The PPA has engaged in campaign of half-truths and outright lies to justify their support for the MAP. The "vernal pool" picture was the beginning. Then the pictures of the cut trees blocking roads -- Rob & friends denied it was them, but then recanted and said that it was them and then said that it was their prerogative.
We also had Jason Howell come on this site and heavily libel against me stating that I was advocating for forest fighters to be injured because they wouldn't be able to get out in case their vehicle got stuck in a fire. Recently Allen Crawford began attacking me on social media accusing me of being an off-roader with things like this:
Guess she underestimated your willful ignorance and selfishness, huh. But you know, I'd much rather have a "conversation" about why you guys think the ORV-made moats that cut off access to public land are so much better than the lawful, temporary roadblocks proposed by the NJDEP, which everyone could bypass if they only got off their asses and out of their cars for once. Oh wait, that's right: because your friends caused this problem in the first place, and when someone tried to fix it, you threw a tantrum. Way to go, you big babies. Now Wharton's going to become a de facto ORV park, and everyone else (aka: the general taxpaying public) is going to be shut out. "Our forest", my foot: you meant YOUR forest.
and
Sure: go after PPA. But who's going to be an advocate for the Pine Barrens once you've smeared them: you? Your offroader friends? You guys don't give a rusty badger shit about anything other than your ability to live out an offroad vehicle TV commercial. Your recreation is all you care about, and you know it. I've never seen any of you at a Pinelands Commission meeting. Not one. Meanwhile, PPA and NJCF work tirelessly to keep these wild places intact, but thanks to selfish citizens, corrupt politicians, and their moneyed cronies, the odds are more and more against places like Wharton even existing in fifty years. And you guys are decreasing those odds. Not that you care.
in my response to pointing out "There may be an initial backlash, but then people will forget." - Jaclyn Rhoads, 2nd in charge of the PPA, speaking about the MAP.
Finally Jason showed up again at the NJPB Facebook page. Where Allen at least has the dignity to post using his real name, now he's using a fake name "The Pine Barrens" to attack me. Too much to quote so just read the exchange
here.
So basically we have OPRA'd emails showing that the PPA has a far too cozy relationship with Rob Auermuller. We have a campaign of outright lies spread by them to promote the MAP to journalists, including that video that gives a half true sense of the damage going on in Wharton. We have Al Horner committing copyright infringement on his PineBarrensUnderSiege website, taking photos of people offroading outside the Pine Barrens to illustrate things, or using pictures from the Wharton 4x4 Cleanup to show trucks lined up ready to "assault" the pines.
If the MAP was so good, why do they have to lie so much to drum up support for it?