"....or the right of the people peaceably to assemble,"What part of "Right To Peaceably Assemble" do the Forest Nazi's and police not understand? Here we have a large group of people who epitomise peaceable assembly and get forced to respond to violence with violence (altho not to any degree what their assailants were and would be capable of). Fortunately, the "authorities" chose well and retreated. I've seen, met and known a few of the Rainbow Family and while their lifestyle isn't the one for me I find nothing wrong with them. Despite a penchant for voluntary collectivism these free spirits are leading the lives they wish, imposing nothing upon their fellow man. A very libertarian attitude.
Some years ago these folks came through the city where I lived at the time, because it was close to their intended campground. They were everywhere, dressed in their hippy clothes, barefooted and besandled. Smiling and happy with a kind word for everyone that passed. They panhandled and scrounged around town and made their way out to the wilderness where they camped, danced, sang, made love, smoked some pot and enjoyed each others company. They harmed no-one and left the place they camped no worse than a season of campers. A few weeks after they were gone you wouldn't have known they'd been there, except for the few hangers on around town.
Once again we see that people who are doing nothing "illegal" on land that belongs to "the people", (if it belongs to anyone, which I and most libertarians would dispute) are being hassled because they are different. I have to wonder where the ACLU is in all this? As with so many issues involving rights they are, as usual absent. Of course I don't expect anyone from the ACLU to step up and do the right thing. After all these people have no money. They're "vagrants" by all "official" standards, nomads to those of us not encumbered by police state preconceptions.
These folks are camping in a "national forest". That's a place "managed" by people who routinely burn down large swaths of the American West while "managing" these natural treasures. By establishing "response teams" to "deal with the group" the Forest Service has come out and proven that they are persecuting these people for nothing more than camping on "public land". Of course the government has gone out of their way to accomodate "these people". Shoot, they've even brought in a judge and set up a special court to prosecute people to whom they've issued citations. How thoughtful, eh? Just another wonderful day in the Bush Administrations New America.
The Colorado LP has made a mention of it and so has CommonDreams, a socialist organisation. Not much of a peep from those who profess to be concerned about the "rights of people", tho. Hippies aren't the right type of people apparently. Go figure. The Rainbow Family folks will certainly have my support in the future. Anyone with the stones to stand up and give a hearty FU to the government deserves our support and respect and facing down armed Forest Service goons with sticks, fists and rocks to rescue their comrades? Kudos to the hippies! Wonder if they can gather in Indiana sometime?
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