Mindless Rage at Adams Gulch resolves nothing
Commetary by PAT MURPHY
In the darkness of Friday night and pre-dawn Saturday, a person or
persons apparently wielding axes hacked down two user-fee signs at Adams Gulch.
This was the work of people in mindless rage, undeterred by the
prospect of felony punishment for destruction of government property.
The axers presumably raged against user fees, since other non-fee
signs nearby were untouched. In their logic, they apparently believed they could
frighten Washington into ending the user fee.
The fee is still in force. Signs will be repaired at taxpayer
expense. Washington isn't paralyzed with fear.
And those who oppose the user fee - and there are many - have chosen
more civil ways of arguing their case, through petitioning of the Congress and lawsuits.
And, mind you, the fee has generated several benefits, not the
least of which is a debate on whether our national lands are being properly funded.
Rage seems to have become an instinctive cure-all for too many among us. Road
rage, spousal abuse, drive-by shootings, serial killers, bar brawls are symptoms of a lost
ability to find solutions through civility.
Even children not yet out of elementary school are landing in criminal courts.
The media culture may, indeed, have a pernciious influence on
behavior.
But, sadly, the bastion of American culture, professional sports,
where the nation's youth turn for heroes and idols, has condoned rage and physical
violence, and thus become a model for some who believe fisticuffs are acceptable.
Mega-millionaire team owners not only tolerate violence by players as
harmless boys-will-be-boys contretemps, but violence is understood as a sure-fire audience
builder when players duke it out.
Even in once-civil tennis, celebrity players hurl racquets, smash
equipment, scream vulgarities, flick obscene gestures, storm around courts in rage.
Basketball, hockey, football and baseball are the bloodiest. Players
duke it out in slugfests that would land them in jail were they in an office slugging
co-workers.
It's no coincidence that among brawlers in sports, some acquire
criminal records for wife beating, rape, assault, drug usage, drunk driving.
Perhaps the vandals who chopped down Adams Gulch signs have vented
their anger, and now have second thoughts and sworn off destructive behavior.
No one in a democratic society is cheerful about every law enacted
and enforced in government.
But government, after all, is made up of us.
A civil society is best run with ideas and debate, not by outbursts that resort to axes.
Murphy is the retired publisher of the Arizona Republic and a
former radio commentator
