Rainbow family members have discounted a posting from one of their own that seemed to indicate this July’s gathering would be held somewhere in White Pine County.
“Hi. This is a great article that quotes well known sources and strives to show various points of view. Thanks for that. However, there are two major factual errors…” wrote self identified Rainbow Family member Piper on the High Desert Advocate’s web page. “First, the gathering proper is seven days long (July 1-7). Some people do show up early to set up and stay late to clean up but they are typically on site for longer than ten days. Calling it a ten day event is not correct.
“Second, claiming that there are only four potential sites and that all of them are in white pine county is absolutely false. I am one of the people who has volunteered to check out sites this year. I’ve checked a lot of potentials and haven’t even gone to your county,” she continued. “That’s not to say that someone hasn’t (or won’t), but speculation is unrealistic before June 14, which is the date that a public council will begin the process of site selection. For the most part, people talking about possible sites on the internet lack the facts known by those of us who are actually walking them, and basing a conclusion on their opinions is not logically sound.”
The map showing the four possible sites has since been removed from one of the group’s unofficial Facebook pages. However while the reaction to the group’s coming has been mixed most of the comments posted on local pages has been friendly or at least not right hostile.
“If i were younger i would join them, they remind me of the good old grateful dead heads.. Most are senior citizens,” wrote Max Kerr on the Facebook page White Pine & Ely Politics.
“Dany..hope it does bring in revenue. .However resided in a small community..Tons was spent on the clean up but the businesses received very little. They stayed in their own group..Spent very little down town.” added Tammie Brownlow.
“Here they come! Yeehaaw!” wrote Christopher Lani on the page belonging to White Pine County Nevada Politics Unleashed.
Established in the early 1970’s the Rainbow Family is loose connection of hippies and other counter culture types that meet annually in a national forest somewhere in the United States in the beginning of July. Gathering populations have been recorded between 15,000 to 25,000.
The last “Family” gathering in Utah was in 2003 near American Fork in the Ashley National forest. The last time the Rainbows came to eastern Nevada was over a decade ago at the Great Basin National Park and the last time they ventured into Elko county was 25 years ago to the Jarbidge area.
Money is not used (or not encouraged) at the gatherings and camps set up kitchens to feed people wither free of charge or in a barter system.
Many members express a desire to find “higher self-awareness”, to become one with nature and their fellow humans, or connect to a universal consciousness.
Creative events may include variety shows, campfire singing, fire-juggling, and large or small art projects. At one gathering, a cable car was rigged to carry groups of four quickly across the meadow. Faerie Camp was “alive with hundreds of bells and oddly illuminated objects.” Musicians and music pervade all Gatherings, at kitchens, on the trails, and at campfires.
The ubiquitous present of campfires especially among 20,000 flower children is likely to give forest rangers and locals fits no matter where the groups decides to gather. If instead of eastern Nevada the group picks the western part of the state, they could come into conflict with Federal National Forest Service and local fire services.
Western Nevada as well as California and southern Oregon are in the throws of a three year old drought and the wildfire danger is listed as critical.
In 2006 the Gathering elected to take place without the permit. Three “incidents involving aggressive actions toward Forest Service personnel” were reported in a Forest Service June 29, as were two arrests for assault on Forest Service personnel. Additionally, the NIMT issued a total of 218 citations for violation of federal regulations.
At the 2008 National Gathering in Wyoming, an incident occurred whereby Forest Service officers tried to arrest a member of the group. A spokeswoman for the U.S. Forest Service said that about 400 participants in the Gathering began to advance, throwing sticks and rocks at the officers, although this was disputed by Gathering participants.[36] Pepper balls were then fired to control the crowd. Witnesses reported that officers pointed weapons at children and fired rubber bullets at gathering participants. The ACLU produced a report following their investigation of the incident in which they were critical of the officers for a pattern of harassment and using overzealous enforcement techniques, using small violations as a pretense for larger searches.
“I’ve been gathering since 1978 and the only problems The rainbow Family Of Living Light has ever had was LEO’s[Law Enforcement Officers] as they have been signing out the rainbow Family[short name] since 1972 in harassing kind peaceful folks just wishing to go Home as it called to Pray for One World Peace Love & Healing, in a sent it is the X-mass mass to pray.” wrote the self identified Rev, Martin Paul Cheney I, on the Advocate’s web page. “Now we do not see the LEO harassing folk that go to church on X-mess mass, so why is it ever year the rainbow Family has to put up with being harassed just to pray for world peace~! Any civil right lawyers out the reading this like a sure wining case? As I am sure that using the LEO past records of what they have paid out in over time[tax payers funds] would surely show that the LEO have been signaling out these group of peaceful folks since then..? what the government and folks do not want one world peace and love? In the times we are in now days it seems this is the only direction for humanity to go after they’ve tried war we see where this has gotten us no where.. Luvin U all”
