Protest Jump in NPS

[RhondaLea 3]

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There MUST be a unified version of BASE ethics that will be palateable to the public. "Burning" objects means, in essence, open and notorious illegality that brings heat. The public can't really understand that, and something needs to be done to create a pretty version of it that is understandable.

It's not that the public doesn't understand, it's that they don't care.

What they do care about is that trash, property damage and dead or broken bodies are not left behind.

On the other hand, if you try to define "BASE ethics" for public consumption, it's going to come out as "it's okay to break trespassing, reckless endangerment, and various other laws as long as you don't get caught."



rl

[cornishe 0]

bump.

Only 45 still! I know not all jumpers are online, but c'mon!


.

Abbie Mashaal
Skydive Idaho
Snake River Skydiving
TandemBASE

[leroydb 0]

denied? would tend to think that most of us could have the chance to participate.

I feel that this protest should go beyond the personal infighting and bickering that normally goes on. I forsee that this could (and should) bring alot of us closer as a whole.

Leroy


..I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw my bath toys were a toaster and a radio...

[lifewithoutanet 0]

It was a joke. I was just too lazy to .
-C.

[leroydb 0]

I know... just making a statment overall, though.

Leroy


..I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw my bath toys were a toaster and a radio...

[Calvin19 0]

as conservative as the NPS is, i would assume a protest jump would not only have a "air delivery" charge but a conspiracy/something attachment.

-SPACE-

[Zennie 0]

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i would assume a protest jump would not only have a "air delivery" charge but a conspiracy/something attachment

Given how well the last one went, and the scale of the planned one, I'd say the odds are pretty significant.

- Z
"Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

[lawrocket 3]

You guys may want to look at this.

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planning/documents/catex/2002/2002_145.pdf

This appears to be the regulatory history of allowing hang gliding in Yosemite. Look at all the work that went into this.

Y'all may also want to see the site of the Yosemite Hang Gliding Association. http://yhga.org/ It looks like these are the people that got hang gliding into Yosemite. These people may be a valuable resource.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[pgpilot 0]

[1,000 skydivers at the landing area all with there canopys out ready to pack away.
that way if 150 BASE jumpers land amongst one thousend people with there canopys out no one will be able to tell who jumped and who didn't and no1 could get charged because there would be a large ammount of reasonable doubt of who jumped.]

Pretty much love this idea.

numbers would be the key, whatever happened. The more people that showed up, the better the chance of the outcome being positive.

Crucial would be some semblance of surprise, and all safe jumps.

[leroydb 0]

how many people(SKYDIVERS) have canopies near the size of base canopies? I am sure the NPS is intelligent enough to know the difference. Sure maybe some would get off, but I think most, if not all, are willing to take the consequences... I think NICKDG mentioned agreeing not to run...

Leroy


..I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw my bath toys were a toaster and a radio...

[Treejumps 0]

I promise you that they are not. There was a bust I was at (but not in) where they accepted a packed skydiving rig (somebody's back up back up rig as their rig to surender as evidence. They never batted an eyeball.

I really like the reasonable doubt angle. thats using your noodle!

[jonege 0]

Opens up anyone and everyone they catch to an aiding and abetting charge.

[Calvin19 0]

the more people who are there, the better.
with 1200 protestors and 150 jumpers, it comes to a point where a mass media event shows nps putting people into trucks with handcuffs for having harmless fun. could you get 1200 people to show up? doubtful.

what should happen is put 20 jumpers on every exit point in the park.

-SPACE-

[NickDG 23]

A few things . . .

Let's keep our eye on the fact that we are still very much in the planning stages. That said, when I suggested no one runs after landing I was thinking of the safety of both jumpers and Rangers. Law enforcement folks have built in control issues. When they lose control of a given situation they get frustrated, they get mad, and they make mistakes. All it would take is one cornered BASE jumper making a furtive move toward his waistband and a startled Ranger pulling his weapon and we could have a tragedy.

Also, by turning it into a free for all we will endanger the others who came in support. The last thing we need is Aunt Bessie swinging her handbag at a Ranger.

Another thing is the timetable and the actual plan itself. There are so many options available to us we really need to go through them all in order to be as effective as possible. I really think there is going to have to be a face to face meeting somewhere and at sometime to go through these. For instance, rather than a large jump from one place like El Cap we could mount a multi-pronged attack by putting 50 people off several NPS high profile sites all at the same time.

If we put any action off until next summer (yes, I know you're groaning) we could have this meeting at this year's Bridge Day.

We also need to reach out to jumpers not involved in the online BASE community and Bridge Day is our best bet for that. Something else that works in our favor is time. I think the NPS will get wind of this eventually and in a very small way, and something I'm not counting on, is the very possibility they might offer a "deal" to call it off. We are creating an opening here, and who knows how much light may eventually shine through it . . .

The following is something we'd need to discuss with Jason Bell, but I'd like to see some kind of peaceful protest at Bridge Day. Something that would not disrupt normal jumping. We are there, the public is there, and the Rangers are there. We also have the ear of the media and if every jumper interviewed refrained from talking about themselves, and instead raised the issue of unfair access in other parts of the NPS system, together with some serious sign carrying we could affect the message that emanates from Bridge Day. Do it like the government does, no matter what question they ask you just say what you want . . .

Again, anything organized like that needs Jason B's okay, as he manages Bridge Day for all jumpers, not just the ones who agree with direct action.

Lastly, the timetable and the real question of should we even do this needs to be knocked around a bit more. Just looking at the number here who raised points against this action is enough cause to be more thoughtful. I'm really beginning to see this as something not planned for this summer.

A few other points. One jumper up-board wondered why we can't make it work like it does in Europe. He mentions they (the jumpers) do a good jump of regulating who jumps and when. That's true, and we can do it too. However we started BASE jumping in U.S. National Parks from a more adverse position than you did. Your society wasn't so litigious, or afraid of celebrating a true human achievement, and there wasn't already a law against it on your books. We invented BASE ethics here and I know we can manage a program that works for us.

Tom A. is right, each in his own comfort zone. Either in the protest, or later on in a working program, otherwise qualified jumpers have the right to their own jump. No one should say no aerials. Every time we say no to something we give the other side ammunition to use against us. And we don't want to stifle progress. Something we tell someone not to do could be the beginning of the thing that unlocks our future. We also (in order to be successful) need acceptance from the NPS on our terms not theirs. We don’t need to put lipstick on a pig. BASE jumping is a good and noble thing for humans to do. I know in my heart there are enough people in the world who believe that to make it right. And right makes might . . .

On the "Feed the Children" or "Make a Wish" charity angle. It seems at first blush, like we are using the kids to get something we want. It's not like we are doing a Ten-K walk/race thing. But, I can change my mind, and this brings up this whole endeavor needs to be a group action. Of course there will be facilitators behind the scenes keeping the lists updated and the paperwork going, but no one is "in charge" Like BASE itself we are a loose band of brothers and sisters, but we are brothers and sisters tired of feeling like second class citizens in our own National Parks.

I had a nice phone conversation this morning, one of those calls I make to verify someone for the secret place, and this fellow says to me, "I don't know brother, I don't know if this is the right thing to do or not. But, it's time to saddle up . . ."

Early on in my BASE jumping I remember the criticisms we endured from people back at the drop zone. It reminds me of what I'm hearing know, except now even other BASE jumpers are chiming in. That's fine, and I understand their concerns. But I also know no one has ever given us anything in this sport. We have taken everything we enjoy. If you think that's not true because you (or someone) did the legwork to get a particular site legal, you're wrong. It was the blood, sweat, and tears of all that staked a claim in BASE, past, present, and future, that makes it possible. It is the "thing" that gives us credibility and we need to stay with the girl we brought to the dance.

(I'm sorry, I'm behind on the e-mails again, and for all the above at once. I'm in the middle of the last part of my radiation treatments - just five more to go - and I should start feeling better.)

"It's time to saddle up . . ."

NickD BASE 194

[frankj23 0]

RE:
this fellow says to me, "I don't know brother, I don't know if this is the right thing to do or not. But, it's time to saddle up .

......................................................................................................................................................

He is correct. Saddle up-we will work out the details.

F

[DJL 232]

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that is where 'yes, sir', 'no, sir', and a sheepish look come in...

No, better yet. Quote as much as you can from the scene in Footloose where Kevin Bacon convinces the town elders to allow them to dance.

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[ryan_turner 0]

Speaking of bridge day...

Fayetville makes a lot of money during bridge day. No one if going to like this idea, but a boycott of bridge day and the resulting loss of revenue might bring some political pressure to bear on the NPS.

[ncjumpjunkie 0]

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Speaking of bridge day...

Fayetville makes a lot of money during bridge day. No one if going to like this idea, but a boycott of bridge day and the resulting loss of revenue might bring some political pressure to bear on the NPS.

Now this is a wonderful idea, this could be the starting point of the whole protest. If no BASE jumpers showed up and everyone there lost tons of money they sure would listen then. Thats one thing that always gets peoples attention is money especialy a loss of it.

Jason could take all the money that has been collected so far to hire an attorney to fight the NPS and donate the rest to charity in the name of all BASE jumpers.

This would defenitly start some kind of talks with the town and NPS.If we get started on this as soon as possible, maybe the town would put pressure on the NPS. Maybe we could ask for a full day of jumping if they thought that no one would show up.

SONIC BEEF #1 BASE 708, NC BASE 3
SLI,IADI,AFFI.TIE.FAA Rigger, Single & Multi Commercial Pilot,CFI, CFII, MEI

[TomAiello 25]

I suspect the NPS would be quite pleased if no one showed up at BD. They'd love to cancel the whole thing and be able to stop doing it.

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[base428 1]

I've thought long and hard over a BD protest for years. Unfortunately, I don't think the Bridge Day Commission (BDC) or the citizens of WV would offer any sympathy.

-If we refused to organize the event early on, then the BDC would find another organizer or simply cancel the jumping portion of the event. This would be the least effective protest method and we could potentially lose the event altogether.

-If we all chose to not show up, then you've now pissed off hundreds of thousands of spectators and a live TV audience is left hanging. This would be fairly effective as a protest, but nobody would be here to protest.

-If we showed up at the exit point but didn't jump, then you've also cost the jumpers a lot of travel money. This would be the most effective protest method, but realistically, VERY FEW people are going to NOT jump and you've still pissed off the spectators and viewers at home. The 100+ newbies that jump at BD each year may not be educated enough on NPS policies to join your protest. You would have to rely on the media to tell the proper story and the viewers to sympathize with you. Most viewers could really give a rat's ass about us, to be honest. They just want to watch a bunch of "crazies" jump off the bridge.

I really think that a Bridge Day protest would backfire and cause much more harm than good. The NPS is one very small part of the event.

If you watched the live TV broadcast or OLN airing, you may have noticed that I frequently mentioned additional jumping days at Bridge Day as well as our fight with the NPS. Also, the banner that hung at the end of our exit ramp asking for more jumping time was shown on TV several times. In my opinion, utilizing the live TV broadcast and the exit point banners is a very effective method we use in order to get the word out.

This year, I told the producers of the live TV broadcast that I will only talk about two things:

-Opening the NRGB to more jumping
-Allowing jumpers access to NPS cliffs

So, I would suggest that all jumpers consider this if they find themselves on camera. Rather than talking about yourself, tell them that the NPS discriminates against you and this is the ONLY place in the USA that they permit you to jump for 6 short hours. Tell them that the NPS has the tallest, safest cliffs in the USA and you can't enjoy your sport there without the risk of being imprisoned for a year, getting a $5000 fine and gear confiscation, and getting strip searched by rangers after being arrested.

We will have banners up at the exit point this year protesting NPS policies. Also, a NPS petition will be circulated. Other ideas are in the works such as a vendor booth at the end of the bridge. If anyone has suggestions on how to peacefully protest NPS discrimination against jumpers, please let me know.

PS. Gary and Calvin, please don't raise my NPS Bridge Day Special Use Permit fees after reading this!

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but a boycott of bridge day and the resulting loss of revenue

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

[Treejumps 0]

I agree. THere is nothig to be gained by boycotting BD. Besides, there will always be somone else who would step in to try to run things, and there will always be plenty of jumpers to fill the slots.

The NPS has very little to do with BD. In actuality, lets say the land under the bridge, just South of the BD LZ was owned by generous citizen who would let us land there. If that was ever the case the NPS would not really even need to be involved because their only chip in the game of BD is that we land on NPS propety. That has always been their power play, but it may be a moot point. BD is the biggest BASE event of the year, and the one where we recieve the most attention, and have the biggest platform to get our message out. If we all use every opportunity to speak to the media the way Jason is talking about we will be heard by far more than if we walked away.


Cya there!

[NickDG 23]

Bridge Day is our flagship event and we can't mess with it. What I'm talking about is a quiet protest. A person to person protest where we always stay on message.

Wuffo - Why do you jump?
Jumper - We are fighting for equal access in National Parks.

Reporter - Why do you jump?
Jumper - We are fighting for equal access in National Parks.

Local Babe in the Rafter's Bar - Why do you jump?
Jumper - We are fighting . . . Okay, no, you don't have to go that far!

NickD BASE 194

[r2hubert 0]

Every one could have a green ribbon (or other color) like on the attached picture and talk about equal access.

"Support Base Jumping"

-- Renaud

--
Renaud SMA #9
"Mind is like parachute. It only functions when it's open."

[JaapSuter 0]

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Every one could have a green ribbon (or other color) like on the attached picture and talk about equal access.

That's an awesome idea! I'm not sure if a ribbon is the best thing, but a shared piece of flair or clothing item that all base jumpers can make at home and wear would be awesome. Imagine the curiousity it would create!

Peaceful, friendly and still mysterious.

[TomAiello 25]

Why not "live strong" style armbands?

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com