Dear HCN,
I find the “essay” on the
back of the July 30 issue full of hypocrisy. Writer Bill Cope would
have the reader believe that the Rainbow Family of Living Light was
a very environmentally conscious group. Come on, now. I saw
firsthand what that group did to the lands of the national forest
in southwest Montana in the summer of 2000.
This
group goes to an area in a manner which constitutes the most
high-impact use that one can imagine. I have seen less damage done
to a public area by citizens that I have turned into the
authorities, who were cited for their flagrant disregard for the
public lands.
This same group, in 2000, about
5,000 more in number, camped in areas not designated for camping.
They drove their vehicles over the grasslands and through wetlands
and caused many thousands of dollars of damage, some of which will
take years to heal. They left garbage for others to collect and
recycle, including needles where people could possibly step on
them. They abandoned many animals (pets) which had to be taken in
to the Humane Society. The Rainbow people used the local health
facilities to treat illness, injuries and drug overdoses and, in at
least one case, required helicopter transportation to a regional
medical facility. Most of those charges for medical service went
unpaid and the State of Montana had to help pick up the
bill.
To compare their actions as equivalent to
the Shriners is the worst insult that I could imagine. The Shriners
have given more to the cause of crippled children than the next 10
groups dedicated to that noble cause combined. To compare the
actions of this counterculture group to the actions of the Bush
daughter was completely uncalled for. Not that her conduct should
find any defense, but come now, it is obvious that Bill Cope still
has not gotten over the vote count and will never get over it, and
that is OK, but your paper is not a forum for “sore losers.” There
is certainly a place for your publication; however, you need a
higher standard than what appeared on the entire back page of this
issue.
Anson
Crutcher
Bozeman, Montana
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Rainbow family vs. environment.
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