Date:         Wed, 02 Nov 94 09:02:29 CST
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "J. Walker" <JWALKER@ua1vm.ua.edu>
Subject:      Re: generators vs. camping (long and tiresome)

On Wed, 2 Nov 94 05:47:28 CST Richard Sellers said:
>I don't feel as though I'm being slamed on, dumped on or otherwise "flamed".

good. cause that wasn't my intent at all. i WANT a generator in my bus ...
which is why i bothered to type all that stuff in. :)  i personally like the
idea of the 'other' things that a generator can be used for: running power
tools (like circular saws and such) off in the woods ... maybe building a
cabin or something?

but i can understand other folks not wanting to listen to me ... cause i don't
like to listen to other folks in campgrounds. i guess my whole point (badly
worded, i'll admit) is that you (richard) and john are both right.

>this thread. (besides Ric, Joel, Martha & DC are able to step back and
>reload for the next event) :)

Moi? :)

>I'm somewhat surprised, however, about the sensitivity and response of this
>topic but when I made a comment about being sensitive and considerate of
>people who are homeless (aka sleeping in cars, vans, etc.), there was
>barely a ripple along the telecommunications lines. I'd venture a guess

it may be that generators and such devices are costly items that are direct
action type of things. that is, you CHOOSE a generator or you don't. being
homeless is not exactly something that people choose for themselves.  it's
a state of being that 'happens' when everything in your life goes wrong at
the same time. and a generator or noise or inconsiderate camper in a huge
winnebago who plays his stereo (or tuba? :) loud late at night is something
that most folks feel they can (ought?) to do something about. 'getting
involved' with the homeless is a very different proposition. it means becoming
vulnerable, opening up your life to the problems of another person. and most
of us are not very willing to do that with strangers. a sad commentary on the
america of today.

but what i thought i was stumbling around trying to say was that i think it's
ok to use generators as long as you realize that there are people who don't
care for them.  i guess the whole thing is to try to be considerate of others
and to try to understand that someone else IS trying to be considerate. i'm
reminded of the winnebagos who show up for the football games here ... parking
free in the college parking lots, running their generators all night long with
the music and the alcohol flowing freely, having a good ol' time. then, before
they leave in the morning, they dump their waste tanks in the parking lot.
real nice folks. shining examples.

one of the funny things i thought about with reference to the comment about
going over the next ridge and finding more people ... it seems that humans
have always been doing that: getting away from the crowd. this whole country
was spread across the continent by people who wanted to get away from the
crowded cities in the east. probably most countries were. and folks talk
about sending colonies to mars or the moon. or write stories about other
worlds and such. anyway, i thought it was kinda humorous that after 200 years
we are still trying to find that other ridge. :)

shall we all move up to canada? :)  i hear it's quiet and peaceful ...

joel
<no, i ain't awake yet.>