Posted on 12/14/2014 2:53:31 PM PST by jazusamo
The environmental activist group Greenpeace has apologized after damaging the Nazca Lines, an ancient Peruvian site. The group placed a series of yellow banners very close to the hummingbird geoglyph spelling out a message calling for environmental awareness. In doing so, the members of the group trespassed on the area and disturbed the otherwise-pristine grounds around the lines with a series of footprints.
The area around the Nazca Lines is so protected that even the president of Peru cannot walk around there without express permission, and those who are permitted to enter the site have to wear specialized footwear to avoid damaging the ground. Greenpeace's activists, ironically, took no special effort to minimize their damage to the area
From Gizmodo:
The message is practically on top of the hummingbird geoglyph, which is now surrounded by their footprints. And the irony is thick. The future may be renewable, but these fragile, ancient drawings are not.
"This has been done without any respect for our laws," Peru's deputy minister for culture Luis Jaime Castillo told the press, calling Greenpeace's actions "thoughtless, insensitive, illegal, irresponsible and absolutely pre-meditated." He explained further: "It was done in the middle of the night. They went ahead and stepped on our hummingbird, and looking at the pictures we can see there's very severe damage. Nobody can go on these lines without permission—not even the president of Peru!"
Greenpeace issued an apology on Friday, but the Peruvian government is now looking to press criminal charges against the group.
"The decision to engage in this activity shows a complete disregard for the culture of Peru and the importance of protecting sacred sites everywhere," Greenpeace U.S. Executive Director Annie Leonard said in a statement on the group's website Friday. "There is no apology sufficient enough to make up for this serious lack of judgment."
Obviously, this is unacceptable. There are appropriate venues to protest or to project a desire for environmental policy change. The Nazca Lines, clearly, are not an appropriate venue. The Peruvian government is right to be upset about Greenpeace's actions, and I hope this forces the group to take a smarter approach to protesting in the future.
Video at link
Peru is correct about one other thing. Trees can grow back, but archeological sites are one of a kind and once they are destroyed, can never be replaced.
You can’t judge them based upon the outcome of their actions! Their INTENTIONS were good. You must judge them based on their good intentions!
The video at the link actually shows these A**HATS doing it so some of them can be identified from that.
Throw the people who were caught into jail.
Offer them a significantly reduced sentence if the GreenPeace leaders to planned and ordered this identfy themselves and submit themselves for Pervian justice.
Let the Progressive rank and file see and learn that their own leadership will let them go under the bus once like the useful idiots/cannon fodder their leadership thinks they are.
But their message is SO IMPORTANT that we should all feel bad inside for forcing them to commit such a stupid act on a protected site...(sarc/)
Yes, it is internationally known. I agree that it holds significance for all mankind. I hesitate to call it an international landmark, because I believe that it is Peru’s alone. It is their heredity and national pride on the line here, as it should be IMO.
The United Nation’s efforts to designation “World Heritage Sites” is misguided IMO. The U. N. owns nothing. It’s a pretend entity from the word go. That’s why I key on this like I do.
Let the U. N. glom onto things like this, and pretty soon they’re dictating the rules. Screw the U. N.
Oh I wouldn’t be surprised. Someone is still paying their meal ticket too. You can bank on that.
As long as no bugs or lizards were injured they don’t care.
Otoh, I cannot think of a more appropriate statement of/by, and monument to, our times.
What says "We have very high self-esteem and even higher self-righteousness" better than bold graffiti superimposed upon the Nazca Lines?
Not just someone. There have been many closeups of the individuals doing the vandalism:
http://hyperallergic.com/168190/peru-charging-greenpeace-activists-for-damaging-nazca-lines/
(Scroll to bottom)
Fringe lunatic liberals once again act as if the “rules” don’t apply to them. Typical.
OK Sports Fans, ten bucks says the watermelons don't turn over their names because they feel they are above the law..
Ha Ha.
The Sierra Club Motto:
“take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but
footprints”.
Excellent, maybe now I can order whale steak again.
They could get eight years in prison.
Hope they enjoy their stay.
By what standard English definition is this ironic?
Greenpeace are vandals, vandals vandalize, Q.E.D.
Not ironic in the least.
Hit them where it hurts - in the wallet. The government of Peru should sue Greenpeace, and the individuals who did this personally, in U.S. courts and whatever other venues are appropriate. This would be in addition to any criminal penalties. I should think damages would be almost incalculable.
It’s about time these criminals get what they deserve!
Amen...They deserve every day of it.
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