Maynard’s tribute to a pioneer in recycling
We’ve been having Earth Days since April 22, 1970. (That date being, by odd coincidence, the centennial of the birth of Vladimir Lenin.)
I think this is a fine occasion to recall the tale of Alferd G. Packer, a prospector who led a party of six into the Colorado hinterlands in 1874. He returned alone, having apparently consumed those in his charge.
Legend has it that, in pronouncing sentence, Judge Gerry offered the following succinct words:
“Stand up yah voracious man-eatin’ sonofabitch and receive yir sintince. When yah came to Hinsdale County, there was siven Dimmycrats. But you, yah et five of ’em, goddam yah. I sintince yah t’ be hanged by th’ neck ontil yer dead, dead, dead, as a warnin’ ag’in reducin’ th’ Dimmycratic populayshun of this county. Packer, you Republican cannibal, I would sintince ya ta hell but the statutes forbid it.”
In retrospect, it seems that Packer failed to protect Colorado from Democrats, and Judge Gerry failed to protect Colorado from the ill effects associated with unbridled consumerism. This gives one pause to contemplate the futility of human endeavors.
Packer escaped from jail and was later captured and paroled. He lived to the ripe age of 65. His story is a long one, and nobody can be quite sure whether the reality matches the legend. Historians continue to investigate to this day. But that hasn’t stopped the songwriters and storytellers and moviemakers and pundits from following up.
Interesting you should think of Packer. The University of Colorado at Boulder has had an Alfred Packer Grill for as long as I can remember, where students can buy lunch.
The only thing that the left promotes that I agree with is ‘recycling’.
Back in 1994, my wife’s family had a reunion near Lake City, CO where Packer is buried. The stores were selling Alferd Packer beef jerky. I think I still have a bit somewhere.