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Vote Tao! This is hilarious...

8K views 42 replies 29 participants last post by  hillmooley 
#1 ·
#9 ·
Tao Berman

I'm disappointed by many of you with your posts regarding me running for office. I expected boaters to be more positive and supportive for people that are really trying to make a positive difference.
How many of you are out working hard to make your community or country a better place? How many of you donate money to a cause you believe in? How many of you sponsor a poor family that needs help? How many of you are working with an environmental organization to help protect the river you paddle on?
By the looks of your posts I'm guessing not many.
For a moment why don't you stop trying to drag someone down and start trying to lift people up? Why don't you stop criticizing and start trying to do it better yourself? Why don't you donate to someone else campaign that you really support?
That being said I think there are many other boaters that are positive and those are the ones I really respect.

Tao Berman
 
#10 ·
Tao,

Ah, well you know how it is on the internet. There was certainly some jest in my post as well. There's something funny about a boater getting all dressed up, acting earnest and running for political office, and it's easy to give someone a hard time. But in all seriousness, I think it's great what you're doing. The boating lifestyle is, in many ways, inherently narcissistic and your point is well taken regarding giving back to your community. If I lived in your district, you'd probably have my vote. Good luck!
 
#11 ·
Tao-

I actually think its great you're running for office and trying to make a difference in your community.

Look at the above responses - they are totally supportive!

My post never criticized your efforts. When I saw your campaign video it made me laugh.... Not in a bad or malicious way. It's just funny to think of someone a community has known in one way suddenly appear in such a different direction. It's not bad whatsoever, just not something you see every day. So... take it with a grain of salt and appreciate the exposure to your campaign and the recognition that you are perusing this. I think this post will actually create some awareness and exposure about your campaign and will be helpful to it - politics, ya know?

Seriously, if you are going to be in public office you will need be able to absorb MUCH more severe criticisms than any of the very light humor expressed i this thread. Politicians ALWAYS get slammed by somebody for any and every action.

Regarding my comment on running for office because of how you want to be remembered - I'd drop that line. Constituents don't care about that. They care about them. Other than that line, I think your campaign speech was pretty good.

GOOD LUCK ON YOUR CAMPAIGN! And bridge those partisan gaps - it's much needed.
 
#16 ·
Regarding my comment on running for office because of how you want to be remembered - I'd drop that line. Constituents don't care about that. They care about them. Other than that line, I think your campaign speech was pretty good.
I thought his comment was getting more at "I want to do something more meaningful with my life", than "I want to make more of a name/legacy for myself". Just my interpretation I suppose.
 
#12 ·
Admins, Is this legit?

Toa, if you, very cool you are dedicating yourself to something bigger. That said, I don't see anybody ripping you or your opinions down here. Just cosmetic garbage. If you bring the focus and determination you've brought to boating to help people, then we are all better for it. If you do go down a political path, the ideas you advance on the war, environment, etc.. will be challenged and scoffed at in this forum. 30% will think you’re an idiot, 30% will agree with you blindly. The rest will try to get a laugh at everyone else’s expense.

Good luck
 
#17 ·
i think you are a looser with a severe case of little man syndrome and all you care about is publicity.

great example....we were at rogers creek in b.c. and you did not want to paddle because it was "high" and "jacque" your photographer could not get in to take pictures. you took off and we went in and stomped that shit. seems to me your intentions and motivations are way out of wack. you are a self-promoting, attention hungry, geek!

just because you were on "real tv" stunt boating and people recognize you, doesn't mean you are a good candidate for anything.

personally, i think you are a horrible representative of paddlers, who they are, and the community as a whole.
 
#18 ·
Good ole' Hood River, Washington...love that place. For those that don't get this, keep up your dialog with "Tao".

For someone making a living on kayaking...photos are important for sponsors. So if he couldn't get some shots on Rogers and that's the reason him and Jock were in the area...why would that make any difference to you whatsoever. Maybe he was in the area just so that Jock could take pictures and was being inclusive of his friend to go somewhere they could both work together at instead of ditching the guy to go paddle. Ever find out where he ended up heading or were you too busy badmouthing him to care?
 
#19 ·
no faith in the gov't, do it yourself...

I agree with Tao that we all have a responsibility to be an advocate for change and reform in our community, in our society and for our environment. I do however have to question anyone who believes that running for congress is the best way to do this, especially when you already have some stature as Tao does. Just my personal opinion but between special interest groups, big money, and congress people’s egos, very little change/benefits trickles down to “we the people”. That being said I am glad to be an American and enjoy my personal freedoms, I just believe that most people who “want to do more for society” are rarely an elected official and very seldom make headlines because they are out busting their ass in the trenches making an impact on a personal level.

Ps. I can’t think of a better way than politics to be lambasted and criticized by strangers and peers alike, occupational hazard I suppose.
 
#21 ·
For those of you blasting Tao, do you know him? Give him the benefit of the doubt. After all, a lot of the image of our sport and the growth it has experienced in the past few years are thanks to the exposure that Tao has given kayaking. I have met Tao's mother on the river several times and she is one of the sweetest women you could every meet. I find it hard to believe that she could produce a tool bag for a kid.

Tao, you seem sincere and I like that, more power to you. Too bad none of us live in your district... still, ++vibes on election day.
 
#24 ·
All of you who think you're talking to Tao got punked.

After all, a lot of the image of our sport and the growth it has experienced in the past few years are thanks to the exposure that Tao has given kayaking.
Please explain how growth is good or improves quality, especially as it relates to kayaking.

As for his speaking skills, he say's "uh" alot less than Obama does.
Dude, he's reading his speech. I would hope he wouldn't say 'uh', once.
 
#23 ·
Good for Tao. He sees a problem and does something to change it. As for his speaking skills, he say's "uh" alot less than Obama does. And, I trust people who say what's in it for them more than fakes who claim they just want to serve of others.

So he's a "publicity hound". That's his job. No one has figured out how to make a living kayaking by remaining in the shadows and doing it for the love of the sport.

I only see one problem. He's a "government's-here-to-take-care-of-you" liberal.
 
#25 ·
Now wait a minute, whatever you think of either guy, Obama is a way better speaker than Tao! Obama says "uh" a lot because he's speaking extemporaneously. When he's delivering a pre-written speech he's pretty flawless - just shows what an elitist he is.

I don't know Tao, so I can't judge either way, but I do know he's a damn good kayaker and however he does it, he has managed to make a lot of money doing it, which is perhaps a greater feat than running big waterfalls.
 
#29 ·
Thanks everyone

Let me start out by saying I really appreciate all of your responses. Not just the nice ones, also some of the others. I don't mind being criticized as long as it's for something logical. Anyone that stands for something is going to have fans and critics, and I'm ok with that.
Let's clear a few things up about me.
I am cocky. I think you are going to have a hard time finding anyone successful that isn't. Cocky and confidence are often synonymous.
I don't shy away from publicity. I love my career and the only way I've found to continue making money paddling is to continue getting publicity. If any of you want to pay me a lot of money to not get publicity I'll do it.

Below I'm quoting what someone wrote in an earlier thread because I very much agree with it.
"between special interest groups, big money, and congress people’s egos, very little change/benefits trickles down to “we the people”.

I'm completely agree with the quote above and that is part of why I've chosen to run for office. I thought as appose to just complaining about all the problems I would get involved and try to make a difference. Now I'm not being naive. I know that even if elected, I may find out that it's to corrupt to change. But I would rather try and fail than fail by not trying.

You can learn more about my campaign at Tao Berman | Tao Berman
If anyone wants to donate to my campaign click on the "donations" tab. I've been having some technical problems with my online donations so you may have to send a check to the listed PO Box.

Thanks again for all the great replies.

Tao
 
#32 ·
I'm no expert on the growth of whitewater kayaking participation but as far as I understand, there has not been much in the last 10 years. Paddlesports as a whole (touring, rec etc) have grown while the whitewater market segment has stayed flat.

What has improved and grown are the number of on water resources (ww parks), communcation (like this forum) resulting in conservation etc... and gear/equipment, driven predominantly by paddlers/athletes/manufacturers who love the sport too much to stop making and improving ww gear/boats. Many companies have had to merge or diversify to allow them to continue being a part of the whitewater industry but still have awesome whitewater product/programs.

Like everything, this is just my experience - I don't live on the front range battling lots of other users all at once in the parks. However, parks just concentrate people, which is why it seems like there are more participating overall (which is actually one of the goals of them).
 
#33 ·
Shit, I know shits fucked up right now. With all that starving bullshit, global warming, dust storms, war, we runnin out of french fries and burrito coverings. Thats why I'm votin for Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho. He's got a 3 point plan to fix everything.

Vote Camacho

 
#36 ·
To the anti-growth crowd... Does the thought of limiting growth only apply to new comers to the sport from this point on, from the day after you began the sport (thus grandfatherinng your participation) or retroactively to a time before you began the sport thus eliminating the ability of yourself to participate in the future?
 
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