FBB, I agree with you about the lack of respect in discussing this issue. I admit to having to reach down deep to find respect for people who are not honest about who they are and what they represent. I have to reach down even further to find respect for some wealthy person explain that there are winners and losers in this world and the losers just want what the winners have. You seem like a respectful and reasonable person but if you are not aware of this attack on The People (local government, community, society) then you must be disconnected from the working class (those that get dirt under their fingernails) and what is left of the middle class (those that pay a higher tax percentage of income than any other class). Yes, it is hard to be respectful when someone is yelling and screaming about property rights, entitlements and punishments for those that use the beach (any beach) when this has nothing to do with any of that. The subject is the beach or coastal sandy shoreline and not a property owners back yard. It is accurately stated as the "shifting sands" in this thread. Yes, there is a problem with any deed that gives anyone ownership to the MHWL because it is not a fixed point. Blame it on whatever floats our boats literally but the deeds are incorrect. You can bring up all the property rights BS you want but we are NOT talking about a loser's entitlement to use someone else's property. All I am saying is be aware of why people get riled up about this stuff.
Yes I agree that the description of the property in these deeds have legal ramifications. I believe the county got it right with their approval process in their negotiations with St. Joe which allows for a public easement along the beach. I believe that the recent court ruling in favor of the county is hope that this lawsuit will be resolved without involving the issues of customary use or exclusive use in property rights. If the county is successful then these deeds should be modified to allow this public easement on Walton county coastal sandy shorelines. Of course this is wishful thinking on my part.
You mentioned you side with those that keep bringing up the right to exclusive beach use by private owners adjacent to the coastal sandy shoreline. I would disagree with you on both moral and legal grounds. I already explained my legal opinion and admit that it may be wishful thinking. So morally speaking IMO wealth is defined by a control of resources and the gap that exists in the distribution of those resources. The People (working class, middle class) are working just as hard as any BFO who wants exclusive control of this resource. So, I must ask you if you believe that wealthy BFO's worked harder and should be rewarded with exclusive beach use over The People? You don't have to answer my rhetorical question because I respect your personal opinion. Many people believe that economic success is determined by working harder than the competition. I wish that were so but capitalism has been corrupted by a too big to fail, corporate entitlement and tax loophole advantages in our economic system. Trying to justify these advantages is normal human selfishness but will not serve any other purpose. There is a value in human life that goes beyond personal economic success and it links us all together to the very beginning of life which happened in these same tidal zones. No this is not about our property rights. This is about a human purpose that is rooted in the success of life itself.
