The problem with most average Americans is they are selfish. They consider what is best for themselves regardless on the impact on anyone else. Isn't that obvious with how rude most people are when they drive? Most people don't give 2 shi#s about someone they don't know. Sure, shey may take care of their family, and maybe occasionally show an interest in a co-worker, but for the most part, people are a rude, nasty group.
Now, maybe you don't care about the bla-bla-bla owl and it's habitat. All you want to do is cut a few trees and build a house. Let that owl find a new tree. well, some people take offense with that. Take a bunch of drunken, rowdy, got no respect for anyone else, trailer trash loosers on snowmobiles. They throw their garbage in your backyard, blast through your town like a speed limit was just for cars, ride drunk at 3 oclock in the morning and wake up your kids, and have virtually no cares in the world. The second one of those owl lovers speaks up, they are wrong. A lot of you make the bed you have to lie in and then ##### about it. You can't do that. If you want your freedoms, rights, and privileges (last I knew, riding a snowmobile was a privilege, not a right), you have to respect the freedoms, rights, and privileges of others, whether you agree with them or not. A lot of you know that private land owners grant access to their land for snowmobile trails. Many of these land owners never have and never will ride a snowmobile. They are trying to be kind and accomodate the lifestyles of others. Then everyone abuses the privilege and rides off the trails, dump garbage, and ride late at night. The next year the land owner says "no thanks, not this year". How many times have you seen or heard of that?
It is correct that the extremists ruin things, but there are extremists on all sides, not just the environmentalists or the do-gooders. There are far more damaging extremists out there. Some of you are probably riding with them. Some of you are them. Man is his own worst enemy.