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Date published: 7/28/2006
I'D LIKE TO RESPOND to your recent Contrary to the cartoon, there are good reasons for not opening the trail to the public, and I have not seen credible counter-arguments in these pages or elsewhere. Mr. Fedorchak concedes the potential for crime along the trail but says we shouldn't be deterred, because some selected studies reassure us that the crime rate on the trail may not be any higher than the rate prevalent in the neighborhood already. Doesn't he realize how silly this argument sounds? I already have my hands full in dealing with the general public at my King George property, mainly in the form of bags of litter that I pick up along the road frontage, but also including cases of trespassing. The trail would only open a new front in this ongoing but one-sided battle. If any advocate of the trail thinks that exceptional and increasingly rare surroundings will somehow instill a heightened sense of responsibility, I'd be happy to give him a tour of campsites along the Rappahannock River, where the amount and variety of litter might be a revelation. Too many individuals feel they have a God-given right to dispose of their trash wherever and whenever they please. Also, it is only after owning property for many years, in King George and elsewhere, that I am no longer surprised that so many have such little respect for private property. To cite a recent example at another location, someone ignored a closed gate and other obvious signs of private ownership in order to gain access to the river. Does this make him a "serious criminal" in your book? Perhaps not, but it may be of interest that the trespasser turned out to be a teacher in the schools of Spotsylvania!
1. Be respectful. No personal attacks.
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