How Greenpeace Wrecked One of the Most Sacred Places in the Americas

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by chemgear

Ah yes, the "we are sorry that you are offended" apology(tm).

One of my biggest pet peeves, when I hear this kind of apology, I have to really work at not giving them a backhand across the face, a full on field goal kick to the junk and then pulling their underwear over the back of their head.

That site is pretty much ruined because Greenpeace wanted to do a stunt that would help them raise more money.

[Resolute 14]

Greenpeace are basically eco-terrorists. And like most that fall into such groups, they don't actually care how much damage they cause. In fact, if this gets their name into the press more and leads to more idiots sending them money, they will view it as a job well done.

[flylock shox]

Big deal.

Modern drawings are way better anyway.

[Barbecue]

Originally Posted by V

Well, not really. They're sorry that there's moral outrage, but not sorry for doing it.

yes, they were sorry for doing it
did you miss this in the article?

A spokesman for Greenpeace said: “Without reservation Greenpeace apologises to the people of Peru for the offence caused by our recent activity laying a message of hope at the site of the historic Nazca lines. We are deeply sorry for this.

“Rather than relay an urgent message of hope and possibility to the leaders gathering at the Lima UN climate talks, we came across as careless and crass.”

[troutman]

I was there in 1994 - IIRC I met Maria Reiche who was in her 90s at the time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Reiche

Eventually scholars concluded that the lines were not chiefly for astronomical purposes, but Reiche's and Kosok's work had brought scholarly attention to the great resource. It is widely believed that they were used as part of worship and religious ceremonies related to the calling of water from the gods.[2]

Reiche used the profits from the book to campaign for preservation of the Nazca desert and to hire guards for the property and assistants for her work. Wanting to preserve the Nazca Lines from encroaching traffic after one figure was cut through by the Pan American Highway government development, Reiche spent considerable money in the effort to lobby and educate officials and the public about the lines. After paying for private security, she convinced the government to restrict public access to the area. She sponsored construction of a tower near the highway so that visitors could have an overview of the lines to appreciate them without damaging them.


Her theory at the time was that the lines had astronomical and agricultural significance. The drawings could represent the constellations as known to the Nazca people, and many of the lines point to solstice events.

To see the lines you had to go in a plane, or observe them from an elevated platform. It is so dry at Nazca there is not not much erosion.

The idea that the lines were done with the help of ETs was ridiculed.

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by Barbecue

yes, they were sorry for doing it
did you miss this in the article?

Did you read your quote?

apologises to the people of Peru for the offence caused

They are sorry for the offence caused, not the action.

[CaptainCrunch]

Cause we were laying a message of hope and you were offended that our awesome actions lead to some damage.

Now shaddup and send us money.

[Barbecue]

Originally Posted by FireFly

Did you read your quote?



They are sorry for the offence caused, not the action.

You should read that over again

"offence caused by our recent activity"

offence (əˈfɛns) or offense
n
1. a violation or breach of a law, custom, rule, etc

[chemgear]

Looks like they drove right up onto and around the site.

[calf]

Originally Posted by Barbecue

You should read that over again

"offence caused by our recent activity"

offence (əˈfɛns) or offense
n
1. a violation or breach of a law, custom, rule, etc

2.

• any public wrong or crime
• a nonindictable crime punishable on summary conviction

3. annoyance, displeasure, or resentment

4. give offence, give offence to someone, to cause annoyance or displeasure to someone

5. take offence, to feel injured, humiliated, or offended

6. a source of annoyance, displeasure, or anger

3-6 could also be the definitions of offence.

[V]

Oh great, we're quoting the dictionary now.

They're sorry that people are mad. They're stunned that people are mad, but they're still sorry about it.

[Barbecue]

Originally Posted by V

Oh great, we're quoting the dictionary now.

They're sorry that people are mad. They're stunned that people are mad, but they're still sorry about it.

and sorry for their actions

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Barbecue

and sorry for their actions

If they are, it is only because people are mad enough to stop giving them money.

[Burninator]

This is their full apology letter if anyone is curious.

Lima, Peru, 10 December 2014
—
Greenpeace releases the following apology about the Nazca Lines protest on December 8th:
Without reservation Greenpeace apologises to the people of Peru for the offence caused by our recent activity laying a message of hope at the site of the historic Nazca Lines. We are deeply sorry for this.
We fully understand that this looks bad. Rather than relay an urgent message of hope and possibility to the leaders gathering at the Lima UN climate talks, we came across as careless and crass.
We have now met with the Peruvian Culture Ministry responsible for the site to offer an apology.
We welcome any independent review of the consequences of our activity. We will cooperate fully with any investigation.
We take personal responsibility for actions, and are committed to nonviolence. Greenpeace is accountable for its activities and willing to face fair and reasonable consequences.
Dr Kumi Niadoo, the International Executive Director of Greenpeace, will travel to Lima this week, to personally apologise for the offence caused by the activity and represent the organisation in any on going discussions with the Peruvian authorities.
Greenpeace will immediately stop any further use of the offending images.

http://www.greenpeace.org/internatio...767&__step__=1

[troutman]

How did they get near the lines? Does the story say? Is there not security all around?

[Barbecue]

Originally Posted by Burninator

This is their full apology letter if anyone is curious.

http://www.greenpeace.org/internatio...767&__step__=1

Thanks for posting that. Reading the letter in full, there's no doubt that they're sorry for their actions and are willing to take responsibility for it

People are just too quick to assume it's an apology for reactions when it's for the actions.
Give credit where credit is due

[GGG]

The problem with the apology is it doesn't say that we will cooperate fully with criminal proceedings against the people who organized the event. They are sorry they offended people not caused significant damage to a historic site.

[Barbecue]

Originally Posted by GGG

The problem with the apology is it doesn't say that we will cooperate fully with criminal proceedings against the people who organized the event. They are sorry they offended people not caused significant damage to a historic site.

From burninator's post

We welcome any independent review of the consequences of our activity. We will cooperate fully with any investigation.
We take personal responsibility for actions, and are committed to nonviolence. Greenpeace is accountable for its activities and willing to face fair and reasonable consequences.
Dr Kumi Niadoo, the International Executive Director of Greenpeace, will travel to Lima this week, to personally apologise for the offence caused by the activity and represent the organisation in any on going discussions with the Peruvian authorities.

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by Burninator

This is their full apology letter if anyone is curious.

http://www.greenpeace.org/internatio...767&__step__=1

Twice in that letter it states that they apologize for "the offence caused by (their) activity". Nowhere do they apologize for the vandalism and damage they caused to the fragile historic site.

[FlamesAddiction]

I haven't had time to read the links, but was this a local branch of Greenpeace that actually did the physical work, or did they actually fly foreigners in to commit this vandalism?

Also, did they ever outright name the person that came up with the plan (a foreigner, I am sure).