They Really, Really, Really, Really Do NOT Want You Out There, Part II

Could repeated complaints, made over and over to multiple entities, serve to close  your public beach access #4 at Perdido Key?  Some people must believe this to be true......

Sometimes folks complain and raise legitimate issues that must be addressed.

Sometimes the purpose is alturistic and there is a legitimate, bonafide public interest.

Sometimes it appears as if there is a real, legitimate and bonafide public interest in making complaints, filing reports, and having your lawyer send ominous, threatening-sounding complaint letters to various authorities.  And sometimes these letters by lawyers point out these things under the guise of coming on behalf of "concerned citizens" that have the "best of intentions."  And, coincidentally, sometimes such complaints aspire to tacitly serve a dual purpose:  Getting you off a public beach that you, Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayer, paid for and now own.

Luckily, fortunately, and ultimately---that purpose will not be realized.  

I'm a rule follower, and I understand the rules, so we will enforce the rules.  

But we won't ever throw the baby out with the bathwater and KowTow to some who have utter disdain for the general public and wish there was no public beach access anywhere near their private beach enclaves.

Yes yes yes--we don't want folks partying all night long at a park that's supposed to close at dusk.  None of us do.

Of course we don't want folks to dump trash all over the place.  Of course not.

And obviously--we all care about the habitat and the species of animals we are protecting at Beach Access #4 on Perdido Key.

But is that why the below letter got written?  Really?  I don't believe it is--but read it and decide for yourself.  Heck, they even included exhibits and attachments showing the Following:

a.)  A person walking a dog in the parking lot of Access #4  (Oh no-- a DOG!!I can't take the horror of it!)

b.)  A group of folks fishing from Access #4 (  NO FISHING!!!!!!!!  Fishing attracts SHARKS!!!  I might get ATTACKED BY A SHARK!!!!!!!!!!!!)

c.)  A "hole" dug out of the sand.  Seriously.  A hole.  Probably dug by some really curious, industrious young children who were out at the access having a great day at the beach. (AAARRGGHH--they dug a hole in the sand--how dare them!!!!I'm going to need a "safe space!")

d.) A selected snippet from this blog about my strident support of Public Beach Access! (How dare this County Commissioner disagree with us--the private beach owners!!! Cancel Commissioner Bergosh!!!!)

Why the "complaints" one by one over the last two months.  Why this "complaint" by a lawyer?  Why the ridiculous Kabuki theater?

They want access #4 closed, that's why.  They don't like you. By hook or by crook, by any means necessary, they want you gone from there for good, they wish Beach access #4 gone. They don't want you in their back yard, they don't want you anywhere near them.  They are wealthy, they OWN their beach and don't want you near it! That's the real intention, that's my opinion.  

Why do I think this?  

Well, it's because the same group used the same lawyer to try to prevent the beach from ever opening up in the first place.  They lost that fight, they failed, and you, the public, won.  That's why.   I've had several of them call me up and tell me as much.  They're not happy, some of them.  Angry, bitter, scornful, and downright mean.  Some of them--not all of them thankfully.  Not even a majority of them.

They may not say it directly (although some have, to me directly)---but here's the key:  These few elitists don't want you near them.  Anywhere near them.  They really, really really really do not want you out there near their "private" beach on Perdido Key.  You're not worthy, according to a small minority of out-of-town "owners" of beacfront property on Perdido Key.  

Remember----as much as we  all wish it were not the case---when an amenity is opened up for the enjoyment of the public---there is aways going to be  small minority percentage of citizens who will not behave properly.  They'll violate rules, they'll vandalize the property, they'll disrespect nearby neighbors.

It happens all the time--not just at the beach next to million dollar properties $.  It also happens at other parks.  Look at the problems at Lexington Terrace Park.  What would the Birmingham resident, out of state condo owner at Perdido Key think if the Lexington Terrace "car show" group started coming out to Beach Access #4 for their Sunday afternoon gatherings?  Nevermind..........  (But the answer is that guy would go apoplectic.)

Here's the thing--as long as I serve the publicin Escambia County--I will never support the idea of punishing everyone for the misdeeds of the few.  That's what happens in places like Russia and China---not America.  If people break rules, we report and penalize the rule-breakers, not everybody.  And we do the best we can to clean up the vandalism as it happens---knowing the world is imperfect and there will always be some problems.  But even with that fact in place---we will never initiate "Jelly Donut" discipline and punish all of the citizens for the misbehavior of the few.

So after a month's long barrage of complaints with the apparent, covert aim of closing Beach Access #4 by "infraction reporting" to the county----step 2 in this apparent war of attrition on your (Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayer)  public beach access is the use of buzz words" in a crisply-delivered letter from a lawyer to the state Fish and Wildlife Division.  

But of course, this letter was only written with the best of intentions.  Remember:  It is not about their disdain for public access and Mr. and Mrs. Joe Sixpack coming to the beach.  Nope.  It is ONLY about protecting the nesting shorebirds, turtles, beach mice and habitat.  Thats all this is--concern about the wildlife.  How do I know?--Well just read the below letter for yourself!  And one last thing, for anyone that thinks that my opinion, above, is overly harsh, cynical, or condescending:  Check out the history and the story behind the coordinated, determined, and overt---- nearly deceade-long---- effort to keep you, the public, from ever using this beach access----here.