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Thread: Boycott Bridge Day

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  1. #1
    guest
    Guest

    Boycott Bridge Day

    The promoters of BD 2001 are hiding from the very people who they hope to extract future profits from. Demanding accountability within the BASE community is appropriate and reasonable.

    I would much rather fall off the bridge on the other 364 days in the year when I do not have to deal with the greed, ego and agendas of those who aspire to profit from their "franchise" on the site.

    Ample instruction and qualified mentors abound compared to the early days of the sport. The Bridge Day institution is an obsolete introduction to the sport. In fact, many of the practices encouraged at bridge day would be strongly discouraged everywhere else in the base community. Do we really need video of Wonderhogs going off a bridge to educate the public about supposedly safer and improving technology of base?

    Base is about freedom. Individual freedom. Resist all attempts to "organize" and restrict your freedom to fall off of whatever the hell you choose.

    BOYCOTT BRIDGE DAY



  2. #2
    BLiNC Magazine Supporter (Silver)
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    Protest the NPS -Boycott Bridge Day

    careful what words you choose, dirtbag.... you said it yourself, "Resist all attempts to 'organize'..."

    Sounds to me like you're _organizing_ a boycott.

    Tell ya what, I'll support you 100% if we can shift the boycott's focus/cause to the NATIONAL PARK SERVICE!!!!

    Muwah aha ahahaa ahahahahahahaha!!!!

    Hey seriously... this is something that has been casually batted about for years; I suggest WE ALL BAND TOGETHER AND BOYCOTT BD IN PROTEST AGAINST THE NPS FOR FAILING TO CHANGE ITS OUTDATED POLICIES TO ALLOW BASE JUMPING IN NATIONAL PARKS!!!

    This is getting old, folks.... when are we all going to get pissed off enough that we organize a serious protest of NPS policies??? When are we going to stop letting an executive agency walk over us with its shameless manipulation of regulations and arbitrary bureaucratic policymaking?

    THERE ARE INCONSISTENCIES AT THE NPS. How is it that the NPS can publish a service-wide Management Policies manual that PROHIBITS BASE JUMPING IN ALL NATIONAL PARKS and then turn around and issue a permit to Avery for every one of you to jump from the bridge and land on Park Service property??? Former NPS Director Robert Stanton, in a press release dated Dec 28, 2000, made the claim that the, "[guideance] policies are vitally important to the future of the National Park System, because they give us the tools to be consistent in our approach to decision making and problem solving" (see press release http://165.83.219.72/release/Detail.cfm?ID=103 )

    "...to be consistent???" What the hell is that? The NPS isn't working for us... it's working against us.

    THE PLAN. So here's what we do.... go ahead and send in your registration for next year. But instead of sending it to Avery, send it to me (email me for mailing address at base311@basejumper.net). I will keep an accurate accounting of all proceeds and spending, and we will use this money to print as many information packets to be handed out to as many registered voters as we can find between the hours of 9 am to 3 pm (we'll get out early and stay out late doing this, too) on the third saturday in october, 2002. If the people aren't registered to vote then we'll hand them a brief that explains how to go about getting themselves registered.

    COME ANYWAY. You will all come to bridge day as normal as a show of support to the local community and spend your money while you're there. While everybody stands around wondering where the jumpers are and why we're not jumping, we'll walk around handing out information. Instead of jumping from the bridge we will launch a huge education compaign to inform the public of the misdeeds of the NPS. Included in the information packet will be a form letter for them to sign and mail to their congressional representatives asking why the NPS can make arbitrary decisions that go against ITS OWN MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES.

    For any MEMBERS OF THE PRESS reading this site, This is what the management document says (can be found at the NPS website):

    "8.2.2.7 BASE Jumping

    BASE (Buildings, Antennae, Spans, Earth forms jumping - also known as fixed object jumping - involves an individual wearing a parachute jumping from buildings, antennae, spans (bridges), and earth forms (cliffs). This is not an appropriate public use activity within national park areas, and is prohibited by 36 CFR 2.17(3)."

    ASK YOURSELVES how is it that the NPS can make up the rules as it goes, but you have to live with whatever arbitrary decision that the NPS makes.

    LOOK AT IT THIS WAY.... if the NPS had been following ITS OWN MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES, then the NPS COULDN'T HAVE ISSUED A PERMIT to Avery and, as a consequence, you wouldn't have sent your money to him to jump the bridge. So think about all of that next time you wonder what your 60 bucks was spent on. Don't be angry at Avery (he's one of us); instead focus your aggression on the NPS - it's not one of us.

    Peace, love and vomit,
    Gardner Sapp
    base311@basejumper.net
    K. Gardner Sapp
    Executive Director
    The Alliance of Backcountry Parachutists, Inc.
    P.O. Box 38202
    Atlanta, Georgia 30334
    gardner@backcountryparachutists.org
    www.backcountryparachutists.org

  3. #3
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    response

    experimenting with drugs again, huh, 311. Good for you. How exactly have you harmed the nps by refusing to jump at bridge day? They couldnt care less. You want to force spectators to care by not putting on a show? Ridiculous. The NPS is granting the permit. They'd just shrug and go "we gave them the permit for the event, they dont want to jump". We look the fools, not them. Regular folks dont get involved in other peoples rareified politics, they just want to watch the cool action. No cool action, no spectators, no spectators less people aware of how much base is just harmless funl. In any case about 4 people would be interested in the boycott.

    I agree though. dirtbag needs to get a life. If you dont want to pay 60 to jump nrgb, then jump it the other 364 days. If you pay it, then congratulate avery on using part of it to put his kid through college, and on other base or IBPC events. or drugs. PS. can i jump your south city antenna, please?

  4. #4
    guest
    Guest

    bottom line

    hull ooh, you have a point but it is niave. Yes, the nps wouldn't give a ##### if we didn't do our thing next year. But The governor of West Virgina and maybe event a house rep or two might get interested when their some of their contributors start losing MONEY. I dont know how much exaclty gets pumped into the state directly or inderectly as a result of this event. But I know one thing, 200,000 plus people aren't going to watch dudes hang from ropes all day, they come to see us jump. And when the money stops the phone calls start. And thats how shite works in our government dude - MONEY, friends, and phone calls!!!
    It is our our only tool.

    MB





  5. #5
    guest
    Guest

    I have a dream

    311, your plan could work if implemented. But at best, a portion of mature jumpers with long term vision would follow through with the sit down. At least, enough first time base skydivers would jump and provide the requisite carnage for the spectators to return next year.
    And, unfortunately the order of events is wrong. First you must design and document, in elequent buearocratic double speak, a method to manage who, what and when park objects get jumped. 100% anything goes will never happen. So lets start thinking in their terms and do some work for the nps. Once we provide a reasonable set of guidlines to regulate jumping in parks, then we can address the outright ban.

    But more bad news, it is our nature to phuck ourselves. The desire for instant gratification received from a jump will always win over long term logic in the base brain. This desire is barely (and not always) countered by fear of death and jail.
    Try to picture a bridge full of jumpers looking at the rail in broad daylight, knowing they can jump and not get busted. And then picture them walking away. Now hook me up with some of that etch a scetch so I can picture it too.

    I'm with you brother

    SS

  6. #6
    guest
    Guest

    What does Avery say?

    I agree with this boycott. I've asked about it before, with less than positive response. Now that some people are pissed, I guess they want more public awareness of the NPS policies. There is danger that a boycott may mean losing the permit for the next year, and most jumpers may not like that. Sure, we can still have the party, and meet new people, but not jump it.
    I think of the dollars part of it, and think that would get some phone calls started. Especially if the reason for the boycott were expressed in the pamphlets being handed out. BUT, it would take total participation if it were to happen. And maybe a few years of boycotting, after all, spectators will still be their in full force next year.
    Instead of pissing and moaning about Avery keeping the money, why not ask him if he would help with this effort for the true good of the sport.
    And please don't let this start a pissing match about what avery thinks, why he organizes, and what he does with the money. Maybe he can answer.
    --So, Avery, what do you thnk the governor/mayor would say about this?
    How about you Robin? Do you think this would be a good way to get our congress to look our way?

    just my .02
    Thomas

  7. #7
    imported_Tom Aiello
    Guest

    Why Boycott?

    >print as many information packets to be handed out to as many registered voters as we can find between the hours of 9 am to 3 pm (we'll get out early and stay out late doing this, too) on the third saturday in october, 2002.

    I think this is a very, very, VERY good idea. I don't think it needs to be combined with a BD boycott. In fact, education of the spectators ought to be an excellent weapon against the NPS, when combined with a great Bridge Day show, for the same spectators.

    What if we circulated, handed out the information packets, and set up a booth to educate the public? All this, without hurting the most effective cat-herder (that's a BASE organizer, for those who don't know Adam Filipino) we've ever had.

    In fact, I bet we could get Avery, Harry and Dennis to buy into the idea. Maybe we could convince them to give staff passes to jumpers who volunteered for 3 hour shifts on PR duty, or something similar.

    --Tom Aiello
    tbaiello@ucdavis.edu

  8. #8

    RE: Boycott Bridge Day

    If we boycott and Bridge Day is a bust for a second year in a row, you are risking the permanent cancellation of the event in my opinion. I don't think people in West Virginia really give a crap about BASE in Yosemite. Keep in mind they did have Bridge Day in Fayetteville WITHOUT us this year. I believe you need to go to the source of the problem, and yes, that's Yosemite Valley. If this is where we want to legally jump, then we need to organize and protest in Yosemite. In this manner, the NPS and the visitors can see why we're fighting to gain access to the same places that hang gliders and rock climbers have. However, keep in mind that the big wigs at Yosemite say it'll take an act of Congress to change the ruling, so perhaps the upcoming civil suit will be the determining factor. There are many angles to this fight. If we can all agree on the best method to fight, then we'll be much stronger.

    At this point in time, I'm supporting Fred and his legal pursuits against the NPS. I'm interested in hearing of any additional solutions for legal access from others....

    base428

  9. #9
    skydvr18
    Guest

    RE: Boycott Bridge Day

    "Keep in mind they did have Bridge Day in Fayetteville WITHOUT us this year."

    Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't they cancel the ENTIRE event? No booths, spectators, lanes closed, etc...basically, no Bridge Day at all?

    On boycotting Bridge Day...this year, Avery was still getting registrations after the first 300. You know there are some DIEHARD Bridge Day fans out there who are not going boycott Bridge Day. Then there are the first-time BASE jumpers who you'll never get the word to. In short...even if there aren't 300 jumpers, there's no way there will be ZERO jumpers. Even if you can reduce the number to, say, 100 jumpers. What's that gonna mean? 100 jumpers making multiple jumps. Hell, the spectators probably won't even notice the difference, and even if they did, they won't care...there'll still be a steady stream of jumpers from 9:00-3:00 for their entertainment. I like Tom A.'s idea...combine jumping WITH handing out info. C-ya!!

    Blue Skies,
    Josh

  10. #10

    RE: Boycott Bridge Day

    There WAS a bridge day this year...complete with booths, vendors, bands, etc. although crowds were WAY down. They had it in downtown Fayetteville. Some of my relatives attended.....

    It was kind of like a balloon festival without the balloons! :x

    base428


    >Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't they cancel >the ENTIRE event? No booths, spectators, lanes >closed, etc...basically, no Bridge Day at all?



  11. #11
    guest
    Guest

    No BB comment

    Thomas,

    email me at robinheid@hotmail.com and I'd be happy to discuss it with you.

    Robin Heid
    BASE 44

  12. #12
    guest
    Guest

    RE: Boycott Bridge Day

    As with any strike, you run the risk of totally alienating the public with your strike action. When was the last time you had to wait to cross a picket line or couldn't get mail or whatever processed and weren't pissed off?

    I ahree with 428. A lot of real people depend on money brought in by BD for their livelihood - if the jumpers boycott BD by their own decision they run the risk of alienating the very people who have supported them for over 20 years. Yes we have the power, but is it going to get the right message across.

    I agree with Tom A - jumping should go on with an information campaign and a stepped up pr program. Can't we get some climbing and hang-gliding associations on-side to help us lobby?

    This is just my opinion, but I think boycotting BD or handing out stuff and not jumping would just be shooting ourselves in the foot. As long as BD goes on we have our foot in the door.

    Skypuppy BASE92:+

  13. #13
    guest
    Guest

    RE: No BB comment

    I'm for Robin boycotting, you go girl!

  14. #14
    guest
    Guest

    RE: No BB comment

    Thomas may or may not be a Bridge Day jumper, but I've been jumping Bridge Day since the 1980's. I will not boycott Bridge Day, nor will most of the people I know who participate. Robin Heid hasn't been to Bridge Day for a dozen years at least, so he can rant and rave about a boycott all he wants. Like what good could come from a Bridge Day boycott? Get real.

  15. #15
    guest
    Guest

    RE: BRIDGE DAY BOYCOTT?

    NO WAY! SUPPORT BRIDGE DAY! I'LL PAY DOUBLE!
    DON'T YOU REMEMBER HOW MUCH FUN IT IS?
    http://www.bridgedayassociation.com/justin.jpg

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