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Comment by okareaman | Hacker News Reader

I was there recently to see Salvation Mountain. It's been taken over by a bunch of acid casualties who have posted 'no picture' signs. A bunch of them came running towards me when I got out of the car to take a picture. I fully expected to hear bullets whizzing by my head as I got back in the car and drove off.

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They claim to own the photons reflecting off Salvation Mtn?

The people who hang out there change all the time

How recently? I was there in December and it wasn't like that at all.

This was Spring 2020. It could have been they were afraid of tourists bring in Covid.

Wonder if this is because they don't want to be photographed or if they want to extract money out of the situation.

I didn't stick around to find out and they weren't in a talkative mood. It was like an attack by zombies. Slab City is romanticized on the internet, but it looks to me like a dumping ground for humans who have been run out of every town they tried to live in.

maybe if you walk into a community and immediately disrespect their rules you shouldn't expect a particularly warm welcome

They have no right to disallow photos. Salvation Mountain wasn't built by them and has become an artwork that belongs to all.

never said anything about rights. but it sounds like came in with an attitude of condescension, disrespect, and antagonism. i don't see why you'd expect them to respond with good will

> with an attitude of condescension, disrespect, and antagonism

I came in with a an attitude of seeing something interesting, as featured in several internet documentaries. I had no communication with anyone. I stopped, opened the door of my car, stood up, and took a picture: https://imgur.com/NyzDKgJ

Then they came out walking quickly towards me in a threatening manner. I had hoped to actually walk around the artwork, but they had posted no photo and keep out signs. My attitude didn't sour until after I felt threatened and feared that I would get shot.

What possessed you to go in and take photos after you saw the no photo and keep out signs?

Was it entitlement? It sounds like entitlement.

They literally are entitled to be there (public land) and to take photos (of literally anything visible from public spaces).

The inappropriate entitlement is from whomever put up those signs and harasses people when they come near.

Everybody missed the part where this was in the Spring of 2020 huh.

Ok. So be it.

They have every right to post no pictures signs, walk/run up to you and tell not to take photos, and not shoot at you. And you've got a right to ignore all that and take photos. Free Country™!

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