[Rhodes22-list] the dog story continues
Michael Meltzer
mjm@michaelmeltzer.com
Wed, 18 Sep 2002 16:34:09 -0400
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
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even I get i miss the address complete too :-)
http://www.westport-news.com/Stories/0,1413,100%257E4435%257E864638,00.ht=
ml
http://www.westport-news.com/Stories/0,1413,100%257E4435%257E864646,00.ht=
ml
and now a preview of fridays paper
-----Original Message-----
From: Roland and Barbara Paul =
[mailto:barbara.roland.paul@worldnet.att.net]=20
Sent: Tuesday, September 17, 2002 11:27 AM
To: chennessy@bcnnew.com; minuteman@ctcentral.com; =
jfphjensen@worldnet.att.net; scheff@optonline.net; =
sheffer@stonypoint.net; theodore_youngling@prusec.com; =
marlartm@optonline.net; gwentcamp@aol.com; shelton@optonline.net; =
mgwebber@snet.net; aabrams@optonline.net; Debrrath@aol.com; =
chaberst@aol.com; jkplunker@aol.com; rlichter@aol.com; =
geblaw@optonline.net; rwmtophat@aol.com; gfrancil@optonline.net; =
ladymchnry@aol.com; jaybee4@compuserve.com; radulphum@juno.com; =
bankside@juno.com; mjslez@juno.com; saulhaffner@hotmail.com; =
recyclerron@aol.com; flynnamflynn@aol.com; garvelh@cs.com; =
jgklinge@aol.com; LSRomeMD@worldnet.att.net; rubin@snet.net; =
sailfiend@aol.com; donniebrk@aol.com; joseloff@optonline.net; =
wfmeyer@optonline.net; reartm@aol.com; wcclois@webquill.com; =
Mary.Moers.Wenig@quinnipiac.edu
Subject: new dog regulation
=20
The new dog regulation is widely appreciated and should be upheld by the =
RTM. However, there is an opportunity to make it better, that is, to =
require leashing all along the beach. We all would agree that many =
people's favorite recreational activities come at unacceptable costs to =
the general public. Nude swimming, for example, some people's favorite =
recreational activity, may offend many people's sensibilities. There is =
no designated area for that special interest group on any of =
Connecticut's public beaches, including Westport's. People must wear =
bathing suits on all parts of the beach so that the general public will =
not feel constrained from using any part of the beach.=20
Overnight camping, some people's favorite recreational activity, is not =
given a designated area on small town beaches, including Westport's. =
That activity could produce unacceptable noise and litter and constrain =
the general public from using that area. People can sleep there during =
the day without setting up camp there.
Boisterous beer parties, which some people consider a favorite =
recreation, may seem offensive to others and could result in the danger =
of broken glass and rowdy behavior. No special areas are set aside for =
that activity on any town's beach, including Westport's, because the =
public would feel constrained from enjoying themselves on that area of =
the beach.
Dog owners whose favorite recreational activity is letting their dogs =
run freely on the beach can't possibly control their dogs from =
physically interfering with people and impacting on their safety, health =
and enjoyment of the beach. They are not given a designated area on any =
other beach in CT for their special interest. Dogs are banned entirely =
on almost all of them, and they must be leashed and under control on the =
entire beach in the two towns that allow them there. This assures that =
the general public will not feel constrained from enjoying the whole =
beach. With our new and long overdue regulation, which is much =
appreciated, the general public here will continue to feel constrained =
from enjoying themselves on a major area of Compo Beach.=20
Why are we the only town to cater to a special interest group's favorite =
activity when it impacts the general public's access to the entire =
beach? Supposing one hundred or one thousand people pressed for an area =
of Compo to be designated for nude swimming? (Even some vocal dog owners =
might object to this.) What precedent would there be in Westport to =
rule it out? Once we have catered to one group's favorite recreational =
activity, even though it has intolerable consequences for the general =
public, would it become legally or in any way appropriate to refuse to =
designate other areas there for unrestricted special interest activity =
when there are other places where they can be carried on? Numerous =
public area are especially available in Westport to any dogs owners from =
any town who wish to have their dogs run free. Westport bought very =
expensive land for the public, and most people wouldn't think of going =
there because of free running dogs.
Compo Beach is small and precious to ALL of the general public. Every =
special interest group will reason that their favorite activity is =
valid, God given, or popular enough to warrant a specially designated =
area at the beach. If we designated, let's say, four special interest =
areas, there wouldn't be much public beach for the public to enjoy. For =
example, if we designated part A of the beach to one special interest =
group, part B to another, part C to another, and part D to another, what =
a conundrum it would be for the general public to figure out which part =
of the beach they can really enjoy themselves on! Those who don't mind =
what goes on in parts B and C will ask how they can get from part A to D =
without compromising their safety, their family's sensibilities, their =
enjoyment. What is Westport getting itself into by designating a large =
area of the beach to a special interest group?=20
So that we don't have to constrain people from using parts of Compo that =
have unacceptable risks to them, the RTM should consider modifying the =
new regulation to require leashing of dogs all along the beach off =
season. With appropriate restrictions on this special interest group, as =
on any other special interest group, we can insure that everyone will =
have access to the whole beach, the way a public beach is meant to be.
Barbara Paul, 8 Ellery Lane, Westport CT 06880, 226-4684
---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
even I get i miss the address complete = too=20 :-)
[1]http://www.westport-news.com/Stories/0,1413,100%257E4435%257E8646=
38,00.html
[2]http://www.westport-news.com/Stories/0,1413,100%257E4435%257E8646=
46,00.html
and now a preview of fridays = paper
-----Original=20 Message-----
From: = Roland and=20 Barbara Paul
[mailto:barbara.roland.paul@worldnet.att.net]
Sent: = Tuesday, September 17,=20 2002 11:27=20 AM
To: chennessy@bcnnew.com;=20 minuteman@ctcentral.com;
jfphjensen@worldnet.att.net; = scheff@optonline.net;=20
sheffer@stonypoint.net; theodore_youngling@prusec.com; =
marlartm@optonline.net;=20 gwentcamp@aol.com; shelton@optonline.net;
mgwebber@snet.net;=20 aabrams@optonline.net; Debrrath@aol.com;
chaberst@aol.com; = jkplunker@aol.com;=20 rlichter@aol.com;
geblaw@optonline.net; rwmtophat@aol.com;=20 gfrancil@optonline.net;
ladymchnry@aol.com; jaybee4@compuserve.com;=20 radulphum@juno.com;
bankside@juno.com; mjslez@juno.com; = saulhaffner@hotmail.com;=20
recyclerron@aol.com; flynnamflynn@aol.com; garvelh@cs.com; =
jgklinge@aol.com;=20 LSRomeMD@worldnet.att.net; rubin@snet.net;
sailfiend@aol.com; = donniebrk@aol.com;=20 joseloff@optonline.net;
wfmeyer@optonline.net; reartm@aol.com;=20 wcclois@webquill.com;
Mary.Moers.Wenig@quinnipiac.edu
Subject: new dog=20 regulation
The new dog regulation is widely appreciated and should = be upheld=20
by the RTM. However, there is an opportunity to make it = better,
that=20 is, to require leashing all along the beach. We all =
would=20 agree that many people=92s favorite recreational activities
come at = unacceptable costs to the general public. Nude swimming, for
example, = some=20 people=92s favorite recreational activity, may
offend many people=92s = sensibilities.=20 There is no designated area
for that special interest group on any of=20 Connecticut=92s public =
beaches,=20 including Westport=92s. = People must=20 wear bathing
suits on all parts of the beach so that the general public = will
not=20 feel constrained from using any part of the beach.=20
Overnight=20 camping, some people=92s favorite recreational activity,
is not given a = designated=20 area on small town beaches,
including=20 Westport=92s. = That=20 activity could produce
unacceptable noise and litter and constrain the = general=20 public
from using that area. People can sleep there during the day =
without=20 setting up camp there.
Boisterous=20 beer parties, which some people consider a favorite
recreation, may seem = offensive to others and could result in the
danger of broken glass and = rowdy=20 behavior. No special areas are
set aside for that activity on any = town=92s beach,=20 including =
Westport=92s,=20 because the public would feel constrained from
enjoying themselves on = that area=20 of the beach.
Dog owners=20 whose favorite recreational activity is letting their
dogs run freely on = the=20 beach can=92t possibly control their dogs
from physically interfering = with people=20 and impacting on their
safety, health and enjoyment of the beach. They = are not=20 given a
designated area on any other beach in CT for their special =
interest.=20 Dogs are banned entirely on almost all of them, and they
must be leashed = and=20 under control on the entire beach in the two
towns that allow them = there. This=20 assures that the general public
will not feel constrained from enjoying = the=20 whole beach. With our
new and long overdue regulation, which is much=20 appreciated, the
general public here will continue to feel constrained = from=20
enjoying themselves on a major area of=20 Compo=20 Beach.
Why are we=20 the only town to cater to a special interest group=92s
favorite activity = when it=20 impacts the general public=92s access
to the entire beach? Supposing one = hundred=20 or one thousand people
pressed for an area of Compo to be designated for = nude=20 swimming?
(Even some vocal dog owners might object to this.) What=20 precedent
would there be in=20 Westport to = rule it=20 out? Once we have
catered to one group=92s favorite recreational = activity, even=20
though it has intolerable consequences for the general public, would
it = become=20 legally or in any way appropriate to refuse to
designate other areas = there for=20 unrestricted special interest
activity when there are other places=20 where they can be carried on?
Numerous public area are especially = available=20 in Westport to any
dogs = owners from=20 any town who wish to have their dogs run
free. =20 Westport bought very = expensive land=20 for the
public, and most people wouldn't think of going there = because of=20
free running dogs.
Compo=20 Beach is small and precious = to ALL of=20 the general
public. Every special interest group will reason that their =
favorite=20 activity is valid, God given, or popular enough to warrant
a specially=20 designated area at the beach. If we designated, let=92s
say, four = special interest=20 areas, there wouldn=92t be much public
beach for the public to=20 enjoy. For example, if we designated part
A of the beach to = one=20 special interest group, part B to another,
part C to another, and part D = to=20 another, what a conundrum it
would be for the general public to figure = out which=20 part of the
beach they can really enjoy themselves on! Those who don=92t = mind
what=20 goes on in parts B and C will ask how they can get from part A
to D = without=20 compromising their safety, their family=92s
sensibilities, their = enjoyment. What=20 is Westport getting itself =
into by=20 designating a large area of the beach to a special interest
group?=20
So that we=20 don=92t have to constrain people from using parts =
of Compo that have=20 unacceptable risks to them, the RTM should
consider modifying the new = regulation=20 to require leashing of dogs
all along the beach off season. With = appropriate=20 restrictions on
this special interest group, as on any other special = interest=20
group, we can insure that everyone will have access to the whole
beach, = the way=20 a public beach is meant to be.
Barbara=20 Paul, 8 Ellery=20 Lane, Westport=20 CT 06880,=20 226-4684
References
1. 3D"http://www.westport-news.com/Stories/0,1413,100%7E4435%7E864638,0=
2. 3D"http://www.westport-news.com/Stories/0,1413,100%7E4435%7E864646,0=
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