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What made Franklin unique as a commune was our very explicit combination of political activism and back to the land self sufficiency.  To the social ethnographer’s eye Franklin looks a lot like a messianic movement, a contagious social delusion and belief on the part of some segment or all of an indigenous population that believes returning to the old ways, the ways of the ancestors, will serve to bring about heaven on earth.

Lou Andrews and I drove to every commune we could find – one leading to another – traveling the state to spread the word about the Gathering.  I remember doing a brake job on the vehicle.  Learning about brakes.  Very excited by the prospect of traveling around state and seeing what was going on.  I remember going to Packer’s Corner.  It seemed in a very diff place than we.  They seemed citified … less open than other places we visited.  More insular it seemed.  Not as warm a reception we got other places. 

I think the idea must have come from Bruce.  I recall the initial thoughts about it were to find out and connect w all of the other communes in state so we could have a connection and larger impact on our movement to mobilize, help, support, to devel a more active relationship, to build a larger tribal/communal nation.  Related to how we felt about Amer Inds and how we

Treated one another. 

Making it a spec event – espec for kids –

Wanted to estab our role as leader.  I thought that – my impression was that Franklin and Putney – we had diff roles – To Lou I and the commune we were leaders.

Gathering of the Tribes – Bruce

Was a vision.  Not sure where it came from altho I think I initiated.  Mixed reception more enthusiastic political less so more concerned for the farm tasks.  Winter travel.  Expectation folks disappear in sinter.  Winter of ’71 Jan & Feb.  Craig, Fletcher, in California.  Neal lifted gun from a demo – dope in van screwed back tight.  Stopped by police once, but nothing happened. 

The idea of traveling around VT in a van seems almost as if it’s out of the 1830’s not 1970.  We didn’t know phone number, internet, didn’t know where they were located.  Pieced it together

Only had incidental ino. No communication mechanism, but there was a vision.  Can’t say how explicit it was.  Shared fully by Barb, Jim, MP and Bruce before arriving in VT.  Understanding was Jane would buy land and they would go wherever Jim got a job.  Charlie and Lou turned on by it.  He was a Phd psychology with interest in primates.  High school graduate working class 2 kids and kind of empty life.  Who was open and eager for excitement and rescue & adoration.  Nothing excites the male crow more than this.  Formula for narcissistic romance.  One of my favorite memories:      Somehow in the summer after the fire when we were still living both at Franklin & Philo you had found a deserted perhaps hunting shack in the middle of a field somewhere somewhere south of Philo.  We somehow agreed to trip there one day.  Don’t know how we got there ….

Was a vision.  Not sure where it came from altho I think I initiated.  Mixed reception more enthusiastic political less so more concerned for the farm tasks.  Winter travel.  Expectation folks disappear in sinter.  Winter of ’71 Jan & Feb.  Craig, Fletcher, in California.  Neal lifted gun from a demo – dope in van screwed back tight.  Stopped by police once, but nothing happened. 

The idea of traveling around VT in a van seems almost as if it’s out of the 1830’s not 1970.  We didn’t know phone number, internet, didn’t know where they were located.  Pieced it together

Visiting Putney with our newspaper.

         Creating a newspaper was the first thing we all did together in addition to home schooling the kids.  Talking to Roger Albright, Grant Ctichfield – return address for VT RR.  When paper wss finished and Roger rejected we went on road w it.  We knew of existence of Putney. 

We presented our Newspaper – they were very interested bec they were totally political.  Met Robert John, Jane, Erika, other Jane?, next stop was to Juche’ in boston-  Political discussion w those 2 we were aligned.  It was always clear things needed to change.  I didn’t really believe the revo was coming, but that was what most people seemed to believe.

At one point Barb and Lou were selected by Putney to be trained … stayed a week or two.  Learned about first aid.  Shortwave radio.  Rifle practice.  Learned how to shoot a blow gun in prep for the revo.

Visited by Craig & Fletch by early 1970 looking for land.  Bruce Cohn served jail time.  Was set up for marijuana bust.  Nobody sets anyone up for child porn bust.  Not sure of truth.  He was part of lower east side scene.  Was a licensed locksmith – very paranoid.  He Craig& Bruce had an acid trip Jessup’s Audibon in Noyac Bay on the south fork of Long Island near Sag Harbor where MP’s father and his 3^rd wife had a house.  Picked up “Horse Feathers Fletcher’s son.   Bruce into cryonics carried survival kit.  Folded down to 1×1” plastic square dime and fish hook inside.  Unfold for catching water.  Fish to eat.  Dime for phone call.

Only had incidental ino. No communication mechanism, but there was a vision.  Can’t say how explicit it was.  Shared fully by Barb, Jim, MP and Bruce before arriving in VT.  Understanding was Jane would buy land and they would go wherever Jim got a job.  Charlie and Lou turned on by it.  He was a Phd psychology with interest in primates.  High school graduate working class 2 kids and kind of empty life.  Who was open and eager for excitement and rescue & adoration.  Nothing excites the male crow more than this.  Formula for narcisistic romance.  One of my favorite memories:        Somehow in the summer after the fire when we were still living both at Franklin & Philo you had found a deserted perhaps hunting shack in the middle of a field somewhere somewhere south of Philo.  We somehow agreed to trip there one day.  Don’t know how we got there ….

Gathering of the Tribes – Bruce

Was a vision.  Not sure where it came from altho I think I initiated.  Mixed reception more enthusiastic political less so more concerned for the farm tasks.  Winter travel.  Expectation folks disappear in sinter.  Winter of ’71 Jan & Feb.  Craig, Fletcher, in California.  Neal lifted gun from a demo – dope in van screwed back tight.  Stopped by police once, but nothing happened. 

The idea of traveling around VT in a van seems almost as if it’s out of the 1830’s not 1970.  We didn’t know phone number, internet, didn’t know where they were located.  Pieced it together

Visited by Craig & Fletch by early 1970 looking for land.  Bruce Cohen served jail time.  Was “set up?” for marijuana bust.  Nobody sets anyone up for child porn bust.  Not sure of truth.  He was part of lower east side scene.  Was a licensed locksmith – very paranoid.  He Craig& Bruce had an acid trip Jessup’s Audibon in Noyac Bay on the south fork of Long Island near Sag Harbor where MP’s father and his 3^rd wife had a house.  Picked up “Horse Feathers Fletcher’s son.   Bruce into cryonics carried survival kit.  Folded down to 1×1” plastic square dime and fish hook inside.  Unfold for catching water.  Fish to eat.  Dime for phone call.

Only had incidental ino. No communication mechanism, but there was a vision.  Can’t say how explicit it was.  Shared fully by Barb, Jim, MP and Bruce before arriving in VT.  Understanding was Jane would buy land and they would go wherever Jim got a job.  Charlie and Lou turned on by it.  He was a Phd psychology with interest in primates.  High school graduate working class 2 kids and kind of empty life.  Who was open and eager for excitement and rescue & adoration.  Nothing excites the male crow more than this.  Formula for narcisistic romance.  One of my favorite memories:        Somehow in the summer after the fire when we were still living both at Franklin & Philo you had found a deserted perhaps hunting shack in the middle of a field somewhere somewhere south of Philo.  We somehow agreed to trip there one day.  Don’t know how we got there ….