ya know, one would think that someone who has been such a proclaimed genius as governor-elect piyush "bobby" jindal has been, would have enough sense to name to head such an important department as wildlife and fisheries -- oh say, a well qualified wildlife biologist and not another good 'ol boy lifetime politician such as outgoing (term-limited) state senator robert barham. piyush's appointment of robert barham is just as ridiculous as governor blanco's appointment of bryant hammett to head ldwf.
in these strange days that we live in, a well managed and healthy wildlife population is imperative. for instance affecting deer is chronic wasting disease, then theres avian influenza a/k/a bird flu. these and other diseases could break out at any moment. louisiana, the "sportsman's paradise" and "the bayou state" should have the finest wildlife scientists, starting at the top, watching over it all.
if you read piyush's press release you will see how mr. barham's wildlife awards that he has received is played up. these awards are all political crap. we can change the oil, the oil filter, the air filter and spark plugs in our automobile and that doesnt make us mechanics any more than a few awards makes mr. barham qualified to head wildlife & fisheries.
if you want to see what kind of person robert barham really is then look no further than the 2006 legislative session and his senate resolution no. 130. this was a resolution "to urge and request the lsu board of supervisors to consider naming the appropriate building in honor and recognition of the first president of what would later become louisiana state university, william tecumseh sherman."
now general sherman might have been the first president of lsu but he turned his back on lsu and louisiana when he accepted a commission in the union army. general sherman is still critized to this day over his "'scorched earth' policies that he implemented in conducting total war against the confederate states."
after the civil war, general sherman in order to protect railroad interests, committed genocide against the native american plains indians by ordering the destruction of their major food source the buffalo. general sherman is the kind of person louisiana's new secretary of wildlife and fisheries, robert barham seeks to emulate.
what kind of person wakes up one morning and thinks to himself: "oh i have a good idea, i'll introduce legislation to name a building at our flagship university after a general and a despot in the enemy army."? we sincerely doubt that robert barham has the innovation and creativity required to head ldwf.
we havent seen any of the promised "freshness" just more of the same.
