Utah ancient rock: US scouts could face charges

GreyGoo
I wonder how much ancient rocks were moved to make way for Americas city's, it's just a microcosm of the macrocosm here however much I don't condone it.

The problem is with such behaviour,although I appreciate where youre coming from, is that any scout accessing this could possibly think this is acceptable behaviour and cause damage to other sites. People have said but this is only a rock, yes in this instance, but what next? The Lincoln memorial?

I think prison is entirely too much and don't we have enough populating the human warehouses around the nation as it is?

Fining them the maximum possible to help fund the very park service protecting what they destroyed, sounds reasonable though.

It's not 'just another rock'. Look at the base it's balanced on before these nature boys pushed it over. Those are rare to find and see. The very thing these mental midgets thought made it unsafe is precisely what makes it unique ..or it HAD been unique..until they destroyed it.

It's like "correcting" a master work of art because you think it sucks, in my humble opinion.

In addition to the fines? Rename that little patch of the park "Ignorance Rock" for all future visitors to know.

CallYourBluff
Is it just me or is it just a rock ?

I'm going to run with this.
I mean, as far as I can tell, it wasn't some glorious, Nationally Protected Monument or anything...
...just a rock.

...so why is it a big deal?
I stepped on a few rocks this morning.
They probably shifted under my feet. In fact, one or two may even have been pressed into, or even under, the mud outside (it's rained a lot lately here). Some may not see the light of day again for quite some time.

...what now?

reply to post by Awen24


Really? You're putting standing on some small stones in the same context? Okay, we can all see where your World would lead to.

It's okay, destroy everything, it was in my way!

Wow.
Somebody get me a beer.

First off,
Who in their right mind made those two scout masters?

Second.....

Stoning, prison, 10K fines?

Can anything on this site be discussed in a rational manner without needing to be a death sentence?

How about the judge gives these two the task of personally doing public service and going to every scout group possible to talk about the importance of our national resources?

Maybe highlight the importance of citizens understanding how fragile our ecosystem is and that our actions can be damaging even with the best of intentions.

Possibly even get a better standard for scoutmasters?

Nah,
No need for that.
Charge them several thousand, give em 20 years solitary confinement and then have a hundred girl scouts pelt em to death with stale snickerdoodles.

First off let me retract my pun on the stoning comment.

It was a joke punishment to go with how to go about rock vandalism. For those who didn't get it. I apologize.

I do not think a major fine would work. These 2 idiots probably can't balance a check book. As we all seen how they unbalanced a rock.

Prison would be excessive. And neither would get why they are there. Or it would just create anger making them an actual threat to society.

However! Why not do what some judges have done. Since it's a state park,

Have them do a 1 to 5 month tour wearing signs stating how dumb they are.
" Hi I'm stupid! Honk and get my picture!" " I thought a million year old rock structure was dangerous! Ask about our low rate GRAND CANYON hole fillings!" Because a huge hole in the south western U.S. is to risky. Some one might fall in!

so the whole thing makes me chuckle at how dumb some people can be. And that I must walk among them.

reply to post by badgerprints


Agreed. I'll buy you that beer.

And tone my tone down a notch as well.

reply to post by Restricted


And if your child was to go sit under it to get in the shade and it suddenly fell on him or her what would you say then, oh yea im sure you would sue the state for this loose rock not being dealt with. Last time I checked the U.S. pays people to start avalanches to prevent bigger ones so why is this any different? Where they dumb for making the video, oh yes but if they seen a hazard and tried to stop a senseless death then good on them.

Its only a dam rock, we have plenty of them.

Questionable scout leader material. I bet they did it just to be macho. Do these stupid stunts somewhere else.

Yeah, it's a rock.
It was part of what makes the park an attraction. The Hoodoos.
It wasn't one of the major formations. However they made 3 stupid choices (in that moment).
They toppled it, recorded, and posted their stupidity.

So now?
An nice PSA, made from their own video. "Hoodoos and don'ts"

Productive public humiliation should be fine.

reply to post by Patriotsrevenge


I'd say dipstick shouldn't have sat under the rock. It's called natural selection.

Shouldn't there be like a sign stating not to mess with the rocks at the park. Perhaps where you enter and it says no beer, pets or 4 wheelers? Punishment would be make a sign for the park that would last a long time and let people know just what the park is and some of the common sense rules that should be followed..

And if they actually did it for safety which seems like bull to me why did they stop there? There seems to be a bunch more ready to fall in the background.

Now I wonder just how much longer that rock would have stayed there on it's own. Perfectly balanced it was.

i guess everybody has forgotten the guy that was hikeing and had to cut of his own arm because a lose rock pinned him.

now i assume that where they were was open to the public, and i also assume it was legal to walk on and around the rocks. and from the video even though he had to grunt a little, the rock fell fairly easy and quickly. now if he would have had him some sort of lever and was cranking down on it that would of been something else.
if you watch the video he just moved up and pushed on it real hard.

now lets say that some kids were running around jumping and playing on that rock and it fell and killed some one or they lost their arm or leg.

everyone would be yelling that all lose rocks or ones that wouldn't take much effort to move should be toppled.
or if they block off access, everyone would be yelling about that.

You know!
It just occurred to me. These guys are GRAND THEFT AUTO V fans!

In the game one of the activities is to topple a large ball off a stand high up in the hills. You can take a selfie while the ball slams into homes way down below!

Arghh! now they're gonna sue the gaming industry! Should have hired someone to prevent that.





Sign post.

State and or federal land. Beware of falling rocks. Enter with caution.

New sign.

Dear government! Dumb people about to enter park! Prepare to be sued!

CallYourBluff
Is it just me or is it just a rock ?

It's not just you. You have people coming from multiple directions on weather or not this is wrong but it seems to come down to two things. Was this defacing legal or not? if not, what is the median for which one can alter historical monument which this seems to be? Are we going to prosecute the many people who've probably walked by and scratched this rock a bit? Again altering it's previous state? lets turn this into a real conversation.

Cobaltic1978
People have said but this is only a rock, yes in this instance, but what next? The Lincoln memorial?

Yes, obviously the Lincoln Memorial is next. then the Washington Monument, then the Moon.

It's just a rock. Criminal charges against these guys is INSANE... Making these guys have a criminal record for the rest of their life for pushing over a rock is deplorable.. It is hard enough as it is now to get a job WITHOUT ANY type of record, add this one to your resume and it is going to the bottom of the pile for pushing over a rock... I do not believe these guys lives should be ruined over this.. There were no signs posted or any where stating you couldn't push the rocks over, these guys did NOTHING wrong..

So then what is the point of posting danger signs.
FALLING ROCKS
Steep grade
Cliff ahead
Fire danger moderate today
Parasite warning no swimming
Danger thin ice
Watch for deer ticks
Rabies warning
Virus warning beware of mouse droppings
waterfall ahead
Don't feed the bears
Bears may have arms
Content may explode if you upset it!
Use of a 900 Hz phone may cause stigmata in cats
Blue pill to help with E D except while awake


Here's your sign. If these guys felt it was a danger than the least they could have done was address it to the proper authorities.

Those guys should have sent an invoice into the state. Although there might have been a bit of a macho theme to the whole effort, I think it sets a bad example to punish people for showing some due diligence.

That rock was not going support much force for very long. It would be a chance in a million for thing to end up hurting someone but why take the chance? And why waste time trying to rendezvous with park rangers in order to point it out.

Give him a fine. Let him take it to court and lets get a judge to weigh in. I predict these guys will be smiling for their 15 minutes.

reply to post by starfoxxx


I was typing when you posted. Bad timing. If this area had no signs then I guess this topic is moot.