Okay everybody who's going to Yosemite for the November 8 rally.... here's some info you need to know and PASS ON via email and word of mouth to people who don't monitor the board.
A permit has been issued for the rally, aand while NPS officials have worked to accommodate us, there are some specific do's and don'ts that everyone needs to know about.
#1: Park in the Camp Six parking lot. It is about 1/4 mile from the courthouse. Don't park any closer and most definitely do no park in the courthouse parking lot itself; it's small enough as it is.
#2: The initial rally will take place in front of the courthouse, in the parking lot there. The permit allows 50 people only into that area, because that's pretty much all it will hold.
If there are more than 50 people, there is a secondary "!st Amendment" area nearby, and NPS personnel will be on hand to guide people down there.
#3. Once we finish up with the rally in front of the courthouse, we will move by car (be ready to double and triple up) a couple of miles down the road to a spot in El Capitan Meadow. Cars will be parked there, and then two things will happen:
a) A group of up to 50 people will walk up a path near where the cars are parked to a site at the edge of the forest and edge of the talus slope where Jan landed. The NPS does not want people walking around in the talus during the memorial portion because it is highly unstable there and the chance of injury is pretty high. NPS folks have scoped out a clearing a short distance from Jan's landing area that will work well.
a) A small group -- five to ten people -- will walk across the meadow to the point on the river where Frank jumped in. Be advised that there have been controlled burns in the meadow, so a lot of it is black (kinda appropriate, eh?)
Both groups may lay wreaths, flowers and other tokens for their own satisfaction and for media photo opportunities. HOWEVER, _nothing_ may be left after the permit expires at 2:30 pm. Everything --- flowers, notes, candles, wreaths, everything -- must be removed (we can do this after the cameras go away). This also means no throwing flowers in the river for Frank (unless you want to jump in afterward and retrieve them!)
#4. Signs are okay, but they're supposed to be no bigger than 28 x 22 nches.
#5. Please don't tie black and white ribbons on any NPS signs, or on any trees, bushes, etc (The permit doesn't say you can't tie them on rangers though! :)
#6. This one is a no-brainer, but let's say it anyway: NO jumping during the permit time, please. There's a time and place for everything and this is not the time to be jumping.
# 7. No P.A. system or bullhorns please.
#8. On a first come, first served basis, up to 20 people can enter the courtroom and watch the proceedings. If you want to watch, be polite, and no cell phones, recorders, pagers, backpacks or signs are alllowed inside. Also, no hell-raising _inside_ the court please.
#9. No cottage industry sales please.
#10. Whatever you bring to the park, take it out when you leave.
#11: No accepting or soliciting of donations for anything.
#12. There will be a "self-policing security force" designated by the permittee. THIS IS A BIG ONE, FOLKS: If we can't control ourselves during a little walk in the park like this, then we don't come off looking too good, do we?
#13. We won't be "marching down the road" as originally announced. It's too far to walk in a reasonable amount of time, and it's the only road in the Valley, so it creates a traffic problem and potential safety issues.
Okay, that's about it. This seems like a long list of restrictions, but they're pretty reasonable on balance and basically do not interfere with what we're trying to accomplish.
It's important for everyone to realize, the NPS has been very helpful in helping us arrange this, and has been very willing to work with us and not be Nazis and jack-booted thugs.
There are many among us who harbor strong feelings about NPS policies. Remember, most of the rangers we will meet were in the Meadow when Jan died and there are two things about them we need to keep very much in mind:
First, essentially every ranger in the Meadow was happy, impressed and supportive of the jumping. A significant number voiced the opinion that it was time to allow BASE jumping in the park.
Second, watching Jan die was probably harder on most of them than it was on those of us who were in the Meadow. Think about it; we have a well-established grief network among ourselves, and because people die skydiving all the time, we're kind of used to dealing with it.
The rangers aren't and as far as we know, there have been no "grief counselors" out there helping them cope with Jan's death.
SO don't be afraid to talk with them about it, listen to them, maybe even offer a hug or something. A lot of those rangers are still hurting over what they saw and we as a community have the resources to help them heal, so let's do it when the opportunities arise.
Finally, don't be afraid to confront the rangers about their policy. It's fine to challenge them about it -- just BE NICE. Talk reasonably, and be fair.
REmember, Yosemite is a plum job and nobody working there is there because they must be; they're there because they want to be, because, like us, they love the place and enjoy being there.
REmember this as we work and walk with the rangers: We are all borthers and sisters together in our love and affection and awe of Yosemite, and if it wasn't for a brain-dead policy created years ago in large part by a pervert who didn't know the difference between right and wrong, every day would be a day full of ranger smiles as a wilderness parachutist descended gently past a towering granite cliff, accenting rather than detracting from its majesty and power.
That's about it, folks. Email this message around as far as you can so that everyone is on the same page. The more intelligently and respectfully we conduct ourselves, the better it is for everybody.
SEEya....
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