BD 04 Report take 2

[BASEWife 0]

It's a shame that the other report had to be shut down. There was a lot of great info that could have come from that post. Oh well, things need to be out in the open and I'm going to start with clearing up a few situations.

First of all. I am the one who cut the jumpers badge not Jason. If the jumper has a problem with it he can come to me. Let me start with the 9 way from last year. Jason actually wanted me to pull their badges as well. I didn't and my reasoning for it was, they weren't warned that the behavior wouldn't be tolerated. As a side note almost all of them if not all of them emailed, called or said, "I'm sorry" in person. I respect that and they respect the event that we coordinate every year.

For the jumper this year. Guess What? He was warned and his excuse, I didn't attend all of the mandatory meeting on Friday and didn't hear your warning. Too bad for you! I will not stand by and see hundreds of hours of work go down the drain when the NPS pulls the permit for the behavior of a few jumpers. Not to mention all of the jumpers who travel to WV to jump and wouldn't be able to because the bridge is shut down to jumpers. Jason is working so hard to get BASE jumping opened to the NRGB for more than one day. We need to show the community that we are ready to take this on and will be responsible mature adults. There isn't anything we're asking that isn't asked of you in Idaho.

Second of all. Dennis and whoever else that's criticizing Jason and myself for being Christians. You have attended the past two Bridge Days and we were Christians then. We do not and will not judge you for your beliefs and how you live your life. We are all BASE jumpers and have our own connections in life. Do not judge us when you don't know us!

In my opinion this was an excellent Bridge Day and if there is one thing that I've learned over the past two years. We can't please everyone. We ask for your input every year as to what we can do different. I encourage you to post here or on the bridgeday.info forums so that we can take your changes into consideration.

Thanks to everyone who helped me and the rest of our staff have FUN AND SAFE Bridge Day 2004! We hope to see you again next year!

Jennifer

[truckerbase 0]

Actually, im not criticizing you for being Christian. I dont care, it means something only to you. I am criticizing Jason for sending me a christian email about my use of the phrase "Christian nonsense" in the body of the "AM antenna post" in describing the type of broadcasts put out on AM radio. Those AM radio christian views are typically insulting and anything but mainstream christian; they give voice to a minority christian view. My comment was offhand and casually comical, but Jason made sure to hypocritically judge me, without knowing me, professing me an atheist, and otherwise coming to my private door to shovel his views on me. In being so thin skinned about the word "nonsense" and assuming so much from just that word, you did judge me, and you were sure of your christian duty in inferring how I should live my life. I dont like people showing up at my door with holier than thou attitudes; you dont have that right. And to find out not two days later that Jason is sending heavy handed red faced e- mails to someone ticked me off. Rules are fine. High emotion driven by your ethics is another. Even if the jumper was in your face, and screaming and yelling, all you needed to do was to say, "I know, Im sorry. We have these rules in effect now, if I say you can get away with it, than everyone can get away with it, so I have to keep my word for consistency." The email described by 515 sounds significantly different than this kind of maturity.

Lastly, Jason printed a private email without asking for permission, and went so far as to edit this exchange to give only his voice and his view and has even smugly thanked me in pm for giving him the opportunity of announcing his christian views. He left out my reply to his original email, giving a hearsay summary of its "negative" contents to insult me and advance himself. In the academic world, this is unforgiveable behavior. My reply was a semi-refutation of Jasons worldview notable in his judgemental and unsolicited original email to me. Said refutation may make me look bad but certainly would have undermined him as well, hence its omission. I criticize Jason for calling himself a christian and acting otherwise, not for being a christian. There really are good people and good christians out there, and they are not necessarily one and the same, and I admire them both equally. There are just very few of them, and, being a very faulted person myself, I am greatly suspicious of those who trumpet themselves otherwise.

Do you want parity? Print my response to Jasons original email so people can see what a real wacko I really am. He has my permission. In the body of that response it comments on, among other things, the role of women in the christian church, and their treatment. Pretty sick stuff.

Lastly Bridgeday is in part an event for Basejumpers. What goes on there shouldnt be a circus. It should be low key and about the basejumpers. About their ethics. About their sport. About an exit point, a freefall, a landing, and a big smile. They should have excercised self control and restraint. But as christians and basejumpers you should have shown them respect and infinite forgiveness.

The purpose of religion is to learn how to control yourself. Not others.

No hard feelings. .

[base428 1]

Dennis,

The reason I didn't post YOUR response is because that's bad etiquitte. Why don't YOU post your response? Dennis, you were the one who brought a private conversation into the public in a very angry way.

Ever heard of the phrase that organizing BASE jumpers is like herding cats? There are plenty of stressfull issues I have to deal with each year, everything from the guy who cussed out the Holiday Inn staff over ID checks for free beer, to the possible theft of a canopy in the LZ. Then after BD, I have to deal with conflicts between the Bridge Day Commission (BDC) and several jumpers who caused problems with the cops and even one who got the head of the BDC so mad that she called the cops on him. How about the jumper who decided to make his last jump with a 1 liter bottle of beer, only to have it come loose on opening and land 6' from my water rescue staff? I am still sorting some of that stuff out now.....2 weeks after Bday. It's not easy and it can be stressful.

I think many people would never have known that Jennifer and I are Christians, because we don't force it on anyone. Because we're Christians, it doesn't make us perfect or even better than you. Please don't point your finger at us if I get angry every now and then. I make mistakes just like the rest of you.

Cya.

PS. My wife didn't tell me about her above post until after she hit the send button.

(c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted. <==For the media only

[d6977 0]

nobody cares that it takes all year to make this bday work!! the shear satisfaction on the jumpers face upon completion of their jump into the portal of new river gorge is what its all about, jason and jenn are right, they dont push their beliefs on others, only the rules and regulations that are pushed on to them. be glad these wonderful people are willing to put up with this crap so ypou can have a great time!!! keep up the great work bro!! ya know if we could get these folks to commit this much energy during setup and tear down, it wouldnt be near as stressful, instead of complaining maybe the could help out and see whats involved just at the holiday inn, much less at the exit and lz!! have a great day my friends
bbird

trapped in a portal in time, surrounded by evil, runnin out of gas!!! destination unknown

[d6977 0]

how about that, you two, jason and jenn have been wonderful to work with. what a concept, coupla down home christian boys runnin things :) wouldnt want anybody else for a partners. c ya at the next bridge day commission meeting in november for bday 2005!! ya know i konda like the velcrow pants thing, might be kinda cool!!!!

bbird

trapped in a portal in time, surrounded by evil, runnin out of gas!!! destination unknown

[truckerbase 0]

Nice damage control guys. Perhaps some of all that christian charity and forgiveness will find its way to not banning pepe from future bridgedays; that would maybe allow him to know the rules for next time, if he has a next time. Seeing as how no ones perfect.

You do good work at bridgeday guys, but sending me christian emails berating me for terrible words like "nonsense" is forcing your views on others. A quote from MIB "there wouldnt BE nothing, if you didnt go STARTIN' nothin'". Stop sending me emails about your opinions and Ill stop caring remotely about you or your religion.

Good Luck on handling the future, and good day.

[base283 0]

Hi Jason! Nice job you did overall! I very much understand the suckyside. ya gotta do what ya gotta do. Respect! good one one dude on pullin off a very succesfull BD.
Kudos,
take care,
space