Auburn's Toomer's Corner Oaks poisoned

[FSUZeta]

as my husband pointed out, it is a short step from poisoning beautiful, historic trees to poisoning people. that guy needs to never see the light of day!

[Alumiyum]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

as my husband pointed out, it is a short step from poisoning beautiful, historic trees to poisoning people. that guy needs to never see the light of day!

I'm not sure it's a short step from trees to humans, but no completely sane person kills trees because another team won, knows it could result in jail time, then calls up a radio station and admits to it by name. You don't martyr yourself over football while in the process harming the environment and wiping out a historical landmark. At the least he's just an idiot. At the worst there's a screw loose.

[Munchkin03]

The irony is that he probably didn't even go to college, let alone Alabama. Just an uneducated redneck...

[Low C Sharp]

it is a short step from poisoning beautiful, historic trees to poisoning people

I do think this bears some resemblance to the nutjobs who start out by hurting animals for fun and then move up from there. Deliberately killing living things that are emotionally precious to people...it has a different feel than pure property damage, like if someone torched a building or a fountain.
________

[carnation]

I saw online where he was arrested in 1996 in Texas for criminal mischief and again for something else. Really, Harvey, you're a little old for "criminal mischief". Not that I consider this a prank kind of offense...

Auburn does sell acorns from the trees as a fundraiser and I'd buy one but I don't think that live oaks would survive here. People who've bought them in the past have offered to donate them back but again, there's the question of whether anything will grow in that patch of earth again.

I still want to know where he got that herbicide, especially in that amount.

[turqwind]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

The irony is that he probably didn't even go to college, let alone Alabama. Just an uneducated redneck...

We used to refer to them as eighth grade alumni and they are the worst.

[carnation]

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/n...29034270453332


ETA: Not only that but now there's a Facebook page called Tide for Toomer's and Bama fans have already donated over $2000 towards the repairs at Toomers. I cried. This is like when there was the bonfire tragedy at A&M and the Texas band marched out on the field at the game, faced the Aggie fans, and played the Aggie War Hymn.

[Alumiyum]

Originally Posted by carnation

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/note.php?note_id=190767427613349&id=12903427045333 2


ETA: Not only that but now there's a Facebook page called Tide for Toomer's and Bama fans have already donated over $2000 towards the repairs at Toomers. I cried. This is like when there was the bonfire tragedy at A&M and the Texas band marched out on the field at the game, faced the Aggie fans, and played the Aggie War Hymn.

A lot of us have been posting it and asking others to join, even if they can't donate. I bet it'll raise a ton of money.

I didn't know until today he was 62. I was thinking this was some punk kid idiot. His age makes it ten times more pathetic.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by Low C Sharp

I do think this bears some resemblance to the nutjobs who start out by hurting animals for fun and then move up from there. Deliberately killing living things that are emotionally precious to people...it has a different feel than pure property damage, like if someone torched a building or a fountain.

I would say it's pretty different. There's no indication that anti-social personalities are any more likely to commit herbicide than non-anti-social personalities.

This is tragic, but not the same as animal abuse or injuring a human and although it sounds like this person was mentally unstable, that this was some sort of 'revenge' of some sort, that sort of thing is very different from ASPD.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

I would say it's pretty different. There's no indication that anti-social personalities are any more likely to commit herbicide than non-anti-social personalities.

This is tragic, but not the same as animal abuse or injuring a human and although it sounds like this person was mentally unstable, that this was some sort of 'revenge' of some sort, that sort of thing is very different from ASPD.

I'm trying my hardest to take the college rivalry and historical/sentimental value of the trees out of the equation (it's hard for me. Auburn was my first college visit, and I restore old things for a living.) and the closest I can come up with is that it's some sort of environmental terrorism as practiced by a mentally unstable person.

[AGDLynn]

On an unrelated note, an Alpha Gam's aunt owns Toomer's Drug. Bet she will have at least 1 joke about it Sunday.

[AGDLynn]

Anyone know the costs for cleaning up the toilet paper left when there are celebrations?

(Just curious, I had thought about this in the past when i would see pictures of the "adorned" trree.)

Wonder if Auburn (city and/or school) have "toilet paper removal" as a line item in the annual budget.

[carnation]

You know, I don't know. It's on campus but that corner is right downtown and the mess always extends out into the street. Everybody is pretty patient about it, seeing as it comes after victories...you see the crews out there but there's no clue about where they're from, city or campus.

On the opposite corner from the trees, you have Toomer's Drugstore where you can get a fresh-squeezed lemonade or a cherry Coke with real syrup. So many years of traditions!

[Lafayette79]

Thousands mourn Auburn's historic trees

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/416850...lege_football/

AUBURN, Ala. - A steady stream of people began to arrive early Saturday morning to mourn the poisoning of oak trees at Toomer's Corner, where Auburn fans have long celebrated wins. The heartfelt demonstration continued well into the afternoon.

Fans took pictures and left gifts and tributes, including rolls of toilet paper that surrounded the two 130-year-old oaks located next to campus.

The rally reflected the depth of pain and frustration engulfing this small community.

"Toomer's Tree Hug" was about proud tradition; it was about college football - two things residents in this state are rabidly, unapologetically passionate about. ....

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

I'm trying my hardest to take the college rivalry and historical/sentimental value of the trees out of the equation (it's hard for me. Auburn was my first college visit, and I restore old things for a living.) and the closest I can come up with is that it's some sort of environmental terrorism as practiced by a mentally unstable person.

I suppose it depends on whether the person was motivated by the rivalry issue, but yes, I basically agree with you. Supposedly the trees have been set on fire before too?

I just wanted to divert the conversation from the ASPD/sociopath/serial killer line of thinking.