Posts: 3293
Registered: 2004-02-05 Destin, FL
As someone who has been aware of the history on this, you must know that what you're putting forward here is at best wishful in process and thought.
Here's reality:
1. The original petition was put together in February of 2004 by the heads of ALL the cave diving organizations, and was signed by all their representatives. It was sent to Sandra, who claims (in her letter here) that she had "never seen it." Ok. If she says so. Considering that many people have claimed that followup was attempted and rebuffed, I'm not sure I believe that - but its ok, as I'm sure that sooner or later we'll get to the bottom of that.
2. The petition drive was started at the end of this year, but its not like this was the first anyone had heard of it. Indeed, Johnny Richards had been working this for almost the entire year of 2004, as I'm sure you know, and he was not alone. BTW, the first run of the petition software generated close to a hundred signatures - before that letter was written. It went not only to Sandra, but also to Colleen - to think that it had no impact is to ignore history.
3. The letter back to Mr. Poucher was sent just a few days ago, on the 18th. What's not obvious is that there have been a lot of people sending letters in to Sandra - and her boss - since this effort got started. What I got back here was simply documentation backing up the assertion by the Park Service's counsel that diving will be permitted.
I have no idea when the decision was actually made. Note that the letter doesn't actually reference that decision and the person who made it either.
Indeed, that letter to Mr. Poucher is pretty "soft" and lacks commitment.
What I do know is that a number of us, myself included, got "form letters" back in response to our signatures on the electronic (faxed by my software) petitions that were widely interpreted as "brush offs." Were they? I don't know that either.
What I also know is that today's phone call from the counsel's office in response to my FOIA was the first concrete, no weasel-word statement from anyone that diving will be allowed. Note that the letter to Mr. Poucher is not the definitive statement - there are plenty of weasel outs in there. What's definitive is on the cover page - there's no weasel out on that one.
I personally believe that only through collective action will sites be opened and remain open. Certainly, collective action by agencies is important - if they can be brought to the table and agree.
However, Cindy, for a few agency heads to get together and without any vote of the membership say "we speak for cave divers and we want ......" is fraught with many dangers, not all of them immediately obvious. Indeed, the emails and letters flying around towards Peacock show exactly why this, without public exposition and support, can be a very, very bad idea.
Historically speaking it is grass roots action that tends to get results when politics are involved.
Thanks are due to everyone who has gotten involved. Every one of the original signatories on the petition (including Mr. Poucher), every person who signed the electronic copy I've been running, every person who signed the copies at Cave Excursions, CEE and elsewhere, those who wrote personal letters, etc.
Cindy, as I'm sure you know these sorts of things are supposed to happen "in the sunshine" in Florida - NOT in backroom deals made between a couple of people without any substantive public process.
That's been te problem up until now with the Wakulla Park System, and is why we're all working on this!
I find the suggestion that we should all just slink back off into the night and let people do a deal in the back room offensive. In addition, I find it in direct contradiction to how goverment in Florida - and elsewhere - is supposed to operate.
This much I do know - since the service (both in the letter and in my phone call with counsel, who specifically spoke with the director before calling me) has identified specific infrastructure improvements that need to be made, we now have the means to figure out if the claims are true or misdirection.
The obvious means of figuring this out is to collectively put together work crews comprised of interested people (who do not necessarily need to be cave divers) complete with their circular saws, sawhorses and hammers, along with a few trailers full of lumber and offer to show up.
If its boardwalks and steps that they want to see put in place, we'll give that to them. I have a very nice 10" DeWalt commercial-grade circular saw and I know how to use both it and a hammer - and I suspect that coordinating this effort will indeed come together.
Presented with a work crew that can put together the required improvements in a few weekends - hardly improbable given available effort - the bluff will be called.
In addition, I have no intention of dropping the FOIA inquiry, as I made clear to park service counsel. I have been specifically invited to the Wakulla Park Office to inspect any and all records that I requested for the purpose of either photographing them or having copies made (at the usual standard cost) - anything that I recover in that effort will be published, and allowed to stand on its own merits.
I believe it is important that this effort go forward for the specific purpose of preventing any future possible efforts at misdirection. If indeed nothing untoward has occurred up until now, that's fine. But knowledge that "the people are watching" is the first, last and best guarantee that nothing improper will happen.
Truth is what it is. I, and many others, want to know what the truth is.
This is a major step forward, and IMHO it was no accident that it happened. It occurred because of the very public pressure that has been brought to bear.
Let's follow it with more steps forward, rather than people telling us we ought to "step back.'
My efforts will continue, and I urge others to do so as well. I further urge you to join us Cindy.....
Last modified: 2005-03-25 20:24:00 by genesis
2005-03-25 19:39:19