[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
[at-l] Re: ATML Death in GA
>A death has occurred on the AT near Hot Springs. about two weeks ago. It is
suspected that he purposefully went to the AT to die,
>but not anything that should affect our attitude about AT hiking.--WF
k7 & WF, I like what you wrote... my sympathies to the family, prayers to
the dead man.
last year I sent a critical 20+ page packet to the ATC Board on crime,
murders, deaths on the trail... & I mention it now, partly because of the
recent death, but mostly because of the recent threads we've had about fear
& learning about the trail...
one of my complaints to the ATC Board was the lack of information & the slow
response when deaths of any kind occur...
imo, this breeds a certain kind of fear, just like the other fears of the
unknown
that were in recent threads... not addressing certain issues, like death,
actually adds to the level of fear about the trail... I believe the trail is
safe but how many of our mothers know that, can we honestly say that is the
general public perception?
for example: if this recent death happened 2 weeks ago, why are we now just
learning about it? even if it is a suicide (death & suicide are topics like
poop that we should talk about to be better informed)... we should be
quickly, honestly, & respectfully informed of trail deaths, or deaths near
the trail (like the 1996 shenandoah murders)... because of the fear
factor... WF wrote an honest & respectful notice, but I believe we should've
know about it sooner (& that's not a flame on WF)... I checked last night &
saw nothing on the ATC website...
I stated in my packet to the ATC Board, we need to be more proactive... we
need to get out ahead of these things to prevent the spread of incorrect
rumors... which apparently has happened with this recent death... these
things can snowball the wrong way... rumors grow as much by misinformation
as by lack of information... we are going to scare people into defensive
strategies that may end up causing harm... or we are going to create false
stereotypes that will create a prejudice against places or types of
people... or people may develop a false sense of security at the wrong time
or in the wrong places...
I wrote this not to slam anyone but because we were talking about fear of
the unknown a few days ago, all of these things are interrelated... if we
know about these things then we can reduce the level of the fear & we can
educate/protect ourselves & others about such things...
there are members of the class of 98 on the trail now heading north... I
wonder what they'll hear if anything at all? I wonder how this death will
filter down to locals, some of whom are already uncomfortable with unkempt
strangers passing through? I wonder if it'll be a slow news day & if this
death will be used to fill space in some newspaper across the country to
scare another mother?
safe travel / will / the green ghost
* From the Appalachian Trail Mailing List | For info http://www.hack.net/lists *
==============================================================================