Utah - Goblin Valley State Park

I haven't been to the Goblin Valley State Park, although I have seen many pictures of the rock formations in this area.  They are amazing.  People should be in awe of these rocks perched on edges of rock formations - etched by millions of years of wind, rain and storms.

After all these years, a few people come along and decide they have the right to push over one of these giant boulders, thereby destroying something that has withstood time and Mother Nature.  If you have seen the video, they look like a couple idiots who have had one too many drinks.  http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/10/18/21023331-utah-scout-leaders-who-topped-ancient-rock-we-did-something-right-the-wrong-way?lite  These guys are Boy Scout leaders?  So says the news - unbelievable that these guys are allowed to be leading anything, including themselves.  What makes them think they are allowed to destroy something that belongs to the State of Utah and get away with it?  What makes them think they were right??   I believe that they were just showing off - their You Tube video sure confirms that fact, as far as I'm concerned.

Now that they have realized they have made a gigantic blunder and face charges, they are claiming they did it because they expected it to fall over on someone.  They are claiming they were saving someone's life.  I don't buy it.  Sorry, that does not make sense.  Lame excuse for being stupid.  If it was dangerous, I'm sure park rangers would have been in the area and cordoned off that particular rock formation.  I'm sure the park rangers wouldn't have pushed it over - that's not the way to handle a natural treasure that has been centuries in the making.

I'm beyond mad, I'm planning a trip out there and was planning to see this area.   Yes, there are still lots of rock formations in that valley, but now there's one less.  If nothing happens to these vandals, and that's exactly what they are,  the state and national park treasures will be fair game.  Will graffiti show up next?  How about cutting down a redwood, or maybe a sequoia instead?  We could all take bits and pieces of the Petrified Forest for souvenirs too, until it's all gone. 

This has had too much national attention to let these vandals get away with it.  They need to be sentenced with the strictest punishment allowed by law.  If they receive just a light sentence, the message will be that it's not a problem if you vandalize fragile national treasures.  Everyone will be watching the outcome of this situation.  Let's hope it will be a warning for everyone to protect our environment and respect what nature has given us.