Bob Haase’s Another Can Of Worms

Who Cares?

I believe that one of the greatest problems facing our country is apathy.  We have a lot of talented people sitting back and doing nothing.  There are more and more people deciding to stay home and let someone else deal with it.  They don’t want to get involved and many people have come to believe that no matter what they do it will not make a difference.

Wikipedia defines apathy as a lack of feeling, emotion, interest, or concern. An apathetic person has an absence of interest or concern about social, spiritual, philosophical and physical life. Apathy is also a way for people to cope with stress and forget about their problems.  Why are people giving up when they have so much to contribute?  I believe that everyone has something special to contribute and all this is wasted when they stop caring.

I can remember when people wanted to join a club or organization because they wanted to learn from others and contribute what they could to make things better.  This is true for civic clubs and organizations and other clubs such as hunting and fishing clubs. When people get involved and work together they can accomplish a lot of things that could never have been achieved alone.

The DNR and Conservation Congress Spring Hearings were held this last Monday evening in each of the 72 counties in Wisconsin.  Wisconsin is the only state to have a Conservation Congress where delegates are elected by the people to represent them on hunting, fishing, and conservation issues.  The Conservation Congress acts in an advisory capacity to the Wisconsin DNR and the Natural Resources Board.  There were 70 people in attendance at Mondays hearings out of how many thousands of sports men and women and other citizens that could attend but decided not to get involved and voice their opinions.  Maybe they didn’t care or feel that their presence would make a difference but it does.

Go to a sport shop and pick up a set of hunting or fishing rules and regulations and read them.  Approximately 80 percent of the rules were originated or were passed through the Conservation Congress for approval and support of the people that voted on them.  Most resolutions that get voted down at the spring hearings never become a rule or regulation so it is important for people to attend.

A while back I attended a listening session held by Representative Thiesfeldt in Oakfield.  I was the only person that took the time to come and talk to Representative Thiesfeldt during that hour.  I am sure that I was not the only person that had concerns or issues but I was the only one that took the time to come.  Why was I the only person there?  Was I the only person that cared?  Representative Thiesfeldt cared because he took the time to be there to hear your concerns. Don’t blame our representatives for the way they vote on an issue when you don’t let them know what your concerns or opinions are. 

Please take the time to care and get involved.  You have too many skills and too much knowledge to let it go to waste.  Our country is facing a lot of issues and leaving it up to someone else and not caring will not solve our problems but apathy might contribute to them.  

Bob Haase is the host of “Outdoors Thursday” heard Thursday mornings at 9:10 a.m. on News-Talk 1450 KFIZ.