New Mexico Gathering 2009

Slideshow of photos from New Mexico

2010-11-28T11:53:00.000-08:00

Great slide show of photos from New Mexico by Kent. Check it out here.

US Marshals' Reports

2010-05-02T18:38:00.000-07:00

A friend has obtained copies of reports made by the US Marshals for the 2009 Gathering.

Click here for a list of reports. The US Marshals reports all start with US Marshals. Other PDF documents pertaining to the New Mexico 2009 gathering are available for download as well. Please share this information widely. Please download and store on other servers.

Flashback to New Mexico

2010-01-23T09:05:00.001-08:00

Some folks made a video at the Gathering in New Mexico 2009 that is getting raves reviews from gatherers I know. The video is very centered around the Warriors of the Light camp/kitchen/people and very sweet.

For part 2 of the video, click here. There are 9 parts total posted on YouTube. If you watch it from this blog, you can go from part to part very easily.

From the Cuba News August 21

2009-09-17T20:22:00.000-07:00

I received a PDF excerpt of the Cuba News edition for August 21 in PDF format. It contains cleanup info on the gathering. Click here to see it in PDF format.

Collection of FOIA Info

2009-08-17T06:53:00.000-07:00

A kind brother working on various gathering related legal issues has put together a web page with all his FOIA requests and responses related to the New Mexico gathering. If you're interested, click here.

Thieves are Among Us

2009-08-08T21:29:00.000-07:00

99% of people who come to a gathering, do so with positive intentions. Then there is the other 1%. A brother who was in New Mexcio

http://www.nerflings.org/turq/turq.html

Cleanup Letter from USFS

2009-07-31T19:28:00.000-07:00

The attached jpegs contain the clean up sign off letter from the 2009 gathering in New Mexico.

Page 1
Page 2

Please download and distribute this information freely. A great big shout out to the clean up crew. You are my heros.

Odds & Ends

2009-07-26T16:11:00.000-07:00

At the gathering, when telling various people tidbits of useful information, many of the listeners said something to the effect "everyone should know this." So here goes.

USFS and the road in - the cops are always on the road looking to bust you for anything they can. If they can't find anything else, they'll write you a mandatory court appearance ticket for something as mundane as a broken turn signal or beads hanging off your rear view mirror. This happens every year - be prepared. If you haven't read my tips for a safe journey home, click here and read it.

The tickets - the tickets the cops write for us are always mandatory court appearance tickets. Now I know that back home (where ever that may be), a broken tail light, loose bumper or even a less than perfect stop at a stop sign primarily involves mailing money to the court. But the USFS writes gatherers mandatory court appearance tickets. This means that if you do not show up to the court date on your ticket, the judge will issue a federal warrant for your arrest. IF YOU MISS YOUR COURT DATE YOU WILL HAVE A FEDERAL WARRANT! Now the cops love to come into the gathering and look for people who didn't show up and drag them off to jail. But it's not just at the gathering, any time a cop runs you for any reason, you will be on your way to jail if you did not deal with your ticket. If you go to court for a mandatory court date, YOU MUST CHECK IN WITH THE CLERK OF THE COURT AND MAKE SURE YOUR PRESENCE IS NOTED. IF YOU DON'T AND THE JUDGE/MAGISTRATE DOESN'T CALL YOUR NAME, YOU WILL BE ISSUED A WARRANT FOR YOUR ARREST.

Court - court is a joke. Most of the time, the court gets sick of dealing with us and is willing to drop charges or plea down the charges to something you can live with. Of the last two times I've gone, once they dropped all charges, once I had to pay $65 within 3 months. I've seen people get fined $10 and have a year to pay; or receive community service to be performed at the gathering; or have major drug charges reduced to a fine and probation. There are various gatherers who are also lawyers and are often at the court - so you can get free legal advice. At the gathering, go to INFO and ask them where to find a lawyer ahead of time so you can discuss your particular situation. PLEASE DON'T BLOW OFF YOUR COURT DATE. If you already blew things off, get a lawyer to help you untangle the situation now. If you email me your situation, I will forward it to various lawyers I know who attend gatherings and they may or may not be able to help you at this point.

International Gatherings

2009-07-23T06:54:00.000-07:00

Great site full of links to gatherings around the world.

Cleanup Status

2009-07-20T16:57:00.001-07:00

This email was sent out by someone involved with cleanup

*******Begin forwarded message*************

NM Rainbow Gathering Cleanup, Friday, July 18, 2009There were about 120 people onsite yesterday evening. Just about everyone was working busily on cleanup. Youngsters and oldsters moving over the landscape with the telltale signs of Cleanup Crew: a trashbag tied to the waist, falling apart gloves and a tool or bucket in hand. In the morning we had a family cleanup council. Folks came from just about every remaining campsite and we all talked about our various plans for finishing cleanup and packing ourselves out. There are five vehicles which either need help or have been abandoned. Pretty much everyone is aligned with a running vehicle for exiting. The inside of the site is looking 'almost 100%.' Regular late afternoon showers have helped the high-use areas start greening up already. Most of the trails were disappeared and all the fire pits and kitchen areas vanished, scarified and re-duffed.There is still population along the road by the trailheads and handicamp - where cleanup is still centered, but that is all planning to relocate to a different area so the trailhead/handicamp zone can be re-naturalized too.On last Monday the 13th we did a long walking tour with the FS Resource Team and together identified areas that needed work. I'd say we were in agreement about what was already done to high standards and what still required attention. Except for what's along the road, most of the walkthrough's list has been accomplished.There was probably less overall 'Trash': mixed bags that find themselves transported to the recycling areas than we've had in the past. And almost every one of those was opened, gone thru and sorted for recycling. The glass, metal, aluminum and #1 and #2 plastics have been transported to recycle stations in Albuquerque and the non-recyclable has been taken to the transfer station in Cuba, NM where we have made an arrangement to pay for the excess dumpster space used. Kitchens have set aside cases of unopened foods for the local food bank. Warm clothing and blankets left behind are being dried out, folded and accepted by a local service that can distribute these next fall. More later next week.

The good the bad and the ugly

2009-07-19T20:53:00.000-07:00

(My thoughts on the gathering in New Mexico)

The most wonderful and terrifying aspects of the Rainbow Gathering are identical – this is a spontaneous gathering of people creating utopia as each person sees it. Of course one person’s utopia can be another person’s purgatory – but in general many people who gather are committed to accepting each diverse expression of utopia and many people try to prevent their utopia from turning into another person’s purgatory.

In a world where so much of life is structured to mitigate risks and prevent “bad” from happening, we have turned our society into one of the blandness places on the face of the planet. Of course there’s no money to be made by things that can’t be infinitely duplicated and marketed like Disneyland. Lucky for us as the gathering is one of the last “happenings” that is always an authentic expression of the human condition.

Since each gathering is a direct result of the individuals who participate in it and since the mix of individuals is different every year, each gathering is a one of a kind event – never to be repeated – like the day of playing pirates in Janelle’s backyard when I was eight years old. Still one of the best days of my life and those of my playmates as well. We tried many times to recreate that one magical day, but it wasn’t possible so I’ll have to be content with one perfect day of being a pirate on a jungle gym amongst oak trees and remain open to future days that may turn out as magical but very different.

On to the review.

The Good:

The site was beautiful, fire danger was low, we were at peace with the resource branch of the United States Forest Service. Every day Main Meadow was filled with councils, workshops, games, heartsongs and children playing. I haven’t seen a gathering with this much energy in the meadow since the 1990s (before things got contentious with the Forest Service). Main Council happened every day but July 1 (when it rained). We had an amazing Warrior Women Shanti Sena Council that lasted for five hours of incredible sharing, love, and respect for each other. There were Shanti Sena workshops, an emissary from the Hopi Nation, Tepees and I was able to hang out with a bunch of the earlies whom I’d never before met.

The Om on the 4th happened during a downpour and we stood in the meadow in the rain. When the rain came down harder, the Om grew stronger, when the rain let up, the Om faded a bit. I still don’t know what it means, but in talking to some earlies, it’s the first time in 38 years that we have had serious rain during the Om. In the afternoon, people played and danced and drummed in the rain and mud. We had no major incidents with the law enforcement branch of the United States Forest Service and we were focused on peacefully interacting with them (even if we yelled Six Up a lot.).

Last year’s generation gap seemed to have disappeared as people of all ages were trying hard to connect and share. There was plenty of water for drinking and cooking. Food was everywhere. The weather was awesome - not too hot, not too cold. And thanks to the near daily rain, the fire danger was low and the air somewhat moist. Rainbows, rainbows and more rainbows.

The Bad:

The site was situated adjacent to the road in which made it way too easy for people to run back and forth to their cars every day. I’m a firm believer that that we as a family do better when it takes great effort to get into the gathering even if it means we have to carry the less mobile among us for a couple of miles. Easy access to cars and hence to town contributes to more alcohol, which has the effect of causing more social problems. When we’re closer to town, some people tend to go there and disrupt the town’s normal activities and/or ambiance. When it’s too hard to get to town, we seem to turn to each other more often for assistance (and I think that’s a positive thing).

Trade circle was on one of the main trails. Most people who know me know that I’m not a big fan of trade circle, but if we are going to have trading happen, it’s much better off when it’s to the side where it doesn’t impede the flow of human traffic and the hauling of supplies to and from kitchens. Just an FYI, just because Trade Circle is on a trail that doesn’t lead to the cars, doesn’t mean it’s not on the “Main Trail.”

We’re just starting to recover from too many years of focusing our energy on the Forest Service instead of our family. Too many people still don’t know what Shanti Sena is (peacekeepers), who the Shanti Sena are (everyone) and what Shanti Sena does (help people resolve conflicts peacefully, find lost kids, help create positive situations that prevent bad things from happening, look out for each other, etc.). Not enough people know the hipstories (stories of gatherings past) or the songs and chants of our family. In year’s past, serious Shanti Sena issues were solved by singing, song circles helped us mellow some of our wilder energy or as George Santayana said "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

Dog guardians, dog guardians, dog guardians. human beings who travel with well taken care of dogs who stay by their side, who pick up after their dogs, and make sure they stay safe and healthy are our heroes. Unfortunately, we have too many people who think letting their dog eat out of the shitter, run amok through dinner circle, or leave poop on the trail is taking care of our four legged family. Enough said.

The Ugly:

Most of what I consider the ugly is the result of the bad taken to extreme. Too much alcohol and not enough focus on Shanti Sena resulted in a stabbing. Some dogs were brought to the gathering without appropriate shots and a Parvo outbreak ensued. At least three dogs died (maybe more). Our circle on the 4th broke before the children’s parade reached the center of the circle and all the children were there – it quickly regrouped and let them in before breaking up again. The X%&R pole was in the center of our circle on the 4th– for some reason people want to worship at an alter instead of letting the pole be part of the circle by having it along the edge of the circle. We had a few people get too high/drunk and no one looked out for them, which turned simple mistakes into a nightmares for more than one person.

My letter to Lisa Law

2009-07-12T17:28:00.000-07:00

Hi Lisa,

It was with great dismay that I learned you participated in signing a permit for the recent Rainbow Gathering in New Mexico. I would have hoped that with your years of counter culture experience you would know better than to butt you nose into issues that are none of your business. Furthermore, the people who have been gathering for many years were engaged in a plan to force legal action and allow us our day in court. Your complete ignorance of the problems you caused left us without legal recourse at present and undid years worth of work.

I can only hope that someone will prosecute you for falsifying the permit application you made since it is clearly a violation of federal law to lie on the permit. In no way are you or have you ever been a "duly authorized representative of the group."

At this time I would like to request a fax number so I may send you a bill for the services I rendered at the gathering. Since you were the permit holder and since I did not agree to work for free for you, I think it's only fair that you reimburse me for the time I spent performing Shanti Sena at your event.

I would also request that you remove my image from youtube - you filmed me walking with the cops of the 4th of July - without my permission. Since you have copyrighted that video, I am refusing to allow my image to be used. Nothing I do at the gathering is for personal gain. Either immediately place all video footage of my person into the creative commons or remove it from public use immediately.

With no respect for you or your actions,

Karin Zirk

The Permit

2009-07-12T17:13:00.000-07:00

I submitted a FOIA request for the permit information before I left for the gathering. I've attached the responses I have received in PDF format. I have also challanged the redaction of the permit signers mailing addresses and telephone numbers as I have decided to submit a bill to them for services rendered.

All files are in PDF format.

Email Cover Letter
Word Cover Letter
Permit

Vision Council Consensus

2009-07-10T13:03:00.000-07:00

Consensus at 4:40 pm July 9th, 2009 in Vision Council at Venado Parque meadow, New Mexico for the annual Rainbow Gathering, July 1-7 2010:

New Hampshire, Vermont, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky.

Visit my blog for the 2010 gathering here.

The USFS Side of the Story

2009-06-20T06:36:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't seen it yet, the Forest Service has their annual Rainbow gathering page up on their website.
Click here to see it.

They also have a: Rainbow Information Center at (505) 438-5685 where they give out info on the management of the gathering. Anyone got a question to ask? like why all the harrassment/intimidation...call them.

Contact the Public Affairs Officer
Lawrence M. Lujan
Public Affairs Specialist
Santa Fe National Forest
Ph: (505) 438-5321
Fx: (505) 438-5390
E-mail: lmlujan@fs.fed.us

Public Transit to Cuba from Albuqurque

2009-06-19T16:24:00.000-07:00

Just an FYI, the New Mexico Rail Runner will get a person out of Albuqurque and to US Highway 550. Here's the link http://www.nmrailrunner.com Call the Rail Runner for transit info 1-866-795-RAIL (7245).

From the Sandoval County/US 550 Station, you can catch Bus # 8 to Cuba on US Highway 550. There's not a lot of runs of route 8 so you should call head for details Sandoval Easy Express information: 1-877-660-1110 or click here.

There also seems to be a lot of ride activity on the ABQ Craigs List - Including a local offering rides to the gathering for $$.

Topo Map of the Site

2009-06-19T12:16:00.000-07:00

A kind brother has a bunch of topo maps of the site that he's planning on updating with locations of things. Click here to get to it.

Gathering with Kids by Info Karen

2009-06-19T10:13:00.001-07:00

My good friend, Info Karen, put together today's guest blog post -- not to confuse anyone but there are two of us living in San Diego. Karen with an "E" and me - Karin with an "I". Since Info Karen has kids, she graciously agreed to put together today's guest post for those of you coming home with kids. If this helped you, please stop by Info when you're at the gathering and thank her.

Here is some advice for folks wanting to bring young kids to the Gathering. It is especially directed at first time Gatherers since a few requests of this type have come my way, but there is lots of good advice for anyone with kids. More ideas? Add them in the comment section.

I have three sons, one is 6 years and twins who are 3. This will be my first time attending a Gathering with all three, but I have gone with my eldest when he was an infant and when he was 3.

ARRIVAL AND HIKING IN:
When you get first arrive at the Gathering, you will be shown a meadow to park in, and you will likely need to hike in with your first load. Get a baby backpack to carry your littlest ones in. We personally plan to bring the kids, the tent and our plates, cups and utensils on the first load, plus whatever else we can manage. We each will wear a kid on our backs. I will stay at the tent site while the hubby goes out for another load. While he is gone I will put the tent up.

KID VILLAGE:
You can camp anywhere with kids, but it is especially nice to camp at Kid Village. It is a drug-free, peaceful area that serves three good kid-friendly meals every day. Kid Village is easy to find. Ask anyone. When you get to Kid Village ask the folks there where there are some good tent spots. They will direct you.

At Kid Village, they serve three kid-friendly meals a day, and usually have a little play area with seesaws and swings made from downed trees and rope. There is also usually a sit-down potty there (people just call toilet areas "shitters" so sorry if your child goes home spouting that word!! For adults, shitters are long trenches that you straddle. It’s nice to wear skirts if you want to have a little privacy cover! :)

DAILY LIFE:
You will want to bring, for each of you, a dish, a spoon and a cup. If you drink coffee, make it a thermal one with a lid. If you can put a carabineer on your cup, it’s nice to always have it hanging from your belt. Each of you adults will want a day pack to carry around all day with the stuff you need. Usually, you pack your daypack for the day and go out wandering. You may head back to the tent for naptime, but you will want to take your dishes, your water bottle, and whatever diapers or things you need for the day with you when you leave your tent in the morning.

For dishes, most people bring just a bowl. But after many years of gathering, I have discovered that the very best bowl is a tupperware or similar container with a lid. This way, if you can't get to a dishwashing station right away, you can pop the lid on and toss it in your bag without dirtying anything inside. We found plate-shaped containers with three divided sections which is nice if you get soup and something else. It keeps them divided.

DIAPERS:
If you use disposable diapers, I would bring a double thick bag (one inside the other, to damper the smell) with some kind of clasp that can be put on and taken off numerous times, to keep your dirties in. You will need to hike this heavy bag out at the end, as
there are no trash stations inside the gathering.

Everyone carries their own trash out. Depending on how long you stay, a full bag of dirty diapers can be one whole load! If you use cloth diapers, I have seen people wash them out in five gallon buckets and hang them on clotheslines hung between trees. Bring rope and a bucket. Kid Village might have a community bucket to wash dirties, but I don't know if they do or if folks bring their own.

DINNER CIRCLE:
Stop in at the Info Booth for a map of the site and any questions you have. Every evening you will see a large circle gather in the main meadow for dinner. Most kitchens will bring their food down to the dinner circle and serve there. Bring your dishes! Pregnant or nursing Mamas and folks with children are asked to come to the center of the circle before the food is served to get first dibs. Don’t be shy. Come forward when it is announced and get your kid a plateful of good food!

NAPS:
For small babies, it’s not common, but I have seen people bring a playpen and hike it in. That way you can set the baby down somewhere clean for awhile. You might consider bringing one and leaving it in the car. Then you can decide if you want to hike it in or not. A lightweight bouncy chair might be a simpler idea, or perhaps a Moses basket?

Another nice thing to have is some kind of pop-up kid's backyard tent. They pack down
tiny and could be used to lay the baby down to sleep if you are out wandering and want to take a break, or give him/her some shade. We also napped our three year old in one the last time we went. It was handy, and kept us from having to go and sit quietly outside the tent for 3 hours every day. We are using two this year to nap our twins separately during the afternoon, because if they nap together, they will just play in the tent.

NECESSITIES:
You should have water bottles you can carry around for your family. You can fill them up at any kitchen. Look for a giant cooler on the kitchen counter with a spigot. Bring sun block, wide brimmed children’s hats, bug spray and sun glasses. We are bringing those new 200 hour LED flashlights for our littlest boys who will of course want to have one of their own when they see ours. They can accidentally leave it on for hours and it won’t use up the batteries. Sandals that can get wet or water shoes are great for playing in the stream.

TENT SLEEPING:
Also bring warm sleeping bags. It gets down to 40 at night. We always bring thermal underwear to sleep in. When our son was a baby, and we worried about the safety of sleeping bags, we slept him in a down-filled, winter outdoor snow suit, wearing a hat, with a blanket over him. That way I wasn't worried about losing him down in the sleeping bag or have him scoot out into the cold at night. Beware of using any kind of gas heater inside your tent as the fumes inside a closed tent can be deadly.

LASTLY:
Have a blast! It’s a great way to immerse your kids in wild nature!

-Info Karen, Mom to three exuberant boys-

Please comment below with any questions or great ideas or parent-hacks of your own!

LEOs on the prowl

2009-06-17T22:18:00.000-07:00

Message from a friend at the gathering
**********************
Resource is best ever. Leo is as bad as ever cat and mouse despite the permit as we stated permits are no easier on us. As years past they follow you find any reason to stop you even if need to invent one then sorry if find you in compliance. Then once stopped they get the dog out claim it gave the positive hit sign thus do not need permission to search. If find nothing after making a mess and a lost hour and traffic jam they say you must have at one time picked up a passenger who at one time was holding. Totally bogus. I saw the dogs a few times and I happen to know the positive signal No such signal was present. Just excuse to search illegally feeling that some will be a positive HIT. Total scam. PS town is very friendly. Road is nice but SCARY thin and blind curves and killer drop off edges if on coming car swerves. I take 103 then 70 better rd few miles longer.

Review of tonight's town meeting

2009-06-17T22:00:00.000-07:00

This report was sent to me by a friend who was at the town meeting tonight.

*********************************
Just got back.

From my perspective the meeting went very well. Several of the people I spoke with in the town had already seen some of the YouTube videos-- the same ones that G brought on DVD -interviews with town folk from previous gatherings...

The questions were reasonable-- ranging from asking about Emergency services, and if town folk would be left high and dry (they won't) to how security is handled and trash and traffic. Everyone seemed pleased with the answers provided from all.

One of the LEOs from DC I think seemed a little aggitated, but I talked to him after and he was ok. He knows you, says you're "a nice lady" his name is Gene Smithson a good ole boy from W. Virginia.

The guy that was with the USFS in Tres Piedras during the last Gathering was very positive about their experience... had a slide show presentation and talked a lot about how the forest was
rehabilitated... even a couple of months after the event. And that a year later if you didn't know thousands had been on the land, you never would know.

Lawrence Lujan is the Information officer. I got on the press release update list, and will forward his info to you as well. He is very nice. Getting his masters in public policy and just finished his thesis on core values in public policy.

Stocking up on medical supplies for the gathering

2009-06-16T19:47:00.001-07:00

CALM (Rainbow speak for first aid) is trying to gather supplies to provide free health care at the gathering. Just now, your donation of $10 or more would be much appreciated.

It's much easier to buy supplies ahead of the gathering and if you're at the gathering, you'll be much happier if CALM has that tampon or bee sting kit or other various and sundry supplies. Gathering healers save people's lives when they have heart attacks, help them survive all sorts of allergic reactions and even patch up bo bos for children and grownups alike.

If you can spare $10 or $100, you can donate here.

On my word, any funds donated here will go to purchasing CALM supplies. If you want details on what will be purchased and who is focalizing this efffort, click here. If you would prefer to bring supplies, there are some great wish list items on the website, so check it up and then get shopping. Please don't use the donation link on the website as the account has been closed. Use the link above to donate.

On Workshops

2009-06-16T06:51:00.000-07:00

All people with knowledge to share are invited to teach a workshop at the Rainbow Gathering in New Mexico. Find a spot that works for you - maybe the kitchen where you are camped, a spot under a beautiful tree, or in the meadow. Pick your time. Post signs about your workshop at Info. While people are eating at Dinner Circle, walk the circle and announce your workshop.

Some people organize their workshops ahead of time like CAMP BAHA - who have their workshop schedule on a website, covering such topics as Islamic Prophesies or The Rainbow Oracle. Other people decide at noon to focalize a workshop that evening on how to build a fire. The topics range from native plants and herbal healing to drum making and African dance or ......

Don't be shy. Share the wisdom you have accumulated from your years of living on this earth with others. Don't be shy. Take a workshop on a topic on which you know nothing. Share what we have with each other.

On Parking and Law Enforcement

2009-06-15T14:32:00.000-07:00

When you get to the gathering, there will be an awesome crew trying to help you get your car in a safe place where it won't get ticketed and/or towed. Please listen to what they have to say. They may have tips on what to do or not do to avoid getting pulled over by law enforcement. Please listen to what they have to say. If they tell you things that seem wacky - don't blow it off. The only reason the crew is mentioning this to you is because someone else got busted, ticketed, and/or towed for doing what they are telling you not to do. Please listen to what they have to say if you don't want to go to court.

Once there, please be aware that the USFS is fickle and sometimes change their mind about where and how cars can be parked, so the car you parked according to the program on Tuesday, may be illegally parked by Friday.

Any changes to parking rules are generally announced at Dinner Circle. Or stop by Info and ask them what the current parking situation is like.

There will be people working very hard to make sure your car doesn't get towed, but you need to take the time to plug into the info (or not).

If you are physically handicapped, please tell the parking crew/front gate crew you are physically handicapped so they can direct you accordingly.

Once you've been at the gathering for a day or two and your tent is set up, make sure to take a shift with Front Gate and/or the Parking Crew so you can welcome someone home in the way you were welcomed.

On Cleanup

2009-06-14T15:47:00.000-07:00

A couple of us put together a report on cleanup of last year's gathering in Wyoming. This report is available online. Enjoy!

On Permits

2009-06-14T08:43:00.000-07:00

First my personal opinion on permits. If I alter my behavior in regards to the gathering to obtain a signed permit or to prevent a permit from being signed, then I've already abdicated my energy to the forest service and the government. If however, I participate in a gathering to the best of my ability, do what needs to be done for my family and the land on which we gather, listen to the voices of the ancestors and keep in mind the dreams of the children, then I am refusing to let my life be controlled by the government.

All this being said, here's an update on the permit situation. A long time gatherer from New Mexico made an unsigned application for use of the gathering site. Attached to his application was a copy of the letter Mark Rey wrote last year indicating that waiving the signature requirement is not outside the existing group use regulations. Copies of Rey's letter are available here.

The long time gatherer's application was denied. Another person made an application with a signature designating him/her a "duly authorized representative of the group", which the forest service accepted. A group use permit for the site upon which we are gathered has been issued to this unknown person. This makes the gathering "legal" in the eyes of the forest service (for better or worse).

If in the course of your gathering experience you encounter this unknown person, feel free to share your thoughts on what this person did in a respectful non-violent manner. We are peace people and we need to create peace even when others are not treating us peacefully.

Be the peace you wish to see in this world.

To the folks of Cuba, New Mexico

2009-06-12T20:22:00.000-07:00

WE LOVE YOU!

Thank you for having us in your community. I know you may have a lot of questions and concerns. Some long time gathering participants put together a couple of videos that should provide an introduction to the Rainbow Gathering. Together they're less than 15 minutes long and include interviews with long time gatherers as well as people who ran small businesses in the areas near past gatherings.

Click here for part 1. ~ ~ ~ ~ Click here for part 2.

If after watching you have any questions or concerns, feel free to email me and I'll do my best to answer any of your questions or connect you up with someone who can. If you would like to talk to gatherers in person, some of them will be at the town meeting on June 17th.

Town Meeting Wednesday, June 17 in Cuba

2009-06-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

Often time, gatherers organize a town meeting before the main days of the rainbow gathering. This is a great time for locals to meet gatherers in town, ask questions, make personal connections and share concerns and ideas for creating a positive gathering experience for everyone. This year, the residents of Cuba have put together a town meeting to discuss the upcoming gathering and have told us we are welcome to attend.

A great meeting goes a long way to setting the stage for a positive, peaceful and cooperative rainbow gathering. If you decide to go, please be respectful of those with differing opinions and show the local community that we are peace people.

The meeting takes place on Wednesday, June 17, 2009 starting at 6 PM at the community hall at 45 Highway 126, Cuba New Mexico.

Please don't arrive more than an hour before hand and while you're in town be respectful of the local community. We are guests in their town. If you have shopping to do, be sure and let the people ringing up your purchases know you're in town for the Rainbow Gathering and invite them to come on up when they have a chance. Be an ambassador of peace and love. What we sow, so we reap.

Directions to the Rainbow Gathering

2009-06-11T19:35:00.000-07:00

Welcome Home!!

The 38th Annual Rainbow Gathering of the Tribes is at Parque Venado in the Santa Fe National Forest. 24 miles from Cuba, New Mexico.

The site is beautiful, altitude is 8,500 - 9,000 feet. Be prepared for cold nights (low 40's to 50 degrees) Warm days in the mid 80's and sunny. 1/2 hour afternoon thunderstorms most days,
which are downpours, bring good rain gear.

Directions from Albuquerque: Take I-25 north to U.S. Highway 550. Go north on U.S. Highway 550 approximately 65 miles to State Highway 126 (Cuba, NM). From Cuba, NM take State Road 126 East for 13 + miles to FS Road 103 on left, go 2 miles to FS Road 69 on left then drive 9 miles to where FS Road 69 meets FS Road 70. Parts of the road in from Cuba are twisty mountain roads - please drive slow.

To see a topo of the site, click here. For the groovy flyer in PDF, click here.

If you make it to Albuquerque, you can take the New Mexico Rail Runner light rail to U.S. Highway 550 and then catch bus #4 to San Ysidro (about 40 miles south of Cuba on US 550). Call the Rail Runner for transit info 1-866-795-RAIL (7245).

On Permits and USFS Double Speak

2009-06-10T21:30:00.000-07:00

***BEGIN FORWARDED LETTER****

United States Forest Southwestern Region.
Department of Service Regional Office
Agriculture

333 Broadway SE
Albuquerque, NM 87102
FAX (505) 842 3800
V/TTY (505) 842-3292

File Code: 1550-2/2720-2
Date: June 9, 2009

Mr. GXXX BXXX
Santa Fe. NM

Dear Mr. BXXX,

This letter supersedes our previous letter dated June 1, 2009.

Thank you for your email of 4/29 regarding this year's Rainbow Family Gathering. I agree with yon that we should be pursuing a course that will lead to a legal gathering, and one in which Rainbow Family representatives and the Forest Service work cooperatively to ensure that the Gathering is conducted in conformance with a non-commercial group use permit and an operating plan.

You indicated that you have some concern as to who is making decisions in the Forest Service with respect to the Gathering. As I mentioned in previous meetings, it is my direction to the Forests (Gila, Santa Fe, or Carson) that the Gathering will be conducted under the terms of a permit, as required by law. I also indicated that it would be the individual Forest Supervisor who will be responsible for working with Rainbow Family representatives to work out the details of the permit and the operating plan. So, decisions will be made at various levels of the Forest Service, but as we get closer to the actual Gathering, the Forest Supervisor and his or her representatives (District Ranger, Permit Administrator, Resource Specialists, etc.) will be making decisions and administering the terms of the permit and the operating plan.

As we discussed in previous meetings, it will be necessary for a representative of the Rainbow Family to sign the permit so that it can be issued. By having a valid permit and an accompanying operating plan, we will be able to manage the Gathering as a legal event and focus our attention on working with you and your representatives to ensure compliance with the provisions of the permit and operating plan. Our law enforcement officers will of course have a role to play to the extent that there may be violations of law by Rainbow Family gatherers, but our intent is to manage the Gathering more from a Special Use Permit administrative standpoint, than as a law enforcement effort. Of course, the extent to which laws enforcement actions will be needed depends on the conduct of the individuals attending the Gathering.

We understand that there is no legally constituted "group" or non-profit corporation known as the "Rainbow Family" and that no individuals can speak for or act for the "Rainbow Family" and that no individuals can speak for or act as legal representatives of the collective group of individuals who wish to gather and camp together in a National Forest in New Mexico in June and early July of 2009. We understand that rather than having leaders, decisions are reached collectively in council at the site where people are camping. Nevertheless,

Caring for the Land and Serving People

REGIONAL FORESTER p.2
003

as we discussed in previous meetings, it will be necessary for someone who plans to attend the Gathering to sign the non-commercial group use permit for it to take effect under our interpretation of the regulations. This permit is required by law, and is intended to protect the health and safety of the attendees, and to protect the environmental and archeological resources of the public lands to be used for the Gathering under the permit. We are already in contact with more than one individual planning to attend this year's Gathering who would prefer for us to issue a permit without requiring a signature from an attendee, but are willing to sign the permit in his/her capacity as an individual contact person should we so require. Accordingly, since we have already identified more than one person willing to sign, we are planning for the 2009 National Rainbow Family Gathering to be a legally permitted event.

The ability of the Forest Service to manage the Gathering more as an administrative action than a law enforcement action depends much on your (and other participants of the Gathering) willingness to work cooperatively with the individual Forest Supervisor and his or her staff. To date, you have shown an excellent collaborative spirit. I thank you. I hope this will continue with early identification of the Gathering site, ensuring that Rainbow Family representatives work closely with the Forest to finalize the permit and develop the operating plan, and working closely on a daily basis once the Gathering begins. I believe that if these things can be accomplished, we will have established a successful process that can serve as a model for the planning of future Gatherings.

You know how important it is that you to begin coordinating with the individual Forest Supervisors on the Gila, Santa Fe and the Carson NFs to select the site for the Gathering, complete the permit process and develop the operating plan for the Gathering. The sooner this work can be completed, the better we can jointly prepare for a successful gathering. Thank you again for your dedication to working with us.

Sincerely,
(sg) Gilbert Zepeda
(for) Corbin L. Newman, JR.
Regional Forester

cc: Richard Markley, Glen H Pickett, Karen M Carter, Kendall Clark, Daniel Jiron, Erin Connelly

What's it all about?

2009-06-10T06:52:00.001-07:00

On Peeing in the Woods

2009-06-09T19:25:00.000-07:00

A message primarily for my sisters at the Rainbow Gathering:

If you're drinking enough water to stay hydrated, you're probably peeing a lot. Now when you pee, hopefully you'll be peeing behind a tree or a bush or somewhere in the woods (Not the shitter). If you're like me, you like to wipe after you pee. But then you have some slightly used toilet paper to dispose of - and NOT by burying it under two inches of duff. Some one will have to pick up that tissue - let that someone be you.

I've taken to bringing extra washclothes to the gathering. I keep one in my daypack at all times. Then when I need to pee, I wipe with a washcloth. I put it in a plastic bag in my pack. The next day I grab a new one. The old one gets rinsed out and left to dry for a day or two. 4 or 5 washclothes will last me 3 weeks using this method.

The other option is to carry all that used TP to the nearest shitter and toss it in. Or burn it in a fire. Or carry it home with you. I like my washcloth movie a whole lot more.

Safe Drinking Water at the Gathering

2009-06-08T20:44:00.000-07:00

If you're new to gatherings, the most important thing you need to know about drinking water at the gathering is to avoid live water. Before folks who drink live water all the time pooh pooh the idea of only drinking boiled or filtered water, let me say this. If you drink well water where you live, then your body is adjusted to the micro-organisms in your well. The micro-organisms in the spring water at the gathering will undoubtedly be different - and different can lead to an upset stomach.

Giardia is an ever present danger and you sure don't want that. Then of course, there's the potential for contamination by gatherers, and the picture can get really runny really fast.

So what's a health conscious gatherer to do? Bring a water filter that goes down to .2 micron and make sure you filter all your drinking water, teeth brushing water, etc. Or boil your water for 20 minutes at a rolling boil. Donate to the filter fund to help support large scale water filtration projects and make sure that we have an ample supply of safe drinking water. New Mexico is dry country and you'll want to be drinking a minimum of half a gallon of water per day - I'll probably be doing closer to a gallon. Between the elevation and the dryness, the best way to stay happy and healthy is drink water, drink water, drink water.

NOTE: If you want to donate now, use the water filters system PayPal account. The water line one on the website is trapped in PayPal hell. DO NOT USE!

If you're thinking of donating to the collective filters, if you could donate to the filters fund in the next day or two, the money will be well spent. I know the people involved in this project personally and they will spend whatever $$s you share on water related purchases for the gathering.

Remember, if the person camped next to you gets sick, you're probably next in line.

Spring Council Information

2009-06-06T09:22:00.000-07:00

Spring Council for the Annual Rainbow Gathering of the Tribes starts June 10 near Cuba, New Mexico.

Spring Council is the process by which people on the land pick the gathering site based on information provided to them at the council. Either a consensus or a vote by foot type of decision is reached. Until spring council picks a site, there is no answer to the question, where will the gathering be? This year spring council starts June 10. People with information on sites from scouting will bring that information to the people on the land, and those present will decide where to go.

As with all things Rainbow, everyone is invited to participate in the process. If you come, please be self-sufficient and have your own food and drinking water.

Directions from Albuquerque:

Take I-25 north to U.S. Highway 550. Go north on U.S. Highway 550 approximately 65 miles to State Highway 126 (Cuba, NM).

From where State Highway 126 meets U.S. Highway 550 , go east about 15 miles on 126, look for the sign for FS 20, (the 'G.S.' sign is there also), turn onto FS 20, cross Rio Las Vacas, come to Trail Creek about five miles from where the pavement ends. Travel safely.

Here is an alternate set of directions from Cuba.

From Cuba NM take Hwy 11 south about 6miles. Turn left, east, on to Hwy 78 toward san miguel, for about 2miles. Turn left, north, on to FSR 20. Stay on FSR20. Roughly 8miles later you'll see that people are already there.

Rainbow Ride Share

2009-06-04T06:31:00.000-07:00

In a galaxy far far away sometime after dinosaurs went extinct, there was no internet. In those days of prehistory (circa the 1980s and 1990s), people used to focalize ride share over the various lightlines. But these days with so many web based opportunities, getting a ride to or from where you need to go should be easy. If you're not sure how to find some of these opportunities, google Rainbow Ride Share or visit Star's Rainbow Ride Board.

That being said, I noticed last year, a lot of people were hooking up with people on their local Craigs list - of for same people flying into a town, that town's Craigs list ride share.

No matter how you make your initial contact. Here's some tips:

If you are offering a ride or have a ride to share, please take the time to meet with the people you’ll be traveling with ahead of time at your local coffee shop and work out the travel rules: smoking, no-smoking, who pays what, who drives, what's allowed in the car, etc.

If you don't feel comfortable with someone, don't travel with them. Trust your instincts. There will be other opportunities for both of you. It's probably a long ride from your point of departure to the gathering, and if it's not right, it's not going to be a positive experience for everyone.

Please make sure your car is 100% legal and you have a valid driver’s license, registration and insurance.

The last few years there have been checkpoints coming into the gathering and people have been hassled pretty badly. Last year in Wyoming, people even got a mandatory court appearance ticket for a beads hanging from their rear view mirrors and no front plates even when the car was registered in a state that doesn't issue front plates (sigh). So cross your ‘t’s and dot your ‘i’s and you’ll come home safely.

New Mexico Gathering 1995

2009-06-02T09:22:00.000-07:00

Just to help us remember.

As copied from Welcome Home.

Young Rainbow Brother Drowns at Regional

2009-06-01T07:45:00.000-07:00

Technically this has nothing to do with the Rainbow gathering happening in New Mexico, but over the Memorial Day weekend there was a regional gathering in Northern California and a 3 year old drown in the creek.

Here's the current plea for support for the family that's circulating. Do with it as our heart tells you to. Much love to Gabriel and his family.
________________________________________
The fund drive for Gabriel's coffin and funeral services is crawling at a slow pace, so this is an urgent plea for your help in raising the fund's needed so he can be laid to rest. For updates see http://www.angelsforgabriel.org. The coffin alone costs $1587.87 and the burial costs are $1602.00 additional. As of right now, we have raised $320.00 which is a far cry from what is needed to allow Gabriel's funeral to go forward. Please family, tell everyone you know to contribute something right away. Paypal angelsforgabriel@gmail.com or visit the blog for instructions on other ways to donate.

This is most urgent! We only have till Tuesday at 5pm Pacific Time, June 2 to pay for the coffin so Gabriel's body can be released for burial. Please show your compassion now when it is much needed. I'm going to be standing on corners with posters for the next three days till the funeral alongside Raven, and we need your help.

Second Scout Council

2009-05-28T06:39:00.000-07:00

*******BEGIN FORWARDED MESSAGE********

Dear Family,

The second Scout Council as discussed and consensed at Thanksgiving Council '08 will take place June 3rd and 4th, 2009 at the Clear Creek primitive (unimproved) camping area. This is an easy access location with good parking and good water and no built-up facilities.

Scouts will be meeting to discuss what they have found and to announce a location for the Spring Council which is scheduled for June 10th.

Directions: Take New Mexico State Road 126 from where it tees out of US Highway 550 (Near Cuba, NM), go East approx 11 miles until you come to Clear Creek Road, which has a marker sign pointing toward the San Gregario Trail and San Pedro Parks. Go North on this road approx one-half mile and you will see the Clear Creek primitive camping area on your right.

Along State Road 126 if you come to the improved Clear Creek Campground, you have gone too far.

Peace, Love, Freedom and Safe Travels...

Tips from a Brother in Flagstaff

2009-05-25T13:09:00.001-07:00

A good number of folks will likely be coming thru Flagstaff on I -40 heading east, I would offer the following info: As per your posts on fire conditions in SOCAL, and the Gila; its bone dry heading thru Flagstaff as well.

Avoid fires unless absolutely necessary here as well. There's lots of camping here but virtually no water available. An earlier post mentioned Sante Fe and Albuquerque as likely major provisioning points for New Mexico. For folks coming thru Flagstaff from the west, there is a brand new "New Frontiers" about 1 mile west of the trafiic light at the Butler Street exit of I-40. They have your organic everything, veges, bulk grains, juice, coffee, etc. The only downer about this place is its right next door to the cop shop and jail.

There is also a Farmers Market on 4th Street. There is a large rest area at about milepost 182-184 on I-40 eastbound between Williams and Flagstaff. Good for a pitstop with potty and water, however there's no overnights. Everyone should be aware that both sides of Flagstaff on I-40 are patrolled heavily for smugglers. I can field other questions about passing thru N. AZ. Email Star for more info.

A Poem For Peace

2009-05-23T15:09:00.000-07:00

Linda Hogan is one of our greatest living American writers. If you haven't read her work, get thee to the library and read. To help get our energy focused for New Mexico here is her amazing poem of Peace and Corn.

***Reprinted without permission***

Cornmeal and pollen are offered to the sun at dawn.
The ears of the corn are listening and waiting.
They want peace.
The stalks of the corn want clean water, sun that is in its full clean shining.
The leaves of the corn want good Earth.
The Earth wants peace.
The birds who eat the corn do not want poisons.
Nothing wants to suffer.
The wind does not want to carry stories of death.

- Linda Hogan

Rainbow Rumor Mill

2009-05-21T12:19:00.000-07:00

We've kicked into high gear on the Rainbow rumor mill. I myself have to remember to verify information before distributing it in order to ensure I'm sharing accurate info. I recommend you verify any rumors you hear from multiple sources so you don't drive hundreds of miles out of your way.

Scouting is on going in New Mexico. We should have directions to Spring Council (starts on June 10) towards the end of the first week of June. Scouting is happening and sounds like there is a great crew out and about doing awesome work. Thank you family!

Now would be the perfect time to fix your camping equipment, make sure your car is 100% legal and you have a licensed and insured driver. Don't ignore any detail. Last year, the Forest Service wrote mandatory court appearance tickets for beads hanging from rear view mirrors and broken turn signals. So unless you like the Forest Service Monkey Court game, get those cars in tip top shape and avoid a trip to town.

Circles Are Good

2009-05-14T17:29:00.000-07:00

Bosnia - 2007

Federal Recreation Access Tax (RAT) or Pay to Hike the Backcountry

2009-05-12T08:14:00.000-07:00

Currently, both Congress and the Senate are taking steps to re-evaluate RAT and opefully repeal it. If you're not up to speed on what I'm talking about, keep reading - the explanation is at the bottom. Otherwise, I have two actions you can take now.

********#1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES**********************
"The U.S. House of Representatives has decided to take a serious look at the much-criticized implementation, if not over-implementation, of the Federal Lands Recreational Enhancement Act (FLREA), This is the law that has saddled us the pandemic of new and ever-increasing recreation fees to enter and use our public lands, which is why it’s called RAT, for Recreation Access Tax, by its distracters." Read the rest of the article

ACTION:
The public can submit written testimony for the hearing record until July 2. Send testimony as email attachments to Domenick.Carroll@mail.house.gov with a cc to Laurel.Angell@mail.house.gov.

********#2 SENATE**************
Senate Bill 868, the Baucus-Crapo bill is entitled, Fee Repeal and Expanded Access Act of 2007. The bill's major objectives:

* Repeal the FLREA
* Reinstate the fee authorities established by the Land and Water Conservation Act
* Reinstate the National Parks Pass system
* Cap the amount that can be charged for entrance to national parks.
For more info on the senate bill or this article.

ACTION:
Call or write both your senators today and ask them to support Senate Bill 868.

Contact info for all US Senators.

*************BACKGROUND INFO************************

For those of you who haven't followed the play by play on this issue, it started more than 10 years ago as a pilot project to charge people to hike on our public land -- not just developed campgrounds, but remote areas as well. Then Alaska Senator Ted Stevens traded the infamous "Road to Nowhere" for an Ohio Congressman's slight of hand that embedded legisltation making this tax permanent into the Omnibus Appropriations Bill with no congressional hearings about 5 years ago. For more info on the history of RAT, visit Western Slope No Fee Coalition or Wild Wilderness. The primary goal of RAT is for public/private partnerships to develop "enhanced recreational opportunities" on our public lands and was sponsored by the likes of Disney and Suzuki. (think golf courses and hotels)

PLEASE take the time to do this now.

Please forward this information to all your lists (don't forget people who are allied with us on this issue but perhaps not other issues - like the off road vehicle community in your area).

Health and Hand Washing

2009-05-06T20:05:00.000-07:00

One thing that goes a long way to keeping folks at a gathering healthy and safe is washing hands - a lot. And I don't mean just rubbing your hands with sanitizer, but actual biodegradable soap (Dr. Bronner's is great) and filtered or boiled water. Some awesome Rainbow engineers have designed a hand wash station that's transportable and light weight. One goal of a Rainbow handwash station is to make it hands free, so no one picks up germs in the process of washing their hands. (A smaller setup of this same type can be used for soap dispensing). If you're not up to speed on drinking water issues, Hawker has a great website showing what he's done in the past and discussing issues in greater depth.

Here's a great drawing of what I'll explain in words below. Thanks TimBear.

"From our experience, the primer bulb check valve can fail if the water gets trash in it. The solution we found was a small piece of filter material (like the filter from a wet vac) or fine mesh screening (a couple of layers of panty hose) around the end of the water intake. The pvc pipe allows you to direct the water where you want it, even if there is no tree where you want the water." - TimBear's words, not mine.

The key is a one way syphon valve. It's made of rubber and can be squeezed by hand. Each end has a place to clamp hose onto. I usually get them at my local Marine supply store. Hook it up to some clear plastic tubing - one end to go into a bucket of filtered water. It looks like this:

The other end should be fastened somewhere (if not using TimBear's Pipe method) and hopefully have a drain system so people aren't standing around in gray water. To conserve water, get spare sun shower nozzles and put it on the end. These are $1-2 each from a camping supply store. They work great for the "faucet" end. Here is a photo of one.

Then to wash hands, all people need to do is pump the black syphon ball with their feet, and water comes out the shower nozzle. Portable hands free hand washing.

I also like to make a sink. I've been using a plastic bowl in a round tomato cage. Then drill a hole in the bottom and put in a connector so you can clamp a discharge pipe and run the waste water into a gray water pit. WARNING! HIPPIES CAN BE DUMB. Every time I use my sink setup, someone thinks we should recycle the gray water by putting it back into the fresh water container. THIS IS UNSANITARY AND IS WORSE THAN NOT WASHING YOUR HANDS AT ALL. So if you use a sink, please make a sign telling people that the drain DOES NOT go into the water source.

I'll be bringing a few extra setups to give out - but we needs lots of them. If someone(s) are looking for a great public service project for this year's gathering, here's a great one. Let's make sure we have enough hand washing stations scattered around the gathering so that people can't help but wash their hands at least twice a day.

Clean hands creates a healthy gathering.

On Operating Plans and the USFS

2009-05-02T10:12:00.001-07:00

There are a couple of important lessons I learned from the way the operating plan movie played out in Arkansas in 2007 and in Wyoming in 2008, so I'll share them.

In Arkansas 2007, the USFS wrote an operating plan, gave it to one gathering participant, who said it was fine. From that point on, the USFS considered it set and stone and refused to make any changes. Other gathering participants were unable to obtain copies of said operating plan for quite some time - maybe until June 27 or 28?? I don't remember exactly.

However, we did circle with the USFS daily at the cooperations space adjacent to Info and immediately following kitchen council. This arrangement worked out well for a couple of reasons. Focalizers from various kitchens came for the kitchen council and stayed for the USFS circle. They were then able to share diverse opinions on various topics, take information back to their kitchens and camps, and share it.

In Wyoming 2008, the first day of the operating plan discussion started on a bad foot. First, the date we were given by a USFS employee was the wrong date. So after people spending an entire day walking the gathering and sharing the date, time and location of the first USFS circle on this issue, the USFS weren't there that day - although we had a great turnout.

The USFS picked the location of the ongoing discussions and refused to alter it despite many discussions and requests to relocate to a spot adjacent to INFO. Unfortunately, the location picked by the USFS was at Welcome Home. The first circle with the USFS was well attended, but as time went on, fewer and fewer people were willing to hike from the gathering to welcome home. I suck at estimating mileage, but I'm guessing 1.5 miles of tough hiking to get down there from Main Meadow. So when you add in discussion time, the entire extravaganza sucked up 5 or 6 hours every time it happened.

The final version of the operating plan typed up by the USFS did not contain all the agreed to changes because the USFS employee doing the typing got busy and didn't have time to make changes. So the printed version that was circulating contained a number of items that both gathering participants and the USFS had agreed would be changed, but were not. (We probably should have taken on the typing and printing responsibilities ourselves and given copies to the USFS - perhaps we could do that this year?)

Additionally, a couple of the people (myself included) who had taken the time to make every one of these discussions were given mandatory court appearance tickets for the usual BU||$h|+ for July 1, the first day of Main Council on the land and so were in town dealing with kangaroo court. This meant that no one who had been part of the entire process brought the printed version to main council. A runner did let Main Council know copies were available at Info if they choose to deal with it.

All this being said, I think for the most part, the agreed to items (as opposed to the typed up items), were mostly in accordance with what many or most gatherers felt to be workable.

So my 2 cents on New Mexico is to make sure the operating plan is worked on in an open circle/council/counsel at a centrally located part of the gathering and hopefully adjacent to kitchen council (which seems to have been happening at 11 AM last few gatherings at least). Then we type up the changes ourselves, handle the printing and copying, and let the USFS request edits to our document.

~~Peace out family.

Great Collection of Media on Gatherings and Related Events

2009-04-30T06:44:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across this today. For the most part a great collection of media articles on Rainbow Gatherings arranged by year and by gathering. Very useful for anyone doing media work. Check out the RFOLL Blog.

USFS Legal Issues

2009-04-29T19:06:00.000-07:00

Due to the change in administration, there are a great number of unknowns in how the USFS will chose to interact with us this year. The current party line coming out of DC is a permit will be required. There are some efforts towards arranging a conference calls with those in decision making capacity with the USFS. Other efforts are being directed to working with more local USFS people on an unsigned permit. However, I'm not sure how this will all play out. The opinions are as varied as the people who attend gatherings and I don't have the time, nor can I do justice to the various discussions going on.

That being said, if you are interested in the discussions, the best way to read them is via the AGR mailmain list. You can subscribe at http://moongulch.net/mailman/listinfo/agr
List-Subscribe: or send an email request.

At this point in time, numerous gatherers have asked people to contact the New Mexico Governor, Bill Richardson and voice their concerns and opinions. You can write him at Office of the Governor
490 Old Santa Fe Trail
Room 400
Santa Fe, NM 87501
Or you can submit an email via his website.

Or contact the Lieutenant Governor Diane Denish at
Toll-Free Number: 800.432.4406
Address: State Capitol, Suite 417, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 87501
Or via her website.

Scouting 101 and First Scout Council

2009-04-28T10:50:00.000-07:00

The first Scout Council called by Thanksgiving Council is happening Friday, May 1st (near LITTLE DRY CREEK, in the GILA N.F., in S.W. New Mexico.). As with all things Rainbow, no experience is necessary to participate and new blood is always needed provided you can be self sufficient, have a dependable car or gas money to donate to someone who does, and want to do the hard work.

If you've never been scouting, here's my short list of how to scout (based on collective wisdom that has been shared with me).

Step 1) Pick a gathering or gatherings that you personally attended.
Step 2) Find those gathering sites on a topo map. I was taught to use 7 minute maps. Many university libraries have good collections of topo maps. Or visit topo zone maps online.
Step 3) Once you find the topo map, correlate the parking lots, kitchens, main circle, and various camps you remember with spots on the topo map.
Step 4) Pick a national forest and an area that you feel would be conducive to a gathering - if you're planning on help out with scouting for the annual gathering, we're looking in New Mexico.
Step 5) Look at the topos for that area trying to find a site that has the qualities you liked about the previous gatherings you've attended. Some of my personal favorite features are a good hike in at least 1 mile, closer to 2 if it's an easy hike because I feel that the harder it is to get into a site, the more committed people are to staying and creating gathering reality. For a large gathering, having a main meadow and a couple of separate smaller meadows, water is of course necessary. Places to hike away from the main part of the gathering for people wanting to get away. Two roads in an out to the gathering site.
Step 6) Make sure the site is far away from civilization to minimize gatherer/non-gatherer conflicts and runs into town for booze.
Step 7) Go out and walk the site and see if it has what the maps showed, if it's workable and if it has the magic.

Thanks to all my family who are spending time and mooney scouting for this gathering! We Love You!

Rainbow Gathering Documentary

2009-04-18T08:59:00.001-07:00

My how times have changed. When I first started participating in gatherings, we were very anti-video and anti-photography.

After years of escalating harassment by the United States Forest Service (USFS) branch of Law Enforcement, many people have taken to trying to record much of the harassment. It's helped many a person have felony charges dismissed for such made up things as inciting a riot (i.e. oming in an officer's presence) and other such insanity.

Last year in Wyoming, we had a crew filming a documentary on the gathering. It was probably a great year for such an endeavour as in my opinion, last year was such a beautiful gathering in many ways and it erupted with the most extreme violence from the USFS cops we've experienced. I'm not sure when it's going to be released, but if you're interested, you can visit their website We Love You Film.

As I haven't seen the film, I have no opinion to offer. Once I've seen it, I'll offer my two cents.

Goverment Spending on the Gathering

2009-04-12T12:13:00.000-07:00

Here are links to information I received via FOIA requests on the amount of money the US Government spends on harrasing the gathering.

Most of this information was originally posted on my more personal blog with commentary. At that time I was missing some of the requested information, so here's a complete set with the missing USFS expenses for Wyoming in 2008.

USFS Expenses by year excluding 2008

USFS Expenses for 2008 with cover letter.

Fines from the Wyoming Kangaroo Court in Farson.

Please share this information freely and download copies to keep locally.

Sage Advise for First Time Gatherers

2009-04-11T19:36:00.001-07:00

People who participate in Rainbow Gatherings have a written a number of raps over the years that help distill collective wisdom on how to have a fun, safe and memorable gathering. If you're a first time gatherer, or still in the fog about gathering logistics, here's some great links, all posted at RainbowGuide.info.

The Mini Manual is a great how to plan a gathering, how to be safe at the gathering and how to keep yourself and the rest of the gathering healthy.

Rap 107 is the short version on gathering safety - learn it, know it, live it.

Not sure what to bring, check out the awesome Turtle guide. If you've never camped before, remember the golden rule: “Bring every good thing. If it ain’t on this list, consider leaving it home. If in doubt, leave it out. ‘Cuz if you bring it in, you gotta bring it out. And well, dang! You just might be surprised how little you really need.” Bring love and hugs and good vibes, and most importantly, bring you.

Have children, then you want to read the Kidz Rap.

If you're not using to being on the opposite side of the law, you better read Rap 420.

Wondering about how alcohol fits into the gathering, read Raps 150/115.

Peace out!

Article on gathering in Communities magazine

2009-03-29T09:10:00.000-07:00

Communities magazine, Spring 2009 - #142 - Festivals and Gatherings. There is a great article on the gathering written by Scott who usually hangs at Info. The article isn't available online so you'll have to run out to you nearest co-op or other cool store and pick up a copy.

Sister Energy and Sexism at the Gathering

2009-03-08T11:03:00.000-07:00

Today is International Women's Day -- a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. I thought it would be a great opportunity to check in with my sisters on the state of sexism at the Rainbow Gathering.

Take shitter digging for instance. I love to dig shitters. Yet even when I am participating in shitter digging, there are usually three or four men, and me. I know a few other sisters who love to dig shitters. But generally it seems shitter digging is a male dominated service at the gathering. Why is that?

I have experienced my fair share of sexism at the gathering ranging from my opinion being discarded by a bunch of old white men, to brothers trying to "protect me." - As if I needed protection. Believe me, when I need help, I'll ask for help from my sisters or my brothers. Until then, I'm perfectly capable of finding my way back to my tent, hauling water, working front gate, dealing with an over tripped brother, or pitching my own tent.

Don't get me wrong, I highly value sharing work at the gathering. Many of my closest friends have come out of shared hands on a heavy task, but there's a difference between shared work and work that protects me from reaching my potential as a human being.

A few weeks back I was talking to a male early gatherer and told him I thought my younger sisters were less impacted by gathering sexism than my older sisters. I have no idea what I based that thought on, but it's been eating at me. So what's your experience with sexism or the lack there of at the gathering? Where do we need to make improvements to meet the needs of our beautiful family who have vaginas? What is our vision for creating a gathering where every participant is treated as a unique, valued, important, human in the process of evolving, one of a kind creature of the earth?

If you don't feel like posting your thoughts publically, I'd love for you to email me and let me know. Let's make New Mexico the gathering of strong sisters.

Natural First Aid with 7Song Podcast

2009-03-01T10:12:00.000-08:00

I found this very cool podcast with a long time gatherer who oftens does herbal healing and plant walks at the gathering.

"7Song is director of the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine in Ithaca, NY. He is also a teacher at the California School of Herbal Studies. In this interview we discuss herbal first aid, natural first aid, an herbal first aid kit, and his work at the Rainbow Gathering and other public service. Podcast from Daily Splice

Hipstorical Perspective of USFS Workings

2009-02-10T20:53:00.001-08:00

In 1997, the annual gathering of the tribes was held in Oregon. This was after the group use regulations went into effect and we definitely had conflicts with the USFS over the issue. Unfortunately a woman in Portland's whose kids where at the gathering signed a permit because she was fearful.

At any rate, that was the last year the USFS Incident Commander, Mike Lohrey, was from the Resource side of the USFS (instead of law enforcement). In his final report, the incident commander stated that he thought the group use regulations hindered the USFS in their efforts to interact with us. None of this is news and there's a lot more to the story from my perspective. But I just discovered that the Street Corner Society has a huge collection of the USFS documents from that gathering and they are available online for your reading.

I highly recommend anyone interested in USFS/Rainbow relations, group use regs, or where to go next, stop by and visit.

Happy reading!

Where will the gathering be?

2009-01-29T06:44:00.000-08:00

Visit this link to see the rap from last year on this very topic.

Notes from Thanksgiving Council

2009-01-23T19:54:00.001-08:00

I apologize in advance for the readability (or lack there of) of these minutes. This is how I got them so have at it. I've xxx'd out gatherer's names since I don't have permission to publicily post them.

************BEGIN THANKSGIVING COUNCIL MINUTES**************

THANKSGIVING COUNCIL 2008
November 27-29 TRES PIEDRAS NEW MEXICO

Reported By RXXX GXXX:

We met and talked all afternoon Friday and Saturday (November 28+29.) Almost 30 people present (listed below.) On Saturday, KENDALL CLARK, Forest Supervisor of the Carson N.F., sat + listened + talked with us for 2 or 3 hours.

I have condensed + edited a lot, as follows:

Comments on a given topic I have put together, wherever voiced. If Kendall of the F.S. was present, I have worked the comments with [â†’] in the left margin, so readers can know what went down with the F.S. present, and what was just among our group.

Present at times were: IXXX BXX; JXX; AXXX; RXXX; LXX; GXXX SXXXX; AXXX MXXX; SXXX; Me (RXXX GXXX); PXXX; JXXX: MXXX; CXXXB; BXXX; TXXX HXXX; DXXX; OXXX TXXX; FXXX; SXXX BXXX ; SXXX; SXXX: CXXX; AXXX; AXXX DXXX; GXXX BXXX; SXXX WXXX WXXX; SXXX PXXX; DXX; SXXX HXXX; RX; AXXX; Coyote JXXX (MXXX); SXXX SXXX; VXX; 2 RXXXX; KXX; JXXX; DXXX.
(Not all these were present at the same time.)

We met at FXXXX's place. Although he did not actually appear at council we all owe him a big THANK YOU, FXXXXX! WE LOVE YOU!

In general: most of us seemed very pleased at the same calm and order of the discussions, without a feather or focalizer. Exceptions noted below.

KEY:

â˜¼ = Consensuses
â†’ = Comments with FS present
~ = New Topic

CONSENSUSES REACHED (by silence):

â˜¼We will hold a SCOUT COUNCIL on May 1, and another on June 1.

â˜¼ The MAY 1 SCOUT COUNCIL will take place near LITTLE DRY CREEK, in the GILA N.F., in S.W. New Mexico.

â˜¼ We will hold SPRING COUNCIL on June 10th.

â˜¼At the Gathering in June and July, a DAILY MEETING will take place between F.S. RESOURCE people and RAINBOW people. This will be at an ACCESSIBLE COMMON SPACE at RAINBOW MID-MORNING.

â˜¼ Office/ Banking council point of contact is P.O. BOX 251, TRES PIEDRAS NM, 87577. There are volunteers to coordinate the effort.

â˜¼ We agree to HONOR ALDO LEOPOLD and his works on behalf of Mother Earth. We encourage everybody to continue his vision and works.

After an OM and a preliminary round of a white feather (which we used loosely), GXXXX BXXXXbegan with a lovely image:

Our world Rainbow movement as a green tree. The growing tips are the gatherings in new and especially war-torn areas: Bosnia, Turkey, Cambodia, etc. At these â€œbudsâ€� kids teach kids new ideas. We are the â€œtrunk: and â€œtap rootsâ€� source of many trends- Recycling, Silence, peace activism, clean-up etc.

â˜º SET-UP, P.R., etc.

â˜º PRESS- Hostile and / or bad press caused much IRE. GXXX SXXXX (G.S.) called for a satellite linked news network, for quick release of videos. RXX SXXX (of CO.) would help.

SXXXX BXXX spoke on behalf of FXXXX. A â€œPress Crewâ€� already exists! A 3 page news letter is available. Email Address: rpcreww@gmail.com
Website is: mobilebroadcastnews.ning.com/profile/presscrew

Summary of newsletter:

Objective: to get â€œmain stream camerasâ€� to any incident BEFORE attacks and harassment occur. It is hoped this would be a deterrent. A network of â€œpassionate volunteersâ€� expects to make a daily report + get it to town + on the net.

Press escorts to give tours of our beauty, sports, etc. Past actions in Pinedale + Elsewhere of this crew were cited much good publicity. Past failures need for onsite volunteers with camera – typers – etc.
>

â†’ Finally, in the presence of Kendall Clark (K.C.), the F.S. rep., Garrick suggested we pre-exempt wild statements by sheriffs etc., by a JOINT PRESS RELEASE with the F.S. RESOURCE people sometime.

â†’ this idea met with general approval (Not a formal consensus.)

~ FRONT GATE

Many voices deplored harassment and drunkenness at front gate. SXXX WXXX WXXX (SWW) offered his yurt for gate use; GXXXX offered to spend at least some time, in the yurt.
He hoped RXXX RXXX would be around to work the gate like last year. (RXX are you out there?) Theyâ€™d pass out rap 107 and 701, etc. SWW also wanted a camp with GOATS SET UP near Kid Village (Ho-o-o!)

Cascadas pointed out a need for more Doctors and healers.

A TOWN MEETING was discussed; theyâ€™ve worked well in the past. GS and others offered to help, we donâ€™t yet know if we will go south to the Gila, or North to the Carson. GB suggested 2 meetings, say in Silver City or Reserve and TAOS, sometime next spring; (April?) but only with fire, hospital, and emergency personnel (at first)

â†’ A need was felt to meet with local Hispanic people, sooner the better. We want to avoid an incident like â€™95, when IXXX de VXXXand a bunch of Chicano loggers and activists came to us angry. Hospitality barely prevented hostility.

â†’ Our friend and lawyer Coyote JXXX MXXX (JM) recalled how he had heard one of de VXXXâ€™ people say â€œWeâ€™re gonna shoot some rainbows.â€� He (JM) called Congressman Tom Udall; a mediator came out; etc. (Thereâ€™s a lot more to this story.) Point is; we donâ€™t want a repeat; and, lawyers with connections can FORESTALL problems, by their mere presence. (See more on this below.)

~OFFSITE PROJECTS/NEEDS

AXXXX DXX (AD) had a lot to say. Heâ€™s been busy, and he brought news from all over: From LOUISIANA: FXXX is there with a kitchen feeding many, many people. FELIPE is there too. Hurricane Ikeâ€™s damage is widespread.

CURRENT NEED: A storm lashed Low Island Is inhabited by a small group of â€œHUMMAâ€� people in damaged houses. Officials want to move them off island to DRILL FOR OIL. They need VOLUNTEERS to hold the land, rebuild, and maybe to bring supplies by boat. [Contact #??] (Blockade runners? RG)

AD: A brother, STEVE KUBLIN, was MURDERED between Nov 8-11, 2006. He was known as a â€œgentle soulâ€� who hitched to Thanksgiving councils etc. His body was found beside a Colorado highway not far from Paonia. We have offered a reward of $5,000.00 for info on the killer. An anonymous source has fingered a 23-year-old Paonia man, Jeremy Hodges, who has been arrested. If this bust proves valid, we would like to reward this anonymous source; Pledges of $ are being collected; send no money now, but please pledge something, via 970-252-4023 the idea is: It should be known;

WE ALWAYS FOLLOW UP.
WE NEVER FORGET.

And it will PAY WITNESSES to help us.

GS; Our brother SXXXX is sick, may be dying. He has worked for us long and hard. Please call him and let him feel part of us. 916-XXXX

~ SHANTISENA

Our hard-working shantisena team is sorely taxed.

AD: Death Camp is testing us. Theyâ€™re a disruptive group – Why? Are they being paid to dog our steps? If not, they surely act that way. Their acts – swearing, shouting, attacking, squirting urine on passersby – are kids saying â€œhelp me.â€�? (Several other cases discussed.)

RG and others urged shantisena help in towns, not just to pay off shops for shoplifters as in the past, but also to prevent or nab shoplifters, especially AFTER gathering, to warn our people of â€œbad applesâ€� and to gain good will.

GS; In Oregon, we caught shoplifters who were locals, and showed the sheriff something about his town and us. AD; If you see a shoplifter, you can make a citizens arrest – but hereâ€™s how: Cops don't like being superseded. Be prepared to be arrested yourself. Work in a group so you will get out quick. But be prepared to be busted. In the forest itself (said AD) he has never been busted (for a citizenâ€™s arrest)

A need was felt for more young shantisena. Peaches (a young man), GB, GS, etc. gave examples. Much discussion:

- We need to calm angry people

- We can stop a group ( like Death Camp ) easier than an individual

- Decisions of council are not always followed through – why?

- Front gate has an important role to play

SXXXX (DXXX LXXX) spoke on the need for cameras ( with respect of course ). He wants to make a movie about Rainbow – and his vision of Rainbow. Sharp also writes and rides: he writes for ABATE, a newsletter for motorcyclists. He sees a lot in common between riders and Rainbows, and suggests a camp for them at Gatherings. Call SXXX at 845-XXXX, re â€˜cycling or a groovy movie.

~ FOREST SERVICE and LEGAL ISSUES

(DISCLAIMER: this part was most contentious, and impassioned. Please forgive lacks of selectivity and objectivity, of your scribe – me. This was hard to get. )

~PERMIT issues and LEGAL OFFENSE

Friday we discussed much among ourselves;

Permit history (GB, AD, etc.);

3 years (2003-05) we had a signed permit –with massive problems each year. â€™03, GB signed – there was harassment on many LEO fronts, and too many demands on the signer (who kept records of the whole thing admirably.) In â€™04, a â€œghost signerâ€� was used – a woman in Florida signed, and never showed up or contacted FS. Harassment continued. Such a signer is liable to a civil suit, we feel. So we havenâ€™t used a â€œghost signerâ€�. So in â€™06 and â€™07 we used an â€œoperating planâ€�, an unsigned alternative which is allowed for under regulations. An O.P. is not a permit – it is a voluntary agreement between equals (Rainbows and FS), and still there was harassment, and it has tended to escalate – as at Wyoming, in the Kid Village.

FXXX: was present Friday – in â€™07, he signed a permit for a regional Colorado gathering, which was not harassed like our simultaneous New Mexico â€œeventâ€� (whether Rainbow or not – see SP below), which was busted – 12 went to jail. GS challenged signing as putting him and others in jeopardy. FXXX said a signer is not made a â€œleaderâ€�; a permit can be good. In CO â€™06 etc, the O.P. needed changes, and finding a council to change it was maddening to FS Resource officers like Tom Florich of WY. (Thus our CONSENSUS, see above, to meet daily onsite with FS Resource.) In our Oct â€™08 meeting, Corbin Newman, Regional Forester, again asked for a signed permit so all this is not moot. CN cited â€œaccountabilityâ€�

OXXX TXXX (OT), from Denver, proposed a lawsuit on the basis that we are a PUBLIC event, which â€œtheyâ€� (FS) treat as a PRIVATE event. OT: FS regulations call us a â€œnon-commercial group eventâ€�, which is a PRIVATE event. Therefore (say the FS), they may regulate us, AND, they need not supply certain services which they are obligated to provide to the public – the PEOPLE. An example would be handicap access parking [OT was involved in providing such access in CO gathering; Fred also was; many voices discussed the need for better HANDICAMP access, scouted early.]

OT wants to make a lawsuit on this point: that his, and our rights are violated by being called private.

GB: Historically, courts have rejected (in 1980), our being defined as a class (which can sue or be sued, for instance) because a class is a part of the human race; the whole race is not a class. Later (said GB) they defined us as an â€œunincorporated associationâ€�. RG questioned OT; â€œwhat if we donâ€™t want the services the FS â€œmustâ€� provide?â€� â€œWould we be obligated?â€� OT had a 2 page handout on this lawsuit and a LOT of more info and ideas.

OT: Legal actions and protests distract the cops/LEOâ€™s; they also make good publicity. Wheelchairs look good to media. GS: With JM (lawyer), GS is making a lawsuit to force the FS to obey their own regulations: in CFR 251 & 261 (Somewhere) an alternative to a signed permit, such as an â€œoperating planâ€� (O.P.), is allowed. Elsewhere in the regulations the FS is compelled to use the â€œleast restrictiveâ€� alternative; thus since O.P.â€™s have been accepted, they must be allowed in future. GB: If we have been â€œtargetedâ€�, this applies (â€œleast restrictiveâ€�). GB etc. said an O.P. did not guarantee no harassment. GB: We need an ACLU camp, and a press group. The renegade bunch of LEOâ€™s out of Atlanta are still likely to harass us.

~FOREST SERVICE RELATIONS

â†’ When Kendall Clark of the Carson NF arrived Saturday. She was deluged with complaints, of harassment. (see below under LEOâ€™s) But first she introduced herself.

â†’ KENDALL CLARK may be reached at 575-758-6200 or at www.fs.fed.us She (KC) is a calm stately grey – haired lady of great dignity. She was attentive and responsive, spiritual at times (This sister is COOL, family, - RG.) She took notes, a few.

THE CHAIN OF COMMAND goes: US DEPT. of AG. Head
(Secâ€™y) â†“
USDA Undersecretary for
National Forest MARC REY
(Outgoing)
â†“
CORBIN NEWMAN
Regional Forester- NM., AZ.,CO., UT.
__________________________________________

etc â†“------â†“--------â†“--------------â†“---------------------------------â†“

JACKIE
NANCY
DICK MARKLEY
KENDALL CLARK
Lincoln NF
Cibola NF
GILA NF
Forest supervisor – Carson NF
â†“
Deputy FS DAN RAEL
â†“
â€œDISTRICT RANGERSâ€�
/ â†“ \

TRES PIEDRAS TAOS Etc.

B. ROMERO

The District Rangers, although they appear they appear low in this chart, actually have a great deal of power at their local level.

Notice the LEOâ€™s (Forest Service Law Enforcement Officers) do not appear on the chart. They are a separate hierarchy;

DC head JOHN TWISS (resigned)
â†“
PANCHO SMITH, NM head LEO
>
> â†“

B. MALDONADO, D. CHAVEZ, B. McCORMACK etc. – LEOâ€™s (who busted us in â€™07)

KC has only been on this job 4 months, but has lived in â†’ TAOS area 2004-06. (RG complained, why do we always have to deal with new Resource personnel? We canâ€™t discuss past offenses. Yet the same LEOâ€™s dog us and know us too well.) (and new blood thinks anew, new broom sweeps clean. RG.)

~LEOâ€™s and HARASSMENT

Before KC arrived there were some more legal strategies discussed:

GB: we can file an â€œINTENT TO SUEâ€� on any likely harassment – this can forestall their actions. But we have to have current in-the-field evidence. It worked in NV â€˜89

GS, GB etc.: MARC REY, USDA Undersecâ€™y, is rumored to be plenty angry about what happened in WY at Kid Village, and he is allegedly initiating an investigation – by the Justice Department Inspector – General. The ACLU has also expressed interest in the case, and has drawn up some papers for us already. â†’ Then Kendall arrived, and was questioned on the LEOâ€™s. KC; The LEOâ€™s work for us (Resource) – I can and do direct them.

â†’ GXXX SXXXXX (spoke for many): Weâ€™ve heard this too many times! (From Corbin Newman recently – RG) EVERY SINGLE TIME, the LEOâ€™s and Incident Command TAKE OVER (voices; DISTRICT RANGERS, too!)

â†’GB; Yes; civilian control of the military, throughout history, is Democracyâ€™s way

â†’GB; At least we are an â€œIncidentâ€� and not an â€œEmergencyâ€�

anymore – itâ€™s better for our press coverage, and the money is better spent ( on Resource matters).

â†’TXXX; But, what about the FIRE set on us in WY, and the EVACUATION ORDER that caused needless panic? People abandoned their goods - - -

â†’PXXXX; Yeah, and we heard some of their fire crew

â†’LAUGHING at us, for being duped and forced out!!

â†’BXXX; If thereâ€™s another LEO incident in â€™09 itâ€™ll be a nightmare

â†’GS: There is a HISTORY of increasing violence by the LEOâ€™s.

In the â€˜90â€™s, they hired â€œcop-typeâ€� people; then, more and more â€œSpecial Forces – Delta force typesâ€�, who were promoted to supervisors. GS saw as â€œINEVITABLEâ€� that BLOODSHED â†’would occur. (GS repeated such remarks several times. He used inflammatory language. – RG.) Then the worst; As AD was saying â€œ we donâ€™t want and adversarial relationship with you (FS) … â€œBODHI interrupted loudly;

â†’â€�It IS adversarial – it comes from the LEOâ€™s! If they come to Kid Village again thereâ€™ll be a (bleep!)! (he was shouting)

â†’BODHI; â€œI am OUTRAGED at LEOâ€™s among our CHILDREN! And, they came after our herb, which is SACRED to us!â€� He shouts rudely – KC cannot answer – VAL stands + opposed Bodhi hi Verbally – chaos + anger – people OMMM – finally, AD resumes: â€œA legal al atmosphere is adversarial by nature. We want instead a HEART- TO – HEART relationship. The LEOâ€™s have a â€œscriptâ€�, an agenda: to create FEAR, their best tool. Fear loses power when there is LESS for the victim to live for thus, todays street kids, seeing chaos, enviro-disaster, everywhere they have less reason to live. To make such kids afraid, LEOâ€™s become even harsher. AD; â€œ Some LEOâ€™s are willing to shoot unarmed white people.â€� â€œSome youth, as in Death Camp, have a subculture which PUNISHES strangers using fear.â€� (Nothing to lose. Nothing to believe in. Gang mentality – RG)

â†’Coyote JXXX (MXXXX) (JM): Our friendly lawyer showed up when KC did.

â†’JM: Iâ€™m Coyote JXXX – a lawyer from Albuquerque. I have worked with many of the Stateâ€™s finest law firms including Freedman, Boyd, and Daniels – a well known and powerful firm. I have worked with the ACLU as well.

â†’My goal: A lawyer for every incident! For every defendant, plaintiff, victim. The place for lawyers among us is to CURB the LEOâ€™s. (JM himself, he said, had been ticketed for a â€œnon turn signalâ€� scam in the woods, 4 miles after the alleged offense.) If lawyers are â†’present, things change. For example: â†’ JM: In â€™95, he helped calm some angry Chicanos. [ see P. 4 above – RG] Lawyers scare them! If we should win a suit (see P. 9 ), or obtain a â€œconsent decreeâ€� â†’ The LEOâ€™s will be compelled to take â€œ sensitivity trainingâ€�. (ha ha!) Also perhaps pay a fine of as much as $500,000!! This scares them. We have other allies – Alan Maestas, a lawyer of TAOS, has offered to help. (RG: Alan is known and respected by me. Highly competent, dogged, former chief Public Defender here.)

Kendall CLARK (KC): Yes. You ask, where is out authority? We donâ€™t always know. I will have out attorneys contact JM. Also, we have a meeting scheduled on Dec. 17, 2008, in Santa Fe. Can you (JM) be present?

â†’JM: I will try. Have court duties that day.

~FS RESOURCE – COOPERATION efforts

â†’KC: I've directed flood relief – I can cooperate. â€œYouâ€™ll find I'm a fairly sensible personâ€�.

â†’KC: â€œI feel, the land is speaking to usâ€�. I do not want to micromanage.

â†’KC: In 2009, we of the FS celebrate the 100th anniversary of the works of ALDO LEOPOLD; here in TRES PIEDRES, he built a house. This giant, father of the wildlife movement, protÃ©gÃ© of John (Muir), is my PERSONAL HERO – he knew and loved this land, established the CARSON and GILA forests. (AD and Sheila later told us more of him; see our consensus, above, to honor him.)

â†’GS: What about road closures? Will you cooperate?

â†’KC: We use them, have power to do so – we use a permit system for stock tanks, private owners, etc.

â†’JACK (to KC): I was in Alturas in CALIFORNIA. I saw there that $38,000 was given to any COUNTY that got a gathering – his money tempted some. By what authority?

â†’KC: I donâ€™t know, Iâ€™ll ask TOM CONTERAS (name mentioned by Jack.) (She makes notes.)

â†’GB: The O.P. needs to be flexible. 100% approval, as we all know, is like â€œherding catsâ€�. (KC agrees (as do all)) (no â€œblockersâ€�) I hate to say it, but a â€œcoalition of the willingâ€� gets things done.

â†’KC: This is very hard for us. Dan Rael told me he came daily, but often couldnâ€™t find main council – or the people he knew werenâ€™t there – he searched fruitlessly sometimes.

â†’GB: Yes, Thom Florich in WY, and B. ROMERO and others have said the same thing (discussion led to CONSENSUS RE daily meeting onsite, see above P. 3 )

â†’GB (and GS etc.): We hear JOHN TWISS, head LEO in D.C. lied about the Kid Village incident – blamed it on us – called us â€˜rock throwersâ€™ etc. We hear heâ€™s leaving. Good. We also hear he may be replaced by FARRELL, a (black) LEO known to us; we generally like him.

â†’But if officer SMITHSON is chosen – trouble! He is nasty!

â†’ (GS and other agree vehemently) (KC takes notes.)

â†’RG: When the Obama administration appoints a new USDA Secretary or Undersecretary, we want to meet with them. KC: still probably be March or so for new personnel.

â†’SXXXX SXXXX: I wanna know about the bad press in â€™95. There were rumors that we left a â€œnasty messâ€�. Where did this come from?

â†’KC: Not from us. Dan Rael never complained, nor his deputy Ben Romero – no-one complained to me. In fact for Dick and Nancy (Gila and Cibola NFS), you have a remarkable record. Ben Romero, 2-3 months after the cleanup, was amazed, and positive; he couldnâ€™t even find â€œtiny piecesâ€� of trash.

~SITES

At the end of KCâ€™s visit, we discussed sites briefly. Next morning (SUNDAY) some of us went over maps.

â†’KC: Of the sites we discussed ( in OCT – RG), one site north of LUNA< NM, (in the Gila), looks good to me.

â†’KC: Itâ€™s a flattering plateau – big pines, park-like – itâ€™s wild and beautiful, but is there water for gravity feed (uphill)?

â†’GB: This area is the same â€œ bio-plateauâ€� as our â€™79 ARIZONA site.

â†’GB: RE scouting: near our â€™77 NM site, N of the JCT. of the GILA and BLACK rivers, is worth looking at.

~LEGAL AFFAIRS, etc.

Saturday evening, after KC of the FS left, we continued; PEACE, GS, GB, Allis, etc:

Let's appeal to BILL RICHARDSON (NM governor, Commerce Secretary – designate). He's a possible ally.

GS: We should BEG for PROTECTION from LEO's, in person from Richardson; let's also meet OBAMA in person!

GB: I've asked FS for an inventory of possible (future) sites, and a plan to protect them – 100 sites eventually?

PEACE: I can help with the PR/press team – on the net peace@mrwebguru.com

S P (and others): In 2007, in NM late JULY there was a â€œFull Moon Circle Ceremonyâ€� (where 12 were arrested.) We (i.e. SP) made a permit application and refused to sign same. So the FS understood the permit issue then and there.

SP: Yet, me and my lawyer (JM) were â€œcut outâ€� of the subsequent negotiations – this was unfair.

SP: The event was converted into a Rainbow event. Also an OP was turned down (by LEO Maldonado et al – RG) Was this because a permit was signed in CO (by FXX?)

FRED: I simply put notices up on the web – maybe that was how FS found out about it (event in NM)

RG: By word of mouth we, (Abe, Patha, I, Bob, Tony etc.), set up event as Rainbow. I was one of 12 busted, a volunteer lawyer helped us, we didn't intend to exclude SP but simply needed to defend ourselves, with counsel that volunteered (this case could still lead to a suit, if necessary – IMHO RG)

GB: In legal matters, remember, in court or out, the right argument does not always win. For instance, when we were busted (99 PA case) Judge Samuel J. Alito said to us (before he sent us to the slammer): â€œWhy donâ€™t you get someone broke (â€œimmune from suitâ€�) to sign? You help paupers, get one to help you – a broke person can't be suedâ€�. (Imagine a judge so misguided. ( a fellow Princeton grad too, tsk, tsk – RG)

GB: So, we need to ask; who's on the bench? It's relevant.

JM: Win or lose, it's Public Relations. Here in NM, ayahuasca is legal because of a decent justice system here. It's hopeful.

RG: Well that's it. I'm tired of this job but also I'm proud. We talked TRUTH AND JUSTICE. GREAT SPIRIT, help us, and thanks.

HO!

Two poems

From AXX's notes --

Tipis and Tribe
Drums and dancing
I feel their drums
I feel their wild
Tribal energy Tribal magic
Tribal Thunder
I feel their drums
I feel their wild
The call of the wild
Echoes off Tipis and Tribe
*

The morning sun reflects on snow covered mountains
Laughter lifts skyward
On cold morning air.
Winter's embrace is just
Around the corner.
Tipi smoke rises
Over sound of a tribe
Greeting cold morning air
As morning sun reflects
On snow covered mountains

Why Council?

2009-01-17T09:30:00.000-08:00

In the 21st Century, we have Facebook and Twitter, Tribe and Email. We have cells phones and Crackberries and a million tools to help us communicate, so why do we need to sit down in a circle on the land and council to create community and positive gatherings?

I'm glad you asked.

For those who don't know me, I'm not a Luddite by any means. I work in the bowels of computers all day long and have for close to twenty years. It's my paycheck and I'm completely comfortable with technology. If I weren't, I wouldn't have all these blogs and websites and send emails to hundreds of people on a regular basis and spend hours each day tuning queries and fussing over versions of dlls and hacking the registry. Yet, electronic communication only takes us so far.

So why Council?

Because when we sit in a circle with our brothers and sisters under an open sky with the soil beneath our butts, we communicate on so many levels.

Because when we pay attention to our brothers and sisters body language and breath, we are communicating on a non-verbal level.

Because when we hold open councils with lots of advance notice so everyone who wants to can participate, we increase the diversity of viewpoints represented (not just those we agree with).

Because when we council with people we don't like, don't trust, or don't know, we learn how to create peace in the world. Peace fails when people of differing beliefs, backgrounds, goals and desires cannot communicate with each other. Peace is a practice that we participate in when we council.

Because when we council on things some of us already know how to do, we are sharing our hard won knowledge with the next generation and paying it forward. We owe it to our ancestors to pass on the wisdom they shared with us.

Because when we council with fresh faces, we get fresh perspectives on problems we are facing.

Because when every voice has a chance to communicate by breath, words, body language, facial expressions, hand holding, and the sharing of thought, we create a bond, a community in the same way that two people deeply in love share physical contact to enhance their intimacy.

Because we truly have no leaders and the only way to make decisions in an open, respectful and peaceful process is to hold councils on the land and invite all people to participate.

Because when a gathering happens without councils and a decision needs to be made, it will be made by a small group of of people who have known each other for many years and may not consider the needs, desires and beliefs of all.

Because decisions need to be made at gatherings all the time: where to park cars, how to distribute food, how to keep ourselves and our family healthy, how deep to dig shitters, where to gather next month or next year, where do we want our family to be in the year 2020?

Because collectively we have so much wisdom and when we collect ourselves in one time and place to share that wisdom, we can change the world.

Because counciling is a practice just like meditation and practice gives us the tools and the strength to council or meditate when we are loosing our peace.

Because the only alternative to council is governments telling us what to do or how to live.

Because the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Because we are the future, and if we can't create peace by respecting the needs of everyone, who can?

(Thanks GB for the idea)

USFS Investigation into July 3 Incident

2009-01-03T08:20:00.001-08:00

Some friends of mine put together an outline of how to submit information to the investigation. It's very useful, so if you haven't submitted your report yet, I suggest you read this and follow what ever you feel is revelant. As far as sending copies of your statement to them, do so if you like. If you don't like, that's cool too. If you want to make sure your statement is public info, I'd recommend emailing a copy to agr@welcomehome.org as well. If you don't want to, that's cool too. Please if you have thing to say, please submit it.

**************Begin forwarded message*************

D. Wirtshafter, Attorney at Law
S. Addison, PCU_/Free Assembly Project
```````````````````````````````````````````````````

1 January 2009 - PUBLIC RESOURCE INFO -

Rainbow Investigation by OIG - I. Full Info ~

~ Witness Statements & Evidence are needed for an Inspector General's
investigation of Rainbow Gathering harassment... a new opportunity
to bring extreme Forest Service tactics to light, and stop interference
in peaceable public gatherings for expression and prayer.

** BACKGROUND ~

In a phone conference with the U.S. Department of Agriculture on 12/9/08, outgoing Under Secretary Mark Rey disclosed that an investigation was launched last July in the USDA Office of Inspector General (OIG), related to incidents at 'Rainbow Gathering '08' in Wyoming. Our factfinding started the next day, with phone queries to OIG headquarters in DC, followed by a faxed letter on 10/13.
A response came by phone on 12/18 from their office in Denver, where this case was referred... the Assistant Special Agent In-Charge confirmed the protocol for public inputs, and discussed their procedures at some length.

This advisory draws on the counsel of experienced volunteers & legal workers around the gatherings, presented in 2 parts:
Here, "I. Full Info ~"... reporting complete facts on the OIG investigation, its scope, status, and requirements, and providing suggestions & resources for preparing submittals.
In tandem, "II. Discussion ~"... examining the process & politics of an Inspector General review, with concerns for key issues in any 'Rainbow' investigation, and cautions on possible outcomes.

** SCOPE OF INVESTIGATION ~

The stated focus is the July 3 incident at Kid Village -- defined at the outset by the original request within USDA, although the OIG Special Agent could not confirm the source or substance by phone.
In this light, it was made it clear to him that this was NOT an isolated incident, but "extreme and bellweather" in a long pattern of escalating harassment, crossing a new threshold of violence: It was the first 'Rainbow' gathering where LEO's had actually fired weapons (of any kind) at unarmed people -- although in recent years various provocations have approached this level of danger.

The July 3 incident is significant and worthy of investigation in its own right -- but it is inextricable from the broader history, and has to be understood in this context. To this end, some background perspectives were outlined in the call -- especially the 'Group Use' permit controversy which has raged for 12 years and remains unresolved, and the targeted police roadblocks which were found unconsitutional in 2 Federal courts, yet persist.

Curiously, the lead agent on this OIG case was unaware of the concurrent investigation and ensuing Report of ACLU-Wyoming. All this was explained on the phone, and their October 3 Report was conveyed with thanks in a followup eMail to the Denver office.

** SUBMITTALS TO USDA-OIG ~

The following address is confirmed, with a further option of using email:

attn: William Busby, Asst. Special Agent In-Charge
USDA Office of Inspector General -- Investigations
12136 W. Bayaud Ave. - Ste. 210
Lakewood, CO 80228
{OR}
Bill Busby

~ Reference 'Investigation.... Rainbow '08....' (this is flexible), Case # KC899-0025.
~ Send materials by Certified Mail to confirm delivery, if possible.

1st -- they need 1st-hand written accounts of the July 3 incident, as well as photos and video documentation provided by the makers... supported facts are useful, proselytic rants are not.
Then -- also document other incidents & issues at the Wyoming '08 Gathering, to establish the pattern of official actions and sway of applied policies at this event... (this may extend to previous gatherings as well, 'pushing the scope' -- more on this in Pt. II).
Send signed/affirmed originals*, with reliable contact information... agents may need to follow up by contacting witnesses directly, and sometimes interviewing them in-person.

** PREPARING MATERIALS:

-- Writing a Statement: Give a simple chronological account of the incident(s); short numbered paragraphs are best. State the location, date, and time, what you were doing there; describe what occurred with careful details on actions & statements made, and provide names, agencies, & badge numbers of the Officials involved. Say what YOU know or observed... reports from known sources can be noted, but unconfirmed hearsay is not useful.

If helpful, use this 'OIG-Rainbow' Statement Form, prepared as a formal
presentation to this case investigation, with instructions included --
downloadable in 'RTF' format, easily adapted as a clean final document.

-- *Signing with Affirmation: Per OIG, it was "not critical" to sign with a notary, but this is still the best way to confirm one's identity as signer. As an alternative, include the following affirmation at the end, which serves to authenticate the statement & signature under Federal law:

"I declare under the penalties of perjury pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 1746
that the above statements are true."

-- Submitting via eMail: Sending statements by postal mail is better, but OIG agreed to accept information by email as well. You cannot actually 'sign' an email, so the above Affirmation is especially important. It's a good idea to compose your statement as a printable attached document (Word '.doc', 'rtf', or 'txt' format), cleaner than an in-line message on an email page. Also, request confirmation that it was received and entered into the case record.

- - Presenting Photos, Videos, & Audios: If you took photos or videos of an incident, or made an audio recording, such items must be 'authenticated' - i.e., affirmed as a true record of events, made by you personally. (Download an all-purpose 'Authentication' form here, ask for help if needed.)
This carries far more credibility than anonymous Web images or 'YouTube' videos... and it makes these items usable for legal purposes, and admissible as evidence if needed.

-- Preserving Documentation: Rights advocates & allies need to know what goes into this investigative record, what statements and records are presented, and to make sure that these materials are preserved for public-interest research and legal purposes. An agreeable attorney can protect this information and share it appropriately... please send copies of OIG submittals, and/or cc- by email:

Don Wirtshafter, Attorney email:
PO Box 18 (7002 State Rte. 329)
Guysville, OH 43735

Questions, ideas, debate, and support are encouraged.

______________________________

______________________________

Respectfully: scottie addison Don Wirtshafter
PCU_/Free Assembly Project Attorney at Law
St. Louis, Missouri Guysville, Ohio

Results of FOIA Requests - US Spending on Gathering

2008-12-31T19:10:00.000-08:00

I'm tired and had a goal of getting this info out by the end of the year. I posted it all in my other blog, so you'll have to hop over there to see the info.

Karin's thoughts on Conference Call with Mark Rey

2008-12-16T21:27:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, December 9, I participated in a conference call with the Undersecretary of the United States Department of Agriculture, Mark Rey. The best way to sum up this call was as a wrap up to the Rainbow trail we have all traveled together. I did not take minutes, but I did take notes on what I considered key points for people who are committed to the future of the rainbow gathering.

The call was recorded and is available online thanks to Marty Who Loves to Party. It has a little over 5 minutes of waiting music before the conference call begins and it only will play on bandwidth LOW so you have to click the BANDWIDTH ?LO? FOR THIS TO PLAY!

Last spring in a series of conferences calls with Rey, I kept pressing him to revise the Forest Service Group Use Regulations to make it clear that an unsigned operating plan could be used in lieu of a permit for peaceful assembly on public land. He said he would consider it after the July gathering. Well no surprise to anyone, now he says it’s too late in the Bush administration to initiate regulatory changes.

As to the gathering in Wyoming, my understanding of Mark Rey’s words were that things broke down because we did not use one of the sites on their list of recommendations based on site selection and USFS staff who would work well with gatherings – take that as you will.

Now to going forward into the future.

First off, Mark Rey had the Inspector General of the USDA open an independent investigation into the incident that happened at the Wyoming gathering on July 3 at Kid Village. This investigation is ongoing. Any statements or supporting documentation that you feel should be included in this investigation should be sent to

Case # KC899-0025
Mr. William Busby
c/o USDA Inspector General
12136 W. Bayaud Avenue
Suite 210
Lakewood, Co 80228
Email Electronic Media

Please include contact info along with any material, written or otherwise provided... A clearly marked item in terms of identifying its content will be best received. It does not sound as though telephone contact is desired, though he did sound enthusiastic about receiving other forms of evidence -- video, camera, written, etc.

He is willing to look at the tasing incident, as incidental to the main thrust - July 3 @ Kid Village.

Please cc your congressional representative and United States Senators with any information you send. I have no idea where this investigation will lead.

On the call, Mark Rey spent a lot of time outlining the process by which cabinet and subcabinet positions (such as his) are appointed.

A couple of major points.

• Our senators get to grill the nominated appointees, so we need to make sure our senators have a series of questions to ask the nominees. This needs to be done ASAP as the ball is rolling on this process
• We need to protest appointment of people who will not support our values and concerns.
•
My biggest concern at this point is getting people appointed to cabinet level positions such as the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (Forest Service) and Department of the Interior (BLM) that will be Rainbow friendly as well as being a lover of the earth, not the timber companies.

The Obama transition team is currently falling into place.
A great list is available online.

Bart Chilton and Carole Jett seem to be the two people leading the USDA transition process. . They will be working to find nominees for all cabinet and subcabinet level positions. To make suggest or include input, visit the website and select topic “Transition Process” I’m still trying to find contact info for these two people.

My apologies if this information isn’t as focused as it could be. If you haven’t listened to the call, please do so as there are many more detailed ideas on how we might be able to continue to have a gathering that in the eyes of the USFS is “legal” and that does not require a permit.

December 17 Meeting with USFS

2008-12-12T19:01:00.001-08:00

Dec. 17th at the FS HQ on Rodeo Road in Santa Fe, from 10 am to 11 am.

This is an open meeting but notice please that is planned as just an hour. The idea is to go over A) some other sites we like so the FS can vet them for problems (rare snails, archaeological sites, boy scouts, etc.) well in advance; B) the proposed alternative model (operations plan) that Mark Rey spoke about during the teleconference last week -- so that the process is set in motion in advance of regime change in D.C.; C) to talk briefly about the Inspector General's investigation of the FS Leo relations with the Rainbow; and D) a brief intro between some of our legal team here in NM and the Counsel that the FS uses here [when these lwyrs have met each other in advance in the past it has always proven beneficial]. Those are the topics that have come up so far.

Rainbow and Rainbow

2008-12-10T06:26:00.000-08:00

The Rainbow Gathering has used the image of a rainbow for many years as has the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer community (GLBTQ). Yet at rainbow gatherings, we don't discuss the GLBTQ community much. Years back the Southern California family held a council in Orange County and we told people to meet at the Rainbow Flag. Well there were two rainbow flags at the park that day and we were all flying the same colors.

The Rainbow Gathering is a coming together of many tribes. Some of our tribes are focused by religious beliefs, some by geography and some by participation in the GLBTQ community. If you've never been to Fairy Camp, then you're missing out big time. Colorful costumes, great music and lots of hugs. Usually a few pranks floating around as well. Every gathering Fairy Camp lights up the night dressed in fabulous costumes. If you haven't had a chance to experience your inner fairy, come on out and join the fun.

Today is the Day Without a Gay and even if you didn't call in "gay" to work, you can join the cause of civil rights for all people in the United States of America. Take the time to share information (like this post) with people in your community on the importance of all people having the same civil rights in the United States. Talk about the importance of separation of church and state with your friends. Talk about your GLBTQ friends and how discrimination is hurting them.

Come out for Light Up the Night on December 20 and join me in a nation-wide peaceful candlelight vigil taking place at commercial districts and shopping centers all across the country. Let the light of the Rainbow join with the flames of all our brothers and sisters across this land and demand equal treatment under the law.

Love is the answer. Be the peace you wish to see in this world.

Thanksgiving Council Notes Round 1

2008-12-09T20:14:00.001-08:00

I'm told there is more to come, but for now, this is it.Click on the photo to enlarge it.

Grandma Brigade

2008-11-27T19:24:00.001-08:00

Those of you who've been to gatherings in the last couple of years are familiar with "crusty corner." I love those kids, but we're ending up with a generation gap at the gathering and if we don't deal with it soon, we're going to loose our future. I spoke to various people about the generation gap in Wyoming and since and realize that the grandmas are guiding the way.

I call it the "grandma brigade" and it's our wonderfully cool, wise and loving grandmas hanging out with our younger family. I don't see this as grandmas giving unwanted advise to the younger generation, but just makeing friends, creating a connection and being a "grandma" to a bunch of kids who don't seem to have a lot of grandma energy in their lives.

In New Mexico, I'd love to see roaming gangs of grandmas kicking it at Phat Kids or Shutup and Eat It or Death Camp. Our grandmas are our strength and we desperately need them wandering around our gathering and hanging out at campfires, sitting with folks at trade circle and sharing their physical energy.

Grandmas of the gathering, we need you. Please come out and join the Grandma Brigade.

Possible Secretary of Agriculture

2008-11-25T06:47:00.000-08:00

Tim LaSalle is CEO of Rodale Institute, a 60-year-old organization dedicated to researching and educating farmers and consumers about sustainable agriculture. He holds his doctorate in depth psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute, a master’s in populations genetics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and a bachelor of science degree from California Polytechnic State University. For 12 years, he was a full professor at Cal Poly, where he taught dairy science classes and served as the president and CEO of California’s Agriculture Education Foundation. While at Cal Poly, LaSalle started and operated a conventional dairy near Templeton, California. More recently, LaSalle served in an executive capacity with various nonprofit organizations, including the Environmental Center of San Luis Obispo County and the Allan Savory Center for Holistic Management.

Keep in mind that in our bizarre world, the Secretary of the Dept of Agriculture oversees the National Forests as well as farming issues.

Make your two cents heard here. YOUR VISION
Word on the street is that Sarah Palin came out of a blog posting, so anything is possible.
For those not in the know, check out Pacifica online It's a really cool place. Kind of Harvard meets Haight Street.
For a list of other possibilities, try these links
Yale Sustainable Food Project
Diet Detective
Yahoo News Article

And if you really want some play, visit the Executive Director of the Sierra Club's blog and give him some feedback as to the type of person we want for these key positions under Obama

Love,
Karin

Thanksgiving Council Directions

2008-11-17T19:13:00.000-08:00

Dear Family,

You are invited to attend this year's ThanksGiving Council at "Frenchy's old place" outside Tres Piedres and Taos New Mexico.

Here are the directions:

From Taos: Past the traffic signal at the north of town go northwest approx 24 miles on Highway 64. One block west of The Colorado Road turn right and go 1/4 mile north. You're there!

From Tres Piedres: Go 3 1/2 miles eastward on Highway 64. Turn north one block west west of The Colorado Road and go 1/4 mile. You're there!

Days should be sunny and cool and nights will be F-r-i-g-i-d. Come prepared for cold nights. Bring water and those who can, bring firewood too. There is some indoor accomodation and some tipi/tenting for those with warm gear. There is space for live-in vehicles. As usual all donations will be accepted and used in a cooperative manner

We'll have Thanksgiving dinner and circle on Thanksgiving and start counciling Friday morning. That should continue thru Saturday and wind up Sunday sometime. Bring food to share, maps and all the best ideas for discussion. We become the Family we want to be by listening to each other!

There is no land line phone there, but some cell phones get service.

Travel safely and we will see you there!

Peace and Love,

New Mexico Rainbow Family

Barack Obama and the Rainbow Gathering

2008-11-16T14:04:00.000-08:00

Those of you who have been involved know the struggles we have faced to continue gathering due to Forest Service Regulations. If you're not quite up to speed, there's a lot of good information posted at Welcome Home and Wyoming Gathering Blogspot and Prop 1.

Well change is coming to the United States Forest Service and Barack has the opportunity to deal with us straight up by appointing people to the upper reaches of the Forest Service who support the rights of the people to freely assemble. Who believe that a gathering is a recreational event of individuals. Who believe that one million dollars of tax payer money is better spent on planting trees than harassing hippies.

So what do we do next?

The number one man in the United States Forest Service Law Enforcement & Investigations division (John Twiss) just stepped down. I have heard that the acting
chief is Dave Ferrell-a man with much experience working with Rainbow Gatherings.

The current Undersecretary of the United States Department of Agriculture is Mark Rey, a former timber industry lobbyist. Mr. Rey has been working with us for the last couple of years, but he leaves his post when Barak Obama is inaugurated as the President (January 20, 2009).

The two people who fill these positions are going to have an enormous amount of influence over our gatherings for the length of their appointments, which if we're lucky will be 8 years. Think about how bad things have gotten for us under the Bush Administration. Well it's time for a change.

So I am asking you to make your voice hear. Barack has a transition website up where you can easily make your voice heard. So what to do?

Visit YOUR VISION and tell your story about going to a Rainbow Gathering and how the United States Forest Service treated you and ask that Barack Obama appoint a new Undersecretary who supports the rights of the people to gathering, who will treat gathering participants like human beings, who recognizes that gathering on public lands is a legitimate user of our forests, who will stop the violence committed by the United States Forest Service towards people who gather to pray for world peace.

Send the same message to your United States Senators and your United States Congressional Representative.

The time is now. I call on Thanksgiving Council to discuss this subject. It is the most important peace of business in which we can engage.

I call on all Rainbow circles, and individuals and people with an interest in justice and the future of the Rainbow Gatherings to make their voice heard, nominate specific candidates for Chief Law Enforcement Offices and Undersecretary. The time is now. If we wait even two months, this opportunity will have passed us by.

If we do this in a thoughtful, positive manner now, in New Mexico we will have stopped the madness perpetrated by the federal government against our children, against our elders, against all our brothers and sisters. If we let this moment pass us by, the violence will continue to escalate at the gathering.

The time is now family. Please forward this information to all your circles everywhere: rainbow and beyond. We need 100,000 voices letting President Elect Barack Obama know that we need a change in our National Forests.

As an aside, on November 4, California voted to ban gay marriage and the shock has been felt around the world. Yesterday over one million gay and straight people marched in 300 cities in ten countries demanding equal rights. This movement was born of the pain we felt in our hearts at the discrimination against our brothers and sisters who are now being denied the right to marry because they are GLBT.

Here in San Diego, two or three amazing women in their early twenties started a movement 8 days ago that brought twenty five thousand people into the streets of San Diego alone yesterday demanding equality for all. All my faith is in my younger brothers and sisters. We need you and we need you now.

~ Sí, se puede

~ ~ ~ ~ Namaste

Thanksgiving Council Directions Are Coming

2008-11-11T08:04:00.000-08:00

I should have the directions by Thursday. Apparently the local family is still discussing the site they think will be the best one. Definitely in New Mexico.

The Brain Drain

2008-11-10T19:38:00.000-08:00

About a year ago I started thinking about the brain drain at the Rainbow Gathering. My two cents on why it's happening is that this ongoing conflict with the United States Forest Service and their extreme harassment of gathering participants has fueled it. I'll save the details on that for another day. On to the topic of today's post.

The Rainbow Gathering depends on fresh ideas and new perspectives. While the percentage of first time attendees in recent years seems as high as ever, the type of first time gatherer seems to be predominately people who come in a more searching/needing/learning mode. The percentage of first time gatherers who come with skills to share seems to be at an all time low. By skills to share, I mean people who are holistic healers, yoga gurus, master drummers, experienced activists, peace keepers and other types of light workers.

Last spring I began a project in preparation for the 2008 annual gathering that took place in Wyoming. I started researching people with the skills I felt we needed. I printed up postcards on my computer with a brief blurb about the gathering and links to a couple of websites. I sent these out to a few hundred people over a period of a couple of months to people I found online in Southern California and the areas in and around Wyoming.

How did I do it? I would pick a topic - say acupuncturists and google them say near Denver and in a completely subjective process, I would pick five or six and send them the postcard. I did this anonymously for the most part, although towards late May I started sending the info via email messages.

I have no idea if any people came to the gathering from the information I sent out. I did hear from two people in response to the email that they were planning on coming.

One of the limitations of this project was that I started very late and many people with great skills plan their lives months if not years in advance. I'm putting this out in the hopes that more people will pick up this project. We need more people with alternative healing skills at CALM. We especially need people who know how to video police abuse. We need some master drummers because frankly, the drumming in Wyoming was a bit sad. I'm sure you can think of a lot of areas where a few people with great skills and good teaching style could help us in our quest (what ever you consider that to be).

So in the hopes of getting started early this year, I'm putting this out and hoping some people will join me in continuing the effort for New Mexico in 2009.

Here's the blurb that I used last year:

XXXth Annual Rainbow Gathering of the Tribes
July 1 to 7, 2008 in XXX
Silent Prayer/Meditation for World Peace
July 4 dawn until noon

The Rainbow Gathering is a totally free, non-commercial gathering of people. We invite all people to come camp with us in a magical mountain meadow in XXX, chop firewood, haul water, cook food and participate in workshops on non-violent direct action, yoga, alternative healing, and make music, create art and dance until your feet fall off.

Some say we're the largest non-organization of non-members in the world. We have no leaders, and no organization. To be honest, the Rainbow Family means different things to different people. I think it's safe to say we're into intentional community building, non-violence, and alternative lifestyles. We also believe that Peace and Love are a great thing, and there isn't enough of that in this world. We have a strong orientation to take care of the Earth.

Please join us in creating the world the way we want it to be. http://home.earthlink.net/~scrollinfo or www.welcomehome.org

A little bit of kitchen hipstory

2008-10-21T19:19:00.000-07:00

The last Annual Gathering of the Tribes in New Mexico took place in 1995 and we'll be back again in 2009. As with so much in life, tribes come and go, kitchens come and go, but you might ask, where do they go?

Well the kick ass kitchen in New Mexico 1995 was Everybody's Kitchen. For those of you who weren't around back then, Everybody's is a kitchen of human beings committed to feeding hungry people all across America and beyond. Everybody's Kitchen is no longer a fixture at the gathering, but various and assorted characters involved in Everybody's Kitchen still come to gatherings and if you hang out at the Ovens, you might pick up their trail. Everybody's is a kinda of Food Not Bombs meets Rainbow Family and travel the world. Where did Everybody's go? Everywhere!

Last year Everybody's Kitchen fed the No Borders Action in Calexico and Mexicali - a cross border action and they fed both sides of the border. See the photos. This summer, they fed activists at the Democratic National Convention engaging in freedom of assembly and freedeom of speech.

Right now, they're in Point-Aux-Chenes, Louisiana about 70 miles southwest of New Orlean feeding people hurt by Hurricane Katrinia and again by this year's hurricanes. They'll be there for awhile, so if you're in the area, I hear the place to find them is St. Charles Church. If you go, bring food, be self-sufficient and be prepared to work your ass off.

If you can't go, sending a postal money order in the next couple of weeks would really help out.
They have established an address.If anyone has anything to help please and this is very important, send it in postal money order (no one has bank accounts) and leave: pay to the order of blank (who ever checks the mail, and a reliable person, can cash it and write their name with their ID) This is important cause it is rural down here and gas is, well you know.The address is:
Everybodys Kitchen
P.O. Box 115
Montegut, LA 70377

Be the change you want to see in this world. Hang out with Everybody's and have an amazing time. Maybe if we love them enough, they'll come back to gather with us in New Mexico in 2009.

Notes from October 1 Meeting with USFS in New Mexico

2008-10-12T19:21:00.000-07:00

So theses are the notes as I received them with names omitted. Just an FYI, just because places are mentioned in these notes does not mean a gathering will be at any one of these places.

******************************************

Subject: Notes from Oct. 1 Meeting with FS

A str[Notes: these notes are very incomplete . scribe XXXX]

Wednsday October,1 2008, US Forest Supervisors Office - santa fe Rodeo+ zia 2:00PM

Present- rainbow gatherers: me (XXX), XXX, XXX, XXX, XXX, XXX, XXX, XXX ||;{ Forest Service Personal :XXXX Regonal Supr.ALBQ., XXXX Head LEO Alb., Sante Fe Forest: XXX, XXX- Recreation, Lands+ minerals staff., XXX- Deputy Forest Supervisor, Carson Forest Reorce div.:XXX*Gila Forest:[{*VIA TELECONFRINCE*}]""XXX, Sup.

After a few Presentations XXX Began:

XX: We are unlikley to be looking at the sante fe forest {{*all three Santa Fe Reps Relaxed}}

XX: discused his expresion of LEO harassment w've Suffered

XXX: He did not know about previous harrassment, but that his job was to enforce the law. A signed permit was part of the law and so he expected to see one.

XX: Our nature is to keep the peace. We help people to become, and be peaceful. We'd like to create an "autonomous zone" of peace. However the LEO's continue to introduce a bad attitude.

XX: In the past there have been deliberate speed traps and "left turn traps" inflicted on us.

XX: Was this an "unauthorized gathering?" In any case the Forest Supervisor of the particular forest will be in charge - not the LEO's.

XX: XX gave further details on the "left turn trap". In Wyoming, a car would come to a left turn from the dirt forest road to another. Such a turn was marked bya rock pile. With no traffic in sight, the car would turn left without a turn signal..where out of nowhere at all the LEO would appear out of nowhere and give them a ticket for no turn signal and ran its occupants and would separate/search them at length. This happened to many. One witness had a $220 ticket for this. Secondly, on the permit we have had an operating plan as we've used before, is an option in the regulations. For three years we had a permit signed by someone. But all the last five years (the three with permits, and the two since then where we used Op plans) we've still had intolerable harassments of the "left turn" variety, "simple misdemeanors". Furthermore, if we end up (are pushed into) an "illegal gathering" (or "unauthorized") status, all the resource people will be "swept off the table." Taken off of command and control, even to enter the gathering, resource people will have to be accompanied by gun wearing LEOs. Therefore XXX suggested some means is needed to make gathering authorized.

XX: Without a signed permit it becomes an unauthorized gathering. We ie: the Forest Service Management will run the gathering. I can make it operate.

XX: We know the OP (operating plan) wasn't completely satisfactory to the forest service (in Arkansas '07).

Forest Service (various): Yes, we had "accountability problems".

XX: Last regional in New Mexico a permit application was made with the line for an agent or a representative left blank. This year a senator named Brasso went through the roof because we were being given special treatment. Find some mechanism to 'authorize' the gathering without us needing a 'signer.' Some of us replied that the OP we used was actually more detailed than any permit ever used. Thus the forest was better served by an OP system.

XX: There was an incident where ten campers where told that they needed a permit.

(Various voices said) : It is now 75, not ten.

ME (XX): I said that, as I read the relevant laws, a signed permit can only be denied for one of three reasons; Damage to the forest, Harm to people, or confict with other unauthorized forest users. I said if you (forest service{FS}), hold to the signature requirement, it would be irrelevant to these three goals. Furthurmore ( I said) some of us felt the signature issue was so important that we had gone to jail rather than sign.

XX- An illegal $10,000 bond was added to the permit application we were asked to sign. Also, as negotiations were underway, a force of cops were sent out and arrested us.

XX: (to XXand XX): And yet, many LEOs are not like that. XXX is an outstanding law officer.

XX - Don't blame the LEOs. We are a tool of management. Sometimes, we can be a scalpel, sometimes a club. But we are a tool of management. The LEOs are not opposed to the Rainbow Family, but some people at the gatherings are "not the best in the world", so we never know who we are dealing with. We have to deal with all of them.

XX - Our Shantisina watches everybody- we know who + how to deal with them without a force of guns

XX - But I don't know who I'm dealing with

XX- Our problems are usually not with local LEOs - but there is a "flying squad" of "hit men" who come from Atlanta or wherever every year and harass us.

XX - There have always been LEOs around. However, back in the 90's some of them would take off their jackets + casually drape them over their sidearms when visiting us. Nowadays they carry automatic long guns and fire paintballs at us.

XX - Don't blame the LEOs, they are tools of management.

XX - I'd be glad to have PANCHO beside me

XX- We'll have an Incident Command team, but it won't be like it was in the past. [no further details given.]

XX: I don't want to be subject to any more harrassment by LEO's

XX: Believe me we hear you about the LEO's let's get on to the site issue

[All Agree]

XX {VISIBLE BY VIDEO SCREEN & AUDIABLE}: Its dry down here in the Gila forest, So we lookde for water first {{notes of agreement}} then we looked to see if the sites were to close to town or too far out. We came up with 7 possible sites. 1. Snow Lake: off a main highway SE of Reserve NM 2. Eckelberger Spring 3:Beaver head 4: Burro Mnts. 5: Fort Baird 6:Mimbres 7: Black range {4,5&6 Rejected}

We Sugested ::

XX: here are 3 areas ide like to suggest 1. NE Alma on Deep Creek Eside rt 180 Copper creek area. 2: W of Alma-Hanna Springs

[Fs:this is in AZ]

XX: There's lots of water open ways for clean up

XX: &Third Turner Peak - NW of Luna NM off fs220 on trout creek on the AZ border 5N 21W

XX: Recent years our gathering has been 10000K or so people fewer than in the past for what ever reson

XX: But NM favorite state for rainbows

XX: in 77' we were in Burnt Coral Canyon- E fork Gila canyon 2 to 5 miles N of there is a possible area theres truck access. in '77 we floated tons of grape fruits on the river down to the gathering!

[next we went to Carson Forest sites]

XX: We only found two areas 1. is the Canjilon area but we are doing work there "burning ect" so thats out for 2009 gathering. The other area is the san antonio medow area which weve used before in 1995 and again in 2007 its 45 miles to taos-30 miles to antonito firewood is available there now. In '95, the springs we used were tested & found to have ecoli in them but were used anyway with no bad effects.

XX: Recently some (random) scouts asked about the valli grand Dan(Rael) dosent recommend it . Its too dry- firewood limited - fs 80 is too narrow & rough. The other side of comino real is too steepgrand park is beautiful , but theres no water up hill from the site , the same goes for osha parck

XX: there are other tributaries of the rio san antonito: these sites not promising {{Rio Grand Nutritas Rio de Los Pinos-KC: theres the blue ribbon trout fishing area managed for fishermen with camps ect.

XX: How about the Kioa Grass lands; whos in charge there?

XX: thats Cibola Forest

{{Location to be anounced}

[FINALLY : We Discussed Thanksgiving Council FS Reps were Invited to talk with us on that friday or saturday after thanksgiving we will next meet again With FS on Wednesday 17 December 2008]

End of meeting

Scribe XXX

All other editing collaborated collectively

Finding a site and dealing with the USFS

2008-10-05T11:23:00.001-07:00

In September, various people involved in Rainbow gatherings held a meeting with the United States Forest Service at a USFS office in New Mexico in an attempt to foster a spirit of co-operation for the 2009 gathering. I've included the report from that meeting with all names "x"d out.

The notes reference another meeting that was tentative scheduled for October 1. I haven't heard yet if that happened or not. I am posting these notes in an attempt to make sure we all remember how much work goes into a gathering and to help all of us learn about the process. To my family who participated thank you very much for doing this.

******BEGIN FORWARDED NOTES************

Here is my report on what occurred at the meeting Wednesday, September 3rd at the Regional Forester’s office in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Attending were XXX, XXX, XXX, XXX and XXX as gathering participants. Regional Forester XXX, Special Agent XXX, Carson N.F. Forest Supervisor XXX and her resource/admin associate XXX, Gila NF Forest Supervisor XXX and his resource/admin associate XXX, and Santa Fe NF Deputy Forest Supervisor XXX and her resource/admin associate XXX as representatives of the FS.

The people from the Gila, the Santa Fe and the Carson appeared by videoconference. So far as we know it was not taped or recorded.

First I want to summarize what was discussed in the order it was discussed; and then I’ll editorialize a bit at the end.

We got started about 2:10 pm with XXX leading introductions and everyone making agreeable statements about wanting this year’s Gathering to go smoothly, be harmonious with the land, have a cooperative process to select a site everyone likes, and have low incidence of any kind of problems.

XXX led off with a discussion of timelines for meeting with district resource people who may have suggestions for sites, scouting sites we find, scouting sites they find, finding sites that are agreeable to everyone and don’t have problems like archaeological or protected species or other identifiable issues.

XXX agreed with XXX’s analysis about working together early – beginning now – and continuing thru the process of finding alternative sites that everyone finds acceptable.

Then XXX spoke about needing ‘some sort of permit.’ He described the FS’s need to be accountable to the public. He explained that the permit process was the method that the regs provided for that. And users had to be held accountable also. The permit was the process for that to happen too. He said this was ‘critical’ and they were going to enforce all regulations.

I replied to XXX saying there needed to be much more talk about that. But I wanted to lead off on a positive note so I spoke with the folks from the three forests first.

My points were a) There were huge problems with the FS recommending poor-choice sites. I said I would leave them all copies of two scouting reports (all names deleted) describing going to look at FS recommended sites: industrial area, historically protected site, no water, no firewood, no parking, dangerous roads, etc. I explained how this lead to scouts spending huge time looking at lost causes and left the impression on others that the FS wanted to send us into impossible spots. And if we don’t look at all the sites they propose then we get accused of not being cooperative. So, they need to vet their own districts’ suggestions. b) Over the decades we have noted that sites come in clusters as arranged by nature. That is: there is likely to be several sites near each other as part of the same basin or river branch system, or valleys along a range, etc. c) If we can find several alternatives near each other that we like and they like, then come spring council the pueblo, the people can look these over and make its consensus. That’s ideal because it saves everyone effort and stress.

Then addressing XXX, I said I believed that the past two years we had used an Operating Plan as an ‘alternative manner’ to satisfy the conditions of the permit system. I said the Operating Plan went into much more detail than their permit system and as a result from a resource stand point this had worked well each year.

He replied that accountability was the issue. That someone needed to stand up and be accountable for what impacts there were – or might be – and the permit was their process for obtaining that.

I explained that the greatest problem with a permit was that it required us to organize ourselves into a structure. To the forest officers I noted that while we had plenty of organizational abilities (such as the process to feed thousands of people and provide all kinds of services) we had zero organizational structure and that part of the expressive nature of the gatherings was making an example that humans could live together without a hierarchy. To XXX I said that while we here can give you our assurance that we will work with you on cooperative selection of a site, we cannot give you any assurance that anyone will cooperate with the permit’s signature/agent/representative requirement.

He said that issuance of a permit was ‘crucial.’

I said that brought us back toward the places we were over a decade ago. But I didn’t have a problem with the FS issuing a permit – if the mutually agreed to processes in the Operating Plan were met, then the FS could sign off on, and issue a permit –unilaterally. That was what we had been suggesting in meetings since 1983. That was the process used by user groups on public spaces all over the country. It was only the FS that had this quirky requirement that we designate an agent.

XXX indicated that there had been problems with accountability in that process and how did we assure that the conditions in the Operating Plan would be carried out?

I described what we had planned for that process for last year and stated that for whatever reasons the FS and the Rainbows hadn’t met as planned to go over things enough. The planned process was – and should be – every morning the FS resource and Leo people meet with Rainbows at the front gate and discuss what is happening and what problems there are. Then that group hikes on in toward information (or cooperations lodge) and meets there with people inside the Gathering. Everybody works to resolve whatever difficulties there are that day. I noted that this had worked very well over many years and we ought to be doing this exact thing next year.

The FS supervisors agreed and I suggested that since the question about the permit and the signature were clearly a political football, that for the time being we let that football rest where it had rolled to on the playing field and go on with discussing whatever other topics we had.

XXX steered the direction around the table.

XXX said he would pass – for now – on the topic of the permit but he gave a vivid description of how scouts and family look at sites and how there is an undefinable spiritual calling that the land gives us that says, This Is The Place To Gather On, that speaks to people in terms that are not measured by criteria on paper but touches people in their hearts. XXX told several examples of people finding sites and what had to be gone thru to find them. He explained that so far, every year had been different.

XXX asked about the possibility of finding sites that were jointly FS and BLM.

XXX said that there had nothing against sites that spanned agencies. We have looked at BLM and State land sites but it was largely a matter of water. The FS had the lands with the water sources.

XXX spoke at length with several examples of Leo harassment of Gathering participants. He talked about how the harassment on the road into the Gatherings was so completely extreme. He gave descriptive eyewitness reports. He spoke about the attitudes and aggressive conduct of the officers and how this was by far the single biggest problem the Gatherings had. And that this was the root of so many other problems the FS has had with the Gatherings. XXX asked all the FS present to put themselves in the shoes of someone ordered from their car, pointed at with multiple weapons, watching their vehicle rummaged thru without any cause except maybe not using a turn signal! How would you feel toward the Forest Service after that? And when people do get inside they find that so many of their brothers and sisters have been put through the same thing! And for no crime of any account.

XXX asked XXX, the Leo present, how he intended to deal with this harassment issue this year.

XXX was brief. He indicated that XXX was going to set the policy and that XXX was his ‘mouth’ about these things. XXX responded that they would provide ‘adequate law enforcement’ and he wanted to avoid problems and avoid the controversy that came with the problems.

XXX talked about the law enforcement problem at length. He explained how people come into the Gathering to set up and do the work necessary to make it all happen and just about all of them are pulled over – generally except the nicely dressed older-looking folks in rental cars – and searched on the flimsiest premises – which is exactly what he witnessed this past year. Then a couple of days later the nice resource people from the district come in and they can’t figure out why no one from the Gathering wants to talk to them. XXX explained that this was exactly why the Operating Plan ran into communications problems this year. That it was just about entirely the FS Leo’s fault for setting the stage for endless problems with cooperation by bullying people with insane roadblocks on the way into a public peaceful event.

He proposed that if the FS wants to meet people coming in, that they do so with a smile and a welcome, hand them an FS map or other friendly welcoming information and greet people with decency. He urged XXX and all the FS supervisors to make sure that was what happened on their watch.

XXX also suggested that there were other ways that the ‘permit issue’ could get resolved such as what I had suggested, or some other alternative method of finding compliance with the regs.

XXX agreed that was possible – without commitment to any solution - and said we should come back to that topic and revisit it later.

XXX spoke about the idea of ‘pre-approved’ sites explaining that may times finding somewhere or agreeing on somewhere only actually happened at the last moment, so there was a difference between pre-approval and mutual approval – both of which meant that the site was good for use for a Gathering. The FS indicated they understood this.

XXX spoke about ‘mutual expectations and responsibilities’ that we and they both had these in regard to both the land and the public.

XXX spoke briefly in response to a question about young people’s participation. He indicated that as a young person he was very interested in all this and would have more to say as the years go by.

I spoke about how many Gathering participants have urged the FS to protect sites that have good potential for large and ‘extra-large’ group expressive uses. It was much harder to locate usable sites today than it was twenty or thirty-five years ago. This is because many sites have been logged or industrialized, or privatized; and because many sites have been (often by the co-ordinated actions of Rainbows and FS personnel) protected by being included in wilderness areas, or scenic river areas, or have had protected species habitat identified. I suggested that the FS should begin a system-wide effort to identify and protect sites useful for public assembly.

Carson supervisor XXX talked about the need to notify and work with local area people better than we did in ’95 when the Rainbows came to Tres Piedras. She was referring to the Northern Spanish families who have been on the land here 400 plus years. There was conflict – at least in the press – with them in ’95 and we should communicate in order to avoid that if we were going to be in the Carson again. She said problems of that sort are “bigger than the Forest Service’ can solve.

XXXX, who was District Ranger in ’95 and gave us high marks for the cleanup back then – and who testified very favorably to us during the trial last year of the arrestees from the 2007 regional – spoke to the other Forest Supervisors and their associates explaining that this was no three week affair. This was going to be an all-consuming series of tasks that would take far more time and staff attention than they could possibly guess.

I talked briefly about the Fourth of July Silent Circle Meditation for Peace and how the whole of the Gathering centers around that. I noted that the meditation had not been interrupted this past year by armed patrols or planes overhead and that this was a good thing that should be continued this year.

There was a general discussion about site criteria.

XXX talked about road closures and making sure horse patrols didn’t poop and pee in the kitchens and in the streams we are trying so hard to protect. There was agreement about that, and the non-use of horses. XXX spoke also about the problems of ATV’s riding thru the crowds carrying officers across meadows when there could be way less environmental damage if officers were on foot. There was not agreement about this.

There was a discussion about how to keep in touch. It was suggested that we choose an email or web address where the FS can post its proposed sites. I said I would bring this discussion to ‘others’ and get back to the FS.

There was discussion about some of the scouting taking place before snowfall with the caveat that often in New Mexico springs are running in the fall (because of what are called the afternoon Monsoon rains) which are not running during the spring and early summer.

There was discussion about when to meet again. And the tentative time (and place (clearly subject to change) was set for Wednesday October 1st at the Santa Fe NF Supervisors’ office in Santa Fe, 1 to 3 pm.

At 4:10 pm the meeting was over.

[My afterthoughts:

First, I thought the meeting was supposed to be much more about maps and places and ideas about sites. We were all knocked off course by the Regional Forester’s assertion that the permit signing was going to be an issue again.

I think this is because of dis-satisfaction with the legalization of the event by the Leo forces inside the FS, but also supported by the FS resource people who felt that the Operating Plan processes weren’t working for them in the way they wanted last year.

Given that, I think the discussion hit the nail on the head several times, as the above report indicates, with real thoughtful explanation of how things went and how they are for us.

The resource-based, ‘Let’s work together to find workable sites’ focus was entirely supportive, with no conflicts.

I don’t think XXX and his team – who voice all the kind hopes toward making things go smoothly – realize that the forces that are pushing for the permit signature are doing this partly with the hope of pushing the Gathering once again into the zone of illegality and that if they allow this, They will be finessed right out of any control whatsoever. I don’t think they understand that in the case of an illegal event the Regional Forester, the Forest Supervisor and all their administrative people and all their water, land and other resource people will be pushed right off the map: that they will not be allowed to talk with us; they will not be allowed to meet with us; they will not be allowed to work with us; the NIMT (National Incident Command Team) will be in charge and they will not so much as be able to enter the ‘illegal’ area without the Special Agent’s armed escorts, etc., etc.

So I’m hoping (remember in ’07 I got the “Delusional Faith and Everlasting Hope in the F.S.” award) that XXX and his staff (who seem extremely friendly and un-afraid of the event) will work with us to figure out a way to cooperate across the board, bridge the gap of legality with some method that supports their public obligations and honors our spiritual individualism.

In sum, I feel it was a very realistic meeting with no nicey, nicey nonsense. We got right to the disagreements we have and let those rest while we went ahead with plans for smooth operations in the field.

I am going to attach the two reports about site scouting (’05 and ’07) that I left for them. These are text-highlighted exactly as I handed them out.

Next time somebody else can take notes.

A question for anyone who has actually read this far is: should I suggest they post info to scoutingreports@yahoo or somewhereelse@website or where???

See you all in New Mexico for the 38th Annual Rainbow Peace and Healing Gathering….]

XXXX

Missing Rainbow Brother Tyson Schrade

2008-09-25T06:40:00.000-07:00

Please circulate this information about a missing brother Tyson Schrade who disappeared September 11 at the Ochoco National Forest Mountain Spirit Tribe gathering in Indian Prairie. Tyson is still missing. Please pray for Tyson and for his family. If you are in contact with Tyson, please have him call his family and let them know he's OK.

Below is the timeline of the search.

Monday, September 22, 2008
On Saturday afternoon after 8 days of searching, officials have suspended the search for Tyson Schrade pending further developments in the case. We are asking that anyone that may be in that area keeps their eyes open for a studded belt, black pants cut right below the knee, a black t-shirt with AUDIO written in white, and a conductor's hat. Please notify Crook County Sheriff's Offfice if you have any information.

Friday, September 19, 2008 Update
Searchers will return to the Search area today to continue to track foot prints followed yesterday. Ground teams will continue searching in the hopes of finding new clues to determine Tyson's direction of travel.

Thursday, September 18, 2008 Update
Wednesday's Search was very productive. Searchers located a set of foot prints heading to the north toward private land and through the recent Bridge Creek burn. Searchers followed the tracks nearly 1 mile through very rugged terrain. The shoe print pattern and size are consistent with Tyson's.

10 Searchers from the Crook County Sheriff's Office and the Wheeler County Sheriff's Office will return to the Search area today in an attempt to re-locate and follow these foot prints. We would like to thank the public for all of the tips that have come in.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008 Update
The Search for Tyson Schrade will continue for today. Search crews will focus their efforts on a location to the East of the gathering.

Tuesday , September 16, 2008 Update
Thirty Search and Rescue Personnel representing Wheeler County, Crook County, Deschutes County and the United States Forest Service returned to the area around Indian Prairie. Tyson's family arrived in Prineville today to assist with the search.

Monday, September 15, 2008 Update
The Search Continues for Tyson Schrade. The Civil Air Patrol and Crook County Search and Rescue searched the Ochoco National Forest today. Tyson Schrade's family has been located in Northern California and is on their way to Prineville to assist in the search efforts. Authorities appreciate the assistance of the public and are following up on leads.

Sunday, September 14, 2008 Update
Members of the Wheeler County Sheriff's Office, Crook County Sheriff's Office, and Crook County Search and Rescue volunteers continue to look for Tyson Schrade (pronounced Schrad E) in and around the Indian Prairie area. Information gathered today leads authorities to believe that Tyson is more than likely still in the forest and we are looking for the publics help. If anyone has seen Tyson or a person meeting Tyson's description, please contact the Wheeler County or Crook County Sheriff's Office.

Saturday, September 13, 2008
While performing Search and Rescue training on Saturday September 13, 2008, the
Crook County Search and Rescue Team was flagged down by Rainbow Gathering participants near Indian Prairie in the Ochoco National Forest, Wheeler County Oregon. The Search and Rescue Team was informed that Tyson Glenn Schrade (age 27) had wandered away from the gathering the morning of Thursday, September 11th.

Tyson is described as a Caucasian male, 5'10", 175 lbs, dark brown hair and blue eyes. Tyson was last seen wearing black cut off "Dickies" style work pants, a black t-shirt with 6"-8" white horizontal lettering on the front spelling out the word "Audio". Tyson has a Mohawk style hair cut, but was last seen wearing a train conductor's hat. Tyson may be suffering from a medical condition causing hallucinations and delirium.

At this time, it is unclear if Tyson is in the forest or has hitched hiked out of the area. If anyone has information about Tyson Schrade's whereabouts, please contact the Wheeler or Crook County Sheriff's Office

The search for a 27 year old man reported missing in the Ochoco Nat'l Forest is suspended

If you've seen him, please tell him to contact his family or contact Brandon Smith- Special Services Commander
Crook County Sheriff
308 NE Third Street
Prineville, Oregon 97754
(541)-447-6398 Office
(541)-416-0353 Fax

What is Thanksgiving Council?

2008-08-30T10:08:00.000-07:00

Because the Rainbow Gathering has no leaders, no board of directors, no staff and no one in charge of anything, we depend on people working together to do all the preparation for the gathering in New Mexico. So over the years a process has come together to make sure that planning is open to everyone who wants to be involved.

The year starts off with Thanksgiving Council or T-Council over the four day weekend of the same name. This is a time for people interested in plugging in, talking about visions for the gathering, discussing scouting, strategizing about legal issues, etc. to get together.

T-Council generally takes place in the state or region where we will be gathering. It's usually a camp, cook, council, share heartsongs kinda of thing. Often but not always, the people at T-Council pick the dates for the Scout Rendezvous and Spring Council. Often times a PO box is established for snail mail and a banking council is formed to deal with any donations.

As with all things Rainbow, no experience is necessary, just a willingness to participate. Keep in mind this is not a gathering, it's a working council and the way this council unfolds sets the tone for the gathering.

I'm hoping that there will be a real mix of generations at T-Council. We need older people, we need younger people, we need more experienced gatherers and we need less experienced gatherers to come together to create a vision for a peaceful, healing and fun gathering in New Mexico. Be the change you want to see in this world.

New Mexico in 2009

2008-08-20T19:48:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard the news, the Annual Rainbow Gathering of the Tribes is taking place in New Mexico in 2009 from July 1 to July 7. If you missed 2008 in Wyoming, visit this year's blog.

Stay tuned for information on Thanksgiving Council, which happens over the Thanksgiving Weekend.