A Place For The People

(A couple of weeks ago UP went down to Ohio to gig at THE PARK in North Baltimore, near Bowling Green. We were flipped out with what we saw --a permanent pop festival site run from top to bottom by righteous freeks. Prime-movers behind The Park are John Pfieffer, formerly with the Kraak rock and roll band, and White Panther Doug Ruble. Before opening The Park John and Doug checked out the Ann Arbor Tribal Council's Park Program pretty heavily and have used a lot of the same ideas, including the concept of Rangers as a people's peace force. What follows is an excerpt from The Park Press, which is The Park's free weekly tabloid newspaper. We CAN make our own pop festivals!)

In a society of honky, money-loving people there is a growing sub-culture, a group of people who don't think the dollar is worth more than their brothers and sisters. Our culture has been subjected to overwhelming oppression from both outside and within, and yet has continued to grow.

The Park is a starting point, a place to hear your music without getting ripped off every time you turn around. Music is a very important part of our culture; we cannot allow individuals to exploit it for their personal gain.

The Park will be open every Saturday throughout the summer. We plan 8 hours of live music, starting early afternoon and continuing into the night. The Park is trying to give the best possible shows for the lowest possible prices. In return The Park asks only a few minor things: (1) no sales of drugs, (2) no alcoholic beverages, (3) please do not walk on property not belonging to The Park, and (4) please cooperate with the Park Rangers, they are your brothers and sisters and are not here to harass you, but to insure a place for our people.

Brothers and sisters, The Park is only a small corner lot, but from here, with the help of the people, it can be a place to begin to halt the oppression of our brothers and sisters. UNTIL ALL PEOPLE ARE FREE. . . NO ONE IS FREE!!!! ALL POWER TO THE PEOPLE!

Doug Ruble