“Green Acres” editorial absurd

From: "KH"
To: editorial@abbotsfordtimes.com
Subject: Regarding "green acres."
Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2002 07:59:11 -0700
In Response to the editorial "This isn't Green Acres."

The attitude of the writer is so absurd and juvenile that I feel the need to respond.
First of all the statement "The farmers want to co-habit peacefully" is such an oxymoron when dealing with cannons going off every 40 seconds or so that I'm honestly stuck for words to respond to that sentence. But I will ask how can a farmer employing a jaw rattling blast going off every 40-60 seconds be considered one who wants to co-habit peacefully?!

And then if you were to take the idea that the farmer's bottom line should be considered the upmost priority then why have we all screamed so loudly to ban toxic pesticides from being sprayed on fields? Because although it does help the farmers grow better crops, it harms those who would co-habit property nearby not to mention what it does to the environment.

If we were all motivated to feel the way the writer of this editorial feels we would be overrun by people employing things to help their bottom line and ignore the consequences. This is truly dangerous and very near-sighted. I'm glad there are those who are willing to stand up for individual rights and freedoms to make this a better place to live.

I'm sure the writer of this piece has either never lived next to a farmer employing these devices or is in fact one of the farmers themselves. I have no idea how anyone who hasn't lived near here could feel the way the writer feels.

Have they ever been blasted out of a nice morning's sleep by one of these cannons? I have. The first thought is that some crazy idiot is shooting something outside your bedroom window. Is this at a decent hour? No, try 5:00 a.m.!

Has the writer ever put tired children to bed only to have them tell you that they can't sleep because of the cannons? I have. Again, is it some decent hour? Try 12:00 midnight.

Has the writer ever watched, amused I might add, as the cannons actually draw the birds to the field that this cannon is supposedly protecting? I have. One blast, then the birds come flocking in! After all, they have associated the noise with food!

So add to the fact that these noise makers are not actually working to the fact that I have to listen to these things for 3 months straight and I get a little livid at the obvious disregard the writer has for us out here.

You want compromise? I'll give you compromise! Compromise a bit of your sanity while listening to these blasts every minute or less for three months straight. Compromise the value of your land because nobody wants to live next to these farmers. Compromise your summer because you can't sit outside for the damage it does to your eardrums.

And you blithely say "go back to the city." Well, around here, the farmers are those who have immigrated from the city to live in our country setting. A lot of the families who live out here have been here a whole lot longer than the farmers have been. So maybe they should learn compromise and move back to the city themselves!


K.H. in Abbotsford


Back to the Letters Page