It tells a pretty complete story about what did happen, but you're
right, it doesn't tell it from the law enforcement perspective, and of
course it doesn't tell us what's going to happen in the future.
What did happen is that the Forest Service in the region decided to
welcome the Rainbow Family.
Mike Lohrey, Incident Commander, writes:
The delegation of authority provided by the Regional
Forester included making... "the Gathering a positive
event for the attendees, the Forest Service, other
agencies and organizations, and the local community."
Further, the Regional Forester, in a 2700 memo dated
4/10/97 to Forest Supervisors et al, stated that ...
"Rainbow Family Gathering participants are among our
many National Forest customers and that we will welcome
them and their use of the National Forests."
Then the bureaucrats from the national level and the law enforcement
segment got involved and tried to turn it into a confrontation. It
doesn't look like they succeeded, but their attitude did create a
conflict among all the folks working in and with the Forest Service.
The National strategy ... was "To establish a consistent
national approach to managing large group activities that
redeems our responsibility for the protection of life and
resources, and maintains our credibility with our publics."
Nowhere in the national strategy are any references to
customer service to large group uses. In fact, it appears
that it is one of tolerating the activity because we have
no choice, rather than meeting the agency mission of
serving people. In addition, the bulk of the national
strategy for large group activities focuses on law
enforcement. Consequently, there is a strong message
being sent that this is a law enforcement event, while
the Region's expectations were for a recreation event
with a law enforcement presence.
Every time someone has a chance to say something, they reflect on that
conflict, and they're still talking about it in the final report.
David Summer, "Safety Officer," has some especially strong words:
This assignment will probably be framed as a debate between
an authorized recreation event versus an event that is ill.
It might be framed as a debate between a law enforcement
operation or a resource operation. The issue goes much
deeper. I submit this assignment is about the foundamental
issues of values. A day never went by when the team was not
torn in our approach or methodology over values.
Remember, this conflict is going on while the Rainbow Gathering is
getting underway. It seems that a few people, like David, actually took
lessons from how the Rainbow Family handles the gathering.
At the onset of this assignment, we did not have a clear
and common understanding to our role and purpose. We
lived with this uncertainity and performed our jobs as
professionally as possible. At times our behavior was
exclusive instead of inclusive and a price was paid. The
skills in relationship building were essential to assure
success. Constant feedback and involvement of key players
is essential. Verbal communications is a key with the
Rainbows and not a "permit." Keeping the community
informed and involved is extremely important and requires
a great deal of care and feeding.
Where do you think those words came from -- "care and feeding"? Is it
just a coincidence that "care and feeding" is 90% of what the gathering
is about?
Notice the line about the "permit." The Rainbow Family appreciates that
in a really important way, a "permit" is irrelevant, and David sees
that. Face-to-face communication, honesty, sensitivity to values, this
is how we work through difficulties. Contrast that with what was going
on in the ranks of the Forest Service.
I'm sorry to hear that in the trial in Erie, PA, Bill and Joseph were
found guilty. Of course, the real action will be in the appeals, where
the constitutional issues come up. But as important as that avenue may
be, what's happening on the ground, with real people including forest
rangers, health department officials, etc., is what's going to make the
biggest difference. The Rainbow Family is strongest in human relations,
and this report shows it.
-- Kirk Wattles <kwattles@mindspring.com> http://www.mindspring.com/~kwattles/