Re: third death
Posted by Cactus Jack on August 20, 2004 at 02:08:17:
In Reply to: Re: third death posted by Farmer Dean on August 19, 2004 at 23:22:18:
Yep, I've got that same picture in my alleged mind. It ain't pretty. That part of 190, between Z point and 20 mule team, is in the middle of the wash with nothing on either side except vertical walls. Maybe he could have stuck his foot through the firewall and outrun the water, but I doubt it. It was horrible, no doubt.
Nevertheless, if there were barricades in place and he drove around them, then he made his decision. Which, as a free American, he had every right to do. Right, wrong, or indifferent. It's not like I've never locked in hubs and gone around roadblocks myself. When I do it, I know the risks involved. Did he know the risks? There is no way to know. Should the NPS/CHP/ICSO man these initial roadblocks? It goes back to that manpower thing. We are lucky there is someone to put up the barricade in the first place. After that they've got other things to take care of. What are they supposed to do? Put up a roadblock and hope it works? From all indications, that's what they did.
I think the thing is tragic. My heart goes out to those people, too. I also continue to believe all involved LE did the best they could with what they had to work with.
I don't know how relevant this is but I enjoy my freedom out here. Now, I don't think freedom means a citizen is free to do whatever they want, but rather, they are free to accept the responsibility for whatever they do. I think of that as self government. I also believe, as Edward Abby did, that every American has the right to risk their life in their National Parks if they want to. I further believe that the responsibility for that man's death and his mother's, however tragic the whole thing may be, is his own.
Don't you find it interesting that there have been no heat casualty deaths this summer? I wonder if that has anything to do with the increased efforts of the local NPS to educate the visitors about heat related injuries? Could be.
Oh, Hells Bells, Farmer John. I've blithered on for far too long and I have to go to work in the morning. Cactus Jack waving a hand. See you next time. Take care.