The more I think about the two Boy Scouts leaders destroying a rock formation that was over 165 million years old, the more angry I become, and the less I understand such an action. If the men were high on drugs, or drunk on alcohol, and used that as an excuse, I could forgive them - just a tiny bit. However, the men deny using any drugs or alcohol, and state that they did the right thing... This just boggles my mind.
The Goblin Valley State Park is made up of mushroom-shaped forms that began weathering away during the Jurassic period. The goblin shapes and formations are made up of red Entrada Sandstone, and one can see a higher formation of white Curtis above them. This area has petroglyphs and pictographs attributed to the Fremont, Paiute, and Ute tribes. Cowboys seeking lost cattle first rode into the valley in the late 19th century. In the late 1920s, Arthur Chaffin and two companions again "discovered" the valley as they were searching for an alternate roadway. Mr Chaffin returned to what he called "Mushroom Valley" in 1949 to explore and photograph the unusual rock formations. As word of the strange valley spread, along with photographs, it became an attraction for hardy visitors. In 1954, after much vandalism had occurred, it was recommended that Goblin Valley be protected as a park. The land was purchased and became a State Preserve, and then became a State Park in 1964.
Three people appear in the viral video of the toppling of the hoodoo - Glenn Taylor, his son Dylan, and Dave Hall is the person filming (his voice and arm appear). Taylor and Hall were at the Goblin Valley State Park on Friday, October 11, with eight young men; the youngsters have been identified as both Boy Scouts and as a youth group with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Perhaps they are both. The Boy Scouts of America has severed their bonds with Taylor and Hall; I have yet to read anything about the stance of the Church.
According to Taylor and Hall, they had spent the day climbing on the rocks with their eight charges. They noticed this hoodoo, which had a large cap resting on a thin neck. The men state they pushed the top rock, and it "moved," so they decided to make the Park safer for families with small children by removing the rock from its stand. To be sure, were there an earthquake in the area, the rock might have fallen - along with a great many others. One of the Park Rangers stated that he had been in the park for 22 years, and had never seen one of the hoodoos collapse. The Deputy Emery County Attorney said that once an investigation has been completed, the three men on the video
could face charges ranging from a Class B misdemeanor up to a 2nd degree felony.
I watched with horror, the first time I saw this video - seeing the men sing a silly song as they tried to, and finally succeeded in, toppling the rock; they laugh uproariously, almost as if they were high or drunk; they high five each other, pose, and dance around. I could see men acting this way if they had just speared a giant boar that was threatening their lives and family camp - back in the Stone Age. To get this "high" on adrenaline, as they claim, just doesn't seem possible to me - unless they knew they had done something wrong, and thought they were getting away with it. (I guess they lead very dull lives.)
To top all of this craziness off, Glenn Taylor, the man shown in the video using his arms to topple the goblin, filed a personal injury lawsuit last month. He claims that he was injured in an auto accident in 2009, and that he has severe back problems and a major disability due to the accident. The man (and his daughter), who are being sued, find it fascinating that this man (a) never went to the hospital after the accident and (b) having such a terrible disability, is able to go climb around rock formations "all day" and then use his back and upper body strength to remove the top boulder from this natural, protected rock formation.
I'll be "totally feminine" at this time and say, disgustedly - Too Much Testosterone.
**In separate interviews yesterday, both Taylor and Hall admit that they "should have gotten a Park Ranger" to look at the rock formation before they destroyed it. Sounds like guilty consciouses to me. **
