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

[CaptainCrunch]

Or how about ripping a crop of Rice out of the ground that's been enhanced with Vitamin A to help poor people in Africa get better nutrition, but its altered food so they destroy it.

Oh wait they did that already.

[CedarMeter]

That's bad. Stick to saving the whales.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Well the good news with the oil price drop, I can make my drive out east in my hummer this year for the seal hunt as a sign of support for the Peruvians. Maybe stop along the way and punch some whales for good measure.

[undercoverbrother]

I dated a girl once that was part of Greenpeace, it was a hairy experience.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by chemgear

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

I am missing something, I think.. but what exactly is in the red outlined area? Is that what the site should look like, or is that the damage that Greenpeace caused? Is there a before image for reference?

[octothorp]

Originally Posted by Wormius

I am missing something, I think.. but what exactly is in the red outlined area? Is that what the site should look like, or is that the damage that Greenpeace caused? Is there a before image for reference?

I think it's highlighting the area of damage that Greenpeace is said to have caused. Although certainly some of those tire-tracks existed previously. Here's a photo of the area from an article dated 2011 (not sure when the photo was taken), that shows that at least the tracks over near the straight-line area were pre-existing.



But it certainly does look like the area between the hummingbird and the straight lines is now more 'disturbed' than it seems to be in older arial photos.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Like any other big corporation, I am sure they have lawyers carefully choosing words for them to use. It's like when BP had the big spill in the Gulf. They kept apologizing for "events that led to the spill", but they avoided outright apologizing for the damage.

I definitely hold Greenpeace to a higher standard when it comes to damaging something of natural significance (from a heritage perspective), but as a corporation, they are all pretty much going to protect themselves legally the same way.

Oh yeah. I realized that going in, but as you say, if Greenpeace wants to be treated seriously, they need to be held to a higher standard. That includes admitting culpability rather than weaseling their way out of things like other corporations.

I also think you inadvertently hit the nail right on the head too. Greenpeace is not an environmentalist group. They are a corporation. And their product is themselves. It's a shame that they have deluded a lot of people into paying for such a meagre product at the expense of legitimate environmental groups.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

I dated a girl once that was part of Greenpeace, it was a hairy experience.

I may have met her

[Devils'Advocate]

It would seem that those that have opposed doing much at all about global warming are feeling pretty smug about this one.

Environmental groups that are not as big as Greenpeace rarely ever have their voices heard. They are small, disorganized and powerless. The bigger an environmental group gets, the more a target they have put on them and people look for all the hypocrisies and ways to discredit them so that they are as powerless as the other environmental organizations.

Obviously Greenpeace made a mistake. But this is being extrapolated into "Greenpeace is always bad" and that is a huge win for the global warming deniers. Without strong environmental organizations, WITH MONEY, only one side of the issue will ever be heard.

[Scornfire]

Appropriate username

[wwkayaker]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

i've been to Nasca and seen the Nasca lines in first person. In a word they are remarkable. Truly one of history's most mysterious feats.

What Greenpeace did here was disgusting. I am truly and utterly disgusted.

I have been there as well and this act was disgraceful. The damage will not be reversed. What a shameful event to happen to such an amazing place.

[wwkayaker]

Originally Posted by troutman

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

I don't know how they got to the hummingbird...I would assume they drove. If you are a tourist, they offer flights from Nazca in small planes; my flight was a six seater. The pan american highway is very close to the area. When I was there, I did not notice any fencing or security but I also wasn't looking to trespass. Flights are offered because the pictures the lines create are hard to see unless you are in the air due to their size.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate

It would seem that those that have opposed doing much at all about global warming are feeling pretty smug about this one.

Environmental groups that are not as big as Greenpeace rarely ever have their voices heard. They are small, disorganized and powerless. The bigger an environmental group gets, the more a target they have put on them and people look for all the hypocrisies and ways to discredit them so that they are as powerless as the other environmental organizations.

Obviously Greenpeace made a mistake. But this is being extrapolated into "Greenpeace is always bad" and that is a huge win for the global warming deniers. Without strong environmental organizations, WITH MONEY, only one side of the issue will ever be heard.

[Devils'Advocate]

A flippant response from someone firmly on the right wing side. Expected.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate

It would seem that those that have opposed doing much at all about global warming are feeling pretty smug about this one.

Environmental groups that are not as big as Greenpeace rarely ever have their voices heard. They are small, disorganized and powerless. The bigger an environmental group gets, the more a target they have put on them and people look for all the hypocrisies and ways to discredit them so that they are as powerless as the other environmental organizations.

Obviously Greenpeace made a mistake. But this is being extrapolated into "Greenpeace is always bad" and that is a huge win for the global warming deniers. Without strong environmental organizations, WITH MONEY, only one side of the issue will ever be heard.

If some random idiot did this to the Nazca lines, you wouldn't be defending him. The only reason you're defending Greenpeace is because they're Greenpeace. You actually have your argument backwards - it's not the backlash that springs from prior agendas, but the support.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate

A flippant response from someone firmly on the right wing side. Expected.

Attempting to defend GreenPeace in this situation is going to cause that type of reaction.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Attempting to defend GreenPeace in this situation is going to cause that type of reaction.

Yeah, that post from DA reminds me of when flip/ceciltewilliger used to play devil's advocate in every thread. It's fine, there's no rule against it, but don't be surprised when you get those types of responses when you're playing that role in a really cut and dried thread like this.

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Attempting to defend GreenPeace in this situation is going to cause that type of reaction.

I thanked the post so will respond.

I didn't see anywhere in the post an attempt to defend GreenPeace in that situation. In fact he acknowledged that they had screwed up royally.

I think his observation was a fair one in that GreenPeace screwing up here is being propagandized into that they are always bad. That's it. They scored a brutal own goal here and in a war (for want of a better word) where propaganda and PR is everything this stunt backfired big time. It was a dumb, ignorant, poorly thought out mission.

[killer_carlson]

i'm sorry, but it is totally inappropriate to be referring to the desecration of a world heritage site that is thousands of years old as an "own goal".

This is the equivalent of them knocking over one of the Stonehenge rocks or carving something into the side of a pyramid.

Regardless of your thoughts on the organization, this should be the end of Greenpeace. It won't be. But it should.

[Scornfire]

I can't say that I've ever been a fan of Greenpeace, but I nonetheless feel for the serious members of the organization who are having their voice drowned out by the multitudes of idiots and narcissists flying the same banner as them. This particular stunt ranks #1 amongst the worst PR stunts I've ever witnessed in my life, to desecrate a world heritage site borders on villainous in my eyes. There damn well better be a very strong message sent when they're brought to justice