Two wrongs don't make a right

To the Editor:

Mr. Mitchell is at it again, trying to make me the black sheep of the community for sake of "the trails," or as one ATV rider, standing just 25 feet from my land and looking directly at me, roared, "There will be a trail across your land, whether you like it or not!"

Interestingly, I had given this individual, as well as over 100 people, permission to use my land recreationally.

Mr. Mitchell has tried to lure me with firewood, has brough a cop with him to my home to intimidate me while he informed me I did not this stretch of land, and finally the latest move. Someone spitefully replaced my "No Trespassing" signs with state issued trail signs. Too much is too much!

My idea of issuing land use permission certificates to folks willing to come see me apparently wasn't good enough for Mr. Mitchell. Private property rights be damned to those who think they can take control and issue access to anyone, whether the landowner is agreeable to it or not. The comfort of the landowner in knowing who is entering his property is no longer as important as "the trails."

I have, at my own expense, gated this access route and wish I hadn't had to do it. Many of the 100 or so people who had my blessings to enjoy access told me of using it for horseback riding, cross country, skiing, hikinh, fishing the brook, ATV and snowmobile riding.

I know this is not fair to you, but I can't let the unfairness shown to me go on without action. I believe a neighborly approach constitutes more fairness than attempted takeover of private property.

Mr. Mitchell has now elected to use Route 142 and Averill Hill Road as a way for ATV's to avoid my land. There is an extremely dangerous lack of site distance at the bridge over the Aunt Hannah Brook. It takes a truck or car traveling 50 miles per hour coming from the Carthage side just four seconds to reach the bridge from where it can be seen from the bridge.

Mr. Mitchell, two wrongs don't make a right. If you think someone getting hurt trying to navigate this alterative route will cast me as a villian to people who would like to enjoy my stretch of land, think about the methods you have used in attempting to buy me, intimidate me, overthrow me and cast me as a "black sheep" standing in the way of your bureaucratic cause.

Freemont and Phyllis Tibbetts,

Dixfield