Vandals

[ziplock]

Is this for real?

MSN

I am hoping it is fake news.

 

[ziplock]

Federal authorities are asking for information which may identify two men caught on video in Lake Mead National Recreation Area destroying a rock formation as one of their terrified, adolescent daughters looked on. The Instagram page @touronsofyellowstone posted the alarming footage.

 

[Isaac-1]

This is one I have mixed feelings on, while what they did is probably wrong, one has to ask if every rock must be preserved where it sits. If there was not a video of this would anyone have ever even noticed that this rock had toppled.

 

[jackiemac]

I guess a lot of it is about teaching the younger generations to preserve stuff.

 

[chuckbear]

Unfortunately there will be those that think this kind of thing is OK because, well, they are only rocks. The end result will be that many of these pristine areas will be either off limits altogether or severely restricted because of the actions of a few idiots. We are seeing this happen more and more. You can't fix stupid and most people today didn't get their dumbass vaccine as children. Chuck

 

[Tulecreeper]

Unfortunately there will be those that think this kind of thing is OK because, well, they are only rocks. The end result will be that many of these pristine areas will be either off limits altogether or severely restricted because of the actions of a few idiots. We are seeing this happen more and more. You can't fix stupid and most people today didn't get their dumbass vaccine as children. Chuck

I can - but it's gonna hurt.

 

[Onyrlef]

This is one I have mixed feelings on, while what they did is probably wrong, one has to ask if every rock must be preserved where it sits. If there was not a video of this would anyone have ever even noticed that this rock had toppled.

I'm pretty sure "probably" isn't the case and "every rock" is broad. Every rock formation isn't and neither is don't be jerks.

 

[jackiemac]

I saw a recent Facebook post that said one of the parks had closed off a trail due to people moving rocks around, I think those rocks may have had petroglyphs on them... This is the consequence...

 

[Onyrlef]

I can - but it's gonna hurt.

I agree, "stupid", contrary to popular opinion can be fixed.

 

[Excalibur]

I agree, "stupid", contrary to popular opinion can be fixed.

My DW is a retired ER nurse. You would not believe some of the methods they know to fix stupid. And most of them hurt.

 

[Isaac-1]

I'm pretty sure "probably" isn't the case and "every rock" is broad. Every rock formation isn't and neither is don't be jerks.

I have only casually watched the video, but it seems like in this case the only thing "special" about this particular rock is that it was located in the Lake Meade national recreation area, which some people are calling a national park, which it is not, it is a recreation area surrounding a man made lake. As I see it this not like destroying one of the arches in Arches NP, the "rock formation" is just the rocks that happened to be surrounding the area where the water stopped rising when the lake was made, there is nothing that makes it "special" beyond this chance location to a man made body of water.

 

[jymbee]

This is one I have mixed feelings on, while what they did is probably wrong, one has to ask if every rock must be preserved where it sits. If there was not a video of this would anyone have ever even noticed that this rock had toppled.

Thinking about this myself, I tend to agree. Seems like there are "degrees" of vandalism. All such acts of vandalism should be condemned and punished appropriately taking into account the severity of the act.

 

[Onyrlef]

I have only casually watched the video, but it seems like in this case the only thing "special" about this particular rock is that it was located in the Lake Meade national recreation area, which some people are calling a national park, which it is not, it is a recreation area surrounding a man made lake. As I see it this not like destroying one of the arches in Arches NP, the "rock formation" is just the rocks that happened to be surrounding the area where the water stopped rising when the lake was made, there is nothing that makes it "special" beyond this chance location to a man made body of water.

I'm thinking Federal Authorities aren't trying to find them so they can award certificates of accomplishment.

 

[TonyL]

I have only casually watched the video, but it seems like in this case the only thing "special" about this particular rock is that it was located in the Lake Meade national recreation area, which some people are calling a national park, which it is not, it is a recreation area surrounding a man made lake. As I see it this not like destroying one of the arches in Arches NP, the "rock formation" is just the rocks that happened to be surrounding the area where the water stopped rising when the lake was made, there is nothing that makes it "special" beyond this chance location to a man made body of water.

The problem with minorizing small acts of crime, vandalism, theft etc is those that commit these acts and get away with it, could go on to bigger acts because their perception of crime differs from that of responsible people.
It's like those that think throwing garbage from their vehicles is an acceptable act because it doesn't hurt anyone.

 

[Isaac-1]

TonyL, in this case I think it may more like charging someone for littering if throw an apple core out a car window on an open highway given that it is biodegradable.

 

[Alaskansnowbirds]

I agree with TonyL. Ignore the little crimes and they always escalate into bigger crimes. Throw the book at these two and make sure it gets well publicized, it will hopefully deter some other idiot from doing it.

 

[Laura & Charles]

A park ranger explained to me that littering apple cores, banana peels (anything biodegradable) is not less an infraction because it attracts wildlife and increases unnecessary roadkill. (As he was writing my ticket.) Until then, I thought as Isaac expressed that biodegradable was kind of not really litter.

I have to agree with Tony that minimizing an illegal act can easily promote escalation.

 

[Isaac-1]

I can understand that thought process, however I have to wonder if there are any studies that back that up, and if so does it depend on the environment, for example does tossing an apple core off the side of the highway by farm have the same effect as doing it in more barren landscapes.

Take for example the southwestern US where people attribute a lot of the road kill due to grass growing along the highways, as they allow rainfall to run off into ditches and allow denser strips of vegetation to grow along the roads.

 

[gwinger]

I guess a lot of it is about teaching the younger generations to preserve stuff.

But that would mean the parents would actually have to raise their kids the right way and not turn a blind eye to what they do. Just look at what happens in a store. Kids running wild in the aisles, or running the streets looking to get into trouble.
When's the last time you heard of a parent grounding their children or, heaven forbid, disciplining them?

 

[gwinger]

I agree with TonyL. Ignore the little crimes and they always escalate into bigger crimes. Throw the book at these two and make sure it gets well publicized, it will hopefully deter some other idiot from doing it.

And not just slap on the wrist. Since it was on federal land, it should be considered a felony.