A "scare" down at the Arts Festival

[sanjuro893]

I think it was pretty ridiculous to go so overboard on the response and to call it "breaking news" on Channel 9 is alarmism at it's finest. But, the ringleader of this group is a guy I work with, so I'm probably just being biased.

http://www.news9.com/story/17805650/powdery-substance-causes-scare-at-okc-arts-fest

"By Steve Shaw, News 9

OKLAHOMA CITY - An Oklahoma City social group found themselves on the wrong side of the law and in a very embarrassing situation Thursday night.

Members of a group that calls themselves the "Hash House Harriers" were stopped by police after security officers observed them spreading a white powdery substance at several locations downtown.

The Hash House Harriers are a social group that has been in Oklahoma City since 1999. Thursday, several members were using gold medal flour to mark an exercise course.

Police say considering the 1995 bombing here and other terrorist acts, they had to act Thursday night.

Hash House Spokesperson Aislin Burroughs says her group is very sorry.

"We didn't mean to be in poor taste," she said.

Police say they haven't decided whether or not to press charges."

 

[cowzrul]

Runners who like drinking beer have been dropping white powdery substance for years to mark the trail. Sheesh! Overboard is an understatement.

 

[tRidiot]

I dunno... I think I'd be pretty goddamned freaked out if someone were spreading a white powdery substance all over downtown. The article wasn't clear on how they were "spreading it", but the picture shows a plastic baggies with white powder on the ground. Could be powdered sugar, could be frigging anthrax. I believe if someone was sprinkling that around my kid, I might be in fear of imminent bodily harm to myself or my offspring.

Not only was this "stunt" in poor taste, I'm thinking criminal charges aren't out of line. Obviously, I don't know the whole story or how it happened, but based on what I can see now, I don't see anything out of line with the response. I don't know what the purpose of the whole stunt could be, but I think it was a pretty stupid thing to do in this day and age. Kinda like trying to light your shoes on fire on a plane. STOO-PID.

 

[sanjuro893]

Yep. They threatened to charge him with TERRORISM. Give me a friggin break.

 

[expertzx]

Yep. They threatened to charge him with TERRORISM. Give me a friggin break.

He deserves it. He'll definitely get the attention he was seeking.

 

[sanjuro893]

...... okay then. It wasn't about attention. THIS IS A RUNNING/EXERCISE/DRINKING GROUP THAT RUNS A TRAIL MARKED WITH FLOUR AT CERTAIN INTERVALS. IT SAYS IN PLAIN ENGLISH THAT THEY WERE MARKING AN EXERCISE COURSE!!!

 

[ignerntbend]

"We didn't mean to be in poor taste"
There's a life lesson right there. Study your position.

 

[ignerntbend]

The police are still scratching their heads over this. I'm glad I'm not in their position. It could cause an existential crisis I aint ready to contemplate

 

[tRidiot]

Personally, I think if you are trying to say you didn't know distributing white powder around a populated area would cause some kind of significant concern, you're either intentionally being obtuse, or you are significantly mentally impaired.

JMNSHO.

 

[RidgeHunter]

I left my house today and the world was absolutely terrifying. Does anyone else notice how increasingly terrifying other people are on a daily basis? Sometimes I'm surrounded by so many people I can't see all their hands and it makes me feel uncomfortable and threatened and I have a right never to feel like that. Why is everyone trying to hurt me? I'd feel better if there was some way to detain and monitor all people when I venture into public. In this post-9/11 world, it's best to never trust your fellow man, and to override reason with improbabilities.

I'm still not convinced the woman in the interview is not conspiring to wage a full-scale biological war against our state; "marking a trail" is a weak cover. I bet her story is full of holes, and their "social group" is a terrorist training collective. I really hope the authorities don't write this incident off after making contact with those women. The one time you are swayed by some smooth-talking mass murderer is the one time we all die.

I've observed my grandmother sprinkling a white powder on her kitchen counter before a holiday gathering on numerous occasions. "Making a pie crust" is about as weak as "marking a trail". Anyone have Tom Ridge's email?