BLM at BRC 2011

[bluesbob]

I witnessed the BLM roaming around BRC quite a bit this year. And I'd like to say they were a great group of people. Interacting positively with Burners, even smiling all the time. Did someone slip something in their water?

[jobi]

They seemed really laid back this year and really heavy-handed last year. I'm sure everyone has a different perspective on this though.

[gerlachedNloaded]

they were great last year too. shared a chuckle with one after we stumbled upon two unlucky souls passed out mid jerk-off by Bliss Dance.

[Frostbite]

I had good interactions as well. I gave several of them pre-stamped postcards to mail home to their families from BRC. They were genuinely excited to receive them. In talking to them, I found that a lot were higher-up office types. They were pulled out to BRC because of a lack of man power. One BLM Ranger I spoke to had been an art student prior to law enforcement. We talked about the various art pieces for quite a while. When it comes down to it, they are just people doing a job. Even though they have a uniform, you can usually get them to be the people they are.

[CapSmashy]

The BLM guys are usually pretty damn cool. Most of the negative leo encounters usually involve the local sheriff departments, but it sounds like it was a pretty chill year even from them.

Every leo I waved at this year waved back, usually with a smile.

[robrob]

i saw some that were nice and awesome and smiley, and i saw some ransacking camps and searching through car trunks.

probably boils down to "don't be stupid"

[iclimb]

They are all nice until they ticket or arrest you. The job of the police is to arrest and ticket, not to pose for photos and be jovial. I saw two BLM rangers allowed onto the gold dragon art car by a naive idiot. They happily posed and joked with passengers. Had they seen even the slightest illegal thing those passengers would have gone to jail or received very expensive tickets.

[tamarakay]

A bunch of them were at the hotel in Fernly Friday night and you should have seen the firepower they were taking from their trucks to their rooms. We thought crap! Where do they think they are going and what do they think is doing to happen? But I chatted with one and he laughed about it all being standard issue stuff etc. They didn't expect to need any of it. I sure could have used a couple at the Meet and Greet food table

On playa I had nothing but positive interactions with LEO's. Even the obviously undercover one at temple burn that keep trying to find the pot smokers by smell. If he'd stuck his head inbetween me and ken one more time i was going to kiss his check. And trust me, his nose must be really off if ken and I were the best smelling things he could find. We had fun by contact high only.

[CapSmashy]

They are all nice until they ticket or arrest you. The job of the police is to arrest and ticket, not to pose for photos and be jovial. I saw two BLM rangers allowed onto the gold dragon art car by a naive idiot. They happily posed and joked with passengers. Had they seen even the slightest illegal thing those passengers would have gone to jail or received very expensive tickets.

Actually the job of the police and law enforcement in general are to be public servants. Yes, they also happen to arrest people, that break the law, and write tickets to people, that also break the law.

If you are familiar with the law, it is quite easy to avoid breaking the law in the presence of law enforcement officers, even when they get invited onto an art car. If you are one of the self-entitled idiots that think you are some kind of trailblazer and light up your doobie in front of a cop to protest the law and get cited for it, guess what, you earned every last cent of your stupid tax when you pay the ticket.

Inviting members of the law enforcement community onto the art cars is a welcoming gesture that helps to integrate them into our community. At the end of the day, the cops are people just like us. Inviting others into your space as a gesture of good will, inclusiveness and comradeship is what strips away those barriers of us vs them and strengthens our community even more. Both sides get the benefit of seeing the event from the perspective of another's eyes and in most cases, everyone will walk away from the encounter with a renewed perspective.

[Bay Bridge Sue]

Actually the job of the police and law enforcement in general are to be public servants. Yes, they also happen to arrest people, that break the law, and write tickets to people, that also break the law.

If you are familiar with the law, it is quite easy to avoid breaking the law in the presence of law enforcement officers, even when they get invited onto an art car. If you are one of the self-entitled idiots that think you are some kind of trailblazer and light up your doobie in front of a cop to protest the law and get cited for it, guess what, you earned every last cent of your stupid tax when you pay the ticket.

Inviting members of the law enforcement community onto the art cars is a welcoming gesture that helps to integrate them into our community. At the end of the day, the cops are people just like us. Inviting others into your space as a gesture of good will, inclusiveness and comradeship is what strips away those barriers of us vs them and strengthens our community even more. Both sides get the benefit of seeing the event from the perspective of another's eyes and in most cases, everyone will walk away from the encounter with a renewed perspective.

+ 100. I love when I talk to the LEO's out there... and find they're having an awesome time too. Hell, No OT in the world would make me go to someplace like the Playa if I didn't want to be there. I'll even invite them in for a round when they're off duty (or a water, dragons piss, or soda when they're not), because, while they're getting paid for being at the greatest place on earth (lucky shits), they're also still burners. And when you find that out, your horizons expand, and you learn to love just a little more.

As to art cars? Personally, I don't want the drama from someone doing shit that they know will get us all in shit soup in an art car I'm running... so they'd be welcome there, too.

When you stop looking at people with suspicion, as if they're adversaries just because of some perception you have, you realize that they may end up being a good friend.

Someday, ask about my UC LEO experience. I STILL laugh about that one!

[ibdave]

They are all nice until they ticket or arrest you. The job of the police is to arrest and ticket, not to pose for photos and be jovial. I saw two BLM rangers allowed onto the gold dragon art car by a naive idiot. They happily posed and joked with passengers. Had they seen even the slightest illegal thing those passengers would have gone to jail or received very expensive tickets.

aunt flo, is that you?

[Dr Helix]

The BLM guys are usually pretty damn cool. Most of the negative leo encounters usually involve the local sheriff departments, but it sounds like it was a pretty chill year even from them.

Every leo I waved at this year waved back, usually with a smile.

Met up with two cruising the streets with my small MV. Pulled up next to one and said, "We're racing for pinks, right?" He laughed and gunned his quad and we went for a short spurt, then he pulled up and waved. All good.

[Bay Bridge Sue]

Those little green quads are pretty slick gigs... but NOTHING like the 6 wheelers that HGH EMS had. I saw those and the first thought that came to mind was "what a fracking cool art car chassis that would make..."

[BBadger]

They are all nice until they ticket or arrest you. The job of the police is to arrest and ticket, not to pose for photos and be jovial. I saw two BLM rangers allowed onto the gold dragon art car by a naive idiot. They happily posed and joked with passengers. Had they seen even the slightest illegal thing those passengers would have gone to jail or received very expensive tickets.

Of course. But why would you be doing "illegal things" on your art car anyway? It's not like they're cordoned off areas of the playa immune to observation. "OH SHIT HIDE THE CRACK!"

It's also certainly better than entrapping undercover cops trying to fill in gaps in their budget. The BLM folk are in full uniform, enjoying a ride with burners, and appreciating what was made. They'll probably go back to their offices and tell their buddies, changing their perspectives. Many of the BLM folk probably never even thought they'd be be treated in such a friendly manner, let alone invited on an art car. I know some folk in the US Forest Service who think BM is pretty neat, even telling me of their amusement with an art car popping up at a local burn; I'm betting there are quite a few in the BLM as well, despite all the extra work to assess and maintain the event.

This is a good sign of things to come, and a validation of the fact that respect and tolerance on both sides of the spectrum can maintain an amicable relationship.

[Nipple]

A friend and I had a nice chat with a pair of BLM rangers sitting out in deep playa one afternoon. The topic was how my friend could convince his LEO wife to come next year. We discussed that it's federal land, and his wife wouldn't have any jurisdiction out there which might make her feel more at ease. One of them remarked that he'd be here on his own time when he retires in 7 years. His partner bemoaned that he had 17 left.

It was a wonderful conversation until one mentioned that BM was an LLC, and my friend mistakenly said it was a non-profit. They went back and forth a couple times and the senior ranger said "Well guys, we need to go meet up with the chief. You have a nice afternoon." and ended the conversation.

The Sr. ranger saw it going no where productive and just pulled the plug on it. My friend later realized he was completely, and factually incorrect, but... to what end.

Nice guys! Look forward to seeing them in 7/17 years.

[tamarakay]

Someday, ask about my UC LEO experience. I STILL laugh about that one

Uh, ok i'll bite. BBS, did you have a uc leo experience? I'd love to hear it!

[CapSmashy]

Someday, ask about my UC LEO experience. I STILL laugh about that one

Uh, ok i'll bite. BBS, did you have a uc leo experience? I'd love to hear it!

Oh it is quite good.

[bluesbob]

It was a wonderful conversation until one mentioned that BM was an LLC, and my friend mistakenly said it was a non-profit.

Burning Man went non-profit shortly after this year's Burn. About time.