Feds threaten man on oiled Florida beach:

[Generic Other]

Run time: 03:56 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuAcxN-KW0g   Posted on YouTube: April 17, 2015 By YouTube Member: YouTube Help Views on YouTube: 7433717   Posted on DU: September 19, 2010 By DU Member: Generic Other Views on DU: 2157

 
Where You Can And Can't Dig At The Beach, WEAR ABC, September 17, 2010

edited: The original link has been taken down. Here's another. Thanks Junkdrawer!! They can silence us, but we'll just pop up somewhere else like their dirty oil.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIWI_KVGxA4

[izquierdista]

1. "This video has been removed by the user"

Seems their threats got to YouTube as well!

[Junkdrawer]

2. I think you can watch it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIWI_KVGxA4

[obxhead]

4. Thanks. That link is working.

:toast:

[truth2power]

3. Cover up!! Bad stuff going on. n/t

[bherrera]

18. Not cover up, it is their regulatory system

I read an interesting report, which says the current law specifies it's illegal to make a hole deeper than the 6 inches because it may create a disturbance or alter archeology of the area. It appears some people go to national park areas to dig for native burial sites, arrows, petrified wood, and fossils of dinosaurs and other animals.

This means the officers are ordered to make sure everybody obeys the law. There is an application to relax this law to allow people to make these holes to find the BP oil spill tar and other remains, but the lawyers have to make sure the new regulation does not allow people to dig native bones and things like that. It's stupid bureaucracy.

[truth2power]

25. Please see my response to #11, below.

[obxhead]

5. But the oils all gone!!1!!11!

What are they so scared of?

[bherrera]

22. Where did you read the oil is all gone?

I am from Spain, but I have become an expert in this oil spill, because we are learning how to protect our beach here. Where did you read the oil was gone?

[Devil_Fish]

32. SHUT UP BP STOOGE.

[L0oniX]

6. www.projectgulfimpact.org

[lib2DaBone]

7. Unbelievable ...BP Oil controls Law Enforcement in the United States..

Well.. at least on the beaches in the Panhandle of Florida.

[JDPriestly]

8. Concealment.

In California, concealment of a material fact equals fraud. I would not go near the beaches on the Gulf Coast until the public is permitted to do everything it did before the spill in terms of digging and exploring those beaches.

[scentopine]

9. The centrists are telling us to shut the fuck up, its over! You mean it isn't?

Where is the transparency? Just think if the Obama administration is working so hard with BP to hide the facts about the spill, just imagine what the real facts are about the economy and wall street, etc.

Watch as the centrist posse comes around and says we are whining becaue we can't play in the samd. You know - just another pony.

Our federal, state and local government is filled with right-wing freaks.

Don't worry, BP will be calling the station and telling them to chill. I promise you the station will comply.

That's because Obama put BP in charge - you know, the very corporations he was blowing smoke about during his latest fund raiser.

Shit, this really sucks.

[bherrera]

23. Al Gore invented the internet

Your statement reminds me of the lie the Republicans told about the USA Vice President, Al Gore. They claimed he said he invented the internet, something he never did say. Now you say some people say all the oil is gone. But i do wish you to tell us, who said this? I ask because I think there are people who try to attack President Obama to make the Republicans win the elections in November.

[Oilwellian]

28. Where have you been?

Three-quarters of the oil from BP's massive spill has been cleaned up or broken down by natural forces, government scientists reported, though the upbeat claims were met with some skepticism.

White House energy adviser Carol Browner said that a new assessment found that about 75 percent of the oil had either been captured, burned off, evaporated or broken down in the Gulf of Mexico.

That leaves about 53.5 million gallons in the gulf. The amount remaining - or washed up on the shore - still is more than four times the size of the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/08/04/national/main6741897.shtml

[Devil_Fish]

33. Your a paid liar for BP. NT

[sulphurdunn]

10. It's illegal for the public to disturb the environment

in a national park or wildlife refuge without a permit, for reasons that should be obvious. These guys would have been busted for digging up the beach there long before the oil spill happened. Which probably explains why the news crew went there in the first place. Also, I never heard the park cop say it was illegal to film in a national park without a press pass, probably because it isn't. The news guy said that. I doubt there's any cover up here. I can't say the same about media hype.

[scentopine]

11. Thanks for letting me know because I go to Nat. Seashore with

kids on Gulf all the time. Never once in many, many years have my kids been stopped from digging deep holes. I have been on Nat. Park beaches in Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Washington State, Oregon, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware. They let you drive on these park beaches in Texas.

I would say my time on various national park beaches spans 45 years. Never, not one fucking time has a ranger ever said to me - your kids can't dig that hole where they are putting little clams and minnows. Not one fucking time. I have been there with 100 kids all digging holes.

Why now? Did they take a ruler out and measure how far he was digging?

Not only that, I do not recall ever seeing a sign that said "No pets off leash, no alcohol, no digging".

The only exception is possibly when turtles are laying eggs, however, I don't recall a restriction of 6 inches.

How many times have you been stopped from digging a hole in the sand at the beach at Nat. Seashore?

Did you every wonder why the stores around these beaches sell so many buckets and shovels and claming equipment?

Or are they just gathering dust in the store because no one ever buys them because they are confiscated? (Sir - I have to tell you, if your kids are going to dig more than six inches, they can be arrested - here is a $5 ruler so that you are in compliance).

I'm calling bullshit. If you want to get technical, go ahead however, the law has to be applied equally. It can't look one way for 100 years and suddenly decide that they will enforce obscure restrictions. That won't work in courtroom (unless judge is paid for by oil companies).

Or maybe I should just turn myself in to the authorities. The guilt of my families crime spree is just too much to bear.

Thank you for alerting me. I'm sure homeland security is monitoring my where-abouts, having just admitted to a felony.

[sulphurdunn]

12. Did it ever enter your mind

that there might be a good reason why the Park Service wouldn't want you or you 100 kids digging up a beach that's contaminated with oil? Jesus! There's no cover up, but there are unsafe beaches. There are hundreds of miles of oily beaches and everyone knows it. If there's anything to worry about, it's not that they won't let some news guys dig a hole in the sand, but that they let anyone on the beaches at all. Yes, they do have the authority to stop you from digging on the beach if it is disruptive to the environment, if it poses a health hazard or jeopardizes public safety. The latter two cases definitely apply even if you've never encountered them in all your years of beach combing. The truly sad part is that the feds aren't willing to admit it yet. Don't let your kids dig on the beaches right now even if no one stops you.

[scentopine]

13. Wait a minute you said it was illegal to "disturb" a beach. millions

of us have been breaking the law by taking our buckets and playing in the sand. We aren't discussing digging in oily sand - you said it was illegal. Period. That is what I take exception to. You said this reporter was breaking the law by disturbing the environment. I call bullshit. There were no children there. Just this reporter covering a story.

Did they say he was disturbing the environment? Tell me the exact law he was breaking - did he hide a backhoe? How was he putting the world at danger with a kiddie shovel? Or do you suspect large earth moving equipment that he brought on the beach was edited out of the video. If I kick some sand, my shoe can disrupt six inches - should I be tasered if I don't stop?

Where were the signs on a public beach that said - no holes over six inches? How was this man endangering public safety? Did they edit that part out?

Fucking christ people bitch and moan about media not doing their job and as soon as someone sticks a kiddie shovel in the sand he's surrounded by a police state and people on this message board come and defend this shit.

Go on - I want to hear what you saw in that video that endangered the public more than the endangerment of not letting the media have access to public beaches to report on the actual extent of the damages? Or are you just trusting Obama that if he gave police state powers to BP we just have to move along and shut the fuck up?

Don't worry, I live near Gulf coast where they drive fucking trucks up and down the beach of a NATIONAL PARK. One too many times my kids have been nearly run over. Its a goddamn highway. Still I have rarely seen anyone pulled over for driving recklessly - just imagine what that does to environment. And its legal. I guess driving on the beach 24/7 for years and years is far less hazardous than kids digging a few holes in the sand over 6 inches.

You concern about kids shovels destroying the environment makes no sense at all.

I'm curious - what do you think Obama traded away for BP to agree to that $20 billion? There is sure a lot of secrecy around this isn't there? BP seems to own just about every square inch of public beach now. I bet he told them if you pay us $20 billion we won't prosecute and well keep the public media off your back. That's what I believe and the lack of access is proving me correct.

If we don't have some prosecutions for the death and destruction around this disaster, then we will know for sure. Oil, just like torture swept under the proverbial rug or in this case sand.

You are digging yourself into a hole. First, go visit a beach and document the evidence that children and shovels are causing national seashore. Compare with oil spills, septic run-off, farm chemicals, fertilizers, automobile traffic, resort development, etc.

Then come back and tell me that you are concerned our national seashore is being ruined by children digging in the sand. And tell me about the brave men and women in corporate sponsored uniforms saving the beaches. Let's give them the fucking Nobel Peace Prize.

[sulphurdunn]

14. There's oil beneath the sand

About six inches down to be exact. You can't seem to grasp that. The Park Service has the authority to keep you and your kiddie shovel off the beach if it chooses. It always has. If they're being derelict in the performance of due diligence now, it's for being disingenuous and for not shutting the goddamn beaches down and stringing concertina wire along them to protect people like you from yourself.

[scentopine]

15. What the hell ? You said it was illegal to disturb the environment on park beaches

Now you trot out the oil argument - having failed to in your first lie, now you try again with a different sort of lie.

He's a fucking reporter let him do his goddamn job. Asking for his papers - what are you afraid he'll find?

Do you live in a state of fear? Why are you so afraid of a reporter with a shovel on a public beach testing for oil?

I heard nothing from the "authorities" you are defending that explained that. Why not - oh, I bet I know - the "authorities" don't have to tell you shit right?

You go on an keep protecting us with your bullshit concern about the environment.

You sent up the alert that the reporter was doing something illegal and now being caught in the lie, you are desperate to save face.

Thank you for working so hard for BP, keeping the world safe from the media and the truth.

BTW -- THE BEACH WAS NOT FUCKING SHUT DOWN. Does BP pay you by the post to sit here and attack people who demand thet the media have access to the spill?

If its so dangerous, why wasn't the beach shut down? WHy did they want to see his press pass?

You make me sick.

[sulphurdunn]

16. Check you meds.

and your blood pressure. Don't wait. Your tone has become increasingly irrational and even hysterical. Sorry I set this off. By the way, the breaches haven't been shut down for the same reason the cleanup at Ground Zero was allowed to continue despite the air quality data. Get it? Stay away from the goddamn beaches! I actually give a shit about what happens to you though I'll be damned if I know why. This is my last post on this issue.

[Generic Other]

17. Wait, if they are trying to protect people, shouldn't they dig further?

Isn't that what the news reporter wants to know? Whether a superficial skim of the surface is merely window dressing?

It didn't seem as if they were trying to protect him as much as it seemed they were covering the extent of the problem.

Scentopine is correct in stating their reasons for preventing the reporter from investigating seemed bogus. Can you really say there is no problem, no danger, but don't dig down and uncover the problem because it's too dangerous to do so without sounding like you just fell down Alice's rabbithole?

The looping leaps of logic might make anyone's head spin!

[bherrera]

21. Yes

They should dig very deep to make sure. But I think the reporter made a mistake because he failed to understand and report the reason why this government official told him he can't dig. The other guy with the yellow suit was stupid because he could not explain why. And the statement about the law forbids to film the beach is very stupid too. Maybe they should not let the guy who said this to work there, he has a small potato for a brain.

[sulphurdunn]

24. If you dig down six inches

in the sand and find oil everywhere you dig there's nothing to cover up. That cat has been out of the bag for some time. I never said there was no danger. To the contrary, I said repeatedly that there's plenty of danger and to STAY OFF THE BEACH and not to screw around with the federal employees there. This whole mess has gone way beyond any issue of freedom of the press. This is very possibly the greatest man made environmental catastrophe in history. It still has the potential to catalyze a mass extinction event. People in the government know that. There's a virtual national blackout of the Gulf now. They aren't about to let some local news Johnny make a 6pm news headline out of it. And yes, we've gone down the rabbithole. We went down quite awhile ago.

[bherrera]

20. Silly

This is a National Seashore, as they said in their story. Not a normal beach.

[scentopine]

27. Hey - are you Ranger Rick? Tell me about the National Seashore because

I happen to live not too far from one and will be visiting in next few weeks. I want to hear everything you know, because based on my many years camping on, living near, etc I can always learn more from an expert like yourself.

So please tell me more.

Aren't you from Spain? How did you become an expert on US National Seashore? Did you become expert by reading US Govt. website?

Do you know what a concern troll is? Do they have these in Spain?

Here is what a concern troll is when it comes to environmental protection:

A concern troll is someone who would not give a rats ass about a news reporter digging 8 inches or 12 inches or 100 inches in the sand unless he was there to see what damage BP is causing in the environment. Then, the concern troll puts on their park ranger uniform and suddenly becomes very concerned about the lasting damage this reporter is causing from his tiny tot shovel digging a small hole in the sand. They then proceed to police the Nation Seashore like vigilantes scolding children for digging in the sand (often placed there by dump trucks and dredges. Yes, even on a National Seashore, but you knew that).

You'll find many, many concern trolls around the oil spill. They say things like BP is the best company to manage the spill, and things like - we can't have people running around nilly willy investigating the damage - THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!!

How long have you been actively involved with protecting the US National Seashore? You and your fellow BP apologists seem like they don't know very much about oil or water. I could be wrong, but, for now, I'm putting money on the fact neither one of you know shit from shiola.

Are you sure you aren't a right wing paid for spokesperson for BP - would you have us believe that your new found tree hugging persona is just coincidental to BPs need to keep the media from discovering the true extent of the damage they have caused?

Are you to have us believe that from now on, there shall be no holes in the sand by reporters, children or otherwise.

Honestly, this is the most stupid fucking defense of BP I have read yet. The intellectual level is so shallow and transparently right wing, it is like the talking points come right from Fox News.

If I get to the beach I am going to take some pictures of a me and a national park ranger digging a hole deeper than 6 inches in the sand at a national seashore and post it on DU. When I post it, I will caption it "hey, shovel this right up your ass".

Till then, you keep shoveling your BP bullshit. The economy is bad, and I don't blame you if you had to take a job defending BP on liberal web sites. We all gotta do what we gotta do. I realize its nothing personal you are just doing your job. But these concern posts are so lame, maybe you aren't really suited for this line of work.

[sulphurdunn]

31. Know what?

I've had it with you. You're obviously disturbed. Where the hell do you get off calling me a troll and a BP stooge? You can kiss my ass you sorry piece of shit. I only tried to tell you that the feds didn't want media exposure because they don't want to face the public health and environmental consequences of what has happened. You're no damn different that any other offensive, unbalanced and close minded little authoritarian prick. I don't even know why you've been ranting on and on about this. Go fuck yourself. End of discussion.

[bherrera]

19. This is exactly what I read in the government report about digging

This was reported by the government, which explained the rules are to make sure the environment remains in the original condition, and nothing is stolen from under the ground. I am sure they will make their holes soon, and find a small amount of tar particles in some areas.

[truth2power]

26. I agree! I call bullshit, too...

Several posters on this thread have excused this behavior by saying it's illegal to dig blah blah...

I don't know if that's the case or not. But the real point is that I've NEVER seen some authority chase a family and their kids off a beach because the kids were building sand castles, burying someone in the sand or otherwise "disturbing the environment" to a significant depth.

If there is such a regulation, it's apparently not enforced. Only when law enforcement or their puppeteers have sommething to hide do they haul out some regulation, fake or otherwise.

Our BP overlords have something to hide! Effing bastards!!

edit> typo

[Generic Other]

30. Park Ranger says it's NOT illegal to dig on beach

Digging not illegal, WEAR Channel 3, September 20, 2010:
http://www.weartv.com/newsroom/featur...

Once again we're out here on the Gulf Islands National Seashore. I wanted to show you this sand castle out here that some one had abandoned and you can see that while they were building it, they encountered this, quite a few gooey tarballs out here on the Gulf Side Beach. We were told last week, that doing something like this, building a sand castle, was illegal.

Pat Gonzales of US Fish and Wildlife: "You can not come out here and do your own investigation if you're looking for oil product." ...

Officer A. Negron of the National Parks Service: "It's a National Park. You can't dig." Thomas: "So no sand castles, none of that huh?" Officer A. Negron/National Parks Service: "That's correct."

Mark Scarbrough, Tourist: "Sounds like they got something to hide, doesn't it."

Cindy Scarbrough, Tourist: "I guess they're trying to hide it."

Turns out you CAN dig...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diqu6_odX08&feature=sub

[Oilwellian]

29. I had no idea...

building sand castles on a beach in Florida is illegal and considered "disturbing the environment." When my kids played on the Florida beaches in the 80's, and they dug at least 2 or 3 feet down in the sand to build a sand castle, or to bury themselves up to their heads, not once did a park ranger approach us and order them to stop digging. Your excuse is pure deluxe bullshit.