Swiper Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 (edited) Three LDS Boy Scouts troop leaders are in legal trouble after toppling over a rock formation in Goblin Valley State Park. They decided to post their misdeed on their Facebook but later removed the video after somebody warned them about potential legal trouble. The copy of the video posted by SLC Tribune on YouTube appears to have gone viral with 800k+ views since yesterday.Men may face felony charges after toppling Goblin Valley formation | The Salt Lake Tribune Edited October 18, 2013 by Swiper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 Why would someone do that? Idiots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleWyvern Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 (edited) Take only rocks, leave only slightly flatter surfaces. EDIT: I think I may be remembering this wrong... Edited October 18, 2013 by LittleWyvern Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beefche Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 But, but, but.....they were saving lives! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarginOfError Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 Why would someone do that? Idiots.I don't think there's a better answer to your question than your own.What is it with our pathological desire to "make safe" the expanse of nature. I agree that there are places in nature where we should minimize risks. I would call those areas populated areas.As far as I'm concerned, step into a remote state park and you accept the risks of nature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windseeker Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeuroTypical Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 What a bunch of idiots. Full disclosure - I've got a well-established track record of enjoying the heck out of pushing large things over like an idiot. Every family drive, we pull over to a ravine or a river or something, so I can take the heaviest rock I can find, and roll it down the ravine or throw it into the river. But I've never done this where reasonable* fellow humans believe the place to be exceptionally beautiful or worthy of protection to keep as disturbed as little as possible. I like throwing rocks like an idiot, but I'm not that big of an idiot. * I say reasonable, because I'm counting the days to when I get chewed out by some unreasonable Boulderite for throwing a rock into a river. I can see it now - they'll consider my action a crime on par with what the guys in this video did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vort Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 Makes me sick to my stomach. What were they thinking? How foolish. And now they'll likely have a felony record as a result of their stunt. Just sad, all the way around. Of course, no one believes they were performing a civic duty. They may have thought that was funny, but it wasn't, and for them to now claim they were serious and really were doing something noble is a transparent lie. I feel bad for them, but frankly, they probably deserve whatever punishment they get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skippy740 Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 I count three men who forgot what it meant to "leave no trace". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pam Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 (edited) I worry that the stupidness of a few may cause that the rest of us will no longer be able to go and enjoy the beauty of nature that is provided for us. Goblin Valley is extraordinary. This was the first time that I read they were Scout leaders. Edited October 18, 2013 by pam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeuroTypical Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 Most of my scout leaders were wonderful. But I had one or two who really remind me of these guys. Not evil, just idiots. The gospel is for them too, and our commandment to forgive covers them too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vort Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 Most of my scout leaders were wonderful. But I had one or two who really remind me of these guys. Not evil, just idiots. The gospel is for them too, and our commandment to forgive covers them too.Agreed. And it's not like they killed someone. But they destroyed something irreplaceable that no one else will ever be able to enjoy again.Don't people think before they act? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarginOfError Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 This was the first time that I read they were Scout leaders.They probably won't be for long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swiper Posted October 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 They probably won't be for long.I think you are right. Since I made my original post today the number of hits on the YouTube-video has almost doubled to 1.5 million. It's no way they can remain as scout leaders with so much bad publicity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarginOfError Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 I think you are right. Since I made my original post today the number of hits on the YouTube-video has almost doubled to 1.5 million. It's no way they can remain as scout leaders with so much bad publicity.Forget the publicity. If they are convicted, they probably won't remain eligible (failing the background check).They completely ignored the Leave No Trace principles, calling into question their ability to effectively model these principles.I'm all for forgiveness, and I even think jail time would be a bit extreme for these guys. But I"m also in favor of consequences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Backroads Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 Goblin Valley is one of my favorite parks, hands down. This behavior, this action, infuriates me! Yeah, there is no way they will be remaining Scout leaders. Stupid, stupid men. The thought process astounds me. Now, I'm all for protecting children, but the odds of a boulder toppling on someone is astronomical in that park. I'm not sure what the appropriate consequence would be, but it is infuriating! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerome1232 Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 I believe they may have actually believed their own excuse to push it over. Perhaps I am naive. Still idiots though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pam Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 I believe they may have actually believed their own excuse to push it over. Perhaps I am naive.Still idiots though.One who thought they were doing it for the good of others doesn't laugh and make jokes of it on a video. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerome1232 Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 (edited) One who thought they were doing it for the good of others doesn't laugh and make jokes of it on a video.Why wouldn't they? I've had fun doing service plenty of times, we joked, we laughed, we had fun while doing it.The fact that they stated that prior to any controversy makes me think they saw a big rock about to fall, thought it would be fun to push over and thought it was just as well in case it fell on someone on it's own.Did they truly believe that? Maybe. Was it an over exaggeration joke? Maybe. What it wasn't was a veiled lie to get themselves out of trouble since it came before there was any known controversy.edit:Should they be punished? Yes. I'm not excusing them, just giving my counter perspective. Edited October 18, 2013 by jerome1232 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swiper Posted October 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 One who thought they were doing it for the good of others doesn't laugh and make jokes of it on a video.True that. Just the fact that the videotaped it in the first place is a good indication of their true intents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skippy740 Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 Boy Scouts Say Toppling Jurassic Stone Formation Is ‘Reprehensible’ - ABC NewsAccording to this article:“We are shocked and disappointed by this reprehensible behavior,” Deron Smith, spokesman for the Boy Scouts of America, said in a statement.[...]Smith said the BSA prides itself on “the principles of ‘Leave No Trace.’”“We are reviewing this matter and will take appropriate action,” Smith said. He declined to say what appropriate action might be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Backroads Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 One who thought they were doing it for the good of others doesn't laugh and make jokes of it on a video.Slightly related incident that this whole thing makes me think of:Some years ago, my twin brother ran for officer at his university. He was elected into office, and he and other officers and failed candidates decided to have a bonfire. Everyone donated their campaign posters. A picture of my brother holding the poster of a certain candidate made it onto Facebook. SInce this candidate had used his military status in the election, it blew up into a HUGE deal that caused my brother to fall into severe situational depression, lost him his office, and made him lose forty pounds he did not need to lose. Be careful what you post! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pam Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 Slightly related incident that this whole thing makes me think of:Some years ago, my twin brother ran for officer at his university. He was elected into office, and he and other officers and failed candidates decided to have a bonfire. Everyone donated their campaign posters. A picture of my brother holding the poster of a certain candidate made it onto Facebook. SInce this candidate had used his military status in the election, it blew up into a HUGE deal that caused my brother to fall into severe situational depression, lost him his office, and made him lose forty pounds he did not need to lose. Be careful what you post!But when he was burning the poster did he think he was doing it for the good of others? That would be the only way I could see a comparison in this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Backroads Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 (edited) My point is that it doesn't matter why you think you're doing it. My point is that everyone else will read something into it and your reasons no longer matter. You can state your reasons all you want, but it doesn't change what has been set in motion. Of course, refraining from posting the video certainly would not have changed the wrong they did, but it certainly brought forth the consequences a lot faster AND made them look like even bigger idiots. Edited October 18, 2013 by Backroads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swiper Posted October 19, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2013 (edited) Apparently one of the vandals filed a personal injury lawsuit back in September claiming that 2009 car crash injured his back and cause him to "endure great pain and suffering, disability, impairment, loss of joy of life." Goblin Toppler Files Personal Injury Lawsuit Prior to Incident | KUTV.comDaily Kos: Utah rock vandal filed lawsuit in September, claims disability... and these guys are supposed to be role models for the church's young men? Edited October 19, 2013 by Swiper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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