A recap of the Dunes issue

Letters

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 Hello again,

 I was just reading what could have been a response from Karen O'Brien to my  previous letter.  It was a good recap of the issues.

1)  Defining what "conservationism" is.  Do we treasure it by addressing the  real, pressing issues, or just ignoring it and leaving nature to its own devices?  The failure of the buried decking and fencing is a good reminder that trying to direct nature, in this case wind and sand, is a losing battle and strategies need to be re-adjusted as conditions constantly change.  Why not make it better by responsibly maintaining the progress and rectifying overgrowth? 

2) "high-jinks in the dunes..."  Criminality.  Is it ok for open alcohol, drunkenness, urination, graffiti, and litter to be tolerated because everybody does it when they are young?  Or is  this a law enforcement issue outside of environmental stewardship?  You wouldn't  tolerate it in your neighborhood at home, why would you tolerate it in Southampton?  If you cared about the Dunes, wouldn't this be issue#1?

 3) " so why not pick up litter as you see it, clean up the graffiti.  There is no better way to teach our children values than by example."   My children do pick up the trash.  We have to, just to avoid the beer bottles on the way to the beach. You can pick up today's trash and there will be plenty more tomorrow.  I picked up the trash on the beach when I was little.  This is how we want our kids to spend their summer vacation... picking up  the trash from someone else's party - broken glass and tin cans out in front of their cottage?  I teach my children to treasure the environment in many other ways.  This is just teaching them that some people are very irresponsible and we  have to clean up after them.

  Why don't the illegal party people take their trash with them?  I will not have my young children removing graffiti off  of an old, half-buried deck and sign on their vacation.  The implication that this is a way for us to appreciate our environment and spend our vacation time is a little bit confusing.  Just remove the eyesore decking and the sign.

 4)  "hue and cry from the cottagers"  We are real people who pay real taxes and have real issues and have every right -yes, and an obligation - to voice concerns if we see them. We aren't transients coming in for the day and leaving.

Some of us have been here for several generations. Apparently, being "open  minded" means seeing things their way. Please do not portray us in a patronizing way as anything other than concerned residents.

 Please - find a way to have a serious, responsible dialogue about the Dunes without picking teams. This constant implication that anyone who questions the "Conservationism" is someone who needs to be re-educated is really tiresome. We all know and live with the issues.

Why would any of us want the beach destroyed?  We live there.  Everyone loves the beach and wants to take responsible ownership for its protection and management.  Properly care for the whole beach - from the waterline to the property line - with an actionable plan that takes environment and people into account, and law enforcement on board with ending criminal and disruptive activity on the South Beach.

I am not an environmental engineer nor a law enforcement agent so those plans need to be agreed upon and proposed by qualified personnel.

Then everyone can have a beach and a neighborhood that is beautiful, relaxing and fun. 

Isn't that the bottom line?

 Anita Simpson

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Thursday, September 02, 2010