Burning Man Denies Tribal Guests

[Joshua!]

I'm really saddened by the news today that the Burning Man Organization is changing their ticketing policy for members of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe (PLPT). Historically, tribal members over 18 years of age were allowed to purchase a ticket for themselves and up to two additional guest tickets at a reduced price. These "guest" ticket privileges were revoked for this year, with the BMORG citing "abuses" as the reason for the change.

I call bullshit.
Bullshit on announcing a change in ticketing policy so late in the year
Bullshit on singling out the PLPT as abusing the ticketing system
Bullshit on taking a valuable commodity away from some folks that count on this as an accessible means to burn.

I have my tickets, and this in no way affects me.

Joshua!

[ygmir]

are you saying there was no abuse?
that it should be "ok" to abuse?
or that they just should be allowed said abuse?

[BAK3R]

So the BORG has only suspended the 2 guest passes due to numerous abuses, not the 60 dollar tickets to tribal members? How is this bad for the tribe? How is this a shame or outrageous?

[BBadger]

I call bullshit.
Bullshit on announcing a change in ticketing policy so late in the year

Not a fan of that myself, but I'm not sure if these tribal guest policy changes are what I'm thinking of.

Bullshit on singling out the PLPT as abusing the ticketing system

They're going to be singled out regardless because they're the only group who have received these special guest pass privileges in the past.

Bullshit on taking a valuable commodity away from some folks that count on this as an accessible means to burn.

(emphasis mine)

Valuable commodity for what? To sell? They weren't meant for that. The guest passes were meant to enable friends of tribe members to attend Burning Man, not gain monetarily from them--which is no doubt the "abuse" that is being cited. In past years this was probably no big deal, as tickets were not sold out and there were probably few incentives to buy a ticket just to resell it at what would normally be cost. This year, such tickets can command high prices, and there was probably some evidence implicating people trying to buy tickets just to sell them--probably after the sell-out last year (you know, those "tickets wanted" signs?).

[theCryptofishist]

I remember a general knowledge that I picked up somewhere that indicated that a lot of those tickets were sold/scalped. While I agree that if it's only just been announced, it's changing the landscape at a late date, I have to say that there's been a general tightening of tickets and it was only a matter of time...

[oneeyeddick]

Where was it announced?

(Link please?)

[Dr. Pyro]

I picked up somewhere that a lot of those were scalped.

Talk about your typical Indians.

[nilasnake]

watch it doc...oh wait. you have no hair to scalp.

[theCryptofishist]

Whoops. Bad choice of words on my part.

[Elderberry]

So what the OP is upset about is that BMORG is an Indian Giver?

[junglesmacks]

So what the OP is upset about is that BMORG is an Indian Giver?

**DUCK**

[BBadger]

So what the OP is upset about is that BMORG is an Indian Giver?

So... perfect.

[theCryptofishist]

I cringe.
Oh well...

[Minxy]

Where is the link for this news?

[oneeyeddick]

They're going to be singled out regardless because they're the only group who have received these special guest pass privileges in the past.

.

Not true at all.

[oneeyeddick]

Where is the link for this news?

That's what I want too!

[Roberto Dobbisano]

So what the OP is upset about is that BMORG is an Indian Giver?

So... perfect.

one hand golf clapping.

[trilobyte]

I'm glad to hear that you got your tickets, and that tribal members are still allowed to purchase tickets for themselves.

As for guest ticket privileges, they were a privilege not a right. And they had been seriously abused last year (many of those tickets were re-sold to complete strangers). Scarcity, unfortunately, brings out the worst in some people who saw it as an opportunity for profiteering.

[Joshua!]

Thanks for the humor! Ya'll are brilliant.

Heard the story yesterday from a friend in tribal government. It seems to be the official line.

I would agree that there were abuses in this system. There were also abuses in the system that the rest of the kids used. I'm mad because this not only punished those abuses, but the folks that didn't abuse as well. Example: A good friend that I've been attending with since '96 took his 14yo daughter last year for the first time. BMORG doesn't provide access to tickets for tribal members under 18, so he had to bring her on one of his guest passes. Another friend helped insure his unemployed campmates were able to attend by allowing them his guest passes another year. I don't have any suggestions about how this could have been handled differently to achieve the same result, but I'd like to believe that it could have been...

Someone above suggested that the tickets were $60. I'm almost positive that they are the same price as low income tickets...

It sucks to be told this late in the game that you aren't going to be allowed the opportunities that you had in years past. If it had been sooner, with the chance at main sale/lottery, it would have been better.

I'm also pretty tender about seeing anything taken away from tribal members. 50,000 people traveling through their living room twice in a week can and does make for some tension. This I believe will only add more.

Again, thanks for the jokes. Calmed me way the fuck down. I apologize for starting yet another bitch session thread re:tickets.

Joshua

[junglesmacks]

It's been pretty well known for a while in the local circles that the Indian's always had spare tickets. This abuse is nothing new.. and yeah.. it's a shame.

The BMOrg did what it had to do especially in these times, and I applaud the decision. However.. I personally think that it would be cool to see an alternative program such as direct entry per member. Meaning: They need to show up and be the actual ones entering the event.

[oneeyeddick]

I am strongly wondering if this new referendum is also going to be implemented upon the residents of Gerlach(and the 4 residents of Empire), who also had the option of adding 2 guests all of these years.

[Foxfur]

50,000 people traveling through their living room twice in a week can and does make for some tension. This I believe will only add more.

Joshua

Sorry about that ashtray that fell into my pocket.

[BBadger]

I'm mad because this not only punished those abuses, but the folks that didn't abuse as well.

You must be mad all the time then.

Regardless, thank you for the positive reaction to the humor. Some people get uppity when their important issue is the subject of cringe-worthy jokes.

[trilobyte]

Joshua, you're looking at the same situation that ALL participants are facing this year. For 25 years, there had never been a question as to whether we'd be able to participate in the event if we planned a little and got ticket money together. After the event sold out for the first time in July, things changed rather dramatically. Adding to it that there was a big spike in demand in January, and a large percentage of burners (many of them longtime participants who put a lot of time, effort, and money into their experience) were not able to get tickets. No camps or artists were guaranteed that 100% of their members would be given access to tickets (at any price), let alone be given the option to purchase two additional guest tickets (at any price). I'm glad that the tribe is still covered, and that all members who want to participate are able to the chance to do so.

[goathead]

I am strongly wondering if this new referendum is also going to be implemented upon the residents of Gerlach(and the 4 residents of Empire), who also had the option of adding 2 guests all of these years.

We just found out yesterday.
No big suprise here though, sort of, heard rumors, local bmorg pretty tight lipped about it, if even they knew.


trilobyte
Joshua is looking at it right, the bmorg fucked up ONE MORE TIME.
If they where going to change the policy, why not give us fair warning before the main ticket sales happened.
So we could have joined the ticket clusterfuck?


Maybe we should change this years theme from Fertility to Fertilizer
Shits just geting deeper
and the fuck ups just keep coming

wheres my popcorn?
waiting to see what they fuck up next.

[trilobyte]

It's difficult feeling sympathy or sharing outrage with the radically self-entitled. How dare they not let them buy two extra cut rate tickets per tribal member that they then turn around and sell for profit? If people want to get angry at people over that change, they should start with the tribal ticket resellers.

The residents of Gerlach and the Paiute tribe are assured of getting their own tickets, that's a better situation than what many longtime burners are in.

[Joshua!]

@ Trilo-

How dare you suggest that everyone who purchased the "guest" tickets resold them for a profit. I'd agree that it did happen, but cancelling the entire system because of a minority of infractions is screwy.

I'm glad all of those kids in the step program are enjoying their 1000 tickets. Probably the ones from the guest system put towards a higher price point.

Joshua

[lucky420]

no joshua not even close

[oneeyeddick]

I think Joshua nailed it on the head, and thanks for the confirmation, Goathead, sorry about the fertilizer, and .....it was nice seeing Sparrow this past weekend, tell him his GF looks like a little boy, but with sexy tattoos on his ass.

[BBadger]

Even if not "everyone" sold their guest tickets (which was not suggested), certainly if the program was terminated there were enough infractions last year to make it noticeable.

It's already pretty generous that they receive tickets for those residents to attend in the first place. Nobody else gets that except people who do a lot of volunteer work for the event. As for guest passes, I consider the original concept of guest passes a hole in the system to begin with; a nice idea, but inherently open for abuse. The problems with those guest tickets were only brought to the surface by the ticket scarcity.