Fat argument has no weight

This week the Swan View Coalition is basing its appeal of a fire-salvage sale on the fact that Americans are getting fat.

It claims if we obliterate or, at the very least, gate more Forest Service roads, the good citizens of the United States will get out and exercise and lose weight.

What a crock.

This newspaper has plenty of hikers and outdoor enthusiasts on staff. But if we can't get to the trailheads, we sure as heck aren't going to do more hiking. Increasingly, it seems as if Swan View won't be happy until all Forest Service roads are closed or obliterated, creating a valley of de facto wilderness that no one can actually get to and enjoy-at least not without a four-day hike.

Look at Glacier National Park, for example. How many people would visit if they couldn't drive the Sun Highway to get to the trailheads?

What if we all had to hike to Logan Pass? We surmise the number of visitors would plummet.

Americans aren't fat because Forest Service roads are open, Swan View.

They're fat because they eat too much of the wrong foods, and they spend too much time in front of the TV. Closing Forest Service roads will do nothing to change that.

There has to be a limit on the number of roads we close in the Flathead National Forest. We feel enough have been shut down.