The Sportsman’s World: Since when?
by Leon Archer, The Valley News, 09-04-2010 [here]
When did it come about, that a judge, who knows as much about wildlife management as a cucumber, sitting in his urban, government supplied office, can make a ruling that flies in the face of the thoughtful wishes of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Department, and numerous Montana farm, conservation, and hunting organizations?
Since when? I guess since Judges all across our country started thinking they are the ones who should run this country and decide what America’s citizens can and cannot do. Many of them seem to have little respect for our elected officials or the will of the people, and even less for the people themselves.
This latest example of what I would call judicial abuse of power stems from The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision in 2009 to delist the Gray Wolf from the endangered list in Idaho and Montana. The reasoning behind this move was pretty simple and straight forward. To wit, the recovery of the once endangered wolf in the northern Rocky Mountains is one of the most successful and rapid endangered species comebacks ever recorded. …
Now enter the arrogant, at best misguided, judge, to rule that the wolves should be put back on the endangered list. By what measurement, one might be expected to ask, do these wolves deserve such status? Of course, the answer is simple: because a judge with no expertise in wildlife management has decided he knows better than all those with voluminous information and training in wildlife management.
It’s because a judge chooses to ignore the evidence and expert input and issue a decision that makes absolutely no sense. … [more]