so the rumor is true....
That is sad.
Yes I've been there a few times since the changes occured. I agree that it wasn't as comfortable as when I first began going, and when I first began going (back in a day) people knew what the fuck fire safety was, where the wait line was, where the fuel station was and were respectful enough to say "hey can I spin too when you go out?" and stood in line etc.
Even with the new regulations I would see the disrespect of some of the spinners that seem to mistake anarchy for stupidity. Err... stupidity for anarchy... whatever. Either way I saw even "responsible" spinners with a bit of an ego and some rudeness to me... Funny it simmered down usually when they became familiar with me or realized who I was and that I wasn't just some newbie but someone who has been spinning at the jam for a couple years now. (again, back when things were cool and relaxed and even safe).
I know I wasn't able to attend the meetings. I too am extremely busy as a program coordinator who also fills in many shifts in homes I am short on staffing as well am active in 3 groups in town for animal welfare and earth first. Either way I would show up and when my two cents were given they seemed to be generally tossed back. I didn't much appreciate my knowledge being so disregarded and treated like I was trying to get in on the control rather than expressing my discomfort in the situation.
Not this last week but the week before last I was there at the jam and it actually felt ok to me. I thought we were making progress of not taking the place over (which I can see the point of drummers and audience when the fire spinners come through and appear to claim territory and control) so much but being fare to all.
It is sad that our friend Tre Arrow up at the Detention center no longer has something to look forward to at the end of the week as he sits in his cell charged with crimes that are not something he would have done as an earth first activist. I will have to write him and let him know why.
It really is a shame that it came to this thanks to irrisponsible and beligerent humans who think it's appropriate to fuck off any kind of order in the name of anarchy when they have no clue that what they do is just plain stupid and dangerously wreckless. That's not anarchy kids, grow the fuck up. I resent not slamming my fisted can into the face of the guy that told me it wasn't my business and not to fucking worry about it before all of this happened. He deserved it and I would have had no problem explaining that to my boss.
Anyway, so they were planning this anyway, but I do think that if more responsible spinners would have spoken up to those irrisponsible shit heads when the chaos began, saying "dude, don't smoke that bowl while standing in a spill" or "no open flames, including cigarettes near the fuel station" or "You've been drinking and your last set worried me, how bout sit the rest of the night out", you know, things that USED to be said, then things would have continued, accidents would not have happened like they did, fire department and parks and rec may have given us the space. But no... it was left to a tiny handfull of us, including myself, to step up (alone even) to them until it got so bad everyone took control... and now it's gone.
It's real sad.