Star-Tribune Editorial Board

Give the U.S. Forest Service credit for trying to work with the Rainbow Family on a site for the group's gathering in the Bridger-Teton National Forest next month. But the federal agency would probably have better luck herding cats than reaching a workable agreement with a group that has no official leaders.

Every summer, the Rainbow Family of Living Light assembles on public lands somewhere in the United States, sometimes drawing as many as 25,000 participants. Members gather to promote peace, play music, dance and trade crafts, but varying degrees of nudity and drug use are also always part of the event.

In an unprecedented move, the Forest Service this year tried to cooperate with this group, whose members are often described as "free spirits." The agency identified four possible sites in the Bridger-Teton for the gathering, but the Rainbow Family instead decided to gather at a different location near Big Sandy in Sublette County.

That's unfortunate, because it creates a problem for the Boy Scouts, who were scheduled to begin a large service project in the area at the same time the Rainbow Family will be cleaning up. The Boy Scouts - who did everything they could to work with the Forest Service - may now have to alter their plans, as it appears the Rainbow Family won't give up the site. That's not fair. The situation could have easily been avoided if the group had cooperated with the feds.

Members of the Rainbow Family who met USDA Undersecretary Mark Rey last week said it's too late to move elsewhere, as up to 1,000 family members have already started setting up near Big Sandy.

The Rainbow Family has been staging these gatherings since 1972, so its members should realize that one doesn't suddenly drop thousands of people into an area without it having an impact.

It's true that the Rainbow Family has a good reputation of doing everything it can to return the land to its natural state. The group met near Big Piney in 1994 and overwhelmed local services, but came and went without any major problems.

But this year the Forest Service tried to help the group select a site where it would do the least damage, and that effort was ignored. For people who talk about peace and treating others with respect, the group collectively doesn't show much respect for other users of the public land who follow the federal rules, like the Boy Scouts.

The Rainbow Family also should be cognizant of the fact that while its real members may be peaceful, its gatherings also attract people who are intent on causing trouble. It's no wonder that some Sublette County residents have already reported feeling threatened by people who are setting up camp.

If the group ever wants to be welcomed again by people in Wyoming, it should demonstrate some good will by agreeing to cooperate with the Forest Service on site selection. And if talks don't go well, federal officials should let local authorities know as soon as possible what to expect.

The Rainbow Family should cooperate with federal authorities on site selection.

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