Burning Man Protest Protested by Burning Man Protesters

posted by Scott Beale on Monday, February 19th, 2007

File this one under bizarre. Indybay (the local outlet of Indymedia) is reporting on a protest outside the Burning Man offices by former BRC-DPW workers. What’s really strange is that during the protest, other Burning Man participants came out of the Burning Man office to protest the protesters. The double protest took place yesterday during weekend long Burning Man Regional Summit. Here’s video of the protest.

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filed under: Burning Man

this blog post was written by Scott Beale on Monday, February 19th, 2007

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jennconspiracy 02/19/2007 10:26 PM 1 point
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dysentery - wow - that's the first time I have heard it called that. So many people got sick, so fast - and it was partly linked to the food but totally shushed by Bmorg. Ugh.

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David 02/20/2007 01:01 AM 1 point
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Burning Man counter protesters came off looking like dipshits...bad damage control.

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Jimmy 02/20/2007 03:06 PM 1 point
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Bunch of fuckin' hippies.

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http://www.sexywebdates.com

John 02/20/2007 03:40 PM 1 point
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Man oh man... that counter-protest was really, really stupid and frustrating to watch.

I had no idea that Burning Man had cut worker's pay. It's unfortunate that what could have lead to a productive discussion was torpedoed by a few annoying individuals who felt cocophony-esque bullshit is a way to deal with legitimate worker concerns.

Maybe the DPW should engage in a little wildcat strike action next year, and let these assholes do some work. Somehow I doubt they'll have time for passive agressive hugging, and protesting the protestors when they're sweating their bags off.

And what the fuck kind of dog was that outside of the office near the end of the video? It looked like somebody had tacked a poodle head onto a dalmation.

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Cody Dakota 02/20/2007 03:52 PM 1 point
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More news from "The Department of Who-Gives-A-Shit?"

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Greg Monaco 02/20/2007 04:28 PM 1 point
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I wanted to go to Burning Man but my wife wouldn't let me :(

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http://www.keeptalking.com

Nosa Costra 02/20/2007 04:29 PM 1 point
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Burning Man was never relevant. It was just a Gen X attempt at establishing something akin to Woodstock on an annual basis. Through the years it has consistently confirmed that it is nothing more than a "consumer event" despite the decalration of festival organizers that is wasn't /isn't. The only people who talked it up were a bunch of trust-a-farians and their hangers-on but even they , (as they age and realize they were suckers), shy away from the topic now. Hopefully they
realize that are a lot easier ways to hook up with chicks than shell out bucks to "Be Cool" at "Burning Man". As time goes by people should be embarrassed to openly admit that they even attended this "happening".

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Ammar 02/20/2007 04:29 PM 1 point
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Your jobs will be taken by Mexicans in a couple of months. Sometimes there are paycuts. It happens everywhere. Face it, your party is now a corperate shindig. Everything you hate.

Enjoy!! :)

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Mark 02/20/2007 05:41 PM 1 point
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Can you say "BROWNNOSE MF'ers", there were no points or counterpoints made to deny or invalidate any of the complaints stated by the protesters. This leads me to believe the protesters have valid griefs, and as such should be looked into by the appropriate authorities. The counter protest looked like nothing but a bunch of childish clowns trying to score brownie points with their bosses. I've seen 5 year olds come up with better arguments. (hey here's an idea for the counter protesters, how about you hire some 5 year olds for adult supervision, maybe you will come off looking better next time).

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Space Junkie 02/20/2007 06:32 PM 1 point
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Nosa Costra,

Spoken like someone who has never been there. It tickles me to hear you say you won't be going.

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Trudy 02/20/2007 06:51 PM 1 point
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The people who protested the protesters were not part of the BM Org, they were Regional Reps from all of the regional events. Any jag-off can be a rep. Their dumb antics were all their own.

Worker pay has not been cut in half, but it *was* reduced, and the crew has nearly doubled in headcount. Also, this only applies to the people who stay for clean-up. The DPW is volunteer before and during the event.

The protesters in the video were Shooter, who will fully admit he has an on-going grudge against Burning Man, his former (maybe current?) girlfirend, and a guy who has nothing at all to do with the DPW.

I don't blame the BM folks for steering clear of this. The whole thing is ridiculous.

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Someone Who Has Been There 02/20/2007 07:10 PM 1 point
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To add some context, Shooter has been reprimanded by Burning Man staff over the years for his over-the-top (even by Burning Man standards) antics. This includes drunk driving through camping areas, smashing a huge vehicle into a building belonging to a group with whom he had a beef, reckless driving along the event's pedestrian esplanade, etc. (I was a witness at each of these.)

Shooter protesting anything Burning Man is like George W. Bush protesting literacy.

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David 02/20/2007 07:14 PM 1 point
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Trudy, you work for bman?

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John 02/20/2007 07:59 PM 1 point
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Hmmm. It's interesting to note that rather than address "shooter's" points (I thought his name was Caleb?), Someone Who Has Been there smears his character without identifying who they are, or providing proof.

This guy might be a total asshole, but did BMORG cut pay? Do they not take proper care of workers injured on the job? Do they require workers to sign a release?

As for the issue of having a bigger crew, I don't see how that justifies lower pay. Work is work.

These are questions that need to be answered, and frankly after such a shitty display on the part of those regional reps, Larry should make a statement.

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Ethan 02/20/2007 08:30 PM 1 point
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Hilarious. Dysentery? Was there a malaria outbreak too? Jeez. I bet it was actually Norovirus.

I have never been to BRC, but everything said by the protesters seems to fly in the face of the whole concept.

I've heard that "leave no trace" applies to all camping (and all life for that matter). If you can't deal with that, then don't go. Isn't is just a camping trip? Maybe "doctors without borders" would provide medical care.

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reality check 02/21/2007 12:45 AM 1 point
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If the people protesting had more evidence beyond "I think this guy was killed once and maybe his family sued" and "My friend got hurt a few years ago and I don't know, maybe he got some money for health care I'm not sure what happened but they didn't give him money as he was being flown out", I'd be more convinced that something major is going on. And just announcing that people having sex with board members get paid more without any proof isn't really riling me up either.

I want to hear directly from people who have specifically been hurt by the LLC with proof regarding what happened to them, not maybe-I'm-not-sure stories from their friends. Otherwise, this whole thing just sounds like some angry ex-emploees with a grudge.

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Ticketbuyer 02/21/2007 01:23 AM 1 point
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Would ticket buyers support an additional increase in ticket price to pay these cleanup workers more?

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John 02/21/2007 02:00 AM 1 point
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If this is just some angry ex-employees with a grudge, than why not come out and say it instead of acting like a bunch of assholes?

And in fact a DPW worker "was killed once" while working for BM:

http://afterburn.burningman.com/01/rangers/safe...

Is this enough evidence for you to maybe think that it's worth listening to the protesters without smearing them? It's getting kinda "swiftboaty" in here.

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David 02/21/2007 04:08 AM 1 point
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If thease individuals have real concerns with employment practices of Burning Man. (A signing of a Death Waiver, before employment . That as an organiser, concerns me automatically. )

They should gather up the employees who have a beef and then seek an Organisation for official representation to collective bargining. As Burning Man is a cultural event. I would suggest they approach I.A.T.S.E. ( International Alliance Of Theatrical Stage Employees ) Check with any local to find out which one would have jurisdiction over the California region in which Burning Man produces it 's main event. Or, where they have their Production office.

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Burning Man Protest Protested by Burning Man Protesters

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