Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Bellows Beach Closure

I've said it before, I'll say it again: unless the public takes responsibility for policing itself and reporting the idiots who trash our beaches or break other laws, we will lose access to places like Bellows, which is under military control.

I don't doubt there is validity in the reasoning for closing it off to the public. But this is the U.S. Marines we're talking about! Couldn't they station some MPs in a non-threatening way to discourage scofflaws? Sometimes it just takes the presence of authority figures to send a message, or issue a "friendly" warning about throwing away garbage. It doesn't have to be all-out war on the public just because of a small number of inconsiderate morons. The problem is too many of us just sit back and do nothing when we see rude kids and adult slobs ruining it for everyone else.

Here's the links to the Advertiser and Star-Bulletin articles.

What do you think should be done?

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Hi Rich and all,
More of us speak out!
I do not go to the part of Bellows that was open to the public because of the reasons you stated and more. The crazy and illegal ATV's nearby, the campgrounds seems to have not too nice people camping I just stayed away. But trying to speak out to people throwing trash and other stuff can feel risky.
I go to Lanikai Beach and do not like to see people standing, jumping on, or poking at the reefs, with a spear. This damages already fragile reefs. I always says something to the offenders(s) and am usually meet with either indifference or outright hostility. The experience is usually not pleasant, but maybe if more people spoke out more voices joined in, word would spread.
This all seems an uphill battle not to mention I do want to police people on my day off at the beach, but i go on . Please join me speak out