First in The Independent: Mark Aaron Gatz, 65, is facing prison time in what one U.S. Forest Service officer described as ‘possibly one of the worst residential cases he has seen’
Yes, having fires during no burn times ,and not properly putting it out, living next to active trails , trash everywhere including hazardous materials is not doing it “right”.
Nowhere did I say anything blaming him for being homeless.
I do blame him for having open fires during no burn times and leaving it smouldering unattended. I also blame him for having trash everywhere including hazardous materials. (Especially doing it near active tails - that’s just asking to be caught)
Obviously the guy isn’t firing on all cylinders, but that doesn’t just make how he did things ”ok".
I was homeless for a year and I’m only one step above homeless right now that didn’t mean I could just do whatever the hell I wanted.
I’m all for living in the woods, but this guy was definitely doing it wrong multiple ways
“You are homeless THE WRONG WAY!”
Yes, having fires during no burn times ,and not properly putting it out, living next to active trails , trash everywhere including hazardous materials is not doing it “right”.
It’s easy to tell people who have nothing and live in nature as a last resort to “be better”.
Yes, throwing trash in nature is bad. Nobody is disputing that.
I also think it’s silly to judge homeless by housed standards.
It sounds like you are disputing that.
Nowhere did I say anything blaming him for being homeless.
I do blame him for having open fires during no burn times and leaving it smouldering unattended. I also blame him for having trash everywhere including hazardous materials. (Especially doing it near active tails - that’s just asking to be caught)
Obviously the guy isn’t firing on all cylinders, but that doesn’t just make how he did things ”ok".
I was homeless for a year and I’m only one step above homeless right now that didn’t mean I could just do whatever the hell I wanted.