September 20, 1983 LAND OF RAJ By Randall Sullivan Who’s the interloper in Antelope? NTELOPE, Ore. — It's not difficuit to guess which of the houses in this tiny Western town belong to the people who were here first; just about every one of ‘Trespassing” sign. ‘A walk along the only real road in Antelope, Main Street, evokes in one a little running chorus of "Which Side Are You On?” ‘Weathered old women wearing housedresses step ‘outside onto their porenes ‘with expressions that suggest all strangers are up to no good. Tanned young women ‘wearing red shorts, members of the religious commune 19 miles from here, approach and ask,"Do you need some help?” or “Are you looking for someone in particular?” ‘Their expressions are friendly, but one feels an implicit command to give one’s name, and to explain ‘one’s purpose. ‘Aman st the wheel of a Honda Civie drives back and forth along the length of Main Street every five ‘minutes, although nothing is there that wasn't five minutes ago. He's checking,” the man says, ‘Viewed from the intersection of county thoroughfares at its southern extremity, Antelope is little more than a closter of stolid wood-framme houses and dustymines, Tuceday, Seplombor 20, 1983 + LIVING IN THE LAND OF RAJ By Randall Sullivan EEE Continued trom page A-1 shade trees clinging tenaciously to ‘municipality astride one long bend ina twolane blacktop that runs north into wheat-colored hills cov- ‘ered with dead grass and drowsy cattie . ‘The town has two prominent buildings, an old-time one-room schoolhouse, recently closed, and a tidy white clapboard establishment thot was for years the huh, of Comtiercial, political and wee! activity. for town residents and iat ranchers. In those days It was known simply as the Antelope Store and Cafe. Today, under new ‘management, it's called Zorba the Buddha, Rajneesh Restaurant. And although it offers the finest vege- {arian menu for miles around, very few of the town residents and local ranchers eat there anymore. Betore the arrival of the new: comers, the red people; in July of 1981, the population of Antelope was'49. Only 11 of those original residents are left in town, ‘The new residents don’t want to be there and the old residents want hem to leave, but the situation {isn’t that simple, The town is being hheld hostage, both sides agree about that. It’s only the reasons why-and what to do about it that areat issue, "5 recent review of more than 900 antistajneesh letters 10 ihe editor published in Oregon ewspapers revealed that 60 per: “ent made reference to either the ‘akeover" or the: "invasion" of Antelope. Most writers insisted that the: Rajneeshees planned it all alosig. ‘The facts," though, don’t Support this. "The first 50 Rajneesh disciples arrived in Oregon during July of 1681. The Rajneesh Investment Corporation had Just paid. $5, Vion through a Salt" Lake °City broker to a Texas investment com- pany for 8 nearby 64,220-acre (100 Square mile) spread known as the rence, Meee Serene ERCWE 38 the ‘The Rajneeshees threw a party at the local Grange Tall shortly after the purchase of the ranch. "It, was the best party around here in years," recalied Dob Harvey, "Best Tiquot, best music.” went and had a good time,” conceded Margaret iil “Bverybouy had a good time! sald Harvey, “but the very. next ‘work the trouble started.” It began with some letters from overseas, written by the “dis. traught”” parents of current. or former Rajneesh disciples. “A woman from West Germany seid hher daughter had been “tortured."» ‘A woman from South Africa said her daughter had. been "taken, There were few specific charges, Dut it disturbed ‘local people. in. ff Antelope to learn that in india the Rajncesheesihad been labeled “The Sex Cult.” Mayor Hillis son, a gem dealer who spent considerable time in India, wrote one of the few fetters favorable to the Rajneesiees. He advised his mother not to listen ta the rumor of "another Jonestown” that already was being whispered among some local people Reports ciccuigted thay Bhag., ‘wan blmsott “hat taken up™eesi cn the ranch, and that an Increasing number of disciples were Joining him there, lunors proliferated. “The first one | heard,” recalted Marvey, who stayed on as foremai atthe Big: Muddy" after’ the Rajneeshees bought the place “was that the reason there were nd kids on the ranch was because the ‘were used,as human sacrifices. “T also ‘heard the rumor. tha they were building missle sites ou here. Then one night we , wer Unloading some fluorescent’ light bulbs and fixtures from the truck] oulside the office in Antelope, and Somebody in town called the cops to say we were unloading machine guns and hauling them outto the ranch.” ‘ALa party on Saturday nlght in town, Harvey was asked to sign "a petition against the ranch," 38 he! recalled it. When he refused, Har: vey sald, he: and his wile Glenda Wore asked to leave the party. “Then the rumor started that 1 had been sent three years ahead by the Rajneeshees,” he sald. * ‘Bventually the Harveys had to withdraw thelr two daughters Tom the public School in Antelope ‘hecause they were being harassed to tears every day by, the other ids." The giris wore enrolled then at the private school on the raneh the Rajneeshees did, in fact, have enildron living, with-them) “"We invited ‘the people from town out here to our own home,” said Harvey, "but they wouldn't come." The Rajneeshees offered to ee Ate tm Loiklone taaeeneaen Bob'Harvey, who stayed on Fricnds was formed to supp Only a few months after had" purchased the Big. N “Raneh, the Rajneeshees indi that they hoped to construc printing plant on their. own erty, and. might even attem incorporate as a city. 1000 Fr responded by warning that ‘would oppose the incorporat inappropriate for land assign agricultural: use" The Majneeshees, avoidin immediate: confrontation, ap for a permit to build the pri plant within.the "Urban ‘Gr Boundary” of Antelope. ‘The people of Antelope, th Unanimously opposed the ide the permit application was re}hpuram for “tho precedent.” bout the Rajneesh) reason there ranch Was because uman sacrifices.”’ man at the Big Muddy 1 \arcupset!therAntélope people. The Rajneethees said they were mak ing @ documentary, storing tapes for thelr archives, ‘but the local people insisted tere were more sinister, albeit unknown, motives. It was'a time when a Rajneesh, sannyasin out taking the night air was likely to be accused of spying” on the local citizenry. ‘The paranoia spread to. the ‘sannyasins. They charged that the “Antelope City Council was holding "closed sessions and that their own ‘mail was being tampered with, During. December. of -1981,,.mem= ‘vers of the local Home Extension roup — “a hen party" was how: Antelope and has hired Rajneesh. puram’s city attorney, Ma Prem Sangeet, as cily attorney for -Ante- lope at'a fee of $100 per hour. Services to Antelope: have been improved, but ata cost: ‘The Rajneeshees have quadrupled res!- dential fire rates and doubled residential water rates. The Rajneeshees also voted down an Antelope School District levy, fore ing the closure of the Antelope ‘School. The Rajneeshees have their ‘own school on the ranch and were disinclined to pay taxes to support ‘2 school in Antelope where they were not welcome. In May of last. year, the Rajneeshee voters carried a tc that more"than doubled local pro erty taxes. This summmer Mayor Karuna announced that the tax Increase would be suspended until the issue of incorporation for the sannyasins’ own city, Rajneesh- ppuram, had been seltled. If the Togal obstacles to Rajneeshpuram's incorporation were removed, Ka- runa! said, she and the other Rajneeshees would resign from heir City Couneil seats in Antelope land the commune members would ‘move out of the town. ‘A matching offer. was made by the Rajneeshees at a session of the stato Legislature, “where It. was flatly rejected. Oregon Gov. Victor ‘Atiyeh deseribed this as “the most blatant offer of a trade I have ever seen.” The Rajnceshees don't deny being blatant: they Just wonder why that’s a quality that should be criticized. fs Atiyeh was jpst,upset because ‘we were operating dlt in the oper instead of making the kind of bac) room deal he's used to," sald Rajneeshpuram Mayor Krishna Deva, Rajneeshpuram actually is an incorporated city of the state of Oregon at this moment. Its munici- pality, however, is in considerable Jeopardy from lawsuits brought by 1000 Friends. ‘The incorporation of Rajneesh: puram was approved by the Wasco [County Court in the spring of 1982, [Attorneys for 1000 Friends argue thatthe Rajneeshees "put one lover” on the unsophisticated ‘eounty court. 1060 Friends appealed the incor- poration first to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals. That body agreed with the Rajneeshees and the Wasco County Court. 1000 Friends then carried its case 10 the Oregon Court of Ap: peals, which reversed ‘the lower €ourt decision, and ruled that any decision. regarding. the incorpora- tion of Rajneeshpuram would have to be made under ‘Oregon's strin- {465 million since coming to Oregon 26 months ago, and their Compre: hensive Plan calls for continued spending at the rate of $30 million er year for the nest three years. W is 1000 Friends’ failure to acknowledge the environmental Issues, though, that is most pecu- liar. The land-use laws 1000 Friends are using {0 oppose Rajneesh: puram were designed to protect agricultural land, Yet no one ever hhas attempted to farin as ext sively or as eFeatively. in this part of the state asthe Rajneestiers. thin one, year, the sannyasins already were’ growing all of their ‘own vegetables and truck farming to three counties. ‘There were a alfdozen greenhousys standing fon the ranch, a thrivi’ ’~ "yard, berry arbors’ and a 2abuere or. hard watered by an experimental method of drip irrigation. More than 6,000 acres were being devel oped for agriculture. The Rajneesii- ‘ees had ordered 15,000 shade and rut trees and were planting them at the rate of several hundred week. They had 25 wells pumping in one small section of the ranch. This summer the ranch provided water for 15,000 people attending the International Festival without ny measurable drop in the water abe ‘The environmental aesthetics of the ranch are impeccable. The i ttamporaton syste it thea Glass ett extdvoard ana paste tivare reeled Leftovers rom the tafetera are used either chick tnfeed or compos. Even Totoro separated for recycling, There i Virtaly no garbage, and nothing wevasted, Hot even cow ung Auached to the dairy barn, is thetsane digester that transforms {Urds ino alcohol Tucl at one end dnd fertiizer atthe wther “rte restoration ofthe, er beds is the ajncesnees” ‘mest impressive ecological achievement Grasses have been planted to Hold the soll and willow trevs to form fanopy of shade, Log dams filter the ait ands riprap of juniper branehes and rocks olds the ms tire in the ground Visitors trom the Warm Speings indian Reservation and biolosbs Working for the state of Oregon fave agreed that the fond. ere fase Tooked this heavy snce the fist white man, 3 miner naried Scseph Shere, arrived in 1062 Henry” ficliond, rector of tooo Frlends of Orgyon, sade AMimites a Tot of what the Hajacesnees have done." but aes they dons need acy (9 do rang ihe admirable, projeis Richmond has observed from afar n id has observed from altarSee Cerny VSR TUniog there of the John Wayne western “Roos- ter Cogburn,” ‘The ranch was in’disrepair, its * range “denuded by decades’ of overgrazing by as many as 50,000 sheep and beef cattle at a time. Iwas a place of desolate beauty, 42 vast highdesert amphitheater of rolling hills, steep canyons, oblique ~ ‘cuestas, dry washes and’ alluvial fans, overgrown by sagebrush, scented by juniper trees and studs ded with formations of volcanic rock that spilled down the hillsides like. collapsed temples. “The Rajneeshees said they: were fgoing to farm this land. The locals ‘Were skeplical, for two good rea- sons, Soil In the area Is poor, and qintall is scarce. ‘The vast majority of the earth that covers the Big Muddy Ranch hhas been assigned by the US. Soil Conservation Service to classes IV through Vill. Class Vill soil is regarded as simply “unrecovera- ble" desert. Annual rainfall in the area is oniy about 12 inches. ‘The Rajneeshees told the local people they could deal with these problems, that those 12 Inches of yearly rainfall spread over 64,000 Acres created an annual watershed of, $2 billion gallons, that wells would be dug, that grasslands would be replanted, creekbeds re- stored, soll replenished, that inno- vative’ farming techniques would be used. The Rajneeshees said they hhad the money and the, manpower to do these things. : The locals were about equally, impressed and threatened by the First, wave of Rajneesh sannyasins. Most of these people wearing red clothes and bead necklaces were weileducated, many holding de- ‘grees {com Ivy League universities, ‘A majority had been upper-middie- class professionals before they joined Bhagwan in India. "Most of them couldn't operate even a wheelbarrow when they first arrived,” said raneh foreman Bob Harvey, "but they're the kind that lean things quickly. "The Rajaceshees' initial pres. fence in Antelope was a house they rented for the phone service, some: thing the ranch was lacking then “P helped them set-up that attice,” recalled the retired teacher who was Antelope’s mayor ‘atthe time, Margaret Hill. A lot of| the property in Antelope was for Tent ‘or sale even before the| Najneeshees eame. The town's pop. ulation was dwindling, and most of “itse left were older, retired peo Swit “approach to land manager Io -ipaamr dhe it athipae M "alae og of the local people refused that invitation, yet everyone in the town drove 200 mites Into Portland to watch the anti-Rajneesh docu- mentary “Ashram. ‘The conflict between thie people {in town and the people In red went public over an issue that was considerably more mundane than missile sites. This was when the Rajneeshees for the first time announced plans for the construc: tion. of a project that was not agricultural, an 18000-square-foot, printing piant to publish. the. hundreds of thousands of Bhag. ‘war's books that are purchased every year, at present more than $0 volumes in 20 languages. 1 way-at-this -point_that_the drama was joined by the signili- fant, but often overlooked, third ty, a “public interest” "group ed 1000 Friends of Oregon. “1000 Friends of Oregon: was founded in 1075 under the auspices of farmer Gov. To McCall, one of the few people in this maverick state who has heen able to retain the respect of the populace for any length of time. Tall and command: Jing, McCall. was a former, anchor- man for the NBC affiliate in Portland, the scion of an old ‘Oregon family and a liberal Repub- Hican in a state where that concept was not yet a non sequitur. He was a patrician who was photographed often wearing hip waders and carrying a fishing pole. McCall, who died earlier this year, helped form 1000 Friends to ensure the implementation of Ore: fgon's landsuse laws, by far the most elaborate in the nation. The group had a heroic quality ‘during the 1970s, when It blocked developers’ plans to despoil the Oregon coast and pave over the rich farmlands of the Willamette Valley. Of the 82 land-use cases in which 1000 Friends has taken to a decision in court, they have won 73. ‘Today, Oregon tas either rezoned for is in the process of rezoning nearly 18 million acres 1o Exclusive Farm Use, more than the other 49 states combined. Like many public interest ous, though, 1000 Friends devel- oped into a sort of self-perpetuat ing myth, ‘The organization's approach became increasingly le- galistic, to the point that It now Ipposes, in the name of “avalding a langerdus precedent,” a comin become a model of the enlightened ent 1000 lity at Rajneeshpuram that shas + ees were in a squeeze, and the reacted by demonstrating that the vere capable of playing politics ruthlessly as anyone. : ‘Through the commune's pres dent, and Bhagwan's personal se retary, Ma Anand Sheela, th residents in. Antelope were r minded that the Rajneeshees ha the numbers to simply move int the town and take it over. Sheela and the othe Rajneeshee administrators showe up.for the first time at a Ci Couneil meeting with an attorne from Chicago. A short time late they hired the best land-use lawye in Oregon, Ed Sullivan, and a to legislative lobbyist named Bo Davis, a former aide to Tom MeCal Local residents recall that when a NBC News crew showed-up at a ‘Antelope City Couneil meeting, Rajneeshees had more film equit ment there than the network dic “| remember being late for on council meeting," recalled Marg ret Hill, "and when I walked in a the seats were taken by th Rajneeshees, and all the loc people, older people, were standin along the walls. looked out on tha sen of red and it was frightening. John Bowerman, a former U: Olympic ski team’ member “an professional rodeo rider whos smaller raneh sits across the Joh Day River from the Big Mudd said he was offended “less by th things the Rajneeshees want tha by the aggressive attitude they us in going after them, showing up 3 ‘meetings early to take all the seat bringing lawyers in from Portlani pointing video cameras at these of people.” ‘The video cameras, in partic Man charged Hotel Rajnees PORTLAND, 'Ore. (AP) — / man charged. with arson tn the [bombing of a hotel owned by followers of an Indian guru wa transferred to a regular hospita room after being released from custody on’ bond. « 2 Stephen P. Paster, 34, of Lo “Angeles, who had been held the hospital's sceurity, word, aut fered Injuries to his arms, fac and torso in the July 29 blast'a the Hotel Rajneesh. “He: is: tHill's house to make Christmas ‘wreaths. Spotting the cars and trucks parked outside her yard, the sannyasins called Hill to accuse her holding a “secret meeting.’ Eventually, sensing that the jneeshees were polsed, as they iad threatened, to take’ political ‘ontrol of Antelope, the local peo: le decided : instead to attempt The actual language of the law hat applied tothe incorporation of cities, however, was vague. It read a lot more-as if it concerned the ration of land. by existing es than the formation of new ties ‘This spring that language was hanged by Oregon's Land Conser- ation and Development Commis. unicipal suicide: They scheduled sion in a way What favored. 1000 “disincorporation” vote for April Friends’ argument 1982, 1000 Friends said the new lan: ‘The Rajneeshees took advantage guage was a “clarification” of an of Oregon's same-day voter regis: existing law. The Rajneesheos said tration laws to block this effort. it was a new law being applied Tat of the Rajneeshee voters in “retroactively.” Irs not difticult to Antelope took up residence in town understand why they fee! this way Iess than three weeks before the [The new “temporary. rule" was lection. Oregon Secretary of State written so that it applies to the Normal. Paulus was quoted as incorporation of new ities after saying, “All you needed to vote in | August of 1901, two months before the Antelope election was to own a | the [alneeshpuram incorporation sleeping bag.” The vote came on a proceedings began, The temporary day wher hail fell out of clear sky, rule also excluded the only "site Local people who had been de. specific resource” — the presence lighted: to find themselves men- of a reservoir — that the Htajneesh- tioned in the Madras Pioneer were ees might have been able to use to being interviewed by the New justify their city. Rajneeshpuram York Times, "0 Minutes” and Feeently completed a. reservoir, Reuiers. They were finally being Krishnamuru Lake, containing 360 portrayed, 10 their satisfaction, as million gallons of water. Ihe vietims of an invader cult. The Under the temiporary rule, 1000 Rajneeshees, however, won the Friends feels “extremely cont rote dont” of a court vietory this year, During the next local election, according to attorney Greenfield, Margaret. il "was- replaced as mayor of Anielope by Ma. Prem Karuna, who also held the title of vice president of the Rajneesh international Commune. The Rajneeshees now control all but ane of the 10 Antelope City Council eats, The new official city seal for Antelope is the logo of ihe Rajneesh commune, two birds in light. During the past year the city Council has contracted with ine Rajneeshpuram Police Force to provide “emergency” service to of Rajneeshpuram. Appeals ‘and counterappeals, though, could drag the matter out in court for years. In the meantime, the Rajneesh ees continue to build a city on the former Big Muddy Ranch “at their own risk,” as Greenfield put it. here is considerable irony in 1000 Friends’ opposition to Rajneeshpuram. Central Oregon hhas never been 100) Friends’ finan: cial or political base; the group has group of city "unnecessary rules and regulations on landowners. Yet while a num ber of its longtime members have roped support for 1000 Friends because of the Rajneeshpuram cases, the group has, attracted a ‘much larger number from those sectors of the state where it has never been popular: a fundraising leaflet mailed by 1000 Friends to Central Oregon was titled “Rajeeshpuram Alert." 1000 Friends was among, the supporters of Oregon's Year 2000 Plan, calling for inereased develop- meni of Central Oregon rather than. in the’ densely. populated Willamette Valley: The Rajncesh: ees have done more to develop these arid expanses than any other frroup: they have spent more than ith bombing free on bond. ndergo more surgery, and Sot askelley, spokesman for. the «| ortiand Adventist Medical Cen- ‘A woman who Identified her-, if a8 his wile, Linda C. Paster, sted bond and delivered a atement to the Oregonian ewspaper. “Tho newspaper. re ted that the statement was ital of the followers of guru { bagwan -Shree.-Rajnesh-No tails were given. that will nullify the incorporation been largely regarded here as a! liberals Imposing- at Rajneeshpuram where raw sew: age Is treated and used to irrigate vegetable gardens. 1000 Friends attempted to block construction of this project on the grounds that it represents “urban infrastructure, Tichmond is a witty man with plump eheeks and thick glasses hat make him look as if he skipped adolescence in a clean jump from childhood Into early middle age. He says he "entertains no political ambitions," but in 1900 he set a new record in’ Oregon for the ratio of dollars. spent to vows received when he ran for state attorney Reneral. Richmond wants it known that he is hardiy the bigot that the Rajneeshees say he is, and that he is not even unhip; he recalls the days when he ran a ligad shop in Berkeley called “Twi "7 Up" that “introduced strobe cauulles to the Bay Area.” Richmond's opposi to Rajneeshpuram, as he ex: plains it, seems based “mostly on “the precedent its existence would create.” He clted a report that a religious group from Sri Lanka had recently appoachied a Central Orv gon rancher about buying Property to form'a commune. It 1s likely. that 1000 Friends eventually will accept a compro: mise agreement that would allow the Najneeshees on the ranch to remain there, Richmond’ said. Yet his subordinate, Greenfield, said only a few minutes earlier that 350 was the largest number of sanny asins that would he allowed on the ranch under the plan 1000 Friends endorses. There are presently about 1,500 Rajneeshees on the ranch, Tichmond also trary to reporis, “we w expect then to dismanti they already have in plac only two days later. attorney Greenfield was quoted in the Port land Oregonian as stating that when — not if — Its case I all else falls, Main Street probably will be renamed Nirvana Road some day, and Antelope will be gone forever, replaced by a new Hajneeshpuram, “That,” said Henry Richmond “we wouldn't oppose. It would be none of our business.” Tomorrow: Thor's no place like Aum