Reply #129: A hero is someone who puts themselves in danger to.... [View All]

save others. That fits the rescuers on Mt.Hood, but I don't see how that applies to the climbers.

I haven't read any posts advocating denial of SAR to people who do stupid things. I think there is a lot of self-congratulations going on with the "compassionate" people who are reading that into posts with which they disagree.

Since, most of our tax dollars are wasted on Pentagon spending and subsidizing big business, we're left squabbling over the pittance that is left. If taxpayers end up paying for climbers' risky adventures, then it's compassion at the expense of other people who are in need. Public schools, health care, housing for the homeless are all underfunded.

However, some posters are saying that the cost of these mountain rescues is paid for by permit fees and claim that the money pumped into the economy by the hobby also covers the costs. If that's true, there's no problem as far as I'm concerned.