tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470371997307119952.post5080601434271796305..comments2014-09-02T13:23:51.145+00:00Comments on Alex Roddie | words - mountains - imagination: The freedom of the hills is under threat - an article for non-climbersAlex Roddiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12630306805747934102noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470371997307119952.post-71681894151335352702013-02-19T00:13:56.111+00:002013-02-19T00:13:56.111+00:00Alex, we get the same kind of thing happening here...Alex, we get the same kind of thing happening here in BC, and it's not just the media. There's one well known local SAR guy who tents to complain about the people being rescued while at the same time asking for more donations. I summarised some of my thoughts a few years back in a blog post; <a href="http://blog.oplopanax.ca/2011/11/on-blaming-the-victim/" rel="nofollow">On Blaming the Victim" </a> <br /><br />The common theme, in my view, is not the media looking for a trend (although I do agree they do that, and of course they want a story), but that anyone who is the victim of an accident is somehow to blame, not only for the accident, but for risking the lives of those who go out to rescue them.<br /><br />A local guide and instructor did an excellent job summarizing this in a letter to one of our newspapers (there's a link to it <a href="http://blog.oplopanax.ca/2013/01/risk-is-part-of-adventure/" rel="nofollow">at the top of this article</a>)<br /><br />Without risk, there is no adventure. Having been a SAR guy for 12 years I've certainly come across my fair share of people who took on more risk that they should have, but I would never begrudge going out to help someone in need. <br /><br />Preventing people from testing themselves against the wild is not the right way to go. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13431570074077670491noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470371997307119952.post-82429747821185148342013-02-16T15:43:59.115+00:002013-02-16T15:43:59.115+00:00Dear Alex, - an excellently written article. You h...Dear Alex, - an excellently written article. You have summed up what I've thought for a while - As mainstream society becomes more and more risk adverse, it starts to turn on those it deems 'reckless.' (whipped up by a hysterical& selfish media)And winter mountaineering is a very obvious and easy target. A few more deaths, the 'something must be done' mantra develops, then fat, urban politicos waddle out of the woodwork to save us from ourselves. David Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09837568368407230742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470371997307119952.post-89475654213860116192013-02-15T08:45:11.385+00:002013-02-15T08:45:11.385+00:00Thanks David. The response to this piece has been ...Thanks David. The response to this piece has been incredible, largely because this time the media backlash has been more brutal than ever before. When nine people die in the mountains in less than a month it's easy to jump to conclusions, I suppose, but I wish the more vocally critical elements of the public could look at the situation as climbers do. More education needed for everyone involved I think.Alex Roddiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12630306805747934102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470371997307119952.post-36341445304834128382013-02-15T08:37:47.024+00:002013-02-15T08:37:47.024+00:00A very interesting and obviously heartfelt poat, A...A very interesting and obviously heartfelt poat, Alex. I can only agree about the insidious nature of the media, who know that painting people as villains sells more papers than honestly reporting the facts. David Wailinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14320486891851775960noreply@blogger.com