“Measures are too often decided, not according to the rules of justice and the rights of the minor party, but by the superior force of an interested and overbearing majority.”
James Madison
Our well-funded opponents at the Gateway Conservation Alliance have initiated legal action against the Gallatin County Commissioners for rejecting their zoning proposal. The Commission rightly found their signature collection and boundary selection methods insufficient for creating a new zoning district in Gallatin Gateway.
Consequently, you and I are now bearing the financial burden of defending the County Commission from this baseless lawsuit—a clear case of wolves in sheep’s clothing. Why this metaphor? Time and again, the Alliance has exploited environmental concerns to block our gravel pit and reclamation project, while admitting their motives are disingenuous. Read more about that here. People described as “wolves in sheep’s clothing” embody the art of deception, masking their real intentions with a facade of doing good. This metaphor warns of those who exploit the trust and goodwill of others for self serving agendas. They navigate social landscapes with a cunning that allows them to appear as advocates for protecting others. Their deceit not only misleads the public but corrodes the trust and bond within our community.
This lawsuit marks the beginning of what I anticipate may be a series of legal intimidations, leveraging the legal system to coerce and overwhelm, based not on justice but on fear and financial pressure. These tactics distort the law’s intended purpose, eroding public trust and deterring others from asserting their rights. May I suggest that these individuals are welcome to opt into zoning voluntarily, without imposing it upon us by force.
“Zoning facilitates attractive growth with community involvement… regulates home occupations as residents are protected from incompatible use (and) protects residential properties from commercial development or industrial development.”
Tracey Gibbons – Gateway Conservation Alliance
Potential outcomes of this scenario include:
- The Commission could cave under the strain of negative publicity and financial pressure, undermining confidence in its integrity and eroding individual rights.
- The Commission might engage in a protracted battle to rezone our land under “Sensitive Lands,” a move that wastes resources and further encroaches on our freedoms, especially given the extensive government-owned land already surrounding us.
- The Commission could firmly oppose these maneuvers, leading the community to recognize and reject the Alliance’s tactics, thus preserving minority rights and diminishing the Alliance’s influence and credibility. Heck, those folks might even move back to wherever they came from and we would all be better off.
In every scenario outlined, the Gallatin County and community gains insight into the true nature of our adversaries. Regardless of the outcome, we remain committed to navigating this journey with gratitude to God. He gave us a grand adventure with wolves to slay, battles to win, and opportunities to grow. After all, maturity grows when we are tested and hard-earned victories are the sweetest.