Rainbow Family Gathering 2007

NO PERMIT needed
For Rainbow Family Gathering 2007 Event
FALLSVILLE, Ark


Ozark National Forest in northwest Arkansas July 1-7

THIS LINK FOR NEW 2008 UPDATE -
Rainbow FamilyGathering 2008 Wyoming

Top Stories

June 27 2008 latest updates ----

Howdy family,

I am in town for a night and thought I'd give an update. Prolly won't be here to answer it, so save yer questions...

IGNORE ALL RUMORS!

There is a small contingent of family over at Synder Basin. Very Small. Look people, I dislike the FS as much as the next rainbow does, but running away because you're unable to see the big picture or try to work together to work out the Boy Scout trip is disheartening to say the least.

We tried hard to work with the Boy Scouts. It was dumped in our laps at the last moment, so playing the blame game, as I've seen done here on AGR isn't a healthy way to go. It just happened.

They are still coming(the Boy Scouts)and won't lose anything at all by working around the issue of us being there when they come in, which isn't until the 26th of July.

I've attended all of the meetings with the FS and the locals and for
the most part, they all went well.

There is a faction of BLM LEO's who aren't happy about the Gathering and being as they are ex-FS employees, I think they are taking the opportunity to play games at our and the FS's expense. Not defending
the FS here but we did get a firm commitment from Mark Rey that there would be no hassle inside the Gathering from LEO's and so far, that has held.

I have PERSONALLY witnessed our brother Plunker giving selflessly to make sure we have a safe, secure, peaceful front gate this year and I believe he should be commended for that effort!

If you aren't here on the land or speaking with somebelly who is, PLEASE stop promoting rumors. It does nothing but add to the confusion of people who ARE on the land, trying to work these isses out and
helps to discourage or sometimes frighten people who aren't here yet
but plan to be.

I've been to over twelve nationals starting in 1975 and this is by far one of the most beautiful sites we've been at so far.

Front Gate elevation is about 7800 feet and there is a beautiful way station that Summerbreeze and Raven have set up to welcome folks home and where they can chill for the night. From there, it's about 2 miles to the trailhead and then 200 yards to Welcome Home and then a 2 1/2 mile walk to main meadow NOT TEN MILES AS SOME HAVE POSTED HERE. Also, there is a middle back gate with a bus village that is only a mile walk to main meadow. Main Meadow IS about 9,200 feet, so yes, it is a challenge for the disabled but still doable, with help, which is there and waiting. There are about 6000-7000 of us there now, with more arriving all the time.

Mostly, folks are working together and making this work, FS included.

Front Gate this year is the most peaceful and serene I have seen in years.

Loving you all, family!
Take care!
Hope to see you at Main Meadow.

Love,
blue

Rainbows and under secretary meet in Pinedale
Posted: Wednesday, Jun 25th, 2008
BY: Derek Farr

Who thought praying for peace could be so complicated?

More than 70 people attended a community meeting at the Pinedale Library Thursday that the Rainbow Family of Living Light intended to host as an informational seminar concerning their July 1-7 national gathering in the Big Sandy area.
The Rainbows wanted to answer questions about their event from Forest Service (FS) and Sublette County officials and community members.

Instead a semi-cantankerous conflict of two distinctly different cultures broke out and the Boy Scouts of America were in the middle of it all.
The three-and-a-half-hour meeting concluded with everyone holding hands for a moment of silence.

The temporary solidarity came after the Rainbow Family promised to consider moving their national gathering from the Dutch Joe Guard Station near the Big Sandy River to Snyder Basin near Big Piney to accommodate the Boy Scouts.

But neither a decision nor a promise was made.

Prior to the meeting a diverse crowd of Rainbows, government officials and citizens mingled in the late-day sun while a middle-aged woman in a tie-dyed dress pushed a small shopping cart and demanded to meet with a Rainbow named “Forest.”
She had no description of the person but insisted “Forest” was her ride to the gathering.
Inside the library, Rainbows arranged chairs into a circle.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary Mark Rey, 23 Rainbows, the FS Incident Command Team (ICT), Bridger-Teton National Forest (BTNF) District
Ranger Tom Peters, Pinedale Mayor Steve Smith, Sublette County Sheriff “Bardy” Bardin, Sublette County Commissioner Joel Bousman, media and about 20 Sublette residents sat in a short-lived silence.

It didn’t take long for the debate to begin. And when it did, there was plenty to discuss.
“Some of you people, I actually like,” Pinedale resident Shane Wasem (as a citizen) said to the Rainbows. “But I don’t think you’re above Forest Service rules.”

His objection is fundamental to the Rainbows’ existence.

FS permits are required for groups of 75 people or more to gather on the forest but this year the Rainbow Family, which attracts up to 20,000 people, doesn’t have a permit. Instead they are working under an operating plan.
Wasem noted he obtained a permit for his family’s reunion. Then he asked Rey why the Rainbow Family doesn’t abide by the same rules.
Rey explained the FS and the Rainbows have struggled over the permit issue for many years.

“This issue of signing a permit became so contentious (the FS and Rainbows) were at risk of losing our relationship,” Rey said. He explained that this year’s operating plan is a necessary experiment because the Rainbows are not compatible with Forest Service rules and regulations.

That and the Rainbows’ inability to sign a permit are rooted in the family’s organization.
Since its inception in 1972, the group has rejected hierarchical leadership and opted to operate as a leaderless mass of individuals. They have no formal power structure.
With nobody in charge, the Rainbows claim they lack a leader to sign a permit.
It’s their power structure, or lack thereof, necessitating an “alternative arrangement” between the FS and the mish-mash of family members.

While it was a simple concept for the family members to grasp (they repeatedly insisted on being leaderless), the Rainbows’ structure is difficult for people in the “outside world” to understand.

“I’m beginning to wrap my head around organization without organization,” Pinedale Mayor Steve Smith said. “How do you deal with communication? Do you have a head messenger? Do you have a chair of communication?”

The Rainbows replied they correspond through “people with radios” and while those people are not leaders they are “people who know how to communicate.”
They also have a daily “noon council” that makes decisions.
It was the Rainbows’ spring council held around June 10 that decided on the national gathering’s location. And as soon as the announcement was made, people started gravitating toward the site in what the Rainbows describe as an almost-irreversible migration.

The Boy Scouts

On the opposite end of the chart is the Boy Scouts of America’s National Honor Society, the Order of the Arrow (OA).
For three years the OA had planned a massive conservation service project on the BTNF slated for July 26.
They were visiting the Big Sandy area as well.

According to the OA, Scouts plan on bridgework, camping improvements, fence-building, erosion-control and weed-control projects.
The service project is scheduled to begin July 26, two weeks after the Rainbow gathering ends.

Tuesday, Boy Scouts of America announced its decision to relocate the 150 Scouts who were planning on fence removal and wildlife habitat enhancement projects near Dutch Joe.

“Due to a scheduling conflict with the Rainbow Family, who only recently planned to use the same site, the Boy Scout’s leadership has asked for this portion of their service project to be relocated to another portion of the Bridger-Teton National Forest,” said Mary Cernicek, BTNF spokeswoman.”
Cernicek said BTNF and the Scouts have been “diligently preparing” the project for three years.
A total of 1,100 Boy Scouts will volunteer on the Forest that week.

Other Boy Scout projects are not affected by the Rainbow gathering. They include fence removal and wildlife habitat restoration near Goosewing Guard Station near
the Gros Ventre Wilderness and trail construction on Teton Pass.
At the meeting, the Rainbows admitted a small contingent of their people would still be at the site for clean-up.

While the Rainbow Family officially discourages drug and alcohol use, their gatherings are synonymous with behavior that might make an Eagle Scout blush.

Clothes are optional and the Rainbows, without a command structure or leaders, are powerless to prohibit drugs and alcohol.
Regardless, the Rainbows argue the vast majority of their revelers will have departed and those left won’t be in the exact same area anyway.

That assertion isn’t changing the FS stance: The agency wants the Rainbows to move.
“I can’t tell parents who spent money on plane tickets that we can’t provide the site that we promised the Scouts,” Under Secretary Rey said. “A gathering of this size has a very large footprint. There’s no way to mitigate, in an effective way, its effects with our other projects.”
There was a “high certainty” some of the Scouts are going to stay home, he added.

Rey offered to help the Rainbows move to the Snyder Basin site (the same location as their 1994 national gathering) and clean up their Big Sandy site.

“This is a red herring created by the (FS) Incident Command Team to try to embarrass us,” interjected Rainbow Michael Berg, who has a long white beard and goes by the name “Santa.”
Other Rainbows voiced displeasure with Santa’s comments.

Loudest among the voices was the family’s Chief Orator. Gary Stubbs said he would be “willing to accept that there were mistakes on both sides” but the family cannot move because it has hauled too much equipment into the Big Sandy site.
He added the incident team is staffed by overly aggressive and under-trained personnel and a move would expose family members to ICT harassment.

Rey appealed for the family to show a “spirit of cooperation” by moving. He said next year his successor might not be as sympathetic to the Rainbow Family.

The debate lingered until Stubbs agreed to advise the Rainbows to move to Snyder Basin. After a brief discussion the Rainbows concluded they would meet at “12:30-ish” for a council meeting where Rey’s request would be discussed.

A Rainbow named Greg then asked ICT Commander Gene Smithson if the family could move freely without the presence of law enforcement officers.
“I am amused but not surprised by some of the baseless allegations I have heard here tonight,” Smithson answered.
He refused to discuss the issue any further.
To close the meeting, “Bajer” asked the remaining audience members to hold hands in a moment of silence of hope and clarity.

It was dark when the meeting ended.

Bajer and another Rainbow walked out the front doors, past the ICT team and onto Fremont Street.
“So what did you think about the meeting?” Bajer asked.
“Well,” his friend responded. “Nobody got shot.”

According to ICT Information Officer Rita Vollmer, the Rainbows held a council on Friday but did not reach a decision.

Saturday, the Forest Service attempted to reach the Rainbows by phone but the group’s elders were “unavailable.”
“From our understanding they intend to stay,” Vollmer said. “The group is growing larger every day. We anticipate the numbers are going to grow dramatically by the end of this week.”

Rainbows pick Big Sandy Wyoming
At circle ceremony, free spirits select July 2008 site.

Consensus - Jackon Hole, Wyo June 11, 2008

UPDATE JUNE 24 2008
Rainbows won't split gathering; Decide to all stay put at Dutch Joe-Big Sandy

Here's an update/clarification on the directions to the gathering site:

Take US-191 to Boulder, WY (10 miles South of Pinedale)
Go EAST on WY-353 for 18 MILES to the end of pavement where it turns into County Road 118.
KEEP GOING on CR-118 (dirt road) for another 10 MILES (towards "Farson").
This will take you across the river at Buckskin Crossing, then watch for a junction with CR-132 where a sign points left to "Big Sandy Campground 15". Turn LEFT (east) on CR-132 (Lander Cut) and then FOLLOW the SIGNS to "DUTCH JOE G.S." -- After 7 MILES, there will be another LEFT, then go 2 MILES -- WELCOME HOME!!!

[Note: The site is NOT at "big sandy campground"-- it IS near "Dutch Joe GS" on the Big Sandy River]

Hope that helps!

------------------------------------

hey everyone; this is the report i got from the circle --

consensus was reached quickly after the scouting reports were given...
nobody was shut out of the process -- people felt very strongly about big sandy and being somewhere new...
there was discussion about the option of Snyder Basin

....and the issues with Big Sandy -- if BLM doesn't cooperate it makes BigSandy harder, but not unworkable
-- there is parking on FS land (where people are landing) and the site itself is on FS land
... but there's also checkerboard FS/BLM... in the lower end near front gate/parking...

-- after this discussion there was a call for consensus for Snyder Basin that was blocked... then a second call for consensus for Big Sandy was unanimous...
(no one felt strong enough about it to block)... i am told people were excited and happy and immediately headed HOME....

there were several other sites scouted all over the state but these two stood out as the best... the circle even waited for some scouts to arrive to make sure no one was left out or unheard... -- many other sites had access problems (private homes, deep snow, etc) or were even higher altitude -- the weather has been rough for weeks and is actually probably worse up on either site since the snow is deeper...

The scouts who met with BLM (from Rock Springs) spoke in Circle and reported that BLM said "we can't use their land" -- so people talked about whether/how the site could work without it -- and they decided it was still where they would rather BE.

So.. that said.. everyone has relocated to Big Sandy...and there's no one left at Stokes except the janitor... i don't know if the directions are getting out... but the landing site is near the confluence of Big Sandy River and Dutch Joe Creek ... basically you take HWY 353 to the end of the pavement -- then follow signs for about 14 miles towards "Dutch Joe G.S." on the road to big sandy campground -- this will bring you to the Front Gate and parking on FS land... the gathering is about a mile past parking.

hope that clears it up some...

---------------------------------

Invitación al Consejo
Para el:

En segundo lugar mundial Rainbow reunión de las tribus
Lugar y Hora:
Viernes 20 de Junio tras el solsticio de verano Ceremonia de 6:59 PM a:
La escultura de la Reina del Mar en el Malecón frente a Callejón La Paz
(Al otro lado del Hotel Perla), si bien podrá proponer a la Kiosco una cuadra al norte, dependiendo de cuántas personas asistan.

Como la mayoría de gente sabe por ahora, la recolección avanza extraordinariamente bien y la invitación es ahora en muchas partes del mundo: Publicado ampliamente en los medios de comunicación alternativos; Publicado en cientos de sitios Web y páginas Web, y ha sido remitida por miles de personas a sus redes de amigos y grupos.

La invitación ya está disponible en 26 idiomas y más desplazamiento y la publicación a las redes y los medios de comunicación alternativos fuentes a las que esos idiomas se utilizan se encuentra en proceso para que todo el mundo la extensión de la invitación se siga ampliando.
Tenemos una recopilación de sitio y una fuente de agua fresca a través de un gran depósito de las donaciones y el camión para transportar en él y un agricultor local ha ofrecido la mayor cantidad de rellenos libre del tanque como se necesitará de su bien con el agua procedente de 100 metros por debajo la superficie, por lo que es limpio y de excelente calidad.

Dependiendo del número de personas que eventualmente llegar para la reunión, necesitamos que nos adicional camiones tanque de agua.
El dueño de la propiedad está tratando de instalar los pozos y también está probando las fuentes de agua subterránea en el sitio. Nos gustaría que las bombas funcionen con energía solar, eólica o posiblemente las fuentes.

También hay un evento programado para el mes de octubre en la propiedad, con anterioridad a la reunión propiamente dicha y cúpulas y otros refugios será en eso. Ellos muy probable estancia para la reunión.

Terrenos sobre la propiedad (4000 acres en total) se ofrecerá a establecer una comunidad dedicada en curso hacia la creación de una aldea alternativas positivas que abarque todas las formas de: fuentes de energía alternativas, un centro holístico de la medicina y la escuela; jardinería orgánica y la agricultura; artes ( todos los medios de las artes) y la artesanía y el centro escolar; Baja El Jardín de todas las plantas nativas de esta región, un Patrimonio de Semillas Plantación / Jardín; diseño arquitectónico alternativo para el desarrollo sostenible y un impacto mínimo estructuras que sería la energía eficiente como sea posible; los medios de comunicación centro de las artes y la escuela, y por supuesto, grandes extensiones de tierras conservadas en su estado totalmente natural. Básicamente sería un modelo de comunidad esfuerzo que se espera el tono para el desarrollo futuro de esta y otras regiones.

Esos son los factores existentes y potenciales que deben realizarse a partir de este Encuentro Mundial de las tribus y, por supuesto, vamos a alentar a todos los que vienen de otras partes del mundo para lograr modelos que han encontrado trabajo real y qué hacer presentaciones y / o talleres sobre ellos, así como la presentación de ideas factibles para otros esfuerzos que en su conjunto puede considerar digno de investigación y desarrollo.

Para más información puede ponerse en contacto Rainbow Hawk en el Café Delis en el Callejón La Paz, o rainbow_gathering@yahoo.com


Invitation to Council
For the:
Second Global Rainbow Gathering of the Tribes 2008
Location & Time:
Friday June 20th following the Summer Solstice Ceremony 6:59PM at:
The Sculpture of the Reina del Mar on the Malecon in front of Callejon La Paz
(Across from the Hotel Perla) though may move to the Kiosko one block north, depending upon how many people attend.

As most folks know by now, the Gathering is progressing amazingly well and the Invitation is now out in many parts of the world: Published extensively in the Alternative Media; Posted on hundreds of Websites and WebPages; and has been forwarded by thousands of people to their networks of friends and groups.
The Invitation is now available in 26 languages and further posting and publishing to networks and alternative media sources where those languages are used is in process so that the world wide extension of the invitation will continue to expand.

We have a Gathering site and a fresh water source via a very large donated tank and the truck to haul it on and a local farmer has offered as many free fillings of the tank as will be needed from his well with water coming from 100 meters below the surface, so it is clean and of excellent quality.

Depending upon the number of people who will eventually arrive for the Gathering we may need additional water tank trucks.
The owner of the property is trying to install wells also and is testing the underground water sources on the site. We would like to see those pumps run on solar energy, or possibly wind sources.

There is also an event scheduled for October on the property, prior to the Gathering proper and domes & other shelters will be at that. They will very likely stay for the Gathering.

Land on the property (4,000 acres in total) will be offered to establish an ongoing community dedicated towards creating a positive alternatives village that would encompass all forms of: alternative energy sources; a holistic medicine center and school; organic gardening & farming; arts (all mediums of the arts) and crafts center and school; The Baja Garden of all native plants to this region; a Heritage Seed Plantation/Garden; alternative architectural design for sustainable and minimal impact structures which would be as energy efficient as possible; a media arts center and school; and of course large tracts of land preserved in their totally natural state. Essentially it would be a model community endeavor which would hopefully set the tone for future development of this and other regions.

Those are the existing factors and potentials to be realized from this Global Gathering of the Tribes and of course we will encourage all those coming from other parts of the world to bring proven models which they have found work & do actual presentations and/or workshops on them, as well as the presentation of feasible ideas for other endeavors we as a whole may consider worthy of research and development.

For further information contact Rainbow Hawk at Café Delis on the Callejon La Paz, or rainbow_gathering@yahoo.com

------------------------------------

Forest Service Conference March 17 2008 1pm

Rainbow Family Gathering 2007
Friday June 29, 2007 4:46 AM

FALLSVILLE, Ark. (AP) - The U.S. Forest Service said it won't require members of the Rainbow Family to get a permit for their annual gathering in a national forest, and have worked with members to come up with a plan to protect the forest.

The mix of eccentrics, young people and hippie types from around the country has been meeting for decades each year in a national forest somewhere in the U.S. to pray for peace and to celebrate love.

About 3,000 people had arrived in the Ozark National Forest in northwest Arkansas for the July 1-7 gathering as of Thursday, Newton County Sheriff Keith Slape said.

"25,000 expected to attend the 4th of July Prayer for Peace circle"

Instead of requiring a permit for the group to use the land, a team drafted a plan that includes requirements on distances between campsites and water sources, as well as sensitive areas to avoid.

Rainbow Family members say they have a constitutional right to assemble where they choose without a permit, but the Forest Service requires a federal permit for any gathering of more than 74 people.

``The Rainbow Family is making an effort to comply with our Forest Service regulations and trying not to make an impact on the land,'' said Denise Ottaviano, an information officer with the agency team.
``For the most part, they are complying and there's not too much confrontation.''

About 50 federal or state wildlife officers and county deputies were patrolling the event. Slape said nearly 30 arrests had been made on various charges, including drugs, alcohol, and disorderly conduct.

Fallsville is 150 miles northwest of Little Rock.

U TUBE Video: Young man from England on Rainbow
Michael's first trip to the States, talks about his Rainbow experience

Peace, love, freedom: The summer of '67

By WOLF SCHNEIDER For The New Mexican
July 14, 2007

Forty years ago, hundreds of hippies came to Northern New Mexico to launch the back-to-the-land movement on communes, in search of peace, love and freedom

As Scott McKenzie crooned about wearing flowers in your hair and The Doors urged us to break on through, San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury swelled during the summer of 1967 with the influx of 100,000 hippies in love beads and peace signs, drawn there by the new values of peace, love, personal freedom and mind expansion.

Heeding the Pope of Dope himself, Timothy Leary, who advised them to “Turn on, tune in and drop out,” teenagers and twenty-somethings also began gathering in Northern New Mexico, attracted by the back-to-basics natural lifestyle, inexpensive real estate, nonconformist artistic permissiveness and Indian mysticism. The region become a magnet for hippie communes such as New Buffalo, Morning Star, Lama, Reality Construction Company, Lorien, Five Star, the Hog Farm and Magic Tortoise.

Among those who arrived then? A pregnant photographer named Lisa, lured by a place where she could have her baby with natural childbirth for just $200. Linda, a former Playboy Bunny from New York. A New York schoolteacher named Iris who would chronicle the era 30 years later in a book titled Scrapbook of a Taos Hippie. A contemporary Indian artist named Doug, driving a faded red VW convertible, whose paintings would come to hang in Santa Fe’s ritziest hotels. Another Doug, just out of the Army, who’s now a leading Santa Fe jeweler. And Rick, a 25-year-old poet from the University of Pittsburgh who dropped out and used his trust fund to buy 100 acres and launch New Mexico’s most famous commune.

Read full Article: The earliest arrivals


It was groovy: 19 '60s experts remember the Summer of Love

UPDATE July 12 2007

Rainbow Gathering Colorful but Not As Expected

By Connie Las-Schneider

Expectations for trouble and drama ran high as the colorful Rainbow Family clan gathered last week in the woods north east of Franklin County last week. Rumors, too.

It's been a tough job separating facts from rumors about the "Rainbow Family" gathering in the Ozark National Forest near Fallsville last week, said National Forest Service Information Officer and "rumor control" specialist, Scott Roberts.

Despite the Rainbow Family of Living Light's new-age name and its claim as the "largest non-organization of non-members in the world," the group defies most stereotypes, said Roberts.

"It's been very surprising to see the cultural diversity of people attending the week long event. We've had doctors, lawyers, engineers, environ- mentalists and mainstream religious groups, as well as metaphysical new-agers, hippies and gypsies," said Roberts. Most seemed peaceful and respectful of the land, said Roberts. Many greeted each other and outsiders equally with warm smiles and peace signs, said a photographer from Hartman.

On the morning of July 4, most participants kept a silent prayer vigil until noon. The photographer said it was "really spooky" being surrounded by thousands of seemingly unorganized people without hearing any talking."

Despite rumors to the contrary, 'dumpster diving' and shoplifting have not been big problems, said Roberts, who made a tour of local businesses and communities impacted by the event. One area shopkeeper said she was happy to have the extra business, while others saw no impact. The only major complaints Roberts heard was the over-use of bathroom facilities and that some Rainbow family members seemed to need a hot, soapy shower.

One rumor, that certain "Rainbows" had washed their hair under produce water misters so the fruit and vegetables would be thrown out, is untrue. According to an office worker at Harvest Foods in Clarksville, where the hair washing incident allegedly took place, it "never happened."

Another food rumor, that Rainbows had eaten produce before it was purchased at that same Harvest Food

Store, "happened only once," said Gregory. "We did put up a sign warning shoppers not to eat food before paying for it, after one man ate a peach. Otherwise, there weren't any problems. Actually, Rainbows purchased quite a bit of groceries," he added.

A manager from WalMart in Clarksville, said there was "not a bit of problem" from the influx of Rainbow goers. At the Clarksville bus station and Shell gas station at I-40 exit 57, the manager said although hundreds of people from as far away as England and Germany landed at the bus stop enroute to the event, he had not encountered any problems.

Rumors often disguise reality, too. "Judging from everything we heard (about the Rainbow gathering), we expected our jail to be full," said County Sheriff, Jimmy Dorney. Instead, "everything has been very calm and less than 10 arrests have been made, mostly for loitering or panhandling," said Dorney on Thursday. He also said many Rainbow goers had shopped at local stores and this helped the local economy.

Another rumor, that some Rainbows had attempted to camp near the Mulberry River but were kicked out, is untrue.

According to the group's original "non-plan", a permit was issued to have part of the "family" camp near Shore Lake by the Mulberry River. Being "very democratic" the group decided not to use the facility, so the gathering did not materialize, said a National Forest Service employee in Ozark.

With 6,000 people gathered in a 70-acre area of the Ozark National Forest for up to a week or more, accidents and incidents were bound to occur.

To combat problems and keep the "love" flowing, the Forest Service and several county, state and national agencies supplied over 100 people, some with holiday pay. A National

Incident Management Team (NIMT) was assembled to command the operation. GPS tracking was done of the site to insure personnel could get to problem spots quickly, added Roberts.

Unfortunately, there were some medical emergencies, said Roberts. The most severe health problem was one confirmed case of infectious meningitis, said Larry Morse, Administrator of Johnson Regional Medical Center. Morse estimated three or four patients were seen in emergency every day, some suffering from snake bites and falls, said Morse.

Another rumor, that E-Coli food poisoning had occurred was unknown to the local health officials interviewed and not substantiated by AR Dept of Health, who monitored the event.

One woman did suffer from a serious allergic reaction to poison ivy, and many people, not used to the local insects here, were bothered by tick and chigger bites, said Roberts. No drug over-doses were reported, he added, although this may have been managed internally, as the Rainbow group had their own medical facility at the site, the Center for Alternative Living Medicine.

To handle unlawful behavior, a temporary remote court was set up at the Forest Service Work Center in Deer. As of July 7, 370 violation notices and 89 arrests were made.

Violations included public nudity, drug and alcohol violations, disorderly conduct, interference with law enforcement officers, outstanding warrants, and many traffic and vehicle violations. US Magistrate Judge Marchewski heard approximately 65 cases and issued 39 warrants for failure to appear.

Some rumors are proving true, however. These mainly impact the land.

Parking was a problem of nightmare proportions, said Roberts. Thousands of cars, from beat up hippy busses to luxury vehicles bearing license plates from all over the US were jammed into berms and ditches along the narrow 3 mile service road to the main encampment or parked along AR Hwy 21. Many vehicles became mired in the mud and muck from heavy rains and had to towed out, scaring the road sides with their struggles. Some vehicles will probably be abandoned.

"One of our primary environmental concerns is soil impaction. When the ground is heavily trampled, vegetation can take years to start growing back. Recent rains also caused some areas to become huge mud holes," said Roberts. Damage to live trees and other vegetation used for firewood and other purposes will also have to be accessed, said Roberts.

Another impact on the environment is water pollution. As the only permanent on-site water source available to Rainbow campers and participants, a tributary to the Buffalo River was used for bathing and boiled for consumption. Because of this, a Forest Service Hydrologist tested the water daily.

Most sanitation facilities were primitive latrines and ditches. Heavy rains probably washed some waste products and other refuse into the river, said Roberts. The impact on the aquatic eco-system of the near-pristine Buffalo River may be compromised, he added. Land based wildlife whose homes were disturbed by the gathering will also be affected, he said.

One televised rumor, that the group did up to one million dollars in environmental damage to the forestland may be overstated. According to Roberts, the NIMT team has a budget of $750,000, not including personnel cost to rehabilitate the site. Roberts said the teams budget is more than he expected, judging from the damage he saw at the site.

As the group camped in hilly forested terrain, rather than in an open meadow or field as they usually do, the damage is harder to access, said Roberts.

Getting rid of the garbage and rehabilitating the site will still be a major undertaking, although Rainbow organizers promised to provide a clean-up crew to lessen the gathering's environmental impact.

The Forest Service distributed a rehabilitation plan to assist Rainbow family members and Forest Service personnel with trash removal, obliteration of user-created trails, filling and covering silt trenches and latrines and dismantling man made structures. The rehabilitation plan is expected to be completed by August 8.

Roberts said along with garbage and deserted vehicles, a few of the many dogs at the gathering will probably be abandoned at the site. However, as a few hundred members are still camped there, it may take weeks to get an accurate count.

"This is public land paid for by tax dollars, so the land is open to anyone. We tried to respect their (Rainbows) right to do that," said Roberts. The Rainbows seemed to show respect for the land, too, he added. Some deer camps have suffered far more eco-damage than what he saw at the Rainbow gathering, Roberts said.

Rainbow UTUBE Video

UPDATE 9/7/7

Arkansas-Award Winning Gathering!


Hey Family,
Thanks to everyone for making this Gathering so great.

Here are some rumors we were spreading at the Gathering:
Healthy men and women were everywhere, carrying supplies, digging
super shitters, gathering firewood, cooking awesome meals.
There were about 22 million hugs exchanged.
The Dating Game Show at Granola Funk was hilarious. How do they
think up those questions?
The Variety Show on the evening of the 4th was huge. The
violenist from Czech Republic was amazing. Dave was, as usual, amazing.
I presented awards to some of the deserving at the Variety Show on the 4th:
Here's some of the Awards handed out:

1. Rodney King Award ("Can't We All Just Get Along.") went to: KARIN ZIRK
2. Craziest AGR Quote of 2007 Award: ("I should have killed you 30
years ago when I had evil in my heart.") went to: S. Principle
3. Multiple Email Personality Award: Mike Two (or is that 4) Feathers
4. Should Really Not Have Pressed the Send Button Award: Sailor
5. The No-Shit Sherlock Award" (for "they're reading our emails!
they're reading our emails!"): Hawker
6. Best Buns in the Ovens: Abraham sizzle sizzle
7. "You Talkin' To Me?" Award: Bob of the Ovens
8. Best Ovens: Lovin' Ovens
9. Rising Above the Political Fray Award: Rob Savoy
10. Best Tatoo: Adriana
11. Most Interestingly Dressed: Matti
12. Delusional Optimism and Unending Faith in the Forest Service
Award: Garrick
13. Best Brunch on July 5: Purple Gang
14. Barry Plunker Award: Person Who Talked More than Barry
Plunker: No one. Title remains firmly with Plunker.

We had a blast and a million laughs. We prayed on the 4th and a
hologram of the secret leader appeared above the peace pole. A hawk
flew in circles around our silent circle and we ommmmmmmmmed and
ommmmmmmmmed a long long time. The children's parade came into the
circle from each end and it was so so beautiful.
The usual suspects are suspected of creating excellent
meals. There was food in abundance; lots of hammocks and we were
practicing safe swinging. The mixed hardwood forest had lots of elm,
sweetgum, maple, red cedar. A lot of our firewood came from the red
cedar. The shuttle drivers were always fun, funny, helpful. Vermin
was, as usual, Supreme.
Some folks were swimming in an ocean of calomine lotion due to
poison ivy. We need to invent little tiny condoms for chiggars
because there were far too many hungry chiggar babies. The swimming
was spectacular. The Purple Gang's brunch on the 5th was
unbelievable!! Five gallons of mimosa were premade; the nori rolls
were the best I've ever eaten; the baked apples, baked potatoes, the
two varieties of stir fry, the fruit, it was just awesome!!
Now mind you, I didn't get around much but from my office job at
Info, everyone was having a great time. The map this year is a topo
map so folks to label the camps themselves and learn to read a topo map.
No one could make this stuff up: there was lots of love everywhere
-- I had the time of my life!!
Your pal for pink peace,
Kitten from Maui
Meow!

UPDATE: 7/7/7

The one case of Meningitis did not prompt an epidemic - there never was an
epidemic (except in the media).  There was one case and 43 people identified
who had contact with that one person.  They were treated and there is no
further report of anyone having meningitis - one person having a disease is
not an epidemic.  The report that an epidemic hit is completely inaccurate.
The word potential in combo with lethal is just worse.  There was a
potential for an epidemic of a potentially lethal disease.  That would be an
accurate report based on the information provided.  In the end - nothing
happened of note EXCEPT THE LEOS ONCE AGAIN INTERFERED WITH THE PROVISION OF
MEDICAL SERVICES FOR PEOPLE AT A GATHERING and blamed non-violent Rainbow
activity in support of people using medicine and sacrament that is
recognized under State and Federal laws (the drug bust).

How do people get bacterial meningitis?

The bacteria are spread by direct close contact with the discharges from the nose or throat of an infected person. Fortunately, none of the bacteria that cause meningitis are very contagious, and they are not spread by casual contact or by simply breathing the air where a person with meningitis has been.

MEDIA HYPE!

Forty-Three Treated for Meningitis at Rainbow Gathering in the Ozarks

Views from Within Hillbilly Political Wisdom and Info for Patriots

Thousands Gather For Rainbow Family in Arkansas

++++++++++++++++++

Neisseria meningitidis

Fortunately, none of the bacteria that cause meningitis are very contagious, and they are not spread by casual contact or by simply breathing the air where a person with meningitis has been.

Neisseria meningitidis is a causative agent of meningitis, and is responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Most disease-causing N. meningitidis strains belong to serogroups A, B and C. Serogroup A strains are responsible for epidemic disease in developing countries, and serogroup B and C strains are responsible for outbreaks of menigitis in the developed world

Bacterial Meningitis

Bacterial meningitis is most commonly caused by one of three types of bacteria: Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), Neisseria meningitidis, and Streptococcus pneumoniae.


Natural Freedom: Humanity's Journey


I looked out into a pale blue sky, hovering above the horizon. The planet was pretty small and compact. The earth seemed to be dwarfed by the large hovering sky, and looking out, it seemed that the pale blue horizon was a perfect place for the soul to hide. If souls can hide.

For a moment, it seemed that the sky would deny thousands of years of human interactions of the surface dwellers below. The earth was a school, a teaching center, a place where dreams could take flight and become reality. Cohesive groups of gathering nations began to transit to the flight training stage. The technology of the pure mind.

It was a cloak the Celtic nations wear, or Tibetan, or Mayan, Native American. A cloak of identity through which they could walk through the dream of nations and into a larger cosmic dream beyond time and space. The earth was a portal, a doorway. The sky mirroring the soul. Which is why they looked to the sky, to see the mirror of reality and find their wings to fly.

The ancient cultures had refused the technology exchange, when it was offered. They preferred the non-technology of the mind, and that was where their direction was focused. Their intense interactions with the invisible realms had taught them differently than the early 20th century view: Technology equals advanced and non-technology equals backward states. The technology exchanges were in the interests of those giving the material to humans, in order to direct them into their frequency and their world. The ancients wanted nothing to do with it and continued to interact with the invisible realms, learning first about the soul and the inner force.

The wars bent the will of the humans to follow the exchange program by force. Humans did not need it. The enforcers needed it. It was part of their control. The technology limited the humans, conditioned the mind, restricted the intelligence, focused them on dependence and restriction. The group who most desired power were given bigger and better means to kill larger numbers of people. That was the essence of the technology exchange. It was about control. Nothing else.

The tribe of nations were in complete agreement that the technology exchange was not in the interests of overall planetary evolution, and that it barely served the interests of a few. The exchange was not compatible to natural human development.

The tribe of nations had always warned it would lead to extinction and an irreversible decay of the organic mind. The tribe of nations could not incarnate into a world devoid of truth. The technology would kill the planet. Bring an end to the human race.