Do a search for Ken Nichols, and read.....and read....and read (there's a lot to be found).
He's the "dude who will ... cut your bolts", and there is quite a bit of history and NE ethics opinions in amongst the discussion around him as well, which should give you some insight into the whole situation.

But don't, in any case, assume Ken is entirely alone in his opinions or willingness to protect CT's long history of bold trad climbing...

But don't, in any case, assume Ken is entirely alone in his opinions or willingness to protect CT's long history of bold trad climbing...

Ken is just as much of an asshole as the bitchy old lady across the street who petitioned the homeowner's association to tell me what color I'm allowed to paint my front porch. It's my property and I'll do whatever the hell I want with it, thank you very much.

I will never understand this "old school" ethic that some smelly hippy climbing a rock 20 years ago is somehow more important than the desires of the guy who worked hard to earn money and purchase a piece of land.

Public property? National parks? Shit, local ethics rule. But private property? Cram your ethics up your ass - I still firmly believe in ownership of land and the right of that land owner to do whatever the hell he wants.

I still firmly believe in ownership of land and the right of that land owner to do whatever the hell he wants.

I dunno, that doesn't seem right. ownership is a contract between people, not between people and things. rocks don't grow back, so what gives you the right to do to them what you want? your porch is different because it's man-made, no?

Because I own the land. I'm all for protecting objects of natural beauty, but then if that's the case, make them a park. If it belongs to an individual, I don't want anyone, whether it's the gub'ment, or some smug asshole who thinks his ethics define those of the entire world, screwing with it.

This country was built upon land ownership. My great-grandaddy cut down trees, plowed fields, made a life for his family, and built the home I grew up in. He was able to do this because of land ownership. Take away the rights of a land owner and you take away one of the most cherished values of the American way of life.

If something should be protected, then it shouldn't be in the control of any one person - it should be a public resource. As long as it's not, it's a fundamental part of the way I was raised to respect the rights of property owners.

Either way, I have just as much right to destroy a crag to piss off old-schoolers, as Ken has to "destroy the rock to save it". He's a scumbag and a vandal, and I don't have to have met him to know that. Private property is private property, and he has no business fucking with stuff that BELONGS to other people.

I think I'll try to convince the government that your house is a historical landmark and that it should be protected from you. You could form a support group with Ken.

So who decides what is protected, the owner or the government?

What about protecting the rights of the land owner?

This shit always drives me nuts, we aren't talking about Yosemite here, we're talking about private property.

Ken is just as much of an asshole as the bitchy old lady across the street who petitioned the homeowner's association to tell me what color I'm allowed to paint my front porch. It's my property and I'll do whatever the hell I want with it, thank you very much.

I will never understand this "old school" ethic that some smelly hippy climbing a rock 20 years ago is somehow more important than the desires of the guy who worked hard to earn money and purchase a piece of land.

Public property? National parks? Shit, local ethics rule. But private property? Cram your ethics up your ass - I still firmly believe in ownership of land and the right of that land owner to do whatever the hell he wants.

Stuff like this makes me want to buy land with a great old-school trad crag and dynamite it just to show these people that they aren't the gods of everything made from stone.

<snip>
But if I want to build a shed, I don't think I should need a permit, unless that shed is in danger of falling on someone else's land, and if I want to paint my house orange, I should be able to. In fact, I would LOVE it if one of my neighbors painted his house hot pink, just to piss off all the uppity assholes who are constantly sticking their noses in everyone's business.

I've had my cathartic rant and now it's time to go weed my front garden before I get fined for an unkempt yard (I wish I was joking).

Because I own the land. I'm all for protecting objects of natural beauty, but then if that's the case, make them a park. If it belongs to an individual, I don't want anyone, whether it's the gub'ment, or some smug asshole who thinks his ethics define those of the entire world, screwing with it.

This country was built upon land ownership, human ownership, and the exploitation of other countries, their natural resources and of course the exploitation and killing of other people.. My great-grandaddy cut down trees, plowed fields, made a life for his family, and built the home I grew up in. He was able to do this because of land ownership. Take away the rights of a land owner and you take away one of the most cherished values of the American way of life.

If something should be protected, then it shouldn't be in the control of any one person - it should be a public resource. As long as it's not, it's a fundamental part of the way I was raised to respect the rights of property owners.

Either way, I have just as much right to destroy a crag to piss off old-schoolers, as Ken has to "destroy the rock to save it". He's a scumbag and a vandal, and I don't have to have met him to know that. Private property is private property, and he has no business fucking with stuff that BELONGS to other people.

If you want help bolting the great wall I will pitch in, that could be a fun climb if it here bolted... otherwise the R rating might scare weak n00bs like me away- that and 67 pitches of a bolt ladder is a lot less time consuming!