Protesters Scale Golden Gate Bridge

AP via SFGate ^ | 4/7/8

[SmithL]

San Francisco (AP) -- Three protesters are climbing up the suspension cables of the Golden Gate Bridge as part of a protest to the coming Olympic torch relay.

[DGHoodini]

“Oh, my Grace, I got no hiding place.”

[untrained skeptic]

Isn’t climbing these bridges illegal? I would wager a Coke that there are signs posted stating the punishment and fines associated with climbing on the bridge.

If it's not, I'm taking a vacation to SF and doing some bridge climbing. Looks like fun to me!

If a protester falls and dies; they deserve that for being stupid.

True enough.

However, if a rescuer gets hurt in the attempt of saving an idiot from his own illegal and stupid stunt ....

I'll go rescue them. I'm even properly trained in vertical rescue techniques. Though my training is with ropes, not climbing steel cables. If someone can get me to the top, I'd be happy to pick them off on the way down. I'd even be happy to climb up and pick them off if someone can attach my rope at the top.

However, I only climb and rappel off of things when I'm legally allowed to do so.

These idiots are costing the area a fortune by closing part of the bridge and forcing the police and EMS to be on hand.

They deserve to be arrested, and also pay a very steep fine.

However, I'm still a bit jealous.

[marinamuffy]

Great cause, idiotic stunt

I agree. Can't even admire a moonbat when I kind of want to!

[TomKOne]

He flew away....

[SmithL]

BULL!

It was wrong when it was Woody Harrelson and the Eco-Whackos, and it’s wrong now. Since they seem to want to slow down traffic on the bridge, let them volunteer to be speed bumps.

[kidd]

Demonstrations are meant to make the protestor feel good.
But demonstrations won’t change China.

Duncan Hunter wants some rather stiff tariffs placed on Chinese goods. Something with some real teeth in it.
But I guess American liberals and moderates aren’t interested in actually accomplishing anything...they are only interested in futile exercises that let them vent and make themselves feel important.

[kidd]

I’m curious.

China is constantly threatening Taiwan.
China is making nuclear weapons for use in an offensive move against the United States.
China imprisons Catholics that don’t follow the state-sponsored version of catholicism.
China uses slave labor.
China displaces millions of people to build a dam.
China is the biggest polluter on the planet (smog,sulfides,etc)

And of course, Tiananmen Square.

But they arrest a couple of protestors and all of Europe and liberal American cities get their pants in a bunch.

Now, I’ve never approved of the Chinese occupation of Tibet...but what is it about Tibet that has motivated liberals, where other Chinese attrocities have not?

[nothingnew]

bump

FMCDH(BITS)

[DanielRedfoot]

My thoughts exactly:

I honestly don’t get these people-

I am all for Free Tibet but these people seem to have distain for the efforts to overthrow religious intolerance and oppression in Afghanistan.?
They are rightfully concerned with Darfur but fight against the liberation of the people in Iraq.
You get venomous shrill reactions if dare suggest the liberation of Iran from religious intolerance and oppression.

[aimhigh]

Free Tibet!

Correction: Free China!

[HereInTheHeartland]

As long as they don’t tie up traffic or hurt the bridge...

[kingu]

Those in the Los Angeles area can tune to 4.4 on the digital channel for raw footage of the protest, or go to knbc.com and watch the raw footage web-channel and you can watch as well.

[GauchoUSA]

You have a huge point. I don’t know much about Tibet to tell you the truth, all I know is that it became popular when the beatles were hanging out with the Dali Lama. I suppose that is the same time Buddhism became popular with the hippies.

We do not hear the half of what is happening in China and what is happening in Tibet, I guess if we did, we would all be climbing the Golden Gate.

I’m just happy that they have found something else to focus on, other than trashing our troops, our values and our country. Let them criticize Chine for the Summer, it could be our summer vacation:)

[DGHoodini]

I wondered if anyone would recognize such an obscure quote.
:o)

[Caramelgal]

Now, I’ve never approved of the Chinese occupation of Tibet...but what is it about Tibet that has motivated liberals, where other Chinese attrocities have not?

You make some very good points! I agree with you that we all should be equally outraged by all of it.

My guess is that Buddhist in general and Tibetans more specifically, at least until recently, are among the world’s most peaceful and pacifistic bunch and because of that they garner much sympathy from all sides.

It’s sort of like the difference between killing sharks and clubbing baby seals to death. While I have no problem with hunting and fishing, I can’t stomach seeing baby seals clubbed to death in front of their mothers, or puppies or kittens mistreated or killed for that matter. Some things just don’t seem right no matter who you are.

And I think that a lot liberals have no problem with Communism in general and aren’t too sympathetic to the cause of Christians but they side with the Tibetans because they see Buddhism as some sort of mystical, new age, pseudo alternative religion. Of course the liberals and Hollywood types who think they understand Buddhism don’t really understand it or its history and traditions or that of Tibet anymore than Madonna understands Judaism or Israel just because she’s gone all Kabbalah. Traditional Buddhism has nothing to do with what Richard Gere, etc. think it is.

I think that the reason many conservatives support the Tibetan cause is because 1) we love freedom, 2) we hate communism and all it stands for, 3) we recognize that the Tibetans have a right to self governance and a right to practice their religion and keep their cultural traditions in tack and 4) we relate to the underdog who has the balls to stand up to an overwhelming, powerful and brutal regime and dare to say – “you can take my land and all my property and even my life, but you can’t take away my freedom.”

[Aristotelian]

[Clemenza]

I can think of another four letter word to put in front of Tibet...

[Hodar]

You are a far better man than I.

I’m pretty blunt, and compassion is not my strong suit. I’m the type of guy that would wiggle a cable to get the protester’s attention. Then I would kindly ask him to rapel down and get off the bridge. Any other answer than “yes sir; right away sir” would find me cutting a rope and letting gravity and God make the final decision. Meanwhile, I’d move on to the next rope and repeat.

I fail to see why police negotiate with people doing illegal things. Make the consequences very clear, give a command, then follow through. To empower these jerks, by stopping traffic, tying up tax-payer dollars with police and rescue, and having the press treat them like heroes, does nothing but encourage others to follow suit.

I think a few warnings, some cut rope and the effects of Gravity would show others that there is a ‘good’ way to protest, and a ‘bad’ way to protest.

If they tried this stunt in China; they would already be examples.

[GauchoUSA]

It may sound cheesy but it’s true

[mickey finn]

I am all for a free Tibet also. But this cause is, and has been the hippie, antiwar cry for as long as I can remember. These same people could care less about the millions that were killed by the commies after we left Southeast Asia, and would not care if millions of Iraqis were killed if we immediately pulled out of Iraq. It is the feel good movement of the antiwar left.