VIEW FROM THE BACKSIDE by Barry Denton
Communist Style America (The views expressed in this column are not necessarily those of the New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association or this publication.)
I
n this area there is lots of United States Forest Service land and many of my neighbors continue to graze cattle on it. I sold my Forest Service leases in 2005 but am kept abreast of what is going on. I know one of my neighbors has been ranching the same country for over 100 years. One thing about it, you can’t ranch on the same piece of ground and be successful for over 100 years without being a good conservationist and using the land wisely. It seems the latest scheme the USFS has developed to get cattle off of their leases, is to change the rules in how they determine how many cattle each lease is good for. When you sign up for a grazing lease,
they give you a basic handbook and it outlines their rules that they suggest you follow. They add and change rules constantly, so they are always sending you updates. Basically, you will need a staff to keep up with their rule changes. If you care to discuss these changes with someone besides a flunky at the USFS then you must start at the bottom government office and work your way up. You cannot just talk to someone with authority at your whim. You can never go and see who you need to see, without jumping through hoops. Their obvious intention is to wear you out before they ever answer you. Last week I attended a function where the USFS Southwestern Region Director Robert Trujillo spoke to enlighten people on the Forest Service’s new policy on determining cattle grazing numbers during a drought. First, he spoke of his family ranching in New Mexico since 1580, and stated he loved the thought of grazing on public lands. However, when asked some specifics about current grazing restrictions he refused to answer questions and left. Isn’t the last word in USFS “service”? I’d say for the last 30 years they consider themselves prima donnas and never acknowledge the word “service”. They have even forgotten that they are paid by the same people that they are refusing to help. What a waste of time that guy was. You would think he would have bent over backwards to address concerns of lessees
grazing on USFS land. Instead, he was like a scared rabbit and ran off. Evidently this attitude of avoidance must be in their government employee handbook. Of course, faint hearted government employees would rather follow it than take a stand against it. In another instance my wife had to visit the local Social Security office in our small town. When she walked in, she was asked by a security guard if she had any weapons or ammunition, then her purse was searched in each compartment, and she was patted down to make sure. Then she was told to make sure her phone was turned off and told that she had to wear a mask. One thing about it when she got home, I told my wife that she should quit dressing like a gangster. Now consider that most people that go into that office are older citizens and harmless. Explain something to me. How do you get up in the morning, travel to your workplace, and enjoy patting down harmless old ladies for a living? What kind of a dullard would hire on to do that job? How do you look at yourself in the mirror when you are carrying out such a disservice to your fellow citizens? It’s wrong folks, this sounds more like Communist Russia than the freedom loving United States. Just think, if the federal government agencies actually tried to help its citizens in a friendly and courteous manner, they wouldn’t have to worry about little old ladies gunning them down. Let’s Go Brandon!
▫
MAY 2022
63
