green -- greed -- groups have more money, use scare tactics on the
uneducated masses, abuse federal law loopholes, even lobby and help write
more constrictive private property right laws, and have huge PR firms working
for them.

What do we have? Conviction, love of our country and our Constitution and
Bill of Rights, and the will and determination to fight back. We have
everything to lose and our freedom and heritage to gain back!

Today, because of concern for my farming and ranching neighbors I am involved
and have learned -- and continue to learn! Today I try to share my knowlege
with others. When you consider the forces working together to destroy your
very way of life, there really is no other choice.

I network with people in Ohio, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Florida,
Montana, Nevada, California, Washington, Colorado, South Dakota, New Jersey,
Texas, Alaska, Arizona, Michigan, Virginia, Wyoming, New Mexico, Kansas,
etc., plus with many people here in Oregon.

My email loops number in the hundreds and grows with each new week. When I
send out an email with helpful information, most who receive it have dozens
more that they forward my emails to, creating a grassroots 'ripple effect.'

It was this networking that brought hundreds to our Klamath Basin in the
summer of 2001 -- to the Darby area of Ohio on Labor Day 2000 -- to tiny
Eureka, Montana, in a convoy that stretched over seventeen miles in length.
The Sawgrass Rebellion in Florida saw my neighbors and I 'take to the road'
to stand with those who'd stood with us. just one short year ago.

This grassroots groundswell is becoming an avalanche of information in the
winter of 2002 -- countless numbers of newly aware people are joining
'e-hands' in this fight for our property rights, our freedom.

Their tools? Facts. Truth. Knowledge. Credibility is everything in this
battle, and we have credibility in our corner. We only need to learn how to
use it to win more allies to our side.

That's what I mean by "knowledge is power." There are a lot more of "us"
then there are of "them." We just need to reeducate the masses to the truth
concerning what's really happening to our country and how the "greens" are
taking control of every aspect of our lives.

I'll get off the soap box now, knowing that I'm speaking to the "choir!"

I am glad that you appreciate my efforts -- if there's anything I can do to
help, please let me know. I've done -- and continue to do, with many others
across the width and length of this great land -- extensive research on the
Klamath Basin and other issues that may prove useful to you.