If Sasquatch Is Proven Real, And "human", Is This A Public Safety Issue?

[dmaker]

Actually dmaker, there is an extremely large body of law dealing with the rights and privileges of so-called feral humans. Unfortunately for them, the native Indian population of N.A. got to experience that up close and personal for four centuries, and still counting. In saying that, I'm by no means discounting the elegant and extremely complex social structure of the Indians on this continent, but only that when the worth of it was considered by the dominant culture, who lusted for what they held (land), it counted for nothing. And they could speak our language. Do you have any hope a Sasquatch population would fare any better?

That is the "human" side of the analogy. For the "animal" side of the coin, consider what we've done to all other apex mammalian predators we've been forced to coexist with. Yes, that's right, we slaughtered them to near extinction. On this point though I do hold out some hope. The confirmation of the Sasquatch has been delayed mainly by our predisposition to refrain from murdering one. If you've read the report database, you know it is not due to a lack of opportunity. I would expect that reluctance to fade with time and the right marketing scheme. You know the selling of Sasquatch already is very lucrative....how fast would it go over the top if it is confirmed? That's right.

Would a putative Sasquatch receive a degree of federal protection? I would tend to say yes, initially. Would it hold? Good dang question.

Let's just acknowledge that the idea of sharing this planet with another two-leg is so momentous it can't even really be predicted how mankind would react(and as you know, many argue this is exactly why evidence of the species is so routinely dismissed out of hand). The crisis of identity and re-imagining our place in the cosmos would require no less than our complete reordering of our world. Ask a child who learned at age 20 that "Father" is not his or her real dad to find out what that does to an individual. Multiply that by everyone alive at the time of confirmation and you'd just begin to see the implications. I'd say the inevitable collateral damage of that is impossibly unpredictable.

But I have every confidence our Congress and state legislators will step up quickly and do the right thing for all involved, as they always do.....wait....

I completely agree, the cognitive dissonance shock wave will be tremendous. It will startle and confuse many. And confusion and alarm will lead to knee jerk reactions from many I would think. At the least I would think some Sasquatch are going to take some unplanned vacations in some labs in the near future. And at worst? Who knows...

[dmaker]

And God forbid if there is some sort of mass hysteria/fear around the reality of this species, do we really want armed folks running around the woods taking pot shots at everything on two legs? That, in itself, is a public safety issue. Not for us from Sasquatch, but at us, from us.

[salubrious]

Its not like, if outed, they will be any easier to find.

[dmaker]

If you think about it, Sasquatch human conflicts will become much more inevitable if the species is confirmed. Think about the last couple of years in Massachusettes. Biologists decided to try and locate and tag white sharks in that area for the first time. Guess what? They found some. Word gets out and people show up in droves to stand on the shore and even just try to get a glimpse of one in the water. This won't be any different. People will flock to the woods with cameras trying to get a picture of one, or at least see one. Now unless that unknown hominid that mated with a human 15, 000 years ago was a Carebear or a Smurf, then I don't really see Sasquatch as being as docile as some think. I don't think it will take kindly to droves of squishy humans invading its woods. Sadly, I think "Gone Squatchin" just might end up on more tombstones than ball caps in the next couple of years.

[Guest]

I dont think they're human, though the social science behind Bigfoot, if proven real, is very interesting. Here in the USA, we look at Africa, where people live with wild Gorillas chillin' in their backyard and it seems so far off and so exotic, and it could be a major change in overall attitude if suddenly the same situation was confirmed in North America.

[dmaker]

I don't really think they're human either ( I'm pretty sure they are nothing but a legend), but the current science is claiming that they are. So if that is proven true, then we can't really argue that there is an unknown tribe of feral humans AND an unknown ape species running around North America. I would have to think one or the other, not both. But whether human or ape, people are still going to falling over each other to try and get a glimpse at one.

[georgerm]

It could become a public safety issue in the minds of many people, but in reality, black bears, and cougars are probably just as dangerous. It will be good for the bear spray business!

[David NC]

dmaker - They are not just a legend , they are real flesh and blood nad not an ape/monkey/gorilla. How much like humans they are I do not know. I can tell you the claims of people being "chased" and got away from BF do not realize they were being "pushed-driven-moved away" from were the BF did not want them to be. If the BF had wanted to catch them it would have happened. You cannot outrun one unless you were 30 yards from your car and it was 100 yards away.Laws made for them when they are finally made mainstream knowledge , hopefully will be the kind that says leave them alone when/if you ever come across one and maybe some things to do to maybe not **** one off like the rules and behaviors pamphlet parks give you one dealing with bears if you were faced with one. They deffinately will never be domesticated or what we called "civilized" whatever that means anyway.

[JDL]

Most importantly, how do we register them to vote and pay taxes?

[Sunflower]

Vewy, vewy carefully..............

[Guest]

So how should Sasquatch be handled from a public safety point of view?

IF they are ever PROVEN to be a species, and it is proven they are part human or some sort of human, then there should be rules for the homins.

They should be guaranteed basic "life, liberty and pursuit of happiness" as it seems to apply to them. It should be illegal to hunt and kill them or trap them. If they choose to interact with certain humans, then there should the same rules. IF a sasquatch was destroying property or abducting humans, then they should be hunted down and encouraged to remove themselves (and their hostage rescued if possible).

I think we'd have to have a lot of educating for the general public - announcements from the President's office etc "We have found intelligent life and it's NOT out in space, it's sharing our planet". There should be local meetings and trainings on how to act in the wilderness - most of which would be the same as for other large predators, and information on what they are and how they fit into our planet's life along side us. There should be severe penalties for killing or injuring a sasquatch. They seem to avoid us just fine, unless they choose to, so I don't see it being problematic on their end - it'll be more problematic on OUR end, humans wanting to find them - there would be more laws for humans, not the homins.

And some areas will have to be shut off from humans, or have limitations (for instance, day use only, not night). For instance, my area, where I think I've encountered a troop, would be ideal for a study area. It should be possible to declare an area sasquatch habitat and educate those living within the area, yet realize they homins cannot be fenced or civilized, so they are different from other "animals". There will have to be an "in between" catagory between human and animal - homin, with it's own rules and regulations.

Edited February 19, 2013 by madison5716

[LeafTalker]

[Most importantly, how do we register them to vote and pay taxes?]

Vewy, vewy carefully..............

...They should be guaranteed basic "life, liberty and pursuit of happiness" as it seems to apply to them.....

I love this. I hope you (and Sunflower) get appointed to the Homin Rules Committee.

[beerhunter]

When I saw the comment on the gorillas I cringed because most zoos have them. Would it be easier to provide a protected area for them to roam and possibly be shot at, or easier to build them habitat in a large zoo like observatory for many to view for a price of admission? Money talks especially when it comes to laws.

There are many homesteads that law enforcement stay away from - the places where no trespassing signs mean a person risks being shot for being there. If Sasquatch can't read, then how can they be protected from being shot in that scenario

Just more to think about.

[Guest]

Bff members- as far as a PSA concerns I have always felt that it is a three stage issue. If Sasquatch is proven(to the satisfation of anyone/everyone) then #1 IMO would be to educate the public on what to do if a chance encounter would take place, say if a young family experienced a close encounter while hiking in one of our parks or wilderness area, and the right conduct as some of our fellow posters have mention to slowly walk away the way you came and do not run. This would pretain to all wilderness campers and hikers etc. that enjoy our great outdoors. The Sas IMO are not aan aggresive creature and will most likely also not confront. Education is/would be paramont for the general public as with hunters that need to be aware that there is a closely related hominin and that they could not be hunted or harassed, kind of goes without saying, but IMO an insert to the states hunting manuels should immediately inclued an insert giving an illistration of what they might look like and that there may be protections/violation with fines and penalties if shot(more on that as time goes on). I know in California the state park system has a production dept. for such PSA's but I would rather see an indepentant production produced for the public and/or hunting clubs that could be distributed.

As far as BF being proven it would just be the beginning of several processes that would determine classification. Research would be involved and because of the sensitive nature of interaction(s) between us and them many states have restrictions on who does research and who doesn't( not qualified ) and fees for indepentant organizations etc. which invole permits and fee when studing endangered and/or sensetive fuana. Let me just mention that the Federal and State governments consider these type of creatures property of the government and just like you are not suppose to lift any plant life from government lands and carry it home(however much more in this case probably) there are restrictions on damaging their property. Alittle out of my territory here but you get the idea.

Education will be a main thrust as grants for studies and who does what will IMO be one of the first stages of the process. Personally I would welcome an emergency prohibition on interaction with the Sas until the smoke clears to inact hunting penalties and fines just to start with until some of the powers that be can hear from (us) the general public for recommmedations on how these process should be(gentley) handled. Much more later.

[WSA]

If you think about it, Sasquatch human conflicts will become much more inevitable if the species is confirmed. Think about the last couple of years in Massachusettes. Biologists decided to try and locate and tag white sharks in that area for the first time. Guess what? They found some. Word gets out and people show up in droves to stand on the shore and even just try to get a glimpse of one in the water. This won't be any different. People will flock to the woods with cameras trying to get a picture of one, or at least see one. Now unless that unknown hominid that mated with a human 15, 000 years ago was a Carebear or a Smurf, then I don't really see Sasquatch as being as docile as some think. I don't think it will take kindly to droves of squishy humans invading its woods. Sadly, I think "Gone Squatchin" just might end up on more tombstones than ball caps in the next couple of years.

Key: They were standing on-shore. I'm betting none were getting in the water to get a real closer look. I would not expect the frequency of visits to backcountry to increase, in fact they might just go down. Outside of National/Provincial Parks I would expect an increase in armed expeditions outside of hunting season. More accidental shootings in the woods? We already bag our share of humans each year in Gunmerica. Any increase in the carnage would probably go unremarked by many, sad to predict.