Paul Addis

[Elliot]

I'm ashamed of you all! Paul was railroaded!
Next you'll be claiming that after the burn he did something really crazy and dangerous, like, um, um, maybe, um, setting fire to a Cathedral in large metropolis. And not even after he got out of that crazifying prison!

Ah yes, I almost forgot.

From the news website SFGate, October 30, 2007:

"The man accused of setting the Burning Man on fire four days early has been arrested for planning to set Grace Cathedral ablaze, San Francisco police said Monday.

Paul David Addis, 35, was arrested on the cathedral steps at 11:40 p.m. Sunday after officers were tipped off that someone intended to set fire to the Episcopal church, police spokesman Sgt. Steve Mannina said.

Addis was wearing an old ammunition belt that carried small explosives, Mannina said. He was booked on suspicion of attempted arson, possession of an incendiary substance, possession of explosives and possession of explosives with intent to terrorize a church."

Apparently he was allowed to plead guilty to a lesser charge.

Whatever demons drove him to all this, he is rid of them now.

Good on you Dontflipmejack for owing up to your mistake.

Onward!

[gyre]

http://bm.tribe.net/thread/69a941ac-ac3 ... db7c11e36f

Chicken John never supported what Paul did.

He hasn't changed his opinion that it was a missed opportunity for burners.


A quote from a local:

I am not normally part of this discussion. I am not from SF or Portland. I am from Pershing County — yes, I am a townie, born and bred, just like the sheep. I am currently employed with the administrative structure of the county.

I attended BM several times, back when the price of admission was less than my student loan payment. It looked like fun, it was fun, but due to my position I do not dare show up there anymore.

But if you are interested in some information from the inside, from a townie in position to know, here it is.

BM had two opportunities to close this case with less flesh off Addis’ bones. They declined. In fact, they pushed hard for maximum prosecution and maximum sentence. That’s what they got. Even some people on the legal side were surprised at the level of BM’s vengeance. They didn’t expect “the hippies” to behave that way.

The judge, as you might expect from a small town in conservative, rural Nevada, was not interested in all the self-important “cultural” arguments from either side, especially from Addis. In his statement at the sentencing hearing he followed BM’s argument that they are running a big business and that Addis caused severe damage to that business. What it boiled down to was money, and BM’s testimony leaned heavily in that direction. If they had gone a little easier in that regard Addis probably would have gotten some jail time, but not four years and a felony rap.

What you might not realize is that the case opened some old sores in this community. It played right into the hands of a small but powerful group, religious types who don’t like BM and what it stands for. The attitude I heard from one law enforcement guy after the hearing was, “Good. If they say they want tough enforcement out there, that’s what we’ll give them.” These guys are tired of your jokes about Reno 911, people. They don’t find it amusing anymore. (I went to high school with this guy. He’s not shitting around.)

[mdmf007]

After reading a little more of this thread I would like to respond to the posters that comment about Mr. Addis' mental condition. Was burning the "man" early THAT radical of an act the only a "crazy" person could have conceived?? Please, you people need to get over yourselves..

It may have been intended to be burned only four days later, but at the time it was lit, it was an occupied structure, there were power cables still attached, people were inside the pavilion and while it may seem trivial to burn it 96 hours early and appear as a great epic prank it was reckless. Fire fighters and heavy equipment was mobilized exposing the public to the exposure of these vehicles trying to get to the scene quickly and not crush anyone in the process. The Pavilion was full of private property as well, none of the exhibits were intended to be burned.

MDMF

[ranger magnum]

I was actually more fucked up before I got locked up. Jail calmed me down a bit...

[TomServo]

In 2001, two sisters died, while travelling to Burning Man, from the East Coast. It was to be their virgin year. But, a truck hit them head on, as he was passing in a No Passing zone. While this was not AT the event, It still weighed heavy on many of our minds. THIS Wasn't supposed to happen! Sure, it's a dangerous trip to the playa, but why these eager young girls? Why them? And why did it happen before they even got there? Why aren't we talking about them anymore? Paul was an attention whore to the very end. And in my personal opinion, does not deserve this publicity. He was the captain of his own destiny, and with all his problems, at least he had that.

I wonder, that by discussing this shit to no end, are we reinforcing the idea that "suicide will make them sorry!"

[theCryptofishist]

I'm not certain to what degree people kill themselves to make other people sorry.

The popular platitudes about suicide are almost completely wrong.