Bad news from MO regional?

Don't know why Becca posted this to Smoke Signals forum. Kind of important.

http://hipforums.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=1304995#poststop

 

already put a link up somewhere inhere to that,, tis fucked up aint it?

 

It gets more fucked up. got a message on ORB that the MO folks were run off the state land by cops with guns (course why they were on state land is beyond us) from what we picked up on AGR, the folks who didn't hightail it Home or home, are hanging on private land.

 

man, reading that shit makes me wonder if gatherings are really that "kynd".....is that type of redneck mentality common place??

 

Heya,
That wasn't the only incident at this gathering either. An elder mama got taken advantage of (I don't know all the details, and it was almost certainly not rape), a brother almost got jumped for being on "Bob's side" that night, two people who came to take the law in their own hands over a custody dispute got brutally beaten (the child is safe with the lawful parent now). By the time the front gate kids left, there were few enough plain folk in the woods that the cops knew they had us easily outnumbered and came in force to move us out so the $100,000 rigs with ATVs could have more room in their Mem day party.

All in all, don't go to a regional unless you know local family really wants the regional. If you go and see more alcoholics than potheads, leave.

Lovin you all

 

omg... I'm so sorry... I just read the link and am now close to tears. I'm horrified... Your all fine now, right?

 

Last year when I went it was awsome and I wasn't knowing of any drama. I jsut noticed hte only creepy peopel in the whole place WERE at the "front gate" Is that what they are called? "Front gate kids?" That was my first gathering so I don't knwo bout this stuff. As we entered they asked us if we had meat or alcohol and if we did it wasn't alowed inside and they would ask to take it from you...but we didn't have any anyways. Then the night we left really late in the night we were driving out in the dark and they were all camped out at the front gate being abnoxious and bbqing and drinking and I was really creeped out by them like they's never leave my car alone or something they kept getting closer and closer and asking for smokes etc and I was afraid we'd be stuck there if they didn't move. They looked like trouble. If peopel don't like gatherings then why do they even go? what's the point is camping out and creeping people out?

 

Nationals are very different than Regionals; the respect and Love are very high once you've gotten past the 'trolls at the front gate' We tell folks to offer the trolls a gift of some kind (they really like meat; but give 'em a loaf of bread and they'll be happy). Please don't bring alcohol into the Church, but if you have meat that you want to kick to a kitchen (preferably a meat-friendly kitchen) or eat at your camp, just don't tell the trolls you have it.
As obnoxious as the trolls tend to be, they serve a couple of important purposes. They keep the feddies busy; they keep alcohol out of the Church; they deal with the parking movies, and they side-line some of the people who only want to party. Smile like you've known them forever, be kind, and don't let them bs you about what's 'allowed' at a Gathering.

An extra word of caution to expand on Becca's Regional advise-there are 'ego trips' happening within Ozark Family & several Regionals are concidered to be A-camp 'movies'. Seek advise on Regionals from folks who have been at the Regional you wish to attend and make sure they are folks that you know pretty well.

 

Fuck. I mean, that shit ain't rainbow. brother saying he left rainbow cause of this kind of stuff, well you know, this kind of stuff happens when we turn our backs. reading beccas post it seemed shanti sena didnt come, elders werent there, etc. i was at that regional last year and was one of five people running one of two small kitchens. like a lot of regionals lately, experienced focalizers are lacking. they learn, they share, they burn out, they stay away. These assholes aren't rainbow. I may never go to a shawnee or a texas or alabama regional but I sure as hell wont ever stop being rainbow cause some asshole thinks living in the woods and drinking with his buddies makes him rainbow. I sure as hell wont ever stop being rainbow!!! I just got back from Shasta regional. I was overworked again in the kitchen because experienced focalizers seem to be missing and hundreds of pot seeking city kids show up looking for a party and free food, but i'd do it again, cause we have to...

 

Thing is Raven, some of those drunks in the woods are Rainbows, but a Rainbow drunk would never terrorize mamas & children. we remember a time in MT where a thief was duct-taped by over-zealous teens and A-camp set the bro free (had a lot to do with the fact that the thief wasn't exactly 'all-there')

Bobbin Becca's situation should have been immediately addressed by the regional's Shanti Sena and their council; it wasn't and this is very sad.

 

Well I should acknowledge that many of the a-campers are rainbow, no doubt. Alcohol being what it is and all, doesn't always mean a violation of the peace.
In the past year I've really been suffering from a sort of indentity crisis over this, trying to figure out what I really feel about 'the way things have been turning'. Lately I've arrived at this. I believe consensus always has been that we gather in peace to pray for peace. Being rainbow doesn't even mean going to gatherings, it just means being a representaive of that movement towards peace. Being violent makes you I don't know what, but by the simplest definition, something other than rainbow. That's all. Go to the gatherings for drugs and sex and beer and good times if that's your thing, maybe that's how you pray for peace. Sure. But at least be peaceful.

 

No need for an identity crisis, Raven; Rainbow Light comes from the heart & the cool part is that you can Shine your Light anywhere!

 

No nead for an identity crisis? Run that by me again?

 

read Raven's post, 'indentity' isn't a word.