Yes, but what can we DO about the police presence?

[booster]

I want to state for the record that the views I'm expressing here in no way reflect the views of my camp and despite my role as a member of its leadership team, my views are solely my own.

[AntiM]

How about Getting Friendly with Officer Friendly? A friendly wave and a greeting aren't obnoxious, and can still alert those within earshot.

[Sham]

Thinking about the NARC aspect, what if we set up a soapbox kinda booth near center camp where NARCs could come and publicly confess their coercion with a megaphone. Self-identify themselves and item by item list off what they did (without specifying names, I suppose that becomes a legal matter then).

I think many of these peeps probably make the decision to join LEO out of fear, in the moment, and would appreciate an opportunity to repudiate their allegiance to the community and regain their self-respect.

And when they've confessed, it's up to us to truly forgive and accept them back with open arms.

Most people join the LEOs because it's a job and a way to support a family--much like plumbers and electricians. For one week out of the year, these police get the chance to work the Burning Man Festival and enjoy the amazing sights that the rest of us do---almost like real people.
I'm not sure where you're going with this, but you seem to be wasting lots of time on making some sort of negative impression on the police. Why don't you hang out at the porta-potties and make faces, funny noises and hold up signs to the guys pumping the crappers. They're important people too, just trying to make a living!

[SageV]

I'm glad to see someone try to start a non-inflammatory thread. Every one I've seen so far tends to drift into "it's a police state" vs. "the police only catch guilty people" argument that seems a little polarizing to me. I hope we don't drift.

I would say that the good people of eplaya and outside of eplaya like on tribe could put together a letter of complaints and an agenda for next year about what we would like to see the LEAL team do. Some random ideas I'll throw out:

1) The population growth of burning man has slowed and is now shrinking, which should make it obvious the disproportionate growth of law enforcement budgets and personnel at Burning Man must slow or reverse.

2) The emphasis should be on less officers better trained in community policing. Burners should participate in the training of law enforcement through the LEAL team.

3) The LEAL team should take some efforts to coordinate not only with law enforcement but with lawyers for burners and the aclu, to make sure that everyone has direct and instant visibilty to incident complaints.

4) The BMORG should sue to find out how the money the BLM gets is getting spent. When the rainbow nation sued the BLM, they found that a lot of money was going to special equipment and perqs for the "special agents" division. The public generally feels some outrage when you spend thousands of dollars buying cool toys so you can pop someone $25 for "littering on the playa."

5) BLM special agents are harassing members of the regionals, even at non-Burning Man events on BLM land, because they believe that anything that happens on BLM land that involves a member of the regionals is a "Burning Man Event." If they really believed that, and were acting on that belief, then their actions are a violation of the consent decree they have with the BMORG. In any case, some of the regionals have seen the BLM fly people out from other states to investigate just because someone involved with Burning Man rented a porta-potty. That's an outrageous use of public funds. If Burning Man wants to build the regionals network, that has to stop.

6) Emphasize busting dealers and not users at Burning Man. I think we all agree that no commerce means no commerce. Spending a lot of money and trampling people's rights so you can bust burners for something that gets plead down to "littering on the playa" I think by anybody's estimation is an example of ineffective policing, and therefore a waste of public funds.

Food for thought, and just my opinion.

[Ugly Dougly]

Obviously the original question was "How do I get away with using drugs on the playa?"

A perfectly reasonable question. Best thing to do is ask people who have been arrested and avoid doing what they were doing. Take it from an old hippy.

[unjonharley]

Sage,

each poster on the Eplaya is one burner.. hanging out some where in the world.. The OP of this thread asked what can "WE" do..

I for one spend the winter in my shop fixing stuff and a bit here and there for next BM..

Beside screwing around on the eplaya with you sad asses.. i'm not going to try to change BM org.

the BMorg will post tickets on line.. I will buy one ticket.. i will pack my camp gear and drive to the desert.. I will set a camp and set out to enjoy a week on the desert with others of my kind.. I have no reason to seek out any trouble.. end of story

[Captain Goddammit]

You see? Unjon may be the ugliest sum-bich on the playa, but possibly the wisest.

[booster]

Thanks Sage. This has been a challenge to keep this thread on track. I find myself being triggered by what feel like personal attacks. I'm not a routine blogger and I'm not used to being flamed like that. I feel that if people knew me, they wouldn't think I've completely lost my marbles.

I'm a leader in my community. I'm nearly 40. I'm an aerospace engineer with 8 years of military service with distinction and I did my time in Iraq serving my country. I'm a devoted father of two boys and I'm a volunteer counselor for men in crisis. I don't advocate drug abuse and I'm not out to overthrow our governement.

I'm just a man truly in love with the vision of freedom and self-expression that BM embodies and I feel like that vision is being threatened by the oppressive surveillence of LEOs. It's like they're saying "You can burn your little Man all ya want but the real Man is right here, healthy, wealthy, and in your face".

Ideally, LEOs would be on site but only interfacing with the public when summoned by trained BRC rangers, those whom I would argue, are the most qualified to relate with the community.

We're in the middle of nowhere. Yes, we're breaking laws but it's not a threat to the general public. There is a tacit understanding that the normal rules of society don't apply at BRC because we're isolated, united, and almost universally non-violent. We come out in the middle of nowhere to shout and scream and let out all the restrained, pent up stress of living in a sexually repressed, overly controlled society the rest of the year. Burning Man is a goddamn pressure valve for society's radicals.

And I imagine that the majority of field officers working the Burn would love nothing more than to hang out all day without ever needing to bust anyone. And I imagine that law enforcement agencies probably have a serious issue with sending officers into the field, with per diem, without "harvesting" any wrong-doers and the income they provide.

So we're stuck with officers that don't really want to police people and people that don't really wan't to be policed (at least not by LEOs, I think we all enjoy the law and order that our good volunteer rangers provide). And the ones causing all this discomfort by pushing all this down on us are the bureaucratic law enforcement agencies with budgets to balance and absolutely no understanding or sympathy whatsoever for the beauty of this event.

So what do we do? Well we're burners. That means we're smart, creative, irreverent, and fun. Every year we pay homage to burning down the Man. Renewing our pledge to shine the genius of our creative spirits thru art and expression and celebrate personal freedom. That's important! It should be more than mere lip service.

Maybe I completely misjudging the well-meaning folks seeking to deride this post, maybe some of em are cops trying to quell us here (very likely some are), but we need some way to come together, as a community and restore the sense of freedom and ownership that LEO currently impinges with their predatory tactics of night vision patrols, undercover cops, and turning burners against burners. Seriously. They really have no business interfacing with the burner public whatsoever. Let the BRC rangers do that. But that's unrealistic, I know, so given that, what are our alternatives?

It's not important if we fail to reduce the number of arrests or citations, it's really about self-respect (and no I haven't been busted by cops and no I'm not looking for pay back). It's about practicing radical expression. It's about saying to the Man "You don't own me here. Not in Black Rock City. Back home maybe, yes. I'm your bitch. But not here. Not in this town. Because this town represents a vision, a passion, a dream and you can't own that.".

And some would say "Oh but they do.". And as soon as you buy that tripe, you're right. They do.

But you don't have to.

So what can we do? I dunno. That's what this post is about. And we're simply talking. We're not doing anything wrong here. This post is public domain and we must assume it's being monitored so this dialogue really involves LEOs too. And I invite those of you posing as burners to identify yourself, or log in as a new poster and offer your personal opinion (likely you already have). I know you're good guys, I know you mean well, I know you take orders for a living to feed your family, the same as I do. And I appreciate your service to society at large.

But you also know that what we're doing out in the middle of nowhere is not a threat to anyone and the only reasons that you're there is to collect funds and remind burners whose really in charge.

And that's not okay. Because we're not disturbing you. We're not violent. We just love life more than most. That's our only crime.

[Artemis]

booster -

I appreciate that you've started this thread in an effort to think creatively about what may or may not be a problem. Some posts may seem like they're not on topic because people are questioning whether in fact it is a problem. And I hear you that's not what you want the topic to be about, you want each of us to accept that it is a problem and then only post if we have a solution.

[ASIDE: In my experience, when you try to overtly control a discussion you raise people's ire. It's possible to bring people back on topic without making it explicit. My job duties primarily involve negotiations, so I spend a lot of my time in defaultia observing group dynamics. Often if someone points out the obvious (like "you're talking off topic") they piss off the speaker and then we spend even more time watching an escalated conversation until we finally get back to the point....]

Back to the topic:

I don't have much of a solution so I suppose I shouldn't post. I'm not sure if their presence is in fact a problem. As a woman camping alone, I confess that to an extent LEO presence makes me feel more comfortable. It definitely pleased my family to tell them that cops were there and that crime is low. Maybe crime would be low even if they weren't there...it's possible.

And so I find myself saying, I don't think we're ever going to get rid of them, but instead have to find a way to live with them. I know that's not what you want to hear, but humor me for a bit.

It's not easy. I grew up in an extreme counter-culture family where the cops, the man, all those folks were the enemy. To this day, I can't help but become paranoid when I see a cop. But I'm learning to overcome that, cuz they are folks just out there doing their job. This lesson hit home at Burning Man last year. So this morning when I saw a few on the subway checking backpacks, I cringed instinctually, and then caught msyelf, looked them in the eye and smiled and said "good morning".

My solution: learn to see them as real people, people doing their job, and show them respect (which includes hiding illegal activity so that they're not forced to assess a stupid tax).

PS: To say that our only crime is loving live more than most is disingenuous. There is no denying that I see more illicit substance use there than any other time of the year or place. Do I think it should be a crime? No, but it is. Perhaps what we can DO involves making more efforts in the default world to decriminalize drug use...

[unjonharley]

Arty Arty,

Just accept the things you can not change..

Booster

your giving up way to much free rent space in your head..

BM is a corp..Disney World too.. We pay for a ticket to ride.. Keep your hands and feet inside the ride while in motion..
Get the picture..

[thisisthatwhichis]

Artemis, I like where you and some others are going with this.

The LEO's are not going away. But, dealing with them as people, and not threats, is a message overlooked by many.
I'll give an example from this year at the BBar.......

We are sitting in a boob having our 1st annual super shwag shwap, and in walks an LEO........ My first thought (which was a mistake) was.... Ohhhh Crap... What's up?

The officer proceded to bring out BLM shwag to trade with all of the BRC shwag laid out on the table..... and we had a wonderful conversation and shwap with him..........

Soooo.... yes, they have to do their jobs. And yes, if you give them cause, they have to do their jobs........ But, if you just treat them like other burners, there seems to be a much more positive connection.

Just my 2cents.......



Addendum: I know there are some horror stories out there about LEO's but then there are also just as many about crappy burners.......

[booster]

Thanks Artemis. That felt great to be heard.

[lordgrizz]

Yes, we're breaking laws...

This seems to be the crux of the problem.

Why on earth do you feel that for the price for the price of admission we should all be suddenly above the law?

Constructive ways to reduce LEO; change the fucking laws. Be active in the political process. Educate people. Remember, education is the most effective form of rebelion. Work to change laws that do not make sense EVERYWHERE, not just at our dusty little retreat.

[SageV]

Yes, we're breaking laws...

This seems to be the crux of the problem.

Why on earth do you feel that for the price for the price of admission we should all be suddenly above the law?

Constructive ways to reduce LEO; change the fucking laws. Be active in the political process. Educate people. Remember, education is the most effective form of rebelion. Work to change laws that do not make sense EVERYWHERE, not just at our dusty little retreat.

Sage checks one on the "only the guilty get busted" column.

Y'know, I am completely down with you about not getting apathetic and working to change the laws, bravo for reminding us of that. However, ummm, I don't think that's going to happen before the next Burn.

[lordgrizz]

Agreed.
Unfortunatly changing something as complicated as drug law takes time. But things ARE changing. There are now several places in the country that pot use has at the least been decriminalized.

Will it happen before the man burns again? No. But working towards a solution seems much more effective to me than pointless excorcises in antagonizing the man.

[marcgorcey]

Ugly D

Best thing to do is ask people who have been arrested and avoid doing what they were doing.

I know of 2 or 3 folks charged, all smoking in full view open air asking to be busted.

[thread drift to lordgrizz] are you the dude who hosted the pole-dancing contest at Pleasair ?

If so -> who won ? Your jet fuel put me in the hangar so quickly I had to go !

[Ugly Dougly]

Coyote says, don't let anyone you don't know see you light up. If you share with a stranger, you are taking your chances; watch where you step. Et cetera. Darwin chooses who sits behind bars.

[TomServo]

A: Cancel BM (that would end the police presence for sure)
B: Hold it "guerilla-style"at a secret undisclosed location and somehow prevent the Authorities from discovering it.
C: Start a political party that successfully seizes control of the Nevada State Legislature and the Federal House & Senate, and change the laws.

Other than that, LEO's are a given. And given that, they will do their jobs if you force them to. So don't force them. Be the willow, and avoid the wind.

As far as reducing them, how about "Starve the Police State, don't be stupid & get busted"

Now Under-Covers are another matter. I propose a policy of everyone routinely photographing any stranger who asks them to trade/supply/ingest drugs. Bonus points for a camp that can gather/collate/post these photos on a "Narc" board or some such.

Not to to change the subject, but love the pickelhaube! Wish id never sold mine...

Oh! And to "B" the Pyratepunx have already tried that, with their "Libertatia", and the BLM is always there.

[fbcota]

Booster, I appreciate you starting this thread. It takes allot to stay with a thread on the Eplaya forums (a bit of chaos, a shitton of trolls [Im one too at this point], a whole bunch of folk with default replies to everything).

I think there is allot that can be done to address and work with the LEO's. Most people have stated the obvious at this point:

1. Talk to the LEO's. Have a conversation with them, welcome them with open arms as a participant. A simple conversation can be our most powerful tool. If done right, it can help adjust the LEO's perception (not all of them), give you an entertaining conversation and focus them on something other then busting people. Conversations take time, and each officer has a finite amount of time to patrol.

2. You can be much more subversive if you like. But be smart about it. As opposed to all these "let the water be, you will never change anything folk," I say play in the water. Cops can be allot of fun if your sober and clean (Yep, seems like we are a minority, but I had allot of fun playing good ol' cop tag this year. Even got to know a really cool BLM ranger doing it). It can be fun playing the mark, a little "make believe" cat and mouse game keeps them chasing you, and them off everyone else. This is not for everyone, I have been doing this in the real world for 20 years now. And you have to be ready to get in the shit if you piss off the wrong person!

3. On that note, understand the laws. Know your rights. I know its default speak but its true. Understand when you are breaking the law and just as important, when other people (including LEO's) are breaking the law.

4. Be smarter about breaking laws at BM. Simple yea, but we are never going to have less LEO's if they continue to easily find laws that are being broken. (I know, this is fanciful speaking, but if 10% of the people at BM get smarter about the laws maybe there will be a little bit less of a justification for the extra 3 sheriffs they want to send the next year).

5. Be smarter about your illegal purchases for BM. Hi, Im pretending to be the Washoe County ward 3 rep. Every year, I notice that all the drug numbers and paraphernalia sales shoot up right before burning man. Well, that means I need to send cops there to stop that. Yep, thats how they work, Ive met all 5 of them and filmed them for 2 years of my life. So, try to spread out your purchases a bit.

6. Be active and encourage activity in government (this is sure to drive someone mad). Back to the Washoe County thing, all it takes is a couple years on a community board and a little push to unseat any of the board members. Most local, small town board members, reps, etc,... were elected with little realistic oppostion. I can't speak beyond Reno and Washoe county here, but I know Reno City counil has at least 1 very active burner. Ohh, and the Washoe County board thinks Burning Man is the best thing since sliced bread. So, you want less cops. Well become, or play a larger role in choosing who makes that decision.

Im tired now, tear these apart if anyone likes. But these are the things I, and my camp have been doing (even number 6). I hope that the situation can change, but I am an idealist. Maybe if everyone can fucking bring BM home with them, and actually work to create real change in their "real world" then maybe we can get a little closer to keeping this little experiment around for years to come. If you disagree with a law, then work to change it. If you disagree with what someone is doing then confront them. If you disagree with your government then stand up and tell them why.

[ScoutDG]

I think there's nothing we ordinary participants at BRC can do about the constabulary wasting govt. resources looking for penny-ante drug busts. I suppose that some of them love getting to see naked breasts, so have to justify their presence and just pick the low-hanging fruit (cheap drug busts).

I'm posting just to mention a rumor, told to me this year by a person who claimed to have information from the highest levels. (And if you can't trust something like that from someone on the Playa, who can you trust? But, I digress ...) Anyway, the person told me that Larry Harvey, or the corporation, has a line to actually buy some of the playa (outside of the BLM land). If Burning Man were an event on private land, I think they would not have to have so many law enforcement people there. Maybe then the cops who are there would be more focused on more serious crimes. There's reason to hope.

[burnvirg2010]

Booster, I agree unequivocally with every one of your posts. They are eloquent and truthful.

Let me say first that I've never been to Burning Man (this will be my first year), but I am completely aware of its purpose, and when I found out about it, I didn't hesitate for a moment to commit to going.

I have, however, had experiences with law enforcement, and before you assume that I'm some doped-up hippie slacker, let me say that I have a degree from a top-tier university and am very successful, at least by the way I define it. I'm also a passionate drug law reform activist.

Let me just address a few things here.

For those of you that think cops are just ordinary people doing their job, and that they don't want to enforce certain laws, but by being "stupid," we force them to, that is extremely naive. On the contrary, drug cops are usually people who have been completely brainwashed by a decades-long propaganda campaign against (certain) drugs, and have never thought for a moment that the unconscionably cruel punishment doled out to those who exercise discretion over their own bodies is in any way unfair. They are more than delighted to make those arrests, and they're trained to manipulate you into allowing them to. They are chronic liars, and don't feel the slightest twinge of guilt about building your confidence and betraying it. They are also trained to harbor hatred and resent for the principles supposedly represented by things like Burning Man.

I once bought into the law-and-order mentality wholesale, thus I hung out with a lot of people during my early 20s that later became cops. The things I've heard them say would send chills down your spine. Examples (make no mistake, these are real):

"The reality is, if you've been arrested, you're guilty." *laughs*

"Why don't liberals get it? Black = crime."

"I'd rather work the night shift. More dirtbag action."

"We go for the pot arrests because it's easy. Violent shit is too dangerous."

"If someone has a medical marijuana card, I just tell my guys to give it the "road test." (The "road test" is when the cop takes the weed and grinds it into the pavement with his foot just to be a bully, because he's disappointed that he can't make an arrest, or at least get a conviction).

Extreme racism is quite prominent in the law enforcement community, which effectively makes the Controlled Substances Act a de facto replacement for the Jim Crow laws in most big cities.

You think the Rodney King incident was some rare occurrence? Do a YouTube search for "police brutality." Most weeks, several or more gut-wrenching videos are posted - and those are just the ones that
happen to have had someone with a camera nearby who wasn't scared to film it.

Almost all cops are trained to confiscate cameras and video cameras when they are filmed or photographed. Even though it is unquestionably legal to record police, departments know that they will be constantly incriminated if there is media circulating. If you don't believe me, go try it. You'll have your device confiscated, and often you'll be arrested for obstruction. The charges will probably be dropped, but the cop got to destroy the evidence.

One time when I was pulled over in Arizona for doing 85mph on the Interstate (even though I had cruise control set at 75), I was forced to get out of the car before the cop would tell me why I was pulled over. Of course, he completely fabricated the traffic "violation," but he saw my long hair and California plates and thought, "jackpot!" Immediately, he started trying to manipulate me into incriminating myself. "You look nervous. Is there a reason for that?" "Do you have drugs" "Have you ever done drugs?" I don't transport drugs in my car. When I refused a search, of course he tried to intimidate me by calling for backup, so another cop showed up. Well, he just happened to have a K-9 (imagine that), and handcuffled me (despite no effort to resist and full cooperation with all of his demands) while he had the dog sniff the car. Of course, he reported that the dog had "alerted" on my car, which I knew was an unequivocal lie since there were no drugs or traces of drugs in the car (courts will just take the word of an uneducated, sadistic cop like it's gospel, and they know that). Thus, he had his search, thanks to an asinine Supreme Court ruling fueled by drug hysteria that gave cops basically unlimited power and effectively destroyed the Fourth Amendment. I was locked in the back of a car while this took place, strategically out-of-view of the search. My wife was forced to stand directly in front of the car with the hood open so she could also not observe the search.

When the search came up empty, they let me out of the car and continued to try to manipulate me into incriminating myself. Their deep disappointment was extremely evident. When we were released, I wasn't even given a traffic citation (because I never confessed to the one he fabricated). My wife had activated our video camera in the car, and we found that the video had been deleted, and another video that was on the camera that featured my wife in the nude had been watched.

When we pulled away, he immediately pulled over another car. If you think you have to be speeding on the way to Burning Man to get pulled over and violated, think again.

To assume that cops only care about upholding the law and maintaining public safety is the pinnacle of naivete. Make no mistake, every one of those cops is at Burning Man to make drug arrests. The only reason there aren't more is because BRC is so far from the precinct.

For those of you suggesting you act friendly and strike up a conversation, nothing could be more foolish. It never pays to talk to a cop. They have no interest in you. They are disingenuous, heartless cogs and want nothing more than for you to slip up and incriminate yourself so they can get so-called probable cause to search you. Don't even start to believe they actually like you.

What I appreciate about Booster is that he understands that just because something is against the law doesn't mean that we don't have the intrinsic right to do it. Using cannabis or whatever else you want to use is a RIGHT. You don't need the blessing of some damn government to have that right.

Yes, because of the sickly state of human society, there are consequences. It's good to be smart if the law enforcement presence is going to happen. But don't tell me that it's somehow a good thing and shouldn't be resisted.

The drug war has turned American police into the Gestapo and has turned the U.S. into the world's largest incarcerator. Believe it or not, for most of our nation's history, cops were the good guys - protecting communities and helping people. Now, they patrol the streets looking for good people's lives to ruin. One simple drug possession conviction will slam doors in a person's face for the rest of their life.

So Booster, thank you. Burning Man should not be crawling with the worst symbols of "real world" repression. When I decided to go, I imagined a place without people who actually WANT me to suffer. Let's figure out what we can do to make this scourge go away.

Footnote: a ballot initiative has been filed with the Secretary of State in Nevada to put cannabis legalization (not decriminalization) to the vote in 2012. The signature drive starts this year and requires just under 100,000 signatures. Nevada has a better chance than ever to legalize cannabis in 2012.

Other states with pending initiatives or legislation to legalize cannabis: California (both an Assembly bill and an initiative), Washington, New Hampshire. New Jersey will have a medical marijuana law by the end of the month, and several other states are considering medical marijuana legislation.

[Fire_Moose]

for some reason my "Tard" meter was going off on that last post...


If people were smarter, and did the ILLEGAL stuff out of view, the LEOs would be getting less money. If Burning Man became an event where cops couldn't get money off of THOUSANDS of people the police presence would go down for sure, its ALL about the $$$$

[geospyder]

I’ve heard that there are some people that work in law enforcement that actually buy tickets. They go to enjoy Burning Man and all it has to offer. I bet it would be funny to see the expression when they spot one of the deputies they know and are asked if they are covert and then tell them that they are not, that they actually bought a ticket and are participating. I’d bet the deputy on patrol would be jealous. At least that’s what I heard.

[LostinReno]

[Isotopia]

for some reason my "Tard" meter was going off on that last post...

Agreed. And that's somewhat rare.

I have a degree from a top-tier university and am very successful, at least by the way I define it.

I'm especially suspect given the need to predicate his/her post with the obligatory academic credentials.

For me it usually suggests the big fart that comes just before the poo.

[OnceTheDustClears]

Yep.
Common sense usually works.

[Ugly Dougly]

Missed a spot.

That's got it.

[ibdave]

I’ve heard that there are some people that work in law enforcement that actually buy tickets. They go to enjoy Burning Man and all it has to offer. I bet it would be funny to see the expression when they spot one of the deputies they know and are asked if they are covert and then tell them that they are not, that they actually bought a ticket and are participating. I’d bet the deputy on patrol would be jealous. At least that’s what I heard.

During last years Greeter shift I greeted 10-15 Leo's and some made a comment that they are "off duty" while on the Playa.. Leo's are human also.. Yes some are dicks, but many burners are dicks..

[oneeyeddick]

You said a mouthful there.

[burnvirg2010]

Fittingly, using some arbitrarily illegal substances can help you understand that there is nothing sacred about state or nation, or the laws thereof.