Wow: "Tariffs Set to Hit Paddlesports Hard"

I think, moreover, that advocacy is entirely appropriate for members of an organization that supports a particular activity, like paddling, especially if there are conditions that threaten that activity. The op ed writer, John Hoge, writes at length about a condition that he feels threatens the paddling industry. The condition—tariffs—is entirely political in nature. I support his effort to bring the issue to our attention. There are other issues that are an even bigger threat to paddling.

@thebob.com said:
Interested in paddling; NOT politics.
Ease on down the road; plenty of other sites to fulfill your political needs.
This is paddling.net, NOT politics.net.

BOB

Maybe you didn’t read your Paddle News this morning, or maybe you’re not a subscriber?

yep it was in my inbox too… Unfortunately paddling in the future does depend on political decisions

Please read the entire post before slaying the messenger.

No Paddle bird, I don’t get paddle news.
If that is the same one that the ACA used to put out ,I gave it up years go, and one of the reasons was what I stated above.
This is the last comment from me on this subject

We tend to try to resurrect B and B which is gone for a reason.

Paddling news comes from this website
Complain to the site admins

Interesting, I just read the article and came back to say the same.

It seems I got the article but didn’t read it. Perhaps because the topic, that tariffs on products from China affect the price of products from China, was covered in the headline.

The site administrator owns the site. I should mention that it is awfully rare for someone to complain about what gets posted in News on a Board. So it seems that people are generally OK with his decisions. I am personally happy to leave it to his choice.

If my complete product line was imported and sold through big box stores I might be upset too.

My boats were made a mile fromy house.

@JackL said:
No Paddle bird, I don’t get paddle news.
If that is the same one that the ACA used to put out ,I gave it up years go, and one of the reasons was what I stated above.
This is the last comment from me on this subject

Paddle News is the newsletter mailed by the owner of THIS SITE to subscribers. See, you missed that part. YOUR site owner sent out a political op ed to subscribers today. I’m commenting on a newsletter sent to me by THIS SITE. I’m not just pulling a random political topic out of the air. Please read more carefully before you start judging.

That’s what we’ve all been saying. You too
Let’s go paddling. A few rolls ought to smooth our feathers

@Celia said:
The site administrator owns the site. I should mention that it is awfully rare for someone to complain about what gets posted in News on a Board. So it seems that people are generally OK with his decisions. I am personally happy to leave it to his choice.

No real complaint from me, but I think op eds should be identified as editorials. I AGREE with the writer’s position on tariffs, I SUPPORT the publication of his article, and I support discussing items published in Paddle News in this forum.

The forum rules read, “An opportunity for general discussion and a place to learn more about fellow paddlers. Discuss whatever it is that floats your boat. No real guidelines, just be civil.” If some want to discuss scupper plugs that’s fine. I’m also interested in larger issues that impact the entire sport of paddling. It appears the site owner shares an interest in larger issues, like the political issue of tariffs. Hence he decided to publish a political op ed.

I would like to see a well-informed op ed on the impact of climate change on paddling: on paddler behaviors (when, where, and how often they paddle; what they contribute to the economy; how their activities have changed in recent years) and on the economy (sales of paddling products; related services like guides, restaurants, and lodging; events). My own town derives revenue from paddlers but this summer paddlers were impacted by extreme heat, humidity, and drought. Personally I skipped more than two months of paddling this year, made no attempt all summer. This is a great loss of quality of life.

There is no bicker and banter here, only an invitation to discuss larger important issues that impact us all.

Nothing is safe from the delusional chants of the of political bots and shills from any party or organization. It has become an epidemic on forums and message boards. We must be strong.

There is a difference between “delusional chants of the of political bots and shills from any party or organization” and informing people about policy decisions by their elected representatives that directly or indirectly affect their livelihoods and/or recreational interests.

I’ve belonged for 46 years to a local outdoor club that has raised hundred of thousands of dollars and contributed thousands of hours of volunteer effort (including pressuring government officials) for conservation and access issues that affect the wilderness places that we love. We have, in partnership with similar groups, had some real impact in blocking commercial development of some pristine areas (like our lobbying efforts that blocked the building of a casino hotel complex on a pristine lake in central NY state). And we have actively fought access restrictions in recreational areas and mining leases in sensitive environmental niches.

We all need to be aware that who we vote for eventually will affect our quality of life. If we don’t stay aware of how political actions could deprive us the things we love to do and get involved in making sure that does not happen, who is going to do it for us? Saying “I don’t want to hear about that stuff” is sticking your head in the sand.

Here is the article in question, for those that don"t get the email from paddling.com
https://paddling.com/learn/tariffs-set-to-hit-paddlesports-hard

I have no control over what the site administration does or does not post.
My position remains the same. I have NO interest in politics.

I resent the implication (veiled put down) that I am just sticking my head in the sand, if I do not agree, or agree to disagree with somebody else’s personal or political agenda.

I am well educated, and have common sense enough to make an informed decision for myself. If someone does not like my decision; that would be their problem, not mine.

BOB

This is slightly dated, but still applies today.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/walmart/china/trade.html

@willowleaf said:
We all need to be aware that who we vote for eventually will affect our quality of life. If we don’t stay aware of how political actions could deprive us the things we love to do and get involved in making sure that does not happen, who is going to do it for us? Saying “I don’t want to hear about that stuff” is sticking your head in the sand.

Very well stated! Quality of life has already been impacted, possibly to the point of no return. A recent, exhaustively investigated, article in the New York Times traced the history blow by blow of exactly how we managed to miss so many opportunities to do something about climate change since the 1970s. For me personally, quality of life now depends entirely on an air conditioner. Contemplating life without paddling (due to whatever cause—loss of protected lands, access closures, climate change) makes my heart sink.

While I may not agree with one side, or the other on certain issues, it’s when it turns political that it all goes in the dumper. There is one party that describes the other as being deplorable. Those of the other persuasion think the former are despicable, stupid and insane. Neither side is intetested in the others opinlons and that is just the way it is.

When I go paddling, I don’t care and don’t want to know which side a fellow paddler favors. Unless they try to unload their insanity on me.

@thebob.com said:
I have NO interest in politics.
I resent the implication (veiled put down) that I am just sticking my head in the sand . . .

The solution for you seems exquisitely simple: skip any threads that don’t interest you. But to state, “I have NO interest in politics” sure hints at sticking your head in the sand. I’m not okay with other people doing the hard work of standing up for my rights or fixing problems that impact me. We owe a debt of gratitude to people like Willowleaf who do more than just paddle, ON OUR BEHALF. The last election was decided by people who didn’t vote.

If you meant to say, “I have no interest in politics on this website” my answer is similar. Skip what doesn’t interest you, but remember that politics, the environment, and paddling are very intricately connected. You can’t have one without the other, and SOMEONE needs to be interested and willing to act. You’re not interested in political discussion and action? Fine, but don’t think you can chase off those who are. They’re a tough group. Some of them didn’t spend years fight against things like the Vietnam War, air and water pollution, and civil rights to be bullied when we need them the most. “Ease on down the road?” I think not.

Now that I think about it, this website needs a Paddling Political Advocay forum. The site took a strong commercial turn a couple of years ago. The article by the vice president of Sea Eagle shows just how tight the connection is between commerce and politics.