Dear Source:
Ms. Moore thinks because she knows something about rural America that makes her an expert on small communities everywhere else. It seems to be obvious she has never immersed herself in an environment and culture outside of the continental USA. Many of her ridiculous comments are typical of someone who has the God-Illusion Syndrome.
On one hand she says we have some of the harshest laws on rape, on the other she says our culture supports the exploitation young girls. Common sense should have told her the reason harsh laws were created was because we don't support the exploitation of young girls.
She tells us, "My family has been a part of the fabric of the land since the 1600's. As a group we can pretty well drive the bus in any direction we want to take it." Then on the other hand she says, "I eventually took grand parental rights away from my parents, and excluded myself from my family. I could not tolerate their value system. I spent 8 years in court taking the local Police Chief and City Government to the mat. It was not only financially draining, but emotional too. Was it worth it? You bet your boots it was!"
She told us, "I pay $700 a month plus utilities for a single bedroom in a 3 bedroom town house. I have two roommates". If that is the case, where did Ms. Moore get the monies to fight an 8yr battle in court? Or is the court system free in her area? Castle Rock Colorado median household income is in the range of $64,000 compared to the VI's median of $24,000. Most locals are living from one paycheck to the other. They can't afford to take corrupt people to court.
She tells Ms. Clark not to complain after she told us her little story about her friend getting her articles in their newspapers drawing attention to what she thought was their problems. Many have told us all not to complain. When no one complains the boat is not rocked and advantages can continue to be taken. It's hypocritical to condemn others from using the very newspaper avenue to get attention to problems in their own area when that was what you said you used in your area.
Ms. Moore stated that when people act in their own self-interest, this is good for the overall economy. I, however, disagree. From what I have seen self-interest is exactly where corruption and greed stems from. We have seen the impact of self-interests. People move to new locations for 2 reasons. They move because they love it or because they have something to gain from it. Many have come in and in their eyes saw what they felt was a tropical gold mine under our feet. Not all came to adapt or protect it, they came to make monies. Their gold mine was what we considered to be our home. Many others have come because they love the environment. We need community based interests not self-interests.
Did it ever occur to Ms. Moore, when people come into a new place and don't take the time to really learn about its people, culture, ecological systems, resources, etc, they can cause some negative impacts? We have since learned that because someone may have more monies or knowledge about certain things from elsewhere, that doesn't necessarily mean they know what is best for us and our environment.
I have been to Virginia and Colorado both, as well as 17 other states. I wouldn't take it upon myself to try telling the people there what's best for them, because from what I saw about their environment and culture, it was quite different from my own. I didn't stay there long enough to really get to know it well enough to toss my 2 cents into their picture. Ms. Moore, until you have immersed yourself in our environment and culture, which is unlike any you have known in the states, your 2 cents is not worth one iota to us here in the islands.
If you want to preach to anyone, I suggest start with our President, but then again he is also in denial of what happens when you go into an environment you don't know enough about and try to force your ways on them. Like the President reports on Iraq, Ms. Moore's stories have loopholes that don't jive quite right. From what we are seeing in the media most of America is not approving of the President's God-Illusion syndrome, so Ms. Moore, please don't copycat his behavior with us here in the islands.
Carol Berry
St. Thomas
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