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Thursday, June 18, 2009
Rainbow Organizer Calms Concerns
By Juan Carlos Rodriguez
Journal Staff Writer
CUBA — Could another Summer of Love be taking shape in Cuba?
Organizers of the Rainbow Family of Living Light gathering explained their annual event to an initially skeptical crowd of about 150 people Wednesday night, and they seemed to ease residents' concerns.
The Rainbow gathering, scheduled for July 1-7 in the forest near Cuba, could draw upwards of 12,000 people, organizer Garrick Beck said.
But he tried to explain to residents that the gathering, while huge, is supposed to be a positive thing. He talked about how one gathering in Turkey attracted people from different religious faiths, ethnic backgrounds and geographical areas. People who attend learn from each other, share traditions and celebrate life.
"That kind of thing really brings peace," Beck said. "It's the kind of thing I think we can do that, sometimes, nation-states can't seem to do."
Those at the meeting expressed their concerns about crime, fire, trash, land impact and emergency medical issues.
Becky Ames asked how emergency personnel would deal with a situation in which an area resident had a medical emergency at the same time as a person at the gathering.
Jon Tibbetts, Sandoval County fire chief, told her another ambulance probably would be sent to the area, but he also reassured her of the department's priorities.
"The community here is going to be taken care of first," he said.
Beck added that the gathering has plenty of medical professionals in attendance, and even runs its own hospital.
Andrew Miranda expressed similar concerns about law enforcement.
"What about when some rowdies come down into town?" he asked.
Beck explained that the gathering has its own group of people trained to respond to potentially violent or otherwise illegal situations. He said it is an approach based on peer pressure, but when the moment calls for it, other measures are used.
"We have been known to tackle and duct-tape people," he said.
For the most part, residents appeared to be won over by the organizers' reassurance that the event will be largely peaceful and will take care of itself, while providing income to town businesses. They applauded at the end of the meeting after hearing from organizers and representatives of the various agencies who will be watching over the area during the gathering.
"It's not such a bad thing," Cuba Mayor Richard Velarde said.
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