Loyal reader Jeff offers this tantalizing tidbit:
The Rainbow Family national gathering is supposed to be back in the southeast this summer. There are “elders” scouting locations. Some were in town recently and may still be here. The National Forest Service is NOT a fan of their camp outs.
Jeff is right on. This year’s annual Rainbow Gathering will be held July 1 through July 7, and according to www.welcome.org, the group is currently scouting locations in the following states: New Hampshire, Vermont, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky and North Carolina.
What is the “gathering”? From the Rainbow Family web site:
Every summer since 1972, the Annual Rainbow Gatherings have attracted tens of thousands of people to a different United States National Forest. There a temporary city is created in the wilderness, complete with kitchens, plumbing, medical care, sanitation, and childcare. These Rainbow Gatherings culminate with an elaborate and graceful silent prayer for World Peace on the Fourth of July.
Jeff is also correct that the federal government doesn’t approve of the Rainbow Family gatherings.
The Rainbow Family held a gathering in WNC back in the mid 1990s, and the feds didn’t like it. They claimed the group didn’t have the proper permits to camp or something like that. Also, I recall that a number of people in the group got sick; shigellosis or something like that from a lack of proper hand-washing.
We’ll have to keep watch and see where the group decides to meet.
10 Comments
Let us understant the governments stand.
Anyone who has read the Forest Circus reports of past years will find the statments that we connot be allowed to gather "without political control", also they will "contain and control us thru our own co-operation".
Not what does that tell us?
For me that means that I will not co-operate or negociate my right to free assembly with my FAMILY.
See you HOME>
maverick
To the guy who responded Feb 14, 2010 the Ashville dweller thats a nasty comment. Sounds like it came from someone who thinks they deserve the right to own land they really have no right to own. Get your damn head out the sand partner!!!!!!!!!!!
Poor pitifull Bastard!!!!!!!
The US Forest Service came out with a detailed report after the ’87 gathering (imagine that) which came to the obvious conclusions about what caused the health and sanitary troubles……..that washing hands could have limited the problem. A number of the campers dined on baked beans too. That sounds like asking for trouble even with clean hands. (insert Blazing Saddles campfire scene visual here).
Also, having been around for the decision to come East last year, I can tell you it’s just as likely we will go North with the Gathering. The scouts are starting in the South first, because the North is still a frozen wasteland.
woops!
I was at that Gathering in the 80’s. As I remember it, Judge Sentelle only came to the site because the Governor wanted to send in the National Guard. He heard the arguments in Court, then drove out to visit the Gathering. Next day, he went back to Court & said "They’re doing fine. Leave them alone."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judge_Dave_and_the_Rainbow_People
As for now, it’s evident the Forest Service considers the Rainbow Gathering a threat of some kind. After years of watching para-military crowd-control techniques used against unarmed hippies miles from anywhere (culminating in the horrendous police riot in Wyoming ’08), it’s clear to me there is an ideological quality to the opposition from the Feds. Last year, we obtained their internal staff reports through an FOIA request. It spelled out, in stark language, the fact that the Forest Service intends to shut down this recreational use of public lands, specifically because they don’t like the nature of our views.
Stay tuned. If the Gathering comes to this region in July, it will be very interesting…
Lets hope not, the rainbow adds nothing to the mountains.
Attended the Gathering back in 87 at Slick Rock in Graham County and had the time of my life! Recommend it highly even for the "non-hippie crowd".
Thanks, Sanuk!
The Rainbow Gathering held in Western North Carolina in the late 80’s got a visit from the Federal District Court Judge at the time, David Sentelle. He published an account of his visit in the very funny "Judge Dave and the Rainbow People" which is out of print but available used online. And maybe at Downtown Books and News.