new girl's questions about rainbow gatherings

Why do they have a problem with a non-violence group? Is it the drug reputation? Wouldn't that be considered profiling? It just seems a little odd that the police would have such a problem with people gathering for world peace. They're not demonstrating or protesting, only praying. That'd be like the cops being posted outside of churchs.

 

Joy, happiness, and love are feelings ... a state of being. Love everthing you can. Love everyone you can. Focus on love and you will experience that love coming back to you. The universe will bring you more of everything ... and more people to love.

 

Welcome to the real world!

Years upon years of riff raff, drugs, assorted acts of violence, thefts, shoplifting, assaults, arson, accidents, rapes, run a ways, vagrancy, medical emergencies, broke bums, environmental damages, mental health issues, public opinion, and even the occasional murder.... are all standards for LEO to hide behind.

ANYONE that says that any of that is untrue...

30 years of gathering does not come without some consequences.

One un-beneficial act per year, by some unknown idiots (most likely not even "rainbow"), will add up over the years and become thirty-in-one bad things when looked at in the eyes of the law.

Gatherings have brought forth all kinds of assorted and DIFFERENT people together.

Unfortunately, there seems to be a draw from society, that dictates that some individuals will come to a gathering in an attempt to hide from their problems in the "real" world.

All too often the "real" world is forgotten and they have built an almost fantasy world around themselves and the gatherings... failing to remember that the world still revolves around them. A lot of these folk bring past issues to the gatherings that follow them. Some things that follow others can be quite dark.

Often people end up traveling after the gatherings. And we all know it takes traveling to and from the gatherings. Not many "rainbow" get by, with out their scrapes with LEO, and they end up with minor infractions that can vary from not paying tickets... to having expired insurance... to failing to ask permission to fart in some small town in BFE. They add up.

People seem to fail to realize that LEO seem to have one minor and secret goal with Rainbow... make all Rainbow felons.

Felons can not vote.

It is beyond rainbow... they want to quietly take away the voting privileges of "undesirables". Minor felony convictions are the quiet way of going about it.

Drugs make money... for the LEO!

FINES!

NEW INCOME FOR SMALL TOWNS!

A gathering just has a congregation of the type of people that LEO enjoys preying on in one convent place!

LEO knows this and will always have their vultures waiting.

It is about the money. Hippies do not have money for fines but the grants and money available to certain LEO departments is a windfall. ESPECIALLY FOR THE USFS... which is always trying to get money for their local jurisdictions. Use every bad example or incident over the years... and they get their money.

It is about what gets said on paper that can dictate what outcomes they want in the future.

It is about the threat to the church and state... and their monopoly!

They realize that the modern church destroyed the natural churches.

Man made churches can not withstand, over power, control, or manipulate the forest and the people that gather. Time has shown so... long before we were gathering.


It is all about intimidation of having so many people in one place... that they can not dictate to. They know that the gatherings are a good place to watch, learn, and listen to what is gong on in the nation amongst the grass roots. After the "big" gatherings... there are thousands of small one's in people's homes that they have no control or watchful eyes at. THIS drives them nuts.

Somewhere... is some office... sits a peace of paper that states that "rainbow" is a nuisance.

It is all about knowing that Rainbow is a "non-violent" group filled with a lot of people that have backgrounds that involved violence, and now are quite peaceful, that are sitting on a powder keg... and the LEO are throwing matches.


I think it pisses them off at how good we are at putting out fires!



The truest thing I have ever heard said about a gathering is... you find what you are looking for.

BUT... too many people become blind to what is happening around them as they look for what they want. Each and everyone has their own wants, needs, and desires. Too many people not looking out for each other and only for what they seek... is what will bring us down.

Just because you do not see the bad things... does not mean they are not all around you.

 

We've had our differences. The ACLU rerport on Federal Law Enforcement misconduct at the '08 Gathering in Wyoming can be found here as well as in older threads in this forum. The Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Agriculture is currently conducting an investigation into this matter.

 

wow, open your eyes to reality. People always hate what they don't understand.

 

always and hate should never go together, because some people are entregued by not understanding then forum some kind of appreciation and willingness to understand.

think outside the box there champ...

 

Tisha Mc
Being in the forrest is fun & having a job that pays well is excellent. I love to gather: party & party & work.

Life is a Circle

 

Life is a Circle

HUH??? I thought life was just a bowl of all-bran. (from Small Faces-Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake-late 60s)

Zen

 

I guess I'm just too naive. I thought all people would want peace. It makes me sad to think that the actions of few have defined the whole. I've always thought of myself as being pretty aware. But I guess I still have a lot to learn. Our own government can get away with killing for peace, but praying for it has people up in arms? How are people not seeing the backwards reasoning in this? I don't know anybody who wouldn't like their children to grow up in a world without fear. So, why not take a chance on a way that doesn't ruin lives in the process? They'd rather send their sons and daughters to possible death and probable mental abuse than to pray? Is a world without war, poverty and famine that much scarier? I just don't understand.
Well, back to the topic at hand. What kind of things are going on at the gathers? Is it structured, or do smaller groups break off and do their own thing? I know that there is a mass prayer time such things. But for the rest of the time, what is it that people are doing?

 

"What do they do out there?" Didn't I hear Yonder sing that song?
A lot of your day might well be spent on the physical mechanics of staying alive, healthy, and comfortable, i.e. chopping water, digging wood, carying holes. Walking from place to place takes time. If your friend is camped a mile and a half away, not unlikely on a large site an a 4th of July annual Gathering, that's an hour round trip, if you don't meet another friend with a doobie on the way. Someone with a bit of an edumakashun, like you, might end up as media liason, or sitting at Info answering questions...not a bad job, for someone at their first gathering. 90% of the questions are of the "Where's Main Circle?" "Where's potable water?" Where's the shitter?" sort, which you can learn pretty easy, and the hard questions you can kick to someone who knows more about what's going on, and listen to the answers & learn.

You said you are getting your degree to be a teacher. In what field?

 

Wandering -
I'm getting my degree for highschool level history and math, with the hope of one day becomeing a college professor. I hate math, but I'm good at it, so whataya gonna do, right? Love history.
Helping others along, that sounds like fun. I'm willing to do anything to help. I have to admit where I fall short, though. And I'm not a very strong person, physically I mean, total mental muscles. Hard labor may be wasted on me, but where my services can be used they will be offered. I'm just afraid of getting there and being a parasite. Or worse, an ingnorant parasite. I hope for jobs to do, and wiser ones to learn from. That is all I'm looking for. That and the joy of meeting likeminded people.

 

A kitchen needs wood for the cookfire. 50 not so strong people go for wood. Each is only able to carry one piece of wood. Is not a cookfire still made?

Nobody requires you to do anything. You can bliss if you want to. From my experience helping out is more fun. (y'know, one of these days I might try being a bliss ninny for a day)

Ignorance is trumped by learning....no worries.

Zen

 

As long as you're learning, you're not being a parasite. I've been doing this crazy s***t since '89, and I'm still trying to figger it out....

 

A bliss ninny, huh? I like that.
I'm happy to hear that peoples expectations seem to be very broad. Don't want to stick out like a soar thumb.

 

I saw a thumb soar once. Co-worker in the woodshop decided to cut a piece freehand on a tablesaw. Got distracted...blade cut thumb off and....it soared!!!
Boss was pretty sore that an experienced joiner could be so stupid.

(((wink)))

Zen

 

I never claimed to be a good speller, or good at the English language, period. Actually, I will admit right now that it was always my worst subject. While typing that I was looking at it and thinking it just didn't look right, but I wasn't sure, so I just went with it.

 

tisha
i can totaly tell that you'll walk into the site find your place and immediately feel confortable helping out in many ways
its not always about chooseing a job to do then only doing that job
many people float around seeming to have nothing to do, but that just freews them up to do anything..repair a bridge thats about to wash out..carry a bagh of onions to main supply run to info to find a radio to alert calm that someones been injured and needs help
help someone put up a confusing tent with no directions ..walk with the 6-up escourting thenm through the site
helping to dig a bus out of the mud
theres never a shortage of things that need to be done, and you dont always have to pick a job to do, som,etimes the job of the momment picks you cause you happento be there when something needs to be done


papilion its goods to see u here brother..i didnt know uposted here

and wabndering turnip u asked what years ive been to ocala..well all i can say is far too many years to keep track of
86 87 89 90 91 i dont know ..94 maybe..not every yewar maybe not even more often then not but certainly many many times
and yes theres been many amazing ocala gatherings ill always remember (the site that had the very narrow trail betweeen 2 gator ponds i remember fondly_)0
ocala wasnt always a disapointmenty and i have heard some years more recently it was beautiful (one or 2 i missed, i havent been there in 2 or 3 years) but the past maybe 10 years it can be a disapointment more often then not
i still go as often as im able ocalas needs as much good energy as possible
but more and more i find im going more for the weather and just hoping there will be a handful of the peoplke and energy that make the trip worthwhile otherwise
back a number of years though ocala was one of my favorite regionals and i miss many of the good people i met there several of which i havent seenmn since
speaking of which, does anyone know a sister namned faith from gainsville? (or at least was from there long ago..ive onlyt seen her at 2 ocala gathgerings spaced apart by years but still miss her)

oyut of the many many ocakla gatherings ive been to only maybe 1/2 were memorable as good gatherings, and in the last 10-15 years that number could be counted..well i was gonna say on 1 hand but you could almost count them on a hand held up in a peace sign (well maybe in reality it was 3)

im in no way trying to discourage anyone from going to ocvala though because i think the bad rep hasd prevented many of the people that could turn it around and make it a great gathgering again from going
its never held me back, but has lowered my expectations significantly
i still may go this year if a rides offered, but im not going to be putting much effort into it this year
(but i do hope this years will be one of the few good ones)
personaly i think ocala would improve if it was held every other year and moved around a 3 state region instewad of always being expected to happen in the samne general sarea year after year

tisha..if u do go to ocala..you most likely will have a great time
but wether or not you do..you should still try to get to the national to get a better experience
and if u can only managew one or the other id definately recommend the national over ocala

oh and in ocalo watch your puppies carefuly
the gators tend to be shy and hide in the [ponds with all the people there..but a puppie that goes for a drink might as well be named snack

 

Tisha Mc,

Rainbow is a wonderful experience for SO many reasons! Many here have already given you a lot of good info about them so I won't re-hash that, I'd just like to say that if you make it to the annual gatherings you can find my wife & I camped with the Musical Veggie Cafe, along with many other great folks who make that place so fun! Hope to see you there!

 

Yea!!! The bassoon playing rutabaga is a sight to behold and the piano playing pumpkin is awesome!!!

Musical Veggie is good folks..imo

Zen

 

I know damn well you weren't there any of the 5 consecutive Ocala gatherings I attended '01-'06 (or was it '02-07?), so unless you've been the past 2 or 3 years I've missed, that makes it a lot more than 2 or three years since you have been there. I would doubt you have been to an Ocala gathering since the turn of the century.