[pct-l] Hikertown Guests of 2008

[Barry Teschlog]

In reading some of the responses, it seems some folks are taking past the points I was trying to make on civilized discourse and are addressing the incident in question directly.  For those who missed it in my original post, I'll summarize:
   
  1)  The only thing I really saw wrong with the hikertown post was that it contained information that allowed for the individual to be identified.  The problem I had with this is that this changed the post from being about PRINCIPAL to being PERSONAL.  Sans identifying information, the hikertown post would have been quite instructive to the thru hiker community. 
   
  2)  Related to point 1, it's my opinion that an individual / Angel, should they have a problem with a hiker, should deal with the individual one on one instead of going to a public forum and naming names.  If they can't get satisfaction in this manner (one on one), then perhaps a discrete non-public heads up to angels further up the trail is in order. 
   
  3)  I still stand by my original comment about the hiker in question not being able to defend themselves.  I don't know about anyone else who's hiked the trail, but I found my computer time very limited and better spent e-mailing family and friends, instead of searching for, reading and responding to comments on the PCT-L.  Now, had the person in question sprayed here....well, then they invited the discussion, in this particular forum.  As the person in question (and the target of much critiscism here) didn't spray here on the PCT-L, I suggest this isn't the correct forum for discussing the incident in question.
   
  4)  A TJ (or blog) is not a complete record of an incident.  Again, I can't speak for other TJ writers, but for myself, there was a LOT of things that didn't make it into my TJ.  The only parties who know exactly what transpired were the hiker and the individual at hiker town.  (To all those who thought they had the full story from the Blog and TJ post - tell me, what were the tones in the voices and cadence of the conversations?  How about the body language and facial expressions?  There's a lot that's said, without a word being spoken.)  And even if both parties fully documented the exact same exchange, how can one reconcile the all too common fact that two people viewing, or participating, in the same event can take away completly different views of what transpired?  I don't have all the facts and neither does anyone else here on the PCT-L.
   
  5)  Note that in neither of my posts do I comment on the incident reported in the TJ or blog.  This relates back to points 1, 3 and 4.  With an individual associated by name with the reported incident, to me, any discussion becomes personal as opposed to about principals of good thru hiker behavior.  As it's become personal, I'll have to withhold public comment on this particular incident.  When a thread pops up (after an appropriate cooling off period from the current incident) I'll be happy chime in on the principals of what I think are appropriate thru hiker behavior, the 'entitlement mentality', etc.
   
  Unrelated to my previous posts, I'll commend the Hikertown folks for taking down their post and showing the way to a higher, more civilized level of discourse. 
   
  2 more cents worth.....(or is is perhaps only worth a penny now......)
   
  Token Civilian
  
Georgi Heitman <bobbnweav at gmail.com> wrote:
    I'm with T.C.,
  And, I also agree with his comments re the really special hiker from 2006.  That hiker didn't deserve what happened, and because I've seen the damage such attacks can do, I will withhold judgment regarding the actions of the person involved here.  She is welcome at the Heitman's Hideaway, pooch and all.  I will say that while I can't find the Hikertown side of what happened there, and have only read the T/J entry.  From that, I'd say that it's probably pretty disappointing under any circumstances, to find someplace where you had felt you were going to be welcomed, suddenly closed with no warning.  I also agree that having to leave to the immediate area without sitting down and sorting  things out probably wasn't necessary.  Beyond that, I see no reason to make further comments re this young lady.
  My opinion.....we all have a responsibility to the Trail, and to it's state of well-being.  Let's all start by policing ourselves, then those around us and by keeping this kind of backstabbing out of their journals/ blogs/posts/etc.
  Thank you.....
  FireFly


       
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