vinginit

Soooooo Mr. Halliday, are you up for the challenge? It was a serious request and I truly would like to know if you're willing?

My apologies - illegal in most area's of the United States of America, but legal sites more than likely won't continue if enough 16 year olds start participating.

I have two teenage daughters. Each is an exceptional athlete for their age and gender. As a parent, I feel full responsibility in everything they experience. Until they are 18, I have no right to ever give permission to anyone to teach them about an illegal sport. All teenagers are vulnerable. They will follow the path of any idiot if it allows them to experience something that makes them feel good - especially if their parents don't object. I face the reality that my girls may drink and partake in drugs, they may have underage sex. But what if I give permission for them to experience these "illegal" activities? Do you think you would be doing them a favor by teaching them how to party responsibly? How about showing them how to have safe sex? It's always f**ckin' AMAZED me when someone that is without children has an opinion of how someone with should be raising them. By stepping past the parental line, you have (w/ permission) interfered. I do understand the eager feeling to teach a young, knowledgeable girl how to perform well in an intense sport that involves mostly adults. There is definitely a feeling of pride on accomplishment. The mixture of underage and illegal? That is a job solely for her parents. By the way, it would be nice to hear from her parents directly on all this. I may be mistaken, but I didn't read anything on Dad's stance. You have placed Clair in an arena. In this arena, she has been convinced that it's all going to be OK with your help. Sounds like "control", which is the very thing you spoke against early on. This kind of control reeks of manipulation. If either of my daughters died today in a climbing accident, it would be sickening. Seeing the reaction from the rest of the family and her friends would be even more agonizing. It's the old analogy of throwing a pebble in the pond. Your actions affect many. You have had enough time to teach Clair an introduction to the sport - right? Take the time to talk to the families of our dead comrades. You stated that you jumped with Franky. Go ahead and give Rikki a call and ask her how it felt to loose a son at such a young age. Yea, I know, his situation was different but he's still dead due to circumstances surrounding the sport. He still has a mom that will wonder what he could have accomplished to this point. I challenge you Jimmy. Start interviewing the parents and immediate families of dead BASE jumpers. In fact Jimmy, maybe you could compile a video to show future students. If they can't handle that reality, they don't belong. How about it Mr Halliday?

Your choice to participate in a sport so intensely gratifying was personal – same as most of us. When we choose to play, we face death - reality. Here’s a suggestion - instead of just talking to instructors about dealing with students jumping without radios, try spending a little more time talking to the families of our fellow BASE friends that no longer exist in human form due to BASE accidents - reality. To make the choice of teaching a child, “past puberty”, about a sport that has little, if any, room for error seems to hold some other sort of motivation rather than just the thrill of training a new rabbit. Why is there such a damn rush to teach her? Don’t burn the sport Jimmy. Maybe, someday you’ll be really famous with your so called “motivational factors” that f**cked it up for the rest of us. I would think you are probably talented enough to pursue your teaching in a more honorable style. Take deeper hits Jimmy……DEEEEEEEper.