To Adrian and Dan, and all -

I am very sorry to understand that Dartmoorans are, if I uunderstand it
correctly, aggressively and wontingly ostracizing Adrian for spreading
Letterboxing to the US.

Rather than react with negativism towards Adrian, I challenge any other
British letterboxer to join in this discussion with letterbox-advocates
here in the US.

What exactly is the issue?
*****
Does someone over there feel we are trying to 'control' a longstanding
British tradition?

I'd suggest that we are not. Yes, we are eager enthusiasts, we
are
using the internet to try to build interest and 'critical mass' over a
large geographic area, and perhaps we are exploring varying ways to
incorporate the widest possible participancy. But, we, the
"Letterboxing-USA" folks at least, make no wider claim, save to look to
Dartmoor with a sort of "letterboxing reverence" and respect, for many
aspects of the hobby. We certinly amke no claim to be the 'headquarters'
for letterboxing worldwide.
*****

Does someone feel that we'll create hoards of locust-like 'Ugly
American' letterboxers, combing through the moors, trampelling the gorse
and angering the sheep owners?
I'd suggest not. First, if you are worried, share your clues
amongst
yourselves and shut the rest out. That would be sad but effective.
But really, letterboxing does not sink to the dumbed-down level
of
casualness and immediacy that the masses in our country usually demand
for entertainment. We invented (ugh), MacDonalds and Burger King, our
Disney (ugh) has homogenized entertainment and resold it thru the
previously-mentioned venues. The number of folks from the US who would
be willing to slog through the bogs and put up with the clever arcanity
of Dartmoor clues (even if they could solve them eventually), I submit,
quite small indeed.
******

Perhaps someone feels that we will 'lower the standard' and make
non-artful stamps, juvenile clue sets, or worse, sell the idea to Disney
(ugh again!).

Well, I doubt not, on all counts. Yes, we are all grappeling
with the
'mechanics' of clue-writing, stamp-making, and box-hiding. Well, why not
help us with suggestions? Everyone here would like to learn how to do it
better - I for one consider Dartmoor folks as the 'old-timers' with much
to teach, if you can put up with our niavete.
*****

Perhaps there is, well, a tad bit of jealousy that we are doing it
successfully on the net? Maybe that someone over here had the foresight
to reserve "Letterboxing.org"?, when rightfully, you might feel, it
belongs in Dartmoor?

To this I say, we reserved the "Org" with truely idealistic and,
I
hope, noble intent - we heard rumbelings of commercial, centralized,
structured, encumbering organizational, exclusive control, and decided
to get there first (that is, reserve 'org' with our open, decentralized,
non-profit-motivated, open-structured, inclusive vision). Towards that
end, if any Dartmoor letterboxers want to find a way to share, by links,
use of the 'letterboxing.org' domain name, my bets are that the
resounding YEAs' from here might well be heard across the ocean.
*****

Please, to any and all those offended by the existance of Letterboxing
in the US, give us a chance to hear from you directly. I for one would
like to find common ground and understanding, and to focus on what we
share in interests, rather than on our differences. I promise (at least,
from me), a respective, open-minded dialogue.

Is anyone there up to this challange?

PAX for the holidays

Erik Davis
Monkton, VT


------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-group home: http://www.eGroups.com/list/letterbox-usa
Free Web-based e-mail groups by eGroups.com