[pct-l] Hikertown Guests of 2008

[Barry Teschlog]

My point:
   
  While standing around, one might get splattered by a bit of flung mud, but to really get covered in it, a person has to get step down into the pit themselves and join those who are already there.
   
  I'm suggesting it's better to just stand on higher ground as a matter of principal and look upon those who chose to go into the mud pit with sorrow.  
   
  As far as policing our own - I hear the Trail Angels pass the word between each other on their less than pleasant guests.  I suspect further up the trail, some of the unpleasant ones from further south are 'invited' to depart in short order. On trail, word spreads pretty quickly about folks.....at least it did in 06.  I suspect that the word would have gotten around just fine and folks would have been able to judge for themselves on if they wanted to hike around the person in question.  No need to put it up here.  As far as the noted TJ entry, it speaks for itself - commenting on it only distracts from the powerful message it delivers.
   
  
"Eric Lee (GAMES)" <elee at microsoft.com> wrote:
  Barry wrote:
>
I'll observe that unless commenter's here on the PCT-L were actual witnesses to the incident(s) in question, you don't know the whole story. As such, I suggest that commenting or judging in ignorance of all the facts is uncalled for.
>

In this particular case, the thru-hiker in question wrote quite vehemently about her Hikertown experience in her own public journal, which I think makes it fair game.

I get what you're saying, Barry, and I don't know what the right answer is. Armchair quarterbacking and gossiping can be very hurtful, obviously. Yet I believe the long-distance hiking community has a responsibility to police its own and to discourage behavior that's detrimental to the trail and to the experience of others.

Eric


       
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