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During cool nights in the Colville National Forest, many Rainbow Family followers sleep around campfires. About 300 Rainbows are attending this regional gathering, but a national gathering next year could attract thousands to a Washington state forest. Story here. (SR photo: Colin Mulvany)
Question: Do you view the Rainbow Family as free spirits who stayed true to the 1960s flower children culture? Or a band of counterculture hippies who never grew up?
D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.
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HonestGeorge on September 07 at 9:48 p.m.
Neither. I view them - at least those with children in tow - as irresponsible people that jeopardize their childrens futures. Years ago, in southern Oregon, I picked up a family that was hitchhiking to one of these gatherings. They were quite proud that their children had never been schooled, had no permanent place to rest their heads and depended on the charity of others for everything.
Escapee on September 07 at 11:57 p.m.
Being the age I am, I suppose a huge peaceful gathering is a positive thing. I share the mentality, love the music, but I have never liked going camping. People seem to have a fascination with leaving their domesticity and venturing outside to hang around outside and shiver. People down here build campfires on the beach while they hang out in the evening. The night air is heavy and damp, the temperature’s going down, and they stand around the fire trying to keep warm. I don’t see much sense in that. I guess it’s a fellowship thing…
Christa_Hazel on September 08 at 6:42 a.m.
Neither. I view them as having a short term negative impact on charitable services. While on the one hand they talk about being self-sufficient and living off the land. On the other hand, a lot of the food comes from the local food bank. The potential numbers next summer could have a huge effect on the locals who use those same services.