Ranger Rick Vilifies OHVs
A troubling series of cartoons recently appeared in one of the most popular children’s magazines in the country. The June and July issues of Ranger Rick magazine, which is published by the National Wildlife Federation, ran a two-part cartoon story board detailing the troubles when an “ORV” came tearing through Deep Green Wood like a tornado, shaking everything and everyone in its path.” Later, one of the animals trips and falls and is nearly run over by the mindless ORV rider.
All the animals eventually gather to protest the air and noise pollution caused by this rider. While the cartoon mentions several times that this particular rider is an “outlaw” ORV rider who doesn’t stay on the trails, the message is pretty clear that, according to the writers, the best scenario would be that OHVs should not be allowed to ride anywhere in our state and national forests.
The National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council responded to the unfair attack on OHV riders by writing to the editors of Ranger Rick.
To view the two three-page cartoons that appeared in the June and July issues, visit www.omra-online.org/2004/RangerRick1.jpg psb
