Courts have long held that the First Amendment protects the freedoms of thought/belief, worship/expression, and peaceable assembly for those purposes against government suppression. It has been judicially held that a "plethora of regulations" exist to address just about any conceivable legitimate interest that may arise with regard to group use of public lands under Forest Service stewardship. E.g., U.S. v. Rainbow Family, 694 F. Supp. 294 (S.D. Texas, June 1, 1989).

For these reasons I respectfully but emphatically oppose the proposed U.S. Forest Service regulatory amendments to 36 CFR Sections 251, et. seq. which would:

1) reguire an "authorization" for peaceable assembly,

2) require posting any preformance bond before citizens of a democracy could meet harmlessly in the public wilderness.

3) require insurance policies before using public lands as a meeting site for religious, political, or social gatherings,

4) restrict the dissemination of literature.

PLEASE PRINT LEGIABLY

NAME ADDRESS _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED PETITIONS TO:
Rainbow Legaliaison/DC
P. O. Box 5604 ** Takoma Park, Maryland 20913
(Telephone number 202-462-0757)
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE