Customer Reviews

War on the West: Government Tyranny on America's Great Frontier

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Pendley has very fairly presented both sides of the environmental impact of the U.S. Government's impact on takeovers of private lands. Most people that want to keep their private land PRIVATE are exceptionally good stewards of their land. Please read this if you are a private land owner or a total Eco person. A very fair presentation! Eye opening!

This book should be required reading for everyone that thinks the government is to be trusted with all the resources that belong to ALL OF US. The plan is MUCH bigger than we realize. Read this and take note!

I came across this 1995 book at our library's semi-annual sale and figured I should read how the "other side" (yeah, I'm a Sierra Club member) supports its case. On the whole, Pendley builds a persuasive case about the over-reaching and arrogance of some gov't bureaucrats and environmentalists. His data was, as I said, convincing, but he hurt his own case at times with his unending use of "environmental extremists" to characterize his opposition. He should have let the facts speak for themselves - as they generally did. An analogy: If one were to expose all the dirty dealing of the ENRON folks and the other corporate criminals of recent times and continually call them "capitalist pigs" the reader would likely be put off by the terminology - even though the facts support that conclusion. Pendley must have used "environmental extremists" over 100 times (I got tired of counting) and it detracted from his evidence.
Also, he occasionally cited "facts" that are very hard to believe - and thus cast doubt on his seemingly solid evidence. Example: He says that 94% of visitors to Glacier National Park simply drive through without stopping. Please! If you've been there you know that would be impossible - not to stop at overlooks to take in the incredible views. 94%? Almost 19 of every 20? No way. And his reasoned argument about wolves roaming beyond Yellowstone, where they have been re-established, is hurt by his twice-repeated suggestion that they could rove as far as Denver. Again, Please!
Nevertheless, this is a book that environmentalists need to read. Yes, wilderness and old growth forests need protection, and the polluters need to be stopped, but the people of the West need to be considered and protected too.