Peaceful Effort sinks man' s ATV

Burlington Free Press | 4/3/2003 | Matt Sutkowski

[Vermonter]

This guy is paying the price for making a statement aginst the war

March 24 was a lovely spring day, so Mark Szymanksi, 36, of Charlotte rode onto icy Converse Bay off Charlotte on his ATV. His dog Jesus joined him as he drove around the bay, marking up the ice with his ATV to form a gigantic peace sign.

The plan went awry when Szymanki's ATV broke through, sinking into 35 feet of water. He got wet, too. "Peace could kill," he said.

He scrambed to shore, minus his $7000 uninsured 2000 Polaris ATV with about 1600 miles on the odometer. He wants it back and is offering a reward of about $100 for it, he said.

"It could be floating. I could show up in a bay," Syzmanksi said. "They have very big tires. They float upside down."

More likely, a diver will have to retrieve it. An effort to pluck it out of the water Sunday failed, he said.

Szymanksi said Jesus, a 3-year old Belgian shepherd and wolf mix, survived the adventure unscathed.

[Vermonter]

I get credit for any typos as this story was not available on the paper's web site and I had to type it in.

Szymanski, gets credit for his own stupidity.

[AgThorn]

God is good .... AND He has a sense of humor!!

[stanz]

I hate when Freepers do this, but
BWA-Ha-Ha-Ha-Haaaaaaa

[SolutionsOnly]

Divine Intervention! Gotta love it!

[gridlock]

As they headed out onto the Ice, the dog was heard to say "Gee, Mark, do you think this is such a good idea?"

[k2blader]

"Peacefui Effor" drew me in, I confess.

[APBaer]

"His dog Jesus joined him as he drove around the bay"

So much for *this* Jesus walking on water.

[Freakazoid]

$7,000 for a 2000 Polaris? This pin head was ripped off!

[Bigg Red]

It sounds like it's from the ONION, but I'll take your word for it. What a dope! And he names his dog after our Savior? What a jerk!

[Mark]

Student of Ted Kennedy Driving School?

[Michael.SF.]

Has to be an Honorable mention for the darwin awards!

[Tacis]

Geez, and if Jim Jeffords had any friends in Congress, the gobment might have been able to help this fine [but, truely stupid] American.

[Illbay]

I saw my first gen-u-ine "peacenik" up close and personal yesterday, right here in Katy, Texas. I was in the drive-through lane at the Wattaburger, when I noticed the ancient, creaking Ford Econoline van in front of me (ca. '83, I would guess), with a very bad dark blue paint job, festooned with bumper stickers.

One of them proudly proclaimed the owner of the van a supporter of KPFT-FM (the Pacifica Radio Network affiliate in Houston).

The owner had painted, in very poor script, the words "NO WW3" across the back doors.

When the van pulled away finally I saw that across one side was also crudely painted the words "Bomb Bush Not Iraq."

I would have given anything to have had my digital camera!

[afraidfortherepublic]

Jesus, a 3-year old Belgian shepherd and wolf mix, survived the adventure unscathed.

Well, natuarally. We all know that Jesus can walk on water!

[TXBubba]

Uh, it could be the Spanish name you know. We have a lot of Jesus folks around here.

[hispanarepublicana]

Where's the "Hold muh love beads 'n watch this" alert?

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

"Peace could kill,"

Is that the quote of the week or what?

[MonroeDNA]

When you are stupid,

Ya gotta be tough.

[Bigg Red]

Okay, I thought about that later. I would not be annoyed if I heard him calling his dog "hay-zeus", I suppose.

[Bigg Red]

Oops! Didn't complete my thought on that last answer to you....

I did not associate the name Jesus for the dog because the guy had a Polish sounding last name, as I recall. So I guess I would have to hear the dog's name pronounced to know for sure.