guest
November 5th, 1999, 08:37 PM
Okay everybody, this is a letter Dennis hand-wrote in jail and which has just been transcribed.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is:
Fax this / email this ASAP to as many drop zones and anybody else within 500 miles who should hear this: Jumpers, climbers, hikers, hunters, fishermen, anyone concerned about access issues.
FAx this or email it to your local TV stations and newspapers and radio stations.
Send it to 20/20, Dateline, whoever and wherever you can think of.
If everybody who reads this post sends it (with instructions too!) to just three institutions or individuals, we might just create an amazing wave.
Thanks in advance, everybody. Now go for it and let's see how many people we can get to Yosemite on Monday.
IOPT
= = = = = =
Dear readers:
Dennis McGlynn is one of BASE jumping’s primary leaders. He is president of the International Pro BASE Circuit (IPBC), and counts more than 700 BASE jumps among his 6,000-plus total parachute jumps.
For the last five years, he’s been walking around with a big bullseye on his chest as he challenged National Park Service (NPS) parachuting policies in the federal courts. McGlynn could have cut deal, as many jumpers before him have done. He chose instead to stand his ground and fight.
A few months ago, he both lost and won a battle. He was convicted of "aiding and abetting" the 1994 "air delivery without a permit" of Paul Thompson, who died on the jump when his canopy spun into the wall.
In addition to fines and probation, McGlynn was sentenced to three months of federal prison time, which he is currently serving in Reno, Nevada’s Washoe County Jail.
The war continues, however. Conviction rather than acquittal allows McGlynn to appeal the sentence, and thereby continue the attack on NPS policy through the courts. The appellate process is now underway, as is Dennis’ jail term.
In the meantime, this is an open letter Dennis wrote to his fellow jumpers from his federal prison cell in the Washoe County Jail.
# # #
Letter from a federal prison cell at the Washoe County Jail.
Dear jumpers,
Our next moment of truth is coming up fast. November 8. What happened in Yosemite was a tragedy. We had such momentum and were going places as never before with the NPS in Yosemite. Life is often cruel and disappointing but is also full of mysteries. _Why_ did it happen and _how_ could it happen? No one can really answer and looking back is always easy but not realistic. When things happen, we all have to deal with the present and future, however hard and painful that may be.
Our fight is not over because of what happened. Now, more than ever, we _must_ be stronger and louder than ever. We need to finish what was started in Yosemite. Things didn’t work out the way they were supposed to, but now is not the time to walk away or be divided.
We asked for attention and we got it. I’ve done several radio and newspaper interviews while in here since the accident. They are all watching and listening to see what happens next. They want to know who we are and what’s going on. I’ve done my best, but as you know, I am very limited in what I can do from here.
I’m asking you all now. Who are we and what do we want? I know who we are and what we want (I hope). Avery, Joe, Mick and Henry go to court in Yosemite November 8th. Will all or any of you be there to support what they have done? What they were trying to do for this cause! The cause, the fight, the 20 years of injustice put upon us by the NPS. We, you all, can’t let them go to that little kangaroo court in Yosemite without the support they and we all need. If they have no support, the NPS WILL WIN!
They will beat us up and push us back 10-20 years, and they will do it quietly and get away with it.
As I said, we wanted attention and believe me we got it.
_Every_ jumper within driving distance that says they are in the fight has no excuse for not being there and making the kind of showing that _will_ make the difference. Well here we are, that moment of truth. In the face of adversity will you let them just pass sentence and judgment and slam the door?
It’s only one day and Yosemite is accessible from almost the whole state of California and Nevada. I know you all have jobs, etcetera. Hell, so do I, but mine is on hold for another couple of months. Joe’s flying back from Indiana, Avery, Mick and Henry are not only missing work _again_ but are going to be heavily fined; at least $2,000, with probation, etcetera, probably jail.
Jan Davis and Tom Sanders have sacrificed the _ultimate_ price for the opportunity. There are _NO EXCUSES_ this time, people. If you can make it and you don’t, then I guess that’s who we are. If we don’t make a huge showing and make a statement here, the bastards will win!
We can make a positive statement out of this tragic loss. If you show up, so will the media. Will they have the chance to listen to both sides instead of just the NPS?
Fill the courtroom! Fill the parking lot in Yosemite. Make that statement. The "Yosemite 5" did a great thing but at too high aprice. For God’s sake, people, don’t let it be for nothing. It’s time to put up or shut up. Remember a Founding Father’s quote: "If we don’t hang together we shall surely hang separately."
And I believe that to Challenge Onseself is truly the freedom of expression, and an absolute expression of freedom.
Dammit, It’s Our Park Too!
I’m in a cage. I can’t be there. What is your excuse?
November 8th. DO IT FOR JAN.
Dennis McGlynn
Washoe County Jail
911 Parr Blvd
Reno NV 89512-1000
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is:
Fax this / email this ASAP to as many drop zones and anybody else within 500 miles who should hear this: Jumpers, climbers, hikers, hunters, fishermen, anyone concerned about access issues.
FAx this or email it to your local TV stations and newspapers and radio stations.
Send it to 20/20, Dateline, whoever and wherever you can think of.
If everybody who reads this post sends it (with instructions too!) to just three institutions or individuals, we might just create an amazing wave.
Thanks in advance, everybody. Now go for it and let's see how many people we can get to Yosemite on Monday.
IOPT
= = = = = =
Dear readers:
Dennis McGlynn is one of BASE jumping’s primary leaders. He is president of the International Pro BASE Circuit (IPBC), and counts more than 700 BASE jumps among his 6,000-plus total parachute jumps.
For the last five years, he’s been walking around with a big bullseye on his chest as he challenged National Park Service (NPS) parachuting policies in the federal courts. McGlynn could have cut deal, as many jumpers before him have done. He chose instead to stand his ground and fight.
A few months ago, he both lost and won a battle. He was convicted of "aiding and abetting" the 1994 "air delivery without a permit" of Paul Thompson, who died on the jump when his canopy spun into the wall.
In addition to fines and probation, McGlynn was sentenced to three months of federal prison time, which he is currently serving in Reno, Nevada’s Washoe County Jail.
The war continues, however. Conviction rather than acquittal allows McGlynn to appeal the sentence, and thereby continue the attack on NPS policy through the courts. The appellate process is now underway, as is Dennis’ jail term.
In the meantime, this is an open letter Dennis wrote to his fellow jumpers from his federal prison cell in the Washoe County Jail.
# # #
Letter from a federal prison cell at the Washoe County Jail.
Dear jumpers,
Our next moment of truth is coming up fast. November 8. What happened in Yosemite was a tragedy. We had such momentum and were going places as never before with the NPS in Yosemite. Life is often cruel and disappointing but is also full of mysteries. _Why_ did it happen and _how_ could it happen? No one can really answer and looking back is always easy but not realistic. When things happen, we all have to deal with the present and future, however hard and painful that may be.
Our fight is not over because of what happened. Now, more than ever, we _must_ be stronger and louder than ever. We need to finish what was started in Yosemite. Things didn’t work out the way they were supposed to, but now is not the time to walk away or be divided.
We asked for attention and we got it. I’ve done several radio and newspaper interviews while in here since the accident. They are all watching and listening to see what happens next. They want to know who we are and what’s going on. I’ve done my best, but as you know, I am very limited in what I can do from here.
I’m asking you all now. Who are we and what do we want? I know who we are and what we want (I hope). Avery, Joe, Mick and Henry go to court in Yosemite November 8th. Will all or any of you be there to support what they have done? What they were trying to do for this cause! The cause, the fight, the 20 years of injustice put upon us by the NPS. We, you all, can’t let them go to that little kangaroo court in Yosemite without the support they and we all need. If they have no support, the NPS WILL WIN!
They will beat us up and push us back 10-20 years, and they will do it quietly and get away with it.
As I said, we wanted attention and believe me we got it.
_Every_ jumper within driving distance that says they are in the fight has no excuse for not being there and making the kind of showing that _will_ make the difference. Well here we are, that moment of truth. In the face of adversity will you let them just pass sentence and judgment and slam the door?
It’s only one day and Yosemite is accessible from almost the whole state of California and Nevada. I know you all have jobs, etcetera. Hell, so do I, but mine is on hold for another couple of months. Joe’s flying back from Indiana, Avery, Mick and Henry are not only missing work _again_ but are going to be heavily fined; at least $2,000, with probation, etcetera, probably jail.
Jan Davis and Tom Sanders have sacrificed the _ultimate_ price for the opportunity. There are _NO EXCUSES_ this time, people. If you can make it and you don’t, then I guess that’s who we are. If we don’t make a huge showing and make a statement here, the bastards will win!
We can make a positive statement out of this tragic loss. If you show up, so will the media. Will they have the chance to listen to both sides instead of just the NPS?
Fill the courtroom! Fill the parking lot in Yosemite. Make that statement. The "Yosemite 5" did a great thing but at too high aprice. For God’s sake, people, don’t let it be for nothing. It’s time to put up or shut up. Remember a Founding Father’s quote: "If we don’t hang together we shall surely hang separately."
And I believe that to Challenge Onseself is truly the freedom of expression, and an absolute expression of freedom.
Dammit, It’s Our Park Too!
I’m in a cage. I can’t be there. What is your excuse?
November 8th. DO IT FOR JAN.
Dennis McGlynn
Washoe County Jail
911 Parr Blvd
Reno NV 89512-1000