Gaea camp. Camp Gaea: A Spiritual Retreat Center’s Journey Through Controversy and Legal Battles

What is Camp Gaea. How did the legal dispute between Leavenworth County and Earth Rising Inc unfold. What were the key issues surrounding the camp’s special-use permit renewal. How was the conflict ultimately resolved.

The Origins and Nature of Camp Gaea

Camp Gaea, a 168-acre spiritual retreat center located 10 miles north of Tonganoxie, Kansas, has been a source of both fascination and controversy since its establishment. Owned by Earth Rising Inc., a non-profit corporation, since 1992, the camp has become known for its unique blend of spiritual practices, including pagan rituals, and its clothing-optional policy.

What makes Camp Gaea unique?

Camp Gaea stands out for several reasons:

• It serves as a sanctuary for diverse spiritual practices, with a focus on earth-based religions
• The camp allows nudity, which is uncommon for retreat centers in the region
• It offers a range of meditation and ritual areas throughout the property
• The center emphasizes respect for nature and encourages visitors to connect with the land

The Legal Battle: Leavenworth County vs. Earth Rising Inc.

In the summer of 2022, Camp Gaea found itself embroiled in a legal dispute that threatened its very existence. The conflict centered around the renewal of the camp’s special-use permit, which was necessary for its continued operation.

How did the legal dispute begin?

The controversy unfolded as follows:

1. Earth Rising Inc. applied for renewal of Camp Gaea’s special-use permit
2. The Leavenworth County planning and zoning commission recommended against renewing the permit
3. On October 25, 2022, after heated discussions, the Leavenworth County commissioners voted 2-1 to deny the camp’s special-use permit
4. Earth Rising board chairman John Pearse vowed to fight the decision, citing civil rights violations
5. On November 26, 2022, Earth Rising filed an appeal in Leavenworth County District Court

Key Players in the Camp Gaea Controversy

Several individuals and groups played crucial roles in the unfolding drama surrounding Camp Gaea’s permit renewal:

Who were the main actors in this legal battle?

• Earth Rising Inc.: The non-profit corporation that owns and operates Camp Gaea
• John Pearse: Chairman of the Earth Rising board, who led the fight against the permit denial
• Leavenworth County Commissioners: The governing body that voted to deny the special-use permit
• Commissioner Joe Daniels: The lone dissenting vote in the commission’s decision to deny the permit
• Local residents: Many opposed the camp’s continued operation, citing concerns about its activities
• Judge David King: The Leavenworth County District Judge who ultimately approved the settlement

The Role of Commissioner Joe Daniels

Commissioner Joe Daniels played a unique role in the Camp Gaea controversy, having firsthand experience with the retreat center from his previous work as the county’s environmental health director.

Why did Commissioner Daniels vote against denying the permit?

Daniels’ familiarity with Camp Gaea informed his decision:

• He had visited the camp three or four times in his previous role
• Daniels had helped the camp install a sewage lagoon and make other improvements to comply with county regulations
• His personal experiences at the camp led him to feel secure in his understanding of its operations
• This knowledge likely contributed to his dissenting vote on the permit denial

Community Concerns and Opposition

The controversy surrounding Camp Gaea highlighted a divide within the local community, with many residents expressing concerns about the retreat center’s presence in their area.

What were the main objections to Camp Gaea’s continued operation?

Local opposition to the camp centered on several issues:

• Discomfort with the camp’s pagan rituals and spiritual practices
• Concerns about public nudity and its potential impact on community values
• Worries about increased traffic and noise in the rural area
• Fears about potential negative effects on property values
• Misconceptions about the nature of activities taking place at the camp

The Settlement and Its Implications

After months of legal wrangling, the dispute between Leavenworth County and Earth Rising Inc. reached a resolution through a negotiated settlement.

What were the terms of the settlement?

While the full details of the agreement were not made public, key points included:

• Camp Gaea would be allowed to continue operating
• The camp likely agreed to certain conditions or restrictions to address community concerns
• Both parties avoided a potentially costly and prolonged legal battle
• The settlement represented a compromise between the camp’s rights and local government interests

Camp Gaea’s Rules and Regulations

In light of the controversy and subsequent settlement, it’s important to examine the rules and regulations that govern Camp Gaea. These guidelines demonstrate the camp’s commitment to creating a safe and respectful environment for all visitors.

What are the key rules for visitors to Camp Gaea?

The camp’s regulations cover a wide range of areas:

• Registration: All visitors must pre-register and pay fees before arrival
• Photography: Signed releases are required for all photographs of individuals
• Minors: No one under 18 is allowed without a parent or legal guardian
• Pets: Strict rules govern the presence and behavior of companion animals
• Vehicles: A 5 mph speed limit is enforced, and parking is restricted to designated areas
• Harassment: Any form of harassment based on religion, spirituality, sexual preferences, race, gender, or age is prohibited
• Environmental responsibility: Visitors must pack out all trash and recycling
• Fires: Use of existing fire pits only, with attention to burn bans and red flag warnings
• Respect for ritual spaces: Meditation and ritual areas must be left undisturbed
• Public behavior: Sexual activity in public areas is strictly forbidden

These rules reflect Camp Gaea’s effort to balance personal freedom with respect for others and the environment, addressing many of the concerns raised by local residents during the permit dispute.

The Future of Camp Gaea and Similar Retreats

The resolution of the Camp Gaea dispute raises important questions about the future of alternative spiritual retreats and their place in rural communities.

What lessons can be drawn from the Camp Gaea controversy?

Several key takeaways emerge from this case:

• The importance of clear communication between retreat centers and local communities
• The need for alternative spiritual practices to find common ground with more traditional viewpoints
• The role of local government in balancing diverse community interests
• The potential for legal action to protect the rights of minority spiritual groups
• The value of compromise and negotiation in resolving complex land-use disputes

As society continues to diversify, cases like Camp Gaea’s may become more common, challenging communities to find ways to coexist with alternative spiritual practices while addressing legitimate local concerns.

The Broader Context: Religious Freedom and Land Use

The Camp Gaea controversy touches on larger issues of religious freedom and land use rights in the United States. This case highlights the ongoing tension between protecting individual liberties and addressing community concerns.

How does the Camp Gaea case relate to broader legal and social issues?

The dispute raises several important points:

• It underscores the challenges faced by non-mainstream religious groups in exercising their First Amendment rights
• The case demonstrates the complex interplay between local zoning laws and federal protections for religious land use
• It highlights the need for balanced approaches to accommodate diverse spiritual practices within communities
• The controversy shows how perceptions and misconceptions can fuel opposition to unfamiliar religious or spiritual groups
• The resolution through settlement suggests the potential for finding common ground in such disputes

As communities across the country grapple with similar issues, the Camp Gaea case may serve as a reference point for finding equitable solutions that respect both individual rights and community standards.

Environmental Stewardship at Camp Gaea

One aspect of Camp Gaea’s operation that often goes overlooked in discussions of the controversy is its commitment to environmental stewardship. This focus on caring for the land aligns with both the camp’s spiritual ethos and broader societal concerns about environmental protection.

How does Camp Gaea promote environmental responsibility?

The retreat center emphasizes ecological awareness in several ways:

• Implementing a “Pack in / Pack out” policy for all trash and recycling
• Restricting vehicle use on the property to minimize environmental impact
• Carefully regulating fire use to prevent wildfires and protect the landscape
• Prohibiting hunting to preserve local wildlife
• Encouraging visitors to connect with and respect the natural environment
• Maintaining meditation and ritual areas that celebrate the land’s spiritual significance

These practices not only reflect Camp Gaea’s earth-centered spiritual philosophy but also demonstrate a commitment to being a responsible steward of the land. This aspect of the camp’s operation could serve as a point of common ground with local residents who value environmental conservation.

The Economic Impact of Camp Gaea

While much of the controversy surrounding Camp Gaea focused on cultural and spiritual issues, it’s worth considering the potential economic impact of the retreat center on the local community.

What economic benefits might Camp Gaea bring to the area?

The retreat center could contribute to the local economy in several ways:

• Attracting visitors who spend money at local businesses
• Creating jobs for local residents, both directly at the camp and indirectly through increased tourism
• Generating tax revenue for Leavenworth County
• Potentially increasing property values by preserving green space
• Drawing attention to the area as a destination for spiritual retreats and nature enthusiasts

While these economic benefits may not have been central to the legal dispute, they could play a role in shaping community perceptions of the camp moving forward. Highlighting these potential advantages could help Camp Gaea build stronger relationships with local residents and businesses.

Lessons in Community Relations

The Camp Gaea controversy offers valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities of managing relationships between alternative spiritual communities and their neighbors. The resolution of this dispute through negotiation and settlement points to the potential for finding common ground even in contentious situations.

How can alternative spiritual communities improve their relationships with local residents?

Several strategies emerge from the Camp Gaea case:

• Transparency: Being open about activities and practices to dispel misconceptions
• Community engagement: Actively participating in local events and initiatives
• Education: Offering opportunities for neighbors to learn about the community’s beliefs and practices
• Addressing concerns: Proactively working to mitigate issues raised by local residents
• Emphasizing shared values: Highlighting common ground, such as environmental stewardship
• Legal compliance: Ensuring all activities adhere to local, state, and federal regulations
• Open communication: Maintaining dialogue with local officials and community leaders

By implementing these strategies, alternative spiritual communities like Camp Gaea can work towards building trust and understanding with their neighbors, potentially avoiding future conflicts and fostering a more harmonious coexistence.

Rules – Gaea Retreat Center

In addition to abiding by any and all federal, state and local laws, it is expected that those who wish to enjoy the sanctuary of Gaea respect the basic policies regarding personal behavior and responsibilities.

1. Registration: Everyone is required to pre-register and pay fees prior to arrival.
2. Cameras: All photographers must obtain a signed pre-photo release from any person photographed. Photographing anyone unaware is not allowed.
3. Children & Minors: No one under 18 is permitted without a parent or legal guardian. The supervision, safety and behavior of all persons 17 or under are the responsibility of their parent or guardian. Children 12 and under are to be in the direct presence and supervision of their parent or guardian.
4. Pets: Pets are allowed at Gaea. Pets include any companion animal you bring to camp. For the safety of pets and others, please read and familiarize yourself with our pet rules. They will be stringently enforced.
   • All pets must be on a 6-10 foot non-retractable leash.
   • Pets may not be tied out or tied to trees.
   • Owners should maintain physical control of the animal at all times.
   • When away from your pet, it must be in a kennel. Even inside a tent or cabin.
   • Pets are not to be confined to your vehicle in extreme heat or cold.
   • Pets are not allowed in the dining hall or shower house.
   • Do not bring your pet to camp if it has known aggression issues. If your pet is aggressive, you will be asked to remove your pet from the property.
   • If your pet becomes a nuisance, as in the case of excessive dog barking, you will be asked to remove your pet from the property.
   • You will need to provide proof of rabies vaccination if requested. Please have that available.

   All rules apply to animals deemed as emotional support animals.

   As stated by federal law, dogs and miniature horses are the only animals recognized as service animals.

5. Vehicles: The speed limit is 5 mph. Parking is permitted in designated parking areas only (see map). Please restrict driving – park, walk, exercise, and enjoy the land.
6. Harassment: Harassment in any form based on, but not limited to, religion, spirituality, sexual preferences, race, gender or age is not allowed.
7. Littering: Gaea is Pack in / Pack out. All trash and recycling should be removed from the property with you.  Everyone is expected to clean up after themselves.
8. Fires: Use existing fire pits ONLY. Portable fireplaces and grills are permitted. Be mindful of red flag warnings and burn bans – there are no fires allowed in these instances.
9. Firewood: Contact a caretaker for full information or bring your own wood. Use of existing wood stacks or pre-cut timber already on property is not allowed.
10. Hunting & Fishing: Hunting of any type is not allowed. Fishing is allowed with the proper Kansas license.
11. Sites: Meditation/Ritual areas are situated throughout Gaea. It is expected that these spaces will be respected and offerings left at them are undisturbed.
12. Sex: Sexual activity in public areas is strictly prohibited.
13. Personal Items: Personal items become the property of Gaea if left over 7 days. Lost and found is located on the dining hall porch.

Not adhering to any of these rules may result in expulsion and/or permanent disbarment from Gaea Retreat Center.

RESPECT YOURSELF, RESPECT OTHERS AND RESPECT THE LAND

Judge OKs settlement of Camp Gaea suit

The dispute between Leavenworth County and Earth Rising Inc. has been settled.

On Tuesday, Leavenworth County District Judge David King approved an agreement between the county and Earth Rising, which means Camp Gaea, a 168-acre spiritual retreat center known for pagan rituals and nudity will be allowed to stay open.

The camp, which is 10 miles north of Tonganoxie, has been owned since 1992 by Earth Rising, a not-for-profit corporation. Last summer when Earth Rising applied for renewal of the camp’s special-use permit, the county planning and zoning commission voted to recommend against renewing the permit. On Oct. 25, after heated discussions among camp representatives, attorneys and area residents who opposed the camp, Leavenworth County commissioners voted 2-1 to deny the camp’s special-use permit.

Commissioner Joe Daniels, who in October voted against denying the special-use permit, had visited the camp three or four times when he worked as the county’s environmental health director. He helped lead the camp in installing a sewage lagoon and other related improvements to comply with the county’s regulations.

“I’ve been out there on several occasions,” Daniels said Monday. “I felt secure in my understanding of what happens out there.”

Immediately after the commission in October voted to deny the special-use permit, Earth Rising board chairman John Pearse vowed to fight the decision, claiming civil rights violations. On Nov. 26, the group filed an appeal in Leavenworth County District Court. In March and April, both sides reached agreement after meeting in mediation.

So Earth Rising will not have to reapply for permits if the camp:

Complies with county sanitation regulations.

Provides copies of a plan to the county’s emergency management office for hazard planning relating to fire protection, escape routes posted, notification procedures and emergency contacts and a severe weather shelter.

Pays a commercial transportation impact fee.

Places and maintains at least once a year 600 linear feet of dust control on the roadway.

Notifies the Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Department at least 48 hours before any event that will have a projected attendance of more than 250 people. Attendance at one annual event may be up to 1,500, with attendance at all other events limited to 750.

Ensures that during late-night and early-morning hours, noise generated at the camp not exceed 80 decibels, as measured at any location of the camp’s perimeter.

Complies with local, state and federal rules and regulations.

Beth and Aaron Hecht live next door to the camp. They, and others who own property nearby, garnered 300 signatures on petitions last fall petitions asking the county to deny the camp’s renewal.

“Obviously, it’s more than two or three people complaining about the place,” Hecht said.

But Hecht said the group didn’t hire an attorney.

“We’re not a rich community by any means and we can’t afford to hire any big power attorneys to go our way,” Hecht said, comparing her group to Earth Rising. “They’ve had their fund-raisers, and they’ve got their dollars and they’ve been able to play the game.”

Wanda Roths, an Earth Rising board member and caretaker who has lived at the camp for four years, said she hopes this settles the concerns of neighbors and area residents who signed the petition.

“We’re hoping everybody will just accept this decision in good faith and go on with their lives,” Roths said.

And, for the visitors who frequent the camp, Roths said this is good news.

“They know this is a place they can come and not be harassed in any way, no matter what their religious or sexual beliefs are,” Roths said.

Roths recalled her reaction at October’s commission hearing when camp opponents complained about pagan rituals, nudity and homosexuality, and accused camp members of pedophilia.

“It was quite a shock,” Roths said. “We had no idea that the neighbors were upset with us not one had come to us and talked about any problems.”

Further, Roths a mother of four, who is a grandmother, said the accusations of pedophilia were unbelievable.

“No one’s gong to hurt a child in any way, shape or form out there,” Roths said.

Paganism, Roths said, is an earth-based religion.

“We have different goddesses and gods that we look to, rather than the traditional gods of the Bible,” she said.

However, she said, all faiths are welcome.

“We have Catholics that come here and Christians that come here,” Roths said. “We just refer to them as pagan-friendly.”

A nearby landowner, who had opposed the renewal of the camp’s permit, called the county’s agreement with Earth Rising “sad.”

“I don’t think our county needs this type of an organization,” he said. “It’s a bad situation for the community up there. There will never be anybody who will want to buy my land for a place to live since it’s down the road from a nudist camp.”

Gaea retreat: Music, environmental awareness, spirituality collide in new festival | News, Sports, Jobs

Chris Yager, left, Jennifer Lacey and Merridy Yager gather at Camp Gaea prior to the festival.

When Chris Yager decided to launch a music festival, he experienced a rude awakening.

He proposed the idea to Earth Rising Inc., a group that owns Camp Gaea, a 168-acre spiritual retreat center 10 miles north of Tonganoxie. Yager hoped to stage his festival at the scenic, isolated sanctuary that once functioned as a church camp.

The concept did not go over well.

“They were concerned about it turning into this big party,” Yager says. “I understand. I’ve already been through the big party stage, and I’m ready to develop and move forward. They said, ‘The challenge is for you to educate and have a point – then we’ll agree to it.’”

So after enduring several board meetings, Yager and his staff finally convinced the proprietors to embrace the Gaea Retreat and Music Festival, which begins at noon today.

“We’ve spawned into this weird festival where it’s a mesh of cultures. We have introduced education through imagery by focusing on things like the environment, free energy, energy conservation alternatives, performing arts,” he says.

“It’s more of a social experience than a music festival. I think of it as a cultural brothel – though I hate to use that phrase.”

Those at Camp Gaea might not be too comfortable with the phrase either.

The venue has spent years living down its reputation as a haven for nudists and pagan rituals. This was in part due to the publicity revolving around a 2001 lawsuit Earth Rising filed after neighbors pressured Leavenworth County to revoke Camp Gaea’s permit. (A compromise was eventually reached out of court.)

Since then, the site’s board of directors has worked hard to alter its anything-goes notoriety.

“We have a little of that reputation which we’re hoping to break,” says Chris Byram, president of Earth Rising.

“We have a lot of people come out there who are Catholic or Christian. They come out there just because there is not the cultural hold over everything you do. You don’t feel like you’re constantly being judged. We’re not a nudist camp. Personal nudity is a spiritual and personal choice. It’s not anything we encourage or discourage. We have certain areas that are clothing-required, such as the main public buildings and areas around the outlying gates.”

In fact, Byram admits he has never gone nude on the Camp Gaea premises.

“I have clothes on right now,” he says, laughing.

Pooling talents

Yager was initially distressed that his festival was forced by Earth Rising to head in a different direction.

“We weren’t prepared for it. Then I turned it into a positive. Now we have a point. Now we have a purpose,” he says.

So Yager, a former Lawrence resident who recently moved to Kansas City, adopted the concept with reckless abandon by turning to his staff and determining what talents they had to offer.

One was an advocate of the energy crisis point; another an expert on entanglement theory.

For Yager, he had just experienced a home birth with his girlfriend seven weeks ago, and he decided to speak to the benefit of that trend by recruiting a midwife activist for the festival.

“If one girl goes to the festival and decides to have her baby at home, my job is done,” says Yager, who named his daughter Merridy, which means “a happy song.”

“She was named after this thing,” he says of the concert event.

Other education-oriented aspects to the Gaea gathering (which is taken from the ancient Greek word for Mother Earth) include performing arts preservation, fine arts preservation, drug decriminalization and ways to improve gas mileage by building hydrogen cells.

In addition to various speakers, Yager has assembled informational DVDs to air on projection screens in-between the bands.

“We’re going to open up some really touchy subjects that most stock model events wouldn’t even touch,” Yager says.

Increasing scope

A year ago, Yager was simply another guitarist in Lawrence trying to start a band.

He threw a few house parties to get the word out about his group, Bad Sushi, and the events started to balloon.

He marshaled three Lawrence bands – Truckstop Honeymoon, Fast Food Junkies and Deadman Flats – and took them out to Perry Lake for an event called Lost Family Reunion.

“There wasn’t enough food for everyone. There wasn’t enough light,” he says. “But for being underbudgeted and amateurly planned, it went way good. … It hit about 400 people. It didn’t make it to my idea of a festival; it was a gathering.”

For the upcoming event, Yager says he’s recruited a staff of about 100 people that includes such necessities as emergency response teams.

He’s also increased the amount of musical acts from three to more than 40. Bands and DJs are trekking in from places such as Michigan and Nebraska.

“Most are friends or people I’ve done gigs with,” Yager says. “The others came from posting bulletins on MySpace.”

Despite the increase in artists and activities, attendance at Camp Gaea (pronounced guy-uh) is capped at 750.

Byram says, “When speaking with Chris Yager, he’s just got such a really good sound mind for finding that even balance between having a music festival that has a community behind it. It’s not just music for him; it’s also about building that community. It’s getting the 18-year-old kids to find that realm of evenness and spiritual soundness. ”

Gaea | Camp Jupiter Wiki

Gaea is the Goddess of the Earth. She is the mother of the Titans, earthborn and the giants. Gaea’s given Roman name is Terra which in Latin means land or earth

History[]

Gaea

Gaea and Ouranos (the Earth and Sky) had the twelve Titans. When Gaea also gave birth to the Cyclopes, Ouranos threw them into Tartarus on account of their hideous complexion and one eyeball. An enraged Gaea gave Kronos, the eldest Titan, a scythe and he chopped up his father into little pieces so he could be a better king of the universe. Then Gaea fell into a deep slumber, and rested.

Gaea is attempting to rise and the Greek and Roman demigods have to work together to stop her. According to Gaea, she needs two powerful demigods, a male and a female,  to be sacrificed. It is the only way for her to fully rise. 

The Lost Hero[]

The earth goddess is introduced to the series as the antagonist after the Titan War. The “second chapter.” She is first seen tormenting Leo Valdez as a child by coming into his house, not yet fully awake, and forcibly and tactically making him burn the house down with his mother inside. She is also referred to often as the earth mother. She is mentioned various times throughout the book yet never takes a physical form except for a few rare occasions.

• Face in the porta potty sludge
• Cage holding Juno captive
• Lady who scared Leo as a child in his burning house

The Son of Neptune[]

The threat is not revealed until farther into the book. Gaea is called on indirectly when Gwendolyn is stabbed in the War Games but comes back through The Doors of Death easily and returns to life. Gaea has found a way to control who lives and who doesn’t. When monster is killed they could return easily. It is so found she has captured the death god Thantos by resurrecting her son Alyconeus from Alaska. She also brings forth an army of monsters against Camp Jupiter which ultimately fails but is merely a small victory.

The Mark of Athena[]

Gaea is seen numerous times in this book as well. The seven demigods unite together for the first time to conquer Gaea. She does not take physical shape however and uses her children the Giants and eildolins at her disposal to cause mischief between the Romans and Greeks and create problems and distractions for the demigods.

The House of Hades[]

Gaea is mentioned but again, doesn’t take physical form. Her demons and monsters guard the Doors of Death along with her powerful allies who all obey the Earth Mother.

The Blood of Olympus[]

SPOILERS FOR THE BLOOD OF OLYMPUS! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK

Gaea rises at the end of the book, in the final battle. She takes the mortal shape and as she is waking, she causes many demigods to sink into the ground. However, Leo scoops her up with Festus, carries her into the sky where she is weakest and with the help of Jason and Piper and Octavian they destroy her

Gaea LaBelle – Refugee Lyrics | Genius Lyrics

[Intro]
Heh (Refugee camp)
Hm-hmm (Uh, camp)
Ahhh (Refugee camp)
Yahahaha ha ha (Uh, camp)

[Verse 1]
What is love when you’re in control but
Most of your enemies feign your friend just to get closer
Convince you to do what you ain’t supposed to
IPhone to the holster
But you still post up, posin’
How do you motivate a culture
When vultures got the media up in a hold up?
Hol’ it. .
How do you captivate the young ones
And keep their attention from the mal-intents of the corprate order?
How do you activate your soul, cuh?
Why don’t you remind us
We’re not action figures but soldiers?
How do you calculate the vote for
A government more in debt with figures
You don’t even own or know of
Multiplied by tax you already owe plus
The time it takes to get yo ass locked up in a hole?
On our feet we got the bullet proof sole
Without concrete, the grass is green
Did you know? Did you know?
Let me know, yo? (yo)

[Hook]
What the fuck is up with this world?
Yo, What the fuck is up with this earth?
Yo, What the fuck is up with this word? (Word)
Ya, what the fuck is up with this girl?
Yo, what the fuck is up with this world?
What the fuck is up with this word? (Word)
Yo, what the fuck is up with this earth?
What the fuck is up with this

[Verse 2]
Up with this, up with this
I ain’t puttin’ up with this
Uppity stank ass stuck up upper lip
Upper mid class
Half ass sponsoring
Hashtag politics
Mili-brat polish and
Enrolling ain’t an option
When you rollin’ with a Rollie
While the freed’s rolling over in a coffin
“And please don’t spill your coffee in my rover
‘Cause I’m rolling past the hoodies in the hood
And it ain’t no stopping”
Motherfucker, ain’t no stopping?
She acting like this ain’t here where I live
Like I had an option
Like my family’s made of profits
I promise that
When you’re an immigrant
Ain’t nobody interest in
But your dividends and deposits
I acknowledged your Cartier bracelet when I hopped in
Like, “Ooh, bih, stop it. “
I pondered, when you holla holla
For the dolla doller bill
It’s just a promissory note up in your wallet (Ah sh)
Meh can’t do nothing
With overturned pockets
Gosh, it’s nonsense
Now, momma is watching
Who knew that scholarships
Would mean nothing in politics?
Honestly, the facade is just obnoxious
Canidates hollering to own a part of me
And I don’t want a part of it
Modern apathy for illegal money
Laundered in student slavery
(Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, yo, yo)

[Hook]
Yo, What the fuck is up with this world? (Right)
Yo, What the fuck is up with this earth?
Yo, What the fuck is up with this word? (Word)
Ya, what the fuck is up with this girl? (Girl)
Yo, what the fuck is up with this world?
What the fuck is up with this word? (Word)
Yo, what the fuck is up with this girl? (Girl)
What the fuck is up with this

[Outro]
Ahh ahhahaha ha haha haha ha
What the fuck is up with this girl?
(With this girl)
Ah hahaha ha haha haha ha, huh
Ya, yo what the fuck is up with this world ahhhh ahh
(Yo what the fuck is up with this world?)
Yah ahahaha haha haha ha
(The fuck is up with this girl?)
Fuck that shit
What the fuck is up with this girl?

Camp Gaea – [Mclouth, KS]

Camp Gaea

25110 235th St. McLouth, KS 66054 United Stateswww.campgaea.org(913) 796-2141

About Camp Gaea

Camp Gaea is a spiritual retreat center. Nudity is allowed on most of the camp grounds.

Camp Gaea Directions

To get to the Camp Gaea Retreat Center from the Kansas City area, begin by going west from town on I-70. Once you have passed I-435 and the Kansas Speedway, you will take the Bonner Springs exit and head North on K-7 for about 6 miles (if you get to Lansing you have gone too far).
You will be looking for Leavenworth County Road 8 (also called Fairmount). This will be marked by a Blue sign with an 8 on it.

The intersection has a Phillips 66 gas station on the right and you will turn Left (West).

Go West 4.3 miles until you reach 175th.

Here County Road 8 will curve to the Right (North). The road you are on does continue to the West but you want to go North, staying on County Road 8.

In about 1 mile you will come to an intersection, Dempsey Road.

Here you will want to turn Left (West), staying on County Road 8, by taking the curve to the Left. There is a stop sign where the curve joins Dempsey.

Once on Dempsey Rd., which is still County Road 8, you will go West for 7.3 miles through two more Stop signs.
The first stop sign is at 187th Street.

The second stop sign is at 211th Street in Jarbalo, Kansas. Keep going West on County Road 8.
Note: The speed limit drops to 30MPH in Jarbalo!

Keep going West until you come to Leavenworth County Road 30, which is 235th Street. It is a Gravel Road. Here you will turn Right (North).

Go North for 1.3 miles until the gravel road goes down a hill. At the bottom of the hill is a concrete bridge. Just before the bridge is a mailbox on the right with the name GAEA on it. This is the entrance to Camp Gaea. Turn Right (East) at the mailbox.

Drive East through two sets of gates and you are at Gaea.

Be sure to stop at Phoenix Hall and register when you come onto Gaea property.

That Time I Went to a Sweat Lodge at Camp Gaea

One of the guys in the group said that he had done this before and had visions of dragons and tigers. Because it’s dark, hallucinations can happen. I don’t do small talk, so I kept to myself while we waited for the lodge to be ready.

By Daniel Scharpenburg

It was 2015, and the second time I went to the Heartland Pagan Festival at Camp Gaea.

I was asked to camp out and lead a meditation workshop, which I had previous done in 2014. It’s a weird festival in the woods for hippies, artists, and radicals. I want to compare it to Burning Man, but I don’t know anything about Burning Man, so I had better not.

From what I’ve gathered, modern paganism has a festival culture, in the same way that modern Buddhism has a retreat culture. People travel from all over to go to these festivals. A lot of them don’t have any kind of spiritual community practice outside of festivals.

The first time I went to the festival was when I realized that I really could teach the dharma to others. Prior to that it was just something I thought about. It was really life changing. The second time I went, it was life changing too.

I led meditation every morning, all four days of the festival. I think that the people that came to meditate with me were the ones that were really interested in having a spiritual experience at the festival, rather than people that were just there to celebrate community or have fun (those things ARE important too).

I saw information about the sweat lodge in a flyer and was immediately interested. I’m a Buddhist with a strong affinity for the Zen tradition, but all forms of mystical spirituality are of interest to me. The guy leading it was supposedly an expert. I don’t know anything about sweat lodge credentials, so who knows. None of the people I knew were thinking about going, so I went down there by myself. It was scheduled for 7 pm.

It was summer, so this was happening under the sun. I figured it would go on for a couple hours and then I’d be back for the lighting of the big bonfire. It had rained the night before and this made the weather very cool and comfortable. I was wearing my blue hoodie that had the OM MANI PADME HUM mantra in Sanskrit printed all over it.

I had to walk around a lake they call Lake Onessa to get there, and it was basically as far from my campsite as you could get. I walked the long winding trail to get around the lake and to the area, which I was only able to find because I had a map. I’m directionally challenged and even more so in the woods.

It was kind of an artificial cave. It reminded me of an igloo, but made out of cloth and rocks instead of ice. I wish I had been there when they built it earlier that day, so I could have seen how it was put together. There were five people waiting—three guys and two girls, probably in their early 20s. One of the girls had her shirt open to proudly display her nipple rings. What I’m trying to tell you is that Camp Gaea is a different place. It’s not like the ordinary world.

They were clearly friends who were doing this together. The guy gave us this warning as I approached: “If someone passes out, don’t do anything. It means they are in the spirit world on a journey.” And then, “Once you enter, you can’t leave until it’s over. The spirits will be very angry if you do.” I was both excited and nervous.

One of the guys in the group said that he had done this before and had visions of dragons and tigers. Because it’s dark, hallucinations can happen. I don’t do small talk, so I kept to myself while we waited for the lodge to be ready.

A young woman approached me and asked if the writing on my shirt was Hebrew. I told her it was Sanskrit and she asked if I was Jewish. I told her I’m not. That seemed out of nowhere, but I have been asked that before. I think she was talking to me because I was the only loner, and I think she was trying to be nice.

The guy had trouble starting the fire because it had rained the night before. We sat there waiting for over an hour. When it was finally lit, we got ready to go in. I took off all my clothes and put them in a neat pile a few feet from the lodge, with my glasses on top. Everyone else got into varying states of undress. Only the girl who had asked if I was Jewish stayed completely clothed. She must have gotten very uncomfortable in there.

The entrance was down low and we had to get down on all fours and crawl in, one at a time. It was dark inside. We made a circle around what was essentially a hole in the ground with hot rocks inside the hole. The guy poured water on the rocks and steam rose, making us really hot and sweaty. I didn’t feel like I was being cooked alive, but I definitely knew something was happening. There are four rounds of pouring and four rounds of prayers, and each time you thank the spirits and pray for things out loud. I remember praying for the well being of my family. I had only just found out my marriage was in trouble and I was afraid (a few months later I would be divorced). I didn’t hallucinate and I didn’t pass out. I didn’t see any spirits and I didn’t hear them talking to me.

But time stood still.

I did have a spiritual experience. I didn’t feel my sense of self fade away, which is what happens to me in deep meditation. Instead it felt like my sense of self exploded, shooting up like a roman candle and burning brightly. This was not a calm spiritual experience where one dwells in emptiness. This was an explosive one where I became as one with the sacred flame.

We came out crawling on all fours, just as we’d gone in—one at a time. It seemed like we had spent only an hour in the sweat lodge, but it was 1:00 in the morning when we emerged.

I picked up my clothes and walked naked through the dark woods to the shower house to wash off the gallons of sweat that poured all over my body.

My new friends did the same.

I never saw them again after that night. I didn’t even learn their names, but we shared an amazing spiritual experience.

*Please check with your doctor before attempting a sweat lodge

Photo: (source)

Editor: Dana Gornall

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Daniel is a Silent Illumination Meditation practitioner and teacher.

He has taught at One Mind Zen Hermitage, The Open Heart Project, and the Rime Center Buddhist Community.

In his day job he’s a union labor activist.

He specializes in bringing meditation practice and Buddhism to people in a practical way that applies to real life.

Find out more about Daniel here and connect with him on Facebook

Latest posts by Daniel Scharpenburg (see all)

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90,000 First gay concentration camp since Hitler opened in Chechnya

Western media actively cover the topic of concentration camps for gays in Chechnya
Photo: Guillaume Paumier / Flickr

On Monday, April 17, Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland called on Russia to investigate reports of torture and abduction of gays in Chechnya. “I’m sure your office is also aware of these statements. Considering all their seriousness, I, of course, am sure that you will consider them with due attention, ”says his message to the Ombudsman for Human Rights in Russia Tatyana Moskalkova .

Ombudsman for human rights in Russia Tatyana Moskalkova took the LGBT issue under personal control a few days after publication in Novaya Gazeta

Photo: Vladimir Andreev © URA.RU

The topic of torture and executions of gays in Chechnya has not faded away since publication of the material of “Novaya Gazeta”. The article “Honor Killing” reported that mass detentions of residents are taking place in Chechnya because of their non-traditional sexual orientation or suspicions of such. The journalists claimed that they knew the names of the three victims, and also published stories of those who were tortured by Chechen security officials, as they were suspected of homosexuality.

In two weeks, both Grozny and Moscow reacted to the article. The head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov called all the accusations against the Chechen security officials as slander. Press Secretary of the President Dmitry Peskov said that law enforcement agencies will check information about torture. The Prosecutor General’s Office of Russia has already stated that law enforcement agencies are checking the information of Novaya.

Despite the reaction of the Russian authorities, more and more articles on this topic are included in the tops of the English-language media.Their headlines are: “The first gay concentration camp since Hitler opened in Chechnya” (Daily Mail), “Chechens talk about prison torture and electric shock during anti-gay cleansing:“ They call us animals ”(The Guardian) or“ Report about the torture of gays in Chechnya prompted not an investigation, but only threats against journalists (Whashington Post).

According to the head of the Center for Social and Political Projects, political consultant Konstantin Listratov, due to a serious resonance, the Kremlin may face a number of problems. “The Russian authorities have reputational risks in the form of potential information attacks from both Western human rights activists and Russian liberal-minded politicians and public figures.

External and internal opposition will use any pretexts for criticism.

And especially when it comes to such a promoted topic as human rights violations, ”the political consultant believes. These risks can be minimized by investigation, as well as by providing information support for the entire process, Listratov believes: “One thing is the isolated statements of individual human rights defenders, the other is the involvement of large human rights organizations, Western political leaders.”

From Western politicians, the British Foreign Secretary has already expressed his concern Boris Johnson , and the international human rights organization Amnesty International asked the head of the Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin , acting head of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for Chechnya Sergei Sokolov5 and Moskalkovu to take control of the situation.

In addition to officials, ordinary representatives of the LGBT community are also sounding the alarm.A campaign was launched on social networks to draw attention to the Chechen issue. “Colleagues and activists in Russia! How can we best help with the situation in Chechnya? We sign petitions, hold campaigns, give money to the Russian LGBT Network to help refugees …

From the LGBT network they write: “Thank you very much for your support. Now it is extremely important to increase pressure on the Russian authorities in order to stop the monstrous crime being committed in Chechnya. ”

How else to increase the pressure? ” – asks one of the representatives of the US LGBT community on his Facebook page.On his page there are links to several events. For example, on Tuesday, April 18, the “Never again” protests will be held in three American cities at once: Los Angeles, New York and Washington.

The West has many reasons for boycotting the 2018 World Cup, besides the LGBT scandal: from doping to unprepared infrastructure, political scientist Grigory Dobromelov believes

Photo: Vladimir Zhabrikov © URA. RU

This scandal is similar to an attempt to influence the internal situation in Russia from the outside and destabilize relations between Moscow and Grozny, believes the expert on reputation management Andrey Shirokov .He points out that the topic of homosexuality in Russia does not carry any particular risks, in contrast to Chechnya, which has its own centuries-old foundations of relationships.

“Coming-outs do not work for us even in a corporate environment. And the topic of the internal politics of the Caucasus, which has always been isolated (you can read Lermontov, for example), is all the more complicated. There is an assumption that Novaya Gazeta deliberately went to the provocation, ”said the expert to URA.RU.

Shirokov explained that the journalists of Novaya Gazeta also have many questions: they could deliberately become hostages of a provocation organized by the Russian LGBT network.The stories of the victims ([email protected]), published in Novaya Gazeta, were sent to her mailbox. Now the same organization is collecting funds for the victims on a special website. Donations for organizing the relocation or emigration of gay Chechens are accepted from $ 10, you can also arrange monthly transfers.

LGBT activist Nikolai Alekseev has already called it “the greatest financial scam in the LGBT history of Russia.” Alekseev writes in his post on Facebook that in the West it is very easy to collect donations using the media.But in the end, Alekseev assumes, the funds raised to protect the “Chechen gays” will go “into the pockets of no one knows who, and this whole adventure will not solve the situation with the rights of LGBT people in Russia.”

Moreover, the same reaction caused by the law banning the promotion of homosexuality on the eve of the Sochi Olympics, when there were calls to boycott the competition, will not happen, Alekseev believes.

“Of course, this theme will be promoted and used. But, for example, it will not affect the holding of the FIFA World Cup in Russia.

There are already a lot of loud political statements. Nobody pays attention to them. The topic was obviously raised to enrich individual LGBT groups in Russia, “he said in an interview with URA.RU.

Director of the Institute for Applied Political Research Grigory Dobromelov also believes that mass publications in foreign media are predictable, but they will not entail any real consequences. “It is clear that the Western media, which work to discredit the image of Russia, seize any excuse to fulfill their task.But you shouldn’t take it seriously, because for the audience that considers Russia an “evil empire”, the opinion has not changed. This topic will not be decisive for the pro-Russian public, which is considered a conservative, national-patriotic audience. ”

Persecution of homosexuals in the Third Reich

Although male homosexuality remained illegal in Weimar Germany under article 175 of the criminal code, German gay rights activists became world leaders and sought to change public attitudes that condemn homosexuality. Many in Germany saw the Weimar Republic’s tolerance for homosexuals as a sign of Germany’s decline. The Nazis positioned themselves as defenders of moral values, wishing to eradicate the “vice” of homosexuality from Germany in order to facilitate victory in the racial struggle. After coming to power in 1933, the Nazis intensified their persecution of German homosexual men. The persecution ranged from the dissolution of homosexual organizations to internment in concentration camps.

The Nazis regarded homosexuals as weak, effeminate men who were incapable of fighting for the German nation.In their opinion, homosexuals could not produce offspring and increase the birth rate in Germany. The Nazis believed that the inferior races produced more offspring than the “Aryans”, so anything that diminished Germany’s reproductive potential posed a racial threat.

SS Commander Heinrich Himmler led the ever-increasing persecution of homosexuals in the Third Reich. Lesbians were not viewed as a threat to Nazi racist policies and generally were not targeted. Likewise, the Nazis did not usually persecute non-German homosexuals, with the exception of those who had German partners. In most cases, the Nazis agreed to accept ex-homosexuals into the “racial community,” provided that they became “racially conscious” and abandoned their previous way of life.

On May 6, 1933, students led by storm troops ( Sturmabteilung – SA) broke into the Institute for Sexual Sciences in Berlin and confiscated its unique library.Four days later, much of this collection of more than 12,000 books and 35,000 irreplaceable photographs was destroyed, along with thousands of other “degenerate” literary works, in the burning of books in central Berlin. The rest of the materials were never returned. Magnus Hirschfeld, founder of the institute and the first researcher of human sexuality, was lecturing in France at the time and decided not to return to Germany.

The demolition of the institution was the first step towards eradicating openly gay and lesbian culture in Germany. The police closed bars and clubs such as Eldorado and banned publications such as Die Freundschaft (Friendship). At this early stage, the Nazis forced homosexuals to go underground, destroying their circle of support. In 1934, the Gestapo (secret state police) commissioned the local police to keep a list of all men engaged in homosexual activities. In fact, the police have been doing this for years in many parts of Germany. The Nazis used these “pink lists” to capture individual homosexuals by the police.

On June 28, 1935, the Department of Justice amended Section 175. The changes created a legal basis for the expansion of Nazi persecution of homosexuals. The leadership of the ministry has expanded the category of “criminal indecent acts between men”, including in this concept any action that can be interpreted as a manifestation of homosexuality. Later, the courts concluded that even intention or thought was enough to bring charges. On October 26, 1936, Himmler formed the Central Bureau for Combating Homosexuality and Abortion in the Security Police. The head of the new bureau was Josef Meisinger, who was executed for cruelty in 1947 in occupied Poland. The police had the power to temporarily detain or carry out preventive arrests on those deemed dangerous to Germany’s moral stability, and to imprison anyone they chose for an indefinite period without a court order. In addition, gay prisoners who had just been released from prison were immediately re-arrested and sent to concentration camps if, in the opinion of the police, there was a likelihood that they would continue to engage in homosexual activities.

From 1937 to 1939, which was the peak of Nazi persecution of homosexuals, police increasingly raided gay venues, confiscated address books, and created networks of informants and undercover agents to identify and arrest suspected homosexuals. On April 4, 1938, the Gestapo issued a directive that men convicted of homosexuality may be imprisoned in concentration camps. From 1933 to 1945, police arrested approximately 100,000 gay men. Most of the 50,000 people sentenced by the courts served time in regular prisons, and between 5,000 and 15,000 prisoners were interned in concentration camps.

The Nazis interned some homosexuals in concentration camps immediately after seizing power in January 1933. Among the internees were representatives of all walks of life in Germany, and often the reason for their imprisonment was described in general terms. Some homosexuals were interned in other categories by mistake, and for some political prisoners the Nazis deliberately pointed out the wrong category of homosexuals.Prisoners, marked with pink triangles representing homosexuals, were mistreated in the camps. According to many survivor accounts, homosexuals were one of the most brutalized groups in the camps.

Since some Nazis believed that homosexuality was a disease that could be cured, they developed a policy of “curing” homosexuals from their “disease” through humiliation and hard work. Guards ridiculed and beat gay prisoners upon arrival, often isolating them from other prisoners. Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Hess wrote in his memoirs that homosexuals were isolated to prevent the spread of homosexuality to other prisoners and guards. The personnel responsible for the working conditions in the underground rocket factory in Dora-Mittelbau or in the quarries in Flossenbürg and Buchenwald often gave deadly tasks to homosexuals.

Survival in the camps was carried out in various ways. Some homosexuals provided security for themselves by performing administrative and clerical work.For other prisoners, sexuality has become a means of survival. In exchange for sexual favors, some kapos (privileged inmates) patronized individual prisoners, usually young ones, provided them with extra food and protected them from bullying by other prisoners. Homosexuals themselves very rarely became kapos due to the lack of a circle of support. The capo’s guardianship, of course, did not provide any protection against the brutality of the guards. In any case, the capos were often bored by individual homosexuals and they sometimes killed them and found someone else among the new arrivals. While individual homosexuals have been able to secure some protection for themselves in a variety of ways as a group, gay prisoners lacked the general support found in other groups. Without such assistance to ease the abuse, gay prisoners had no chance of surviving.

One of the survival options available to some homosexuals was castration, which some criminal justice officials saw as a way to “cure” sexual deviation.Homosexuals accused in criminal cases or sentenced to concentration camps could agree to castration in exchange for less harsh sentences. Later, judges and SS bosses in the camps could order castration without the consent of the homosexual prisoner.

Nazis interested in finding a “cure” for homosexuality expanded this program to include medical experiments on homosexual prisoners from concentration camps. These experiments became the causes of illness, injury and even death, but they did not carry any scientific knowledge.

There are no statistics on the number of homosexuals who died in the camps.

90,000 Conversion Camp: How gays are retrained to be straight and what has a children’s story to do with it | macarena.macarena

Today, the gay conversion camp has nothing to do with horrific gated establishments where men are tortured or experimented with.

Perhaps, to some extent, these camps are really an experiment – however, men come here of their own free will in an attempt to change.The fact is that not everyone is happy to discover homosexual inclinations in themselves.

The camp promises to help just such men – those who experience discomfort from their own orientation – “to get on the right path.”

The therapy begins in a very unusual way – with the group leaders acting out the fairy tale “Jack and the Magic Beans”. According to them, this is not just a fairy tale – it carries a message to the boys about what constitutes a “man’s way”. Jack fights, learns and changes. From a boy, he gradually turns into a man.This is exactly what the participants in the camp have to do – to make the way to their “masculinity”.

Journey to maturity

Journey to maturity

In the course of therapy, men try to understand their past and understand what went wrong and when. Most of those who choose to change of their own accord have been victims of childhood abuse or sexual abuse, leaders say.

These men became acquainted with a certain form of sexuality at an age not intended for such things – and if their past experiences can be healed, the man himself can be “healed” of his homosexuality.This is what they think in the camp.

Among other things, men learn to express their feelings – resentment, anger, pain. Using various practices, leaders teach men to work through emotions: to shout loudly about their past, to be aware of what is really going on inside them.

fragment from the Jack and the Magic Beans enactment

fragment from the Jack and the Magic Beans enactment

There are many opponents of the conversion camps today. Former participants in such camps have repeatedly stated that therapy was never able to help them.However, the most heated debate is still going on with regards to sending juveniles to camps – and quite rightly.

A huge number of adolescent boys, who were sent to such camps by their parents for one reason or another, committed suicide or tried to do it more than once. Some tell gruesome details: electric shocks, beatings, bullying. According to eyewitnesses, in such camps they simply learned to lie that they were not gay, so as not to receive a new portion of torture.

Today, in some states of America, it is forbidden to place children under the age of 18 in a conversion therapy camp.

Also, today both opponents and advocates of therapy agree on one thing: each person should have the right to choose, so if anyone decides to turn to therapy, it should be their conscious choice.

“The camp commandant’s son amused himself by shooting at me with a rifle.” A gay Olympian flirting with death

On September 11, 1926, 30,000 spectators in Berlin enjoyed the 1500m race, dubbed the Golden Race.After several years of unsuccessful negotiations, the organizers finally gathered the best athletes of the time: Finn Paavo Nurmi, Swede Edwin Weid and two Germans – Herbert Bocher and Otto Peltzer. For a long time, favorites Nurmi and Waid were in the lead, but an amazing finishing spurt brought Peltzer victory with a new world record – 3 minutes and 51 seconds.

After the race, American impresario Jack Dixon rushed into the locker room and offered the champion a one-year contract for a crazy $ 250 thousand at that time.Dixon planned a series of starts between Nurmi, Weid and Pelzer at the best stadiums in America, which would provide the athletes for the rest of their lives. Finn and the Swede agreed, but Otto refused: “Real champions don’t get inspiration from money, but from overcoming themselves. I choose fate, not me ”. Pelzer, who received the nickname “Eccentric” after this story, retained his amateur status and fulfilled his dream – he performed at the 1928 Olympics.

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Until 10 years in Otto it was impossible to consider the future four-time world record holder in middle distance running. Pelzer was born with a heart defect, at the age of two he contracted polio and for several years moved in a wheelchair – after the illness his right leg remained one and a half centimeters shorter than his left. In addition, Otto suffered from hemophilia – poor blood clotting, in which the slightest injury is life-threatening.Pelzer spent a lot of time reading books on the strength of the spirit, and found himself. In 1925, Otto received a degree in economics from the University of Berlin, taught for several years, but still focused on sports activities.

Pelzer has developed a unique training system: the athlete trained in high altitude conditions, ran 8 km every day. Otto paid particular attention to the elasticity and softness of the muscles – he believed that hot baths and rubbing with oil before races increased speed.He often played handball and volleyball, which, in his opinion, are the best for developing coordination. It cost him a medal at the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam: three months before it started, Odd broke his leg playing volleyball and missed the final race.

The record holder often came into conflict with officials. In 1932, he made a scandal as the team captain when he learned that the athletes would live on the lower deck of a liner leaving for the Los Angeles Olympics without windows, and the management with their wives would be in suites.Nothing helped, and the main surprise awaited the team in the USA. It turned out that they would have to run not on rubber tracks, but on asphalt, while the Germans had shoes with small metal spikes. Pelzer again ran into officials who, in order to save on housing, brought the team two days before the start – the athletes who did not have time to adapt did not take a single medal.

Pelzer was a homosexual and after Hitler came to power in Germany in 1933 he thundered into prison. Six months later, Otto was released thanks to numerous letters from several famous scientists in his support, after which he fled to Sweden.Here he lived and worked as a journalist until 1941, when the German government provided him with security guarantees if he returned home. Pelzer believed, but the Nazis deceived the dissident and instead of the promised job as the head coach of the German national team, they gave him a ticket to the Mauthausen concentration camp, where hundreds of thousands of people were tortured to death. The guards called the prisoners “parachutists without parachutes” – they periodically dropped them from steep cliffs.

I have contacted the commandant of the camp, Ziraisu.The verdict said that I would be released in three months, but he told me: “You see, we enter here through the gate, and the exit is in the other direction.” The commandant pointed to the thick black smoke billowing from the chimney of the crematorium. A favorite pastime of German officers in the camp is to make Otto, exhausted by work in the mines, run around the territory. “Sometimes I had the thought of throwing myself on an electric fence, but I didn’t want to please the commandant’s 11-year-old son, who was shooting at me with a rifle,” the former athlete did not give up.In the second year of his stay in the camp, Pelzer fell into the hands of Aribert Heim, nicknamed Doctor Death. He put experiments on the champion and was amazed at his vitality – the experiments stopped only after the prisoner fell ill with pleurisy and Heim thought that Otto would soon die. Pelzer survived and remained in the camp until his liberation in the spring of 1945, but after the war, the torment did not end. In “Mauthausen” the athlete wore a pink triangle, which was sewn on to homosexuals, which amounted to criminal liability – such people were not recognized as victims of the Nazi regime and did not receive compensation.

Otto fled the country again. He lived in Switzerland, China and Japan, but nowhere he was hired: the German Foreign Ministry sent letters to 37 countries in Asia and Africa, in which Pelzer was characterized as a “communist with homosexual inclinations.” Otto got a job as a coach only in India.

Pelzer lived in a room at the National Athletics Stadium in New Delhi and raised about 50 successful athletes. “He was so poor that the students brought him a bottle of milk and bread,” lamented student coach Singh Randgawa, who finished fifth at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics in the 110 meter hurdles.At the same time, Pelzer donated a government prize of 1,000 rupees for the successful performance of the Indian national team at the 1960 Games in Rome to charity. In India, no one called Otto the Eccentric – only the Sage.

In 1970, Pelzer returned to his homeland, where he soon died of a heart attack. Grateful Indians have renamed the youth training center for athletes in the “Sports Club in memory of Otto Pelzer.” After the death of the coach, Delhi hosts an annual national event – the Dr. Pelzer Race.

At home, the great athlete received recognition after the unification of Germany. In honor of Otto, the German Athletics Association established the Pelzer Medal – awarded to athletes who have achieved high results despite health problems or other obstacles.

Instead of providing a comfortable old age in one year, Pelzer challenged fate and suffered enough from it, but never regretted it. For a person who got up from a wheelchair for a big life adventure, the worst thing was to compromise with himself.

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90,000 Boy Scout Camp in the USA led by gay :: Society :: Days.ru

New York City Boy Scout Chief Appoints Gay Teenager as Summer Camp Leader. He explained his decision by the fact that 18-year-old Pascal Tessier, despite his orientation, showed himself to be a qualified specialist and fully corresponds to the position.

The decision to appoint a gay camp leader came after the US Boy Scouts had allowed underage members to openly declare their orientation a year earlier.Meanwhile, adults (who have reached the age of 21) are still forbidden to talk about their unconventional orientation.

National Boy Scout spokesman Deron Smith did not comment on the decision of the New York branch. However, he noted that the policy towards members with non-traditional sexual orientation has not changed. Zach Wals, executive director of the Equality Scout Movement, in turn called the appointment “a watershed moment” that “supports the full inclusion of homosexual members,” writes The Independent.

Earlier, the Washington Post reported that the Walt Disney company decided to end material support for the “Boy Scouts of America” ​​in 2015. The reason for this decision was the organization’s policy that gays are prohibited from holding leadership positions.

The Walt Disney Company has been a major source of funding for the movement, making regular donations to local Boy Scouts through the joint VoluntEARS program. Thus, the American Boy Scouts found themselves in an unenviable position, falling into the very epicenter of the struggle between liberals and conservatives over the issue of the rights of the LGBT community.

The informal ban on gay men participating in the Boy Scout movement has existed since its inception in the early 20th century. However, such a ban was officially approved by the organization only in 1991. The ideologists of the movement stated that homosexual inclinations do not correspond to the scout’s oath and his moral character.

The offensive of LGBT activists also affected the scouts. In 2000, the question of whether the Boy Scouts of America had the right to exclude gay men reached the Supreme Court, which, to the dismay of liberals, confirmed the organization’s actions.

Finally, in the spring of 2013, the Boy Scouts of America National Council announced that 60% of the delegates to the Boy Scouts Congress of America had voted to make gay teenagers eligible to join the organization. However, the road to Boy Scouts for gay adults is still closed.

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90,000 In Russia, morbidity and mortality from covid continues to break records

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90,000 Opened a memorial at the site of the camp for homosexuals | Culture and Lifestyle in Germany and Europe | DW

On the territory of a branch of the former Nazi concentration camp Sachsenhausen, a memorial site appeared – the historical park Klinkerwerk (Geschichtspark Klinkerwerk).The opening of the new memorial took place on Tuesday, April 21, in Oranienburg, dpa agency reports. The Klinkerwerk was the outer camp at the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. Since 1938, it has held prisoners for forced labor.

The memorial complex reconstructs the working conditions of prisoners supplied to the production of bricks for construction projects in Berlin. Since 1942, this camp has become a central place in the “Third Reich”, where the Nazis deported homosexual men – the prisoners wore a pink triangle on their clothes, which meant a death sentence.Until now, the names of only about 200 prisoners are known. At the end of 1944, about 3,500 prisoners were held in the camp. During the bombing on April 10, 1945, the camp was almost completely destroyed, more than 200 prisoners were killed.

• Memorial sites in Germany

  Dachau

  41,500 people died in the Dachau concentration camp. It was created in 1933 near Munich for political prisoners. Later, Jews, homosexuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses and representatives of other groups persecuted by the Nazis began to be sent to Dachau.All other concentration camps of the “Third Reich” were organized according to his model.

• Memorial sites in Germany

  Liberation

  In total, about 206 thousand people were sent to the Dachau camp during its existence. Parts of the American army entered the camp on April 29, 1945, freeing 32,000 prisoners.

• Places of memory in Germany

  Memorials and monuments

  On January 27, 1945, Soviet troops liberated the Auschwitz concentration camp.This day is now celebrated as the International Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Holocaust – six million murdered Jews, and Germany also marks the Day of Remembrance for all victims of National Socialism who died in concentration and labor camps, prisons, slave labor and killing centers.

• Memorial sites in Germany

  Berlin

  The central memorial in memory of the Jews of Europe killed during the Nazi era is located in Berlin near the Reichstag and the Brandenburg Gate.It was opened in 2005. In its underground part there is a documentation center. Some of the documents on its exposition in Russian are materials collected after the war during investigations of crimes committed in the “Third Reich”.

• Memorial sites in Germany

  “Kristallnacht”

  During the Jewish pogroms on the so-called “Kristallnacht” on November 9-10, 1938, more than 1400 synagogues and houses of worship were destroyed in Nazi Germany and in parts of Austria …One of the synagogues was located on Kazernenstrasse in Düsseldorf. After the war, monuments or memorial plaques were erected here and in many other such places.

• Memorial sites in Germany

  Buchenwald

  One of the largest camps was in Thuringia near Weimar. From 1937 to 1945, about 250 thousand people were imprisoned in Buchenwald. 56 thousand prisoners died. Among them were also several hundred deserters and those who refused to serve in the Wehrmacht.After the war, they continued to be considered “traitors” and “cowards” in Germany for a long time, and the first memorial stone was erected in Buchenwald only in 2001.

• Memorial sites in Germany

  Roma genocide

  This monument, erected in Buchenwald in 1995 on the territory of the former block number 14, is dedicated to the Roma and Sinti who died here. The names of all the camps of the “Third Reich” to which they were sent are engraved on the stones. The total number of victims of the Roma genocide in Europe is still unknown.According to various sources, it can range from 150 thousand to 500 thousand people.

• Memorial sites in Germany

  Langenstein-Zwiberge death camp

  Buchenwald had more than 60 so-called outer camps. One of them – “Malachite” in Langenstein-Zwiberg near Halberstadt. His prisoners were building an underground plant for the Junkers. Two thousand prisoners died from disease and exhaustion, became victims of torture and execution. Another 2,500 died or were killed during the death march as the camp was evacuated due to the approaching front.

• Memorial sites in Germany

  Dora-Mittelbau

  Another Buchenwald outer camp was formed in 1943 near Nordhausen in Thuringia to organize production at the Mittelwerk underground plant, where V-2 rockets and more were gathered weapons. In a year and a half, 60 thousand people passed through the Dora-Mittelbau camp. Most were prisoners from the Soviet Union, Poland and France. Every third of them died.

• Memorial sites in Germany

  Bergen-Belsen

  Memorial on the territory of the former Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Lower Saxony.In total, about 50 thousand people died in this camp, among them 20 thousand prisoners of war. In April 1945, 15-year-old Anne Frank, the author of the famous diary denouncing Nazism and translated into many languages ​​of the world, died here.

• Memorial sites in Germany

  Sachsenhausen

  “Work makes you free” – this sign in German above the gates of the Sachsenhausen concentration camp in Brandenburg has become a household name. In total, over 100 thousand people were killed or died in this camp, including from 13 to 18 thousand Soviet prisoners of war.Among them is Stalin’s eldest son Yakov Dzhugashvili. The National Memorial, established by the GDR government, was opened here in 1961.

• Memorial sites in Germany

  Flossenbürg

  “I heard about Dachau and Auschwitz, but never about Flossenbürg” – such a quote greets visitors in a former concentration camp in Bavaria. In this camp, 30 thousand people died. His prisoner was the famous German pastor, theologian and participant in the conspiracy against Hitler, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and among the Soviet prisoners of war was the father of the former president of Ukraine, Viktor Yushchenko, Andrey.

• Memorial sites in Germany

  Barrack No. 13

  In the Berlin district of Schöneweide, there was one of the many camps for forced laborers taken from other countries for forced labor in Germany. Their total number during the years of the “Third Reich” amounted to several million people. An exposition of the documentation center in one of the surviving barracks of this camp is dedicated to the fate of forced laborers.

• Memorial sites in Germany

  Ravensbrück

  A sculpture of a mother with a child on the lake in Ravensbrück, the largest women’s concentration camp in the Third Reich.It was created in 1939 90 kilometers north of Berlin. The number of prisoners during its existence amounted to more than 130 thousand people – about 40 nationalities. 28 thousand prisoners died. Medical experiments were also carried out in the camp.

• Memorial sites in Germany

  Siemens barracks in Ravensbrück

  Inmates of Ravensbrück and its many subcamps were used for forced labor. In 1940, a textile production was established here, and in 1942 the electrical engineering concern Siemens & Halske AG built 20 industrial barracks.According to the testimony of the surviving prisoners, at the end of 1944, up to 3,000 women and children worked for this company here every day.

• Memorial sites in Germany

  Ovens for Auschwitz

  Former Topf & Söhne factory in Erfurt. Here, by order of the National Socialists, stoves were produced in which people who died in Auschwitz and other concentration camps were burned. On the International Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Holocaust, January 27, 2011, a documentation center was opened in a former factory building.

• Memorial sites in Germany

  ” Stumbling blocks ”

  These metal plaques mounted on sidewalks can be seen in many cities in Germany. Stumbling Blocks – Stolpersteine. The first one was installed by the German artist Gunther Demnig in Cologne in 1995. The stones are reminiscent of the victims of National Socialism near the houses in which they lived. There are already more than 45 thousand of them in 800 German settlements and 200 outside Germany.

• Memorial sites in Germany

  Gestapo

  Numerous document centers are also involved in the study of Nazi crimes in Germany. In Cologne, such a center and a museum are located in the former Gestapo building – EL-DE-Haus. In its basement, there were cells for prisoners, on the walls of which inscriptions were preserved, including in Russian.

• Memorial sites in Germany

  Homosexuals

  Since 1935, the Nazis also began to persecute homosexuals.In total, more than 50 thousand of them were convicted in the “Third Reich”. About 7 thousand died in concentration camps. In 1995, a monument was erected on the embankment in Cologne – the Pink Triangle. The memorial shown in the photo was opened in 2008 in Berlin’s Great Tiergarten park. Another is located in Frankfurt – Frankfurt Angel (1994).

• Memorial sites in Germany

  Opponents of the regime

  Plötzensee Prison Museum in Berlin. In 1933-1945, the National Socialists executed more than 3,000 opponents of the regime here, many of them on the guillotine.Among the victims are participants in the failed assassination attempt on Hitler on July 20, 1944, and those who knew about his preparation.

• Memorial sites in Germany

  Gray buses

  “Gray bus” – a monument created in 2006 in memory of more than 70 thousand victims of the eugenic program “T-4” – people with mental disorders, mentally retarded, hereditary burdened sick and disabled. These buses took them to the killing centers. The monument is being transported temporarily in places associated with the program.A copy is permanently located in Cologne.

• Memorial sites in Germany

  Grafeneck Castle

  One of the six centers where people were killed as part of the T-4 euthanasia program was located at Grafeneck Castle in Baden-Württemberg. From January to December 1940, 10,654 people died here in carbon monoxide chambers. In 2005, a documentation center was opened here, which annually attracts up to 20 thousand visitors.

• Memorial sites in Germany

  Sonnenstein

  Another death center was located in the Saxon city of Pirna in the Sonnenstein castle.In 1940-1941, 13,720 people suffering from mental illness and mentally retarded people, as well as more than a thousand prisoners of concentration camps, were killed in his gas chamber. The ashes from the crematorium were dumped into the Elbe. Relatives were sent a falsified death certificate as a result of illness.

• Memorial sites in Germany

  Criminals

  This photograph was taken in 1946 during the trial of doctors and other employees of another Nazi killing center in the Hessian city of Hadamar.In the gas chambers, through injections and deliberate discontinuation of necessary therapies, they killed about 14,500 patients. A permanent exhibition on these crimes has been operating in Hadamar since 1991.

• Memorial sites in Germany

  Holocaust logistics

  In conclusion – about the traveling exhibition of the German railway concern Deutsche Bahn “Special trains of death” (“Sonderzüge in den Tod”). Since 2008, more than 350 thousand visitors have visited the exhibition in different places in Germany.