Walcher: Unsolicited advice to the Sierra Club

My column, during the worst of the club’s turmoil, strongly advised its leaders to “stay in your lane.” “Stick to what you are known for, and good at, and you will remain effective and relevant,” I advised. You may be shocked to learn that they did not heed that advice. Perhaps they considered it unfriendly?

Psychology Today just published suggested responses to shut down unsolicited advice. Say something like, “That’s useful, but I prefer to handle it this way,” or “I appreciate your input, but already have a plan.” I didn’t even get such platitudes for suggesting the Sierra Club stick to environmental issues.

Instead, the group doubled down on woke social activism, its director, Michael Brune, trashing the reputation of Sierra Club founder and conservation hero John Muir. Brune claimed the club had played a “substantial role in perpetuating white supremacy.” It was an outrageous assertion, motivated by political correctness and based on the obscure fact that a young Muir had written some unflattering views after his travels among native American tribes. I hate judging people of the past by today’s standards. Muir was a product of the 19th century, who thought like most 19th century Americans. He said some things modern leaders would not say. But he played no role whatsoever in perpetuating any notion of white supremacy, much less a “substantial role.” He was not a Klansman, was never governor of Arkansas, managed no bus system in Montgomery, nor sanitation department in Memphis. He was a Wisconsin-bred northern Republican, an advocate of voting rights, an early progressive, a friend and ally of Theodore Roosevelt.