Dear Source:
On Christmas morning at Magen’s Bay, I was tying a lure onto the line of my fishing rod in the parking area. An older man approached me and said, “I have something to say to you.” I replied “Are you going to wish me a Merry Christmas?” He said “No, I’m telling you that you can’t fish in Magen’s Bay.” I told the nosy old guy that I was not going to fish on the beach, that I was going to walk down the beach and fish out along the rocky shore on the south end of the beach. The now visibly agitated old man, on Christmas morning mind you, spouted off “You people come down here and think you can do what ever you want.” I told the grumpy old man that there is no law against fishing in the bay but that fishing is not permitted on the beach. He told me all of Magen’s Bay was off limits. I thought to myself he was picking on the wrong person. He should be after the Frenchie net fishermen, but I know that Magen’s is not protected like the Sanctuary out east.
I could have just let it go. I could have dismissed the incident as just a racist comment from a silly old fool calling me “you people who come down here” because he didn’t get what he wanted for Christmas or his wife was angry at him again or some other disappointment that caused him to lash out at me but then I learned he was Chairperson of the board of the Magen’s Bay Authority! Now it made sense why he was disgruntled. This is the same guy embroiled in the controversial Zip-line Gate. The guy who sold land to the developer of the proposed venture, claimed he knew nothing about the Zip-line development and then canceled the November 27th board meeting.
I did tell the aging grouch that “I am you people and I’ve been paying taxes here for 31 years and I don’t go to the beach with a gun in my pocket, and I don’t play amplified music that could split your eardrums and I don’t litter.” You see, I respect the sanctity and peacefulness of Magen’s Bay and I walk the Nature Trail regularly.
Perhaps it’s time to replace the disgraced Chairperson with someone who respects everyone and doesn’t harbor resentment to “you people.” Someone interested in preserving the tranquility of the Park. Below is a quote from the Magen’s Bay Authority website.
Thank you for enjoying Magens Bay Park. We hope you will come again! — Sincerely, Aubrey Nelthropp, Chairperson
I do enjoy Magen’s Bay Park and I will come again soon. I just hope I am not harassed by anymore arrogant old racists with an agenda.
Thomas P. Kaestner Sr.
St. Thomas
