They claimed they were doing the world a favor
They claimed they were doing the world, or Oregon, a favor. The “Pedestal Rock” at Oregon's Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area was a site to behold. Exponentially older than human history, the 18-million-year-old rock formation wasn’t just ancient, it was beautiful, a larger half boulder perched on a spire seemingly too narrow to hold its weight.
Of course, it was a hot spot for Instagram photos and selfies. People even posted wedding photos atop the formation. Still, the attention was natural and people respected the awe-inspiring beauty before them. At least until two guys showed up and decided the destroy the whole thing out of some misguided spite for what they considered a “risk” to the health of themselves and others.
(Instagram)
NPR reports that the 7-by10-foot sandstone pedestal was destroyed by unnamed vandals caught on video by fellow visitor David Kalas. In the 18-second-clip, as the men push and pull on the formation, it finally collapses with one guy shouting, “Got ‘em!” Over 1.5 millino people have watched the video since it was posted last week.
In an interview, Kalas said he approached the men asking for an explanation. This is what happened:
"I asked them, you know, why they knocked the rock down, and the reply I got was: their buddy broke their leg earlier because of that rock," Kalas told local affiliate KATU. "They basically told me themselves that it was a safety hazard, and that they did the world or Oregon a favor.”
(Oregon Department of Parks and Recreation)
While it’s true that the formation posed a risk to visitors, the local park service has attempted to keep people out for decades, posting warning signs and fencing around the area. But none of it works. Now, as they investigate the incident, all the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department can do is threaten a $400 fine — assuming they can even catch who did it.
If this story sounds familiar, it’s because back in 2014 another group of bros destroyed a historic rock formation in Utah and were hit with a $2,000 fine.
Hopefully, the public outcry over this incident sends a message to everyone to obviously not destroy beautiful creations of nature but also to respect efforts to maintain a healthy respect for such places lest future misguided people feel entitled to take vigilante action that ends up serving no one.
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