So sad.

Was it Owen Wilson? It's a shame six feet under isn't still on, this would make a really good "ripped from the headlines" episode.

I vote for the "too messed up on other chemicals to care" take.

I think Evany Thomas said it best back in 2003:

"Having a safe space for any and all to create is nice...in kindergarten."

http://evany.diaryland.com/030927_2.html

I was at the '96 burn as well, and it was that incident - plus a few people getting run over by a car while sleeping in their tent - that caused a "crackdown" of sorts by the organizers. While many "artists" to this day whine about the "loss of freedom" (just read the SFGate comments section) the truth is that BM was taking a dark, nihilistic turn and needed to be saved from itself. And, frankly, the organizers did a very good job at doing exactly that. Gone is the "Drive-By Shooting Gallery" and hundreds of cars driving in all directions at night in a duststorm, but the event is what it is, and I'm glad it 'grew up' a little.

Oh, and I haven't been since 2000, but everyone I talk to has a great time. And comes back alive.

I have been dealing with the spirits that people come back with from "burning sham," for about 3 years and I have never seen anything posotive about it. i know we live in a sick country, and God will get the last laugh, however it bothers me to think of all the hurting souls playing in the valley of dust thinking they are having a good time, when they are trying to feel the void with drugs and perv'en when they could be productive people and try to help others and heal themselves.

Ok, I'm making it a point to squash the RUMORS!!
I was at burning man and this story is PARTIAL. I hate when people make uninformed comments. No we weren't all high and stoned to notice. Let me spell out what really happened...

1. The victim hung himself (with his own rig) at a camp called "Comfort and Joy". First of all this camp has spiritual/meditative events. This alone called for low lighting.

2. He hung himself in the early morning hours of an off day. There were no events at the tent during those hours and hence the tent was empty and it was on an off street. I would give a guess of maybe 5 people passed that tent while he was hanging.

3. The tent has a small opening and he hung himself in the far right corner. I've personally been in this tent and it's low lit and very big. I stood at the entrance the morning he hung himself and couldn't see the area where he hung himself. It's a big tent with lots of pillows and blankets... if you are standing outside... in the middle of the night, you couldn't see more than 5 feet inside. Nowhere near where he hung himself.

4. This man decided to take his life at an event he obviously felt meant a lot to him and then at a camp that was titled "comfort and joy". He obviously chose this place for a reason.

Can any of you please take a moment and think that maybe it's not the event but rather the person who might be suffering from severe physical(terminal)/emotional and/or mental distress to decide to do such a drastic thing. Maybe he was dying from a terminal disease and Burning Man was his escape. That possibly being in the event tent of "Comfort and Joy" meant something to him. That his last moments were planned and special to him?

I really hope that was the circumstance... but until we all know more, we cannot pass judgment. I feel terribly for the tent staffer who found this man... she/he will live with that vision for the rest of their life, but I also feel for the man who felt that ending his own life was the only way to escape the pain. Both people deserve our empathy, not our scorn or snide comments. Making rash generalizations accomplishes nothing.

I have attended Burning Man for 4 years now and every year I've learned so much about life and myself. It really makes me sad that people who have never been paste such general labels on the people who attend. If I had seen something such as this going on, I would have done everything in my power to stop it, but I wasn't there. So labeling me a druggie or some stoned passerby is just like labeling every other person that which they are not capable of choosing.

The tent which it happened in was like 5 tents down from me... but I was trying to get back to my tent at the time and not paying attention to anything at the point. I had walked miles and I was totally SOBER and tired. I just wanted to sleep. I didn't even look in that direction... does that make me some drugged out hippy? I think not.

You weren't there, you have no clue, and until you stood there the next day really realizing what happened you have no right to speak. I'm still saddened... hence the reason I'm still posting about it. It affected me. And I will never forget the image in my mind of that tent and what happened there.

On the morning of Thursday, August 30th a young man from Colorado chose to end his life in the rafters of a public tent at Comfort & Joy.

Though he was unknown to us, in the wake of his passing we're learning from those who knew him that he was creative, kind, unconventional and smart, and that he was regarded with affection by many.

His final act, committed in solitude, has one lasting effect as it brings us together to mark his passing. To all who have offered our camp their sympathy and support during this time, thank you. To all who knew him, please accept our sincere condolences.

It is estimated that there was an one hour interval between the last visit to the tent by a camp member, and the discovery of the body by a second camp member. It is believed that the tent was unoccupied during this time, and that there were no witnesses to the suicide.

One other individual, not associated in any way with the camp, was in the tent at the time the body was discovered. Emergency personnel were immediately contacted by camp members. Authorities responded within minutes and closed the scene upon arrival.

The Black Rock City Rangers, Sheriffs and other law enforcement officials who assisted us with this incident were very professional, supportive, and helpful to us at a difficult time. We are grateful for their services. We are also thankful for the warm and organized support we have received from the grief counselors from the Black Rock City Mental Health Team. They helped us openly discuss what had happened and come to a shared understanding of the morning's events.

Much of our camp was quarantined while the coroners did their jobs and we canceled that day's events (a yoga class, a queer discussion group, glitter body painting and a watercolor painting workshop).

As a camp, we decided to make a contribution to David Best's Temple of Forgiveness, where people can mourn, remember, write messages and leave items to be ceremonially burned on Sunday night. We felt the rope the young man used represented the terrible violence he committed upon himself and the people around him. By sending the rope up in flames, we hoped to allow some of that pain to disperse. None of us believe that this young man wanted to trouble us with his actions.

The members of Comfort & Joy extend their deepest sympathy to all who knew this young man. Our hearts go out to his family, friends, and special people in his life. Although we will never know or understand him the way you did, he indeed touched us as well, made us grow, and hopefully become better individuals. May the rest of his journey be peaceful and lead him to the joy we all seek in our lives.

We look forward to continuing our mission of creating positive, warm and supportive queer community both in Black Rock City and the Bay Area.

With love and respect,

The Comfort & Joy Family
www.playajoy.org