[at-l] Gathering and Camping

[themissjanet at gmail.com (Janet Hensley)]

"but those who have a chance to come together at a camping place now
have to make a choice of quietness or a drunken brawl"

This statement by Skylander really upsets me... Hotdog made a similar
comment yesterday. In the many Gatherings I have attended I have never
seen anything but a great group of very different people,  united in
friendship around a nice bonfire. I never recall a problem and I
challenge the "problems" that have been suggested by a very few
others.  The numbers of people camping at the Folk Life Center has
increased and the number of people hanging around the fire has grown a
lot. I think that has caused the biggest problems.   I understand how
everyone feels about any separation of the groups but that was
happening anyway because so many people had other needs that the Folk
Life Center could not meet.  I have no quarrel with ALDHA deciding to
enforce this no alcohol rule... I respect the policy of the Folk Life
Center... but to assume that just because some of us will be camping
at another nearby site, that it will be a "drunken BRAWL" is
ridiculous.  And if you believe that NO ONE camping at the Folk Life
Center will have even a flask of the "good stuff" to pass around,  or
a nice bottle of "homemade huckleberry wine",  or this years "spring
water" ... then you haven't been to the same ALDHA Gathering that I
have attended for several years!  I dislike hypocrites much more than
I do over indulgent drinkers!  This doesn't have to be a problem at
all.  It is all about attitudes more than anything.  Can't we all just
get along?