Tuesday, January 15, 2008

In her recent letter, Deborah Post justified her opposition to the Highlands Act by quoting Pope Benedict when he said, "Respecting the environment does not mean considering material or animal nature more important than man." She failed to note that the pope's message continued: "Rather, it means not selfishly considering nature to be at the complete disposal of our own interests, for future generations also have the right to reap its benefits and to exhibit towards nature the same responsible freedom that we claim for ourselves."

I can easily find in this a justification to protect our water supplies for the benefit of our children and, in fact, all life. But it's difficult to read this as a papal edict directing the Highlands Council to let Post build a townhouse development on her farm.

Maybe that's just me.

Ross Kushner
Executive Director, Pequannock River Coalition
Newfoundland, N.J.

Omissions benefit development

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

To the Editor:

In a recent letter, Highlands "farmer" Deborah Post attempts to play false prophet while shamefully distorting the New Year's Peace Message of Pope Benedict XVI for her own selfish purposes. Yes, the pope did say that "Respecting the environment does not mean considering material or animal nature more important than man," as she correctly quotes.

What Post selectively failed to include, so that her self-interests would be served, is the very next line from his statement: "Rather, it means not selfishly considering nature to be at the complete disposal of our own interests, for future generations also have the right to reap its benefits and to exhibit toward nature the same responsible freedom that we claim for ourselves."

She also did not bother to include this more important statement: "Humanity today is rightly concerned about the ecological balance of tomorrow." While I am not an expert on Catholicism, I doubt that the pope would advocate for the repeal of the Highlands Act, since it could be called a "model of sustainable development capable of ensuring the well-being of all while respecting environmental balances," something he also calls for in his peace message. As the Highlands master plan process draws to a close, I expect we will be seeing more preaching of greed and gluttony by Post, from her pulpit at the Church of Overwhelming Development.

SCOTT OLSON
Byram

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