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Anthony Beninati is a DUMB FUCK!!!!

topic posted Wed, July 1, 2009 - 12:03 PM by  		Share/Save/Bookmark
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Anthony Beninati is everything that is WRONG with BM today. Over the years BM have became popular. Too popular for some folks. They come and think it is Disneyland or something. For several years now BM been acting rules because of all these yuppie weekend warriors. Two of the Playa's long standing principals are "Safety Third" and "Safety by Darwin". If you got hurt it is because YOU, Anthony Beninati, are an IDIOT!!! Not because lack of safety. I mean did your mother never told you fire burns? Yet you walked into the fire! In 2007 was the first time I ever a safety fence, Crude Awakening, or should I say an idiot fence at BM. If are are not smart enough to stay out of the fire then you are a DUMB F__K!!! The said part is that if you died you just might of got the Darwin Award.

Cross Sidhe
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  • Cr#
    Cr#
    offline 149

    Re: Anthony Beninati is a DUMB FUCK!!!!

    Fri, July 3, 2009 - 2:26 PM
    I just read the article, sent to me by a friend:
    www.loweringthebar.net/2009/0...an.html

    How sad.

    I'm so glad my name isn't Anthony Beninati. People would make fun of me for the rest of my life. (And they should)

    Kind of reminds me of another sad situation that happened at Greeters from back in 2001 (don't quote me on that date) that effectively ended the official "spanking of virgins."
    Turns out this reporter who was sent to cover the event, and clearly was not adequately briefed on BM culture, became shocked and embarrassed when (possibly over-zealous but maybe not) Greeters requested that she exit her vehicle for the "Virgin Spanking."

    Upon returning to the default world and re-telling her experience at Greeters Station some person or people encouraged the reporter to sue Burning Man for above mentioned personal violations. I have yet to read the details of the lawsuit but I believe the plaintiff won and Burning Man was made to cease all "official" spanking.
    We at Greeters were not even allowed to ask whether virgins would like a spanking. -Enter the Virgin Bell Ringing Ceremony. (not quite as fun)

    If anyone has more details on that lawsuit I'd love to see it.

    Crash
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    • Cr#
      Cr#
      offline 149

      Re: Anthony Beninati is a DUMB FUCK!!!!

      Fri, July 3, 2009 - 2:31 PM
      Furthermore....

      Shouldn't there be a Burning Man wall of shame?

      Put ol' Tony Beninati and the reporter chick who sued because she was spanked at Greeters right next to whatshisdouchebag name who burned down the Man in '07.
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      • Re: Anthony Beninati is a DUMB FUCK!!!!

        Fri, July 3, 2009 - 4:38 PM
        No, we shouldn't single out those people who have a miserable time, for whatever reason, to group ridicule. Beninati was, apparently, a member of the "community" *chime!* (drink!) in good standing until he had an experience that was probably in the 98th percentile of misery that you can achieve at the burn. It was almost certainly a life-altering one. I don't like to see him called a "dumb fuck" because I think it demeans the rest of us to be so bitter at the choices he made. As has been mentioned elsewhere, he may well have been pushed into it by his insurance company. He may have been pushed into it because he had no insurance and ended up in medical bankruptcy.
        I don't think the suit had much merit, understand, but seeing the pack mentality, the unfunny "fire burns" jokes, the name calling, the sheer pettiness, I am ashamed to be a burner. He deserves our compassion. Not our support in the suit, not our liking or affection or friendship, not to be grand marshall at our parade, but compassion because he apparently liked the event enough to come three times and went through an experience so wrenching that he turned against it, or felt forced to turn against it.
        We are lucky that we haven't had more of those accidents. It's a tribute to the hard work of the llc and the rangers that we've so far gotten off lightly.
        And, you know what? I think it's people who feel that Beninati is some sort of really stupid or really villianous who would be the first to sue if they were in his place.
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        • Re: Anthony Beninati is a DUMB FUCK!!!!

          Fri, July 3, 2009 - 7:16 PM
          I agree with you, Crypto. Would it be that we have never seen it from that perspective? I don't pity him, but neither do I condemn him. It may well be that his insurance company pushed him into the suit. They tend to dislike paying any clain greater than ten bucks anyway.

          He does deserve our compassion. Burns are no fun at all. I also agree that it's thanks to the Rangers that we don't have more than we do. Those guys are simply awesome in how they protect us from ourselves with just a little bit of gentle persuasion.
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        • Cr#
          Cr#
          offline 149

          Re: Anthony Beninati is a DUMB FUCK!!!!

          Wed, July 8, 2009 - 11:38 AM
          Valid points, Crypto, and so I will retract my statement about a wall of shame. -Almost irresistible as that idea is in some cases.
          You're obviously a very thoughtful, sensitive guy. Thanks for your perspective.

          I want to clarify, however that my opinions stem from AB's ultimate decision to sue, not his decision to joyously jump through a dangerous fire in a moment of euphoria.
          Sure, the fire thing might not have been the smartest move but a lot of people at Burning Man dance very close to hot embers and most don't get burned. Sadly, this fellow did.

          From the community standpoint it is very easy to ridicule a man we do not know personally. But we do know the general facts of his case and it seems to me that someone with more common sense would recognize that the risk they took was their own and the consequences were theirs to bear.

          Regardless of pressure to sue from whichever side it may have come, it was still his decision to go through with it. He could have just as easily pulled together for a fundraiser to pay medical bills instead of a legal team. More easily in fact.

          It's likely that AB's hindsight illuminates a trail of regret and embarrassment that he'll have to live with forever.

          What a shame.

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