no one's talking about it. hundreds of hippies have been arrested and sent to little camps, rainbow gathering was squandered because of no permits. forest service arrested mad people, but all that was in the news is that "hippies threw rocks at cops" and "hippies in trial for permits blah blah."

what the fuck's up? everyone's covering it from the same spin about tie dye shirts and "fire dangers." barely talking about the arrests. friends of mine called me about this, saw it with their own eyes. fucking scary.

but i guess if no one cares about israel/palestine right now, no one's worried about this either.. but hey! some rich guy donated a shitload of money last week.

More like it's not breaking news. They get harrassed/arrested all the time.

HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HAULED OFF. to "holding facilities" in undisclosed locations.

no one seems to give a fuck that our governemt has been building things that resemble work camps. haha doesnt anyone read the news?

fuck. they're not covering this shit at all. this is fucked.

it would be nice if you gave us an actual story instead of just your spin.

"Each year the Rainbow Gathering is declared a 'National Incident' and federal military law ensues.

"A Special Agent is appointed 'Incident Commander', with a Delegation of Authority, a large law enforcement 'Team', and huge budget to control the gathering.

"Qualified Forest Service administrators lose their power, while the county sheriff and other officials are brought into targeted law enforcement actions by inclusion in the Incident Team and other inter-agency agreements.

"Each year Homeland Security gains more power over the individuals involved."

Since 1972 people from all over the US and the world make a trek to the National Forests for something called "The Gathering Of The Tribes" to express activism mixed with alternative spiritual practices and prayer.

The Bush Administration has spent millions of dollars trying to stop the Rainbow Gatherings. 500 people who have been issued citations, are then being herded into "trials" like none anyone has seen before in America.

Since 1972 people from all over the US and the world make a trek to the National Forests for something called "The Gathering Of The Tribes" to express activism mixed with alternative spiritual practices and prayer.

The Bush Administration has spent millions of dollars trying to stop the Rainbow Gatherings. 500 people who have been issued citations, are then being herded into "trials" like none anyone has seen before in America.

These pseudo trials are likely prototypes for what Homeland Security will use in the cases of insurrection or even a plague. Defendants inexplicably lose the right to a public hearing (this year these hearings are being held behind closed doors in a firehouse garage near the site.)

Attorneys and legal observers have been denied the right to even view these trials. The defendants are not explained their rights nor afforded the right to an attorney, the right to summon witnesses, the right to a jury trial, even fresh water!

We must understand that if these citizens lose their constitutional right to gather, we all lose such rights. This year the Rainbow Gathering is being used to set precedents that will be turned against drug policy, civil liberty, anti-war or other activists in the near future. Phone Numbers and A list Of Actions You Can Take Are listed at the end of the full story posted below and marked with **asterisks**.

Clark - For the first time in its 30 years, the dusty wooden storefront of The Clark Store has a "No shirt, no shoes, no service" sign sitting in the window.

Clark Store manager Susan Saari and many others in and and around Steamboat Springs are bracing for the arrival of thousands of members of the Rainbow Family of Living Light, a group of modern-day hippies who will hold their annual summer gathering in the nearby Routt National Forest.

"I had to put it up," Saari said of the sign. "You can't come in here with no shoes. This is an old country store - my floor couldn't take it."

The Rainbow gathering is scheduled for the first week of July, but hundreds of people already have set up camp at the site, a grassy meadow known as Big Red Park.

Based on past gatherings, Forest Service officials say the event could draw up to 25,000 people.

The group, which bills itself as an alternative society for those who wish to leave the mainstream, has failed to sign a special-use permit required by the Forest Service for groups of 75 or more. As a result, rangers Monday barred people from the site and issued between 60 and 70 citations to some of the early arrivals.

Many residents and business people are worried that the trouble is just beginning.

"When it's over, all that's left is going to be one square mile of feces," said Alicia Spanhake of Steamboat Springs. "I hate hippies."

The Rainbow Family, which held its first gathering outside Granby in 1972, comes together every summer in locations across the country for a weeklong celebration that peaks with a July 4 peace circle and a parade. The group returned to Colorado once before, in 1992, when it camped

Rainbow Family member Paco of San Diego unpacks his gear Tuesday at Big Red Park, where the group is gathering. (Post / Hyoung Chang)

in the Gunnison National Forest near Paonia.

The group tends to meet where people are scarce and nature is abundant, but family members still need supplies. That means venturing into nearby towns, which are usually not accustomed to Bohemian visitors.

Barefoot youth with dreadlocks have been hitchhiking through Clark and Steamboat for several days.

"They don't enjoy being around us that much, and I think it's the same way the other direction," said Becky Rupnow, 16, who works at The Clark Store, the only retail outlet in a town with a population of less than 1,000. "There's definitely a culture clash."

Business owners say they have seen an increase in loitering and panhandling, and are worried about theft.

Many residents say they are concerned about impacts on the forest.

"It's somebody invading our back yard," said Elmer Balvante, who frequently rides his motorbike in the forest with his son.
Clark has held a community meeting with Forest Service officials to discuss the gathering. A similar meeting is planned for Steamboat Springs on Friday.

Some Rainbows are equally wary of the locals.

They complain of having been denied service at stores in town. One man, who calls himself The Raven, said he ties back his Willie-Nelson style braids and puts on a baseball cap in order to blend in when he leaves his makeshift kitchen at the campsite to go into town.

Problems with the Rainbow Family have been minimal so far, according to Steamboat police, who have issued fewer than 10 citations for panhandling.

The Rainbows have increased business for some merchants. The Clark Store and Healthy Solutions Community Market have taken the group's advice to stock up on items like



bulk foods, tarps, rolling papers and garlic - a natural bug repellant, according to Rainbow Family lore.

Workers from the health-food store said they found the Rainbows so nice that they plan on checking out the gathering.

"People don't know us at first, but then they come to know us and see what we're about," said Rainbow member Felipe, who like many in the group goes by a single name.

The fringe elements of Rainbow, such as panhandlers and homeless people, are the ones who tend to arrive first and make the initial impression, said a man named Bodhi.

And, he added, an open mind goes a long way toward easing a culture clash.

"If you come up here expecting to see a bunch of dirty hippies, that is what you will see," he said. "But if you come up here with a pure heart, looking for enlightenment, that is what you will get."

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — The Rainbow Family peace gathering turned hostile Tuesday when a group of attendees began hurling rocks and sticks at law enforcement officers, U.S. Forest Service officials said.

The incident forced the officers to abandon a checkpoint they had established near the entrance to the Rainbow gathering campsite in North Routt County, Forest Service spokeswoman Diann Ritschard said. Officers had not returned to the checkpoint as of Tuesday afternoon.

The incident happened at about 11 a.m. and involved Forest Service officers who were manning the checkpoint set up to issue citations to anyone who attempting to enter the gathering. Citations were being issued because Rainbow Family members had not signed a free Forest Service special use permit, which is required for gatherings of 74 or more people.

Before the Tuesday morning incident, Forest Service officials were blocking people from entering the gathering and telling them to “turn around,” Forest Service spokeswoman Denise Ottaviano said.

A group of about 100 people — some of whom already were inside the gathering area — participated in the alleged incident. Other participants included people waiting outside the checkpoint who were told they could not enter the gathering, Ritschard said.

No arrests were made, and the officers left the scene because they did not want to escalate the situation, Ritschard said. No officers were injured.

“This incident will be investigated, and we’re not exactly sure what course of action will be taken,” Ritschard said. “The Forest Service is deciding what action to take.”
In addition to Forest Service law enforcement officers, a Routt County Sheriff’s Office deputy also was at the checkpoint at the time of the incident, Ritschard said.

Also Tuesday, an incomplete special-use permit application was submitted to the Forest Service, Ritschard said. She said the application contained profanity where the applicant was supposed to write the location of the gathering.

Between 60 and 70 illegal gathering citations had been issued to Rainbow gathering attendees as of Tuesday morning. As many as 20,000 people are expected to attend the peace gathering, which officially beings July 1. An estimated 500 people already have arrived.

Citations will be issued to people who use the closed trails or ignore other regulations, including public nudity, camping within 150 feet of any running stream or body of water and placing kitchen facilities within 300 feet of any running stream or body of water.

About 15 miles of National Forest system motorized trails near the Rainbow Gathering have been closed. Ritschard said the trails were closed to keep the public away from the gathering.

“Most people would enjoy it more at a place that is less congested,” Ritschard said.

This story first appeared in the Steamboat Pilot & Today.

Vail, Colorado

google it.

note that no one is covering what im talking about, and the only reason i know about this is because im a recovered hippy and i have friends who go to these things. that's what im saying.

theyre not letting anyone in there, people are supposedly sitting in there without water, etc. point is, Homeland Security is taking new measures, but no "significant" press outlet wants to talk about it? why?

people are fucking scared out there.

i did, obviously.

but you could have posted more to back up your rant than you did.

what state?

pretty messed up. I get the gist that its not just some incidetel arrest but a target of people seen as a public enemy. meanwhile most of the rainbow kids are far or atleast miles from civilization. how can that be anything worth jailing them with your taxes is beyond me.

Ive known people thru the years who goto those things who arent trying to cause trouble, if anything they think the woods is a place to avoid it.

I like the indian saying you cant own the land like you cant own the sky.

Ok I read a article

I notice people in rainbow dont want to be considered a organized group or federeted as a religion like the govt suggests. they want the constitutional right to freely assemble so I totally respect that. the govt. always wants you to be on there watch for some reason.

Ok, this is frightening. But for the mainstream media to ignore stories like these is just par for the course. That's one of the reasons indymedia got started, particularly in Atlanta. Every year there is a huge protest (6,000 to 10,000 people) at Fort Benning over the school of the americas and at least approx. 30 people get arrested (always includes nuns ) but most of the media includes a sentence if anything.

That's the problem with the "mainstream" media. There are plenty of people who do read that stuff and by society's standards are well informed but they will never hear about things like these because they're not covered by the big outlets. So thanks for bringing it up, because I don't keep on top of the news the way I used to. But like Aaron says, put up a link next time. It's easy enough to google something that is all over the media, but sometimes searching for a story like this will take more time than people want to spend on it.

The fire risk is elevated, but I'm pretty sure thats a pretext.
Iwent to last years gathering, and it had the most heavy handed police presence I'd ever sean. It was in West Virginia, fire was not an issue.
Armed goons from the incidence command unit paraded past kids village
in large military style details. the sherrif was rabid.

Years ago I was a forest service volunteer.The irony is that while most
Forest service people would object to the size and impact of the gathering,
they are trained to conciliate disagreements, and respect differences.
The federal government has to send in the incident command teams in advance to create fear
and because the district rangers aren't rabid dogs.
The district rangers at the Oregon 1993(?) gathering actually filed a report challenging the incident command team's motive
and saying they had created distrust with the local rangers.

Hey W Wanker.

People don't think independently anymore.

They just soak up the CNN propaganda and call it 'news'.





What you posted IS significant.

blah
i just typed a huge response and got logged out and lost it

W Wanker

i really appreciate this thread and i may decide to not be lazy and retype all i had to say later
but for now

slightly off topic but completely related
i first heard of the rainbow family gatherings from a movie that i had but can no longer find
it had jimi hendrix in it
you may be one of the few people who might actually know what i'm talking about
i would love to get a copy of it again
do you happen to know what its called exactly?
i think it may have been called rainbow bridge ?

anyways
i think it would be really unfortunate if the gatherings were put to a stop by the government
though it would not surprise me at all
and its just one more reason, as if we needed another, to hate george bush

__________________
should i choose a noble occupation
if i did i'd only show up late and sick
and they would stare at me with hatred
plus my only natural talent's wasted

LINKS, please?

I googled but didn't get much?

tard

It's courteous to provide links when you post an article.

rainbow gatherings still happen?
every year everyone woul