brenda's thoughts, watch out I'm Christian

Here's a copy of a 'letter to the editor' that I intend to send to the telegraph until it's posted or the problem is solved.

"My mother was a child during WWII. She remembers the depression well. She has set out to save the planet one recycled toilet paper roll at a time. She's only recently stopped saving milk gallon jugs. She drives me crazy but she's right. Let me say that again for clarification. She's right.

I'm not a liberal. I have a tendency to put them in the same category as Yankees and people who went to the other high school but on this point they are right. We should be better stewards of our planet.

My great grandmother came to visit from west Texas several years ago. She was dumbstruck by the trees. Trees are what I'm interested in saving, forests full of them.

About a year ago I was out in Oaky Woods with a friend. We were coming back from a search for river access. We are kayakers. We were driving slowly enjoying the day when we came up on a large bird eating road-kill. It stood about two and half to three feet off the ground, with blue-grey feathers and had a sleek head, like a hawk. We watched it for a few minutes before it flew away. The wing span was awesome. (I asked a ranger. He said, "No, it was not an eagle". I disagree.)

On another day I was out there with my parents for a short hike when we came upon the biggest bear I have ever seen in the wild. He easily stood eight feet off the ground on his hind legs. Since we were in a car when he did this, it was wonderful. Yes, we still went hiking that day.

I could go on but you get the picture or maybe you don't. Just about two miles further down that same dirt road is the site of the new "privately owned city" that has caused so much controversy. "No Trespassing" signs now hang from trees where I saw the bear. Houses are being built where I saw the bird. Soon a water treatment plant will be built where we looked for river access.

I won't go into the politics because frankly I don't understand them and thinking about the obvious greediness of the owners only serves to make me angry. I definitely won't say anything about the Governor who sounds like he's done some insider trading, but what do I know. I will say that Oaky Woods is part of a stretch of woods in middle Georgia that has been called one of the few wild places left in the nation. We should be proud; instead we're tearing it down.

Please get involved; call your representatives, call Sonny's office, write a letter to the editor, explain the issue to as many people as you can. At the least buy a bumper sticker. Chuck's Bait and Tackle in Warner Robins has them for a dollar, or you can buy one at http://www.saveoakywoods.com/. Also sign the petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/4gahunt/petition.html

Save Oaky Woods."