Migrants and immigrants moving into an area change the land and culture for current and future residents. Part of our looking for long term solutions to today's problems is recognizing how immigration can be used for political and business objectives.

Oregon's history of western civilization is shorter than most other parts of the nation. Lewis and Clark only crossed through this land in 1805 to claim territory for the United States. The migration of immigrants began with fur traders, followed by missionaries and settlers.

My own family participated in two major immigration movements into Central Oregon. Irrigation projects and the Homestead Act created opportunities for farmers in the early 1900's. The same irrigation district my great grandfather bought into irrigates the pastures the livestock graze and garden grows. The other side of the family came after WWII to work in the forest to provide lumber to the mills.

The 1970's the first wave of "survivalists" concerned about economic collapse and nuclear war started to arrive. In the 1980's Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh decided to move from India and develop a city in the area for his followers. I decided to stay in the area as high tech gained a foothold in the 1990's. Currently the area is becoming a commuter town for silicon valley.

Netflix release of Wild Wild Country stimulated the thoughts on immigration. Watching it created mixed emotions and unexpected feelings as I relived Rajneeshpuram, the heightened violence and community division of the time.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBLS_OM6Puk]

Oregon has fairly significant land use and development regulation on agricultural land. The conflict is presented as religious tensions, but I have always viewed it as power issue over development rights.
[video:https://youtu.be/3cDgOf2Om28?t=3]
Originally it appeared to be an opportunity to practice the belief of tolerance. It became lessons on how to sort through supposed conspiracy theories, government (official) explanations, facts and opinions.
[video:https://youtu.be/L6vRAgw4y50]

The Rise & Fall of Rajneeshpuram by Sven Davisson

A lot of money was flowing into the state, gun ownership evolved from hunting to personal protection. Add the CIA, military, a Muslim bomber (from Los Angeles) with connections to Pakistan, poisonings, a Hollywood connection and the the story becomes unbelievable.

Later in that year, Rajneesh flew to the United States on a medical visa granted under the pretext that he was to receive treatment for his back. The group remained in New Jersey for a few months and then moved to Oregon where Sheela had purchased a defunct ranch known locally as “the Big Muddy.” The ranch consisted of 64,000 acres (126 square miles) of Oregon desert land and very few buildings. Though Sheela presented herself a shrewd business person, she paid $5.75 million for land that was assessed for the previous year’s taxes at only $198,000.

Over the course of the next three years, Rajneesh sannyasins would transform this unpromising parcel into a city that supported at its height 7,000 regular residents with 15,000 annual visitors (mostly concentrated into annual July-August “World Celebrations”). The city, incorporated briefly as Rajneeshpuram, Oregon, had its own post office, school, fire and police departments, downtown malls and restaurants. Its state-of-the-art reservoir even won an award for its innovative ecological design.

The events of 1981-1985 expose the pervasiveness of American xenophobia and the potential for the American legislative and judicial systems to be used by a few, with the backing of the masses, to destroy a foreign, unfamiliar, minority.

Even before coming to the United States, Rajneesh was on the radar screens of the U.S. State Department. After the murders and mass-suicide at Jones Town, the U.S. government began to monitor gurus and religious groups that attracted a large American following. In the late 70’s, CIA agents were often rumored to be among the visitors at the Rajneesh ashram. At the very least, the American consulate in Bombay sent reports to Washington regarding the activities of Rajneesh and his Pune ashram. Those reports contained specific references to State Department concerns that Rajneesh would try to relocate to the United States.

The government’s plan for Rajneeshpuram eerily foreshadows the later federal assaults on the Branch Davidian compound at Waco, Texas and Randy Weaver’s cabin at Ruby Ridge, Idaho. In these two instances, similar tactics, to those proposed by Turner, were employed with very tragic results.

Wild Wild Country can seem a little slow. if you watch the documentary it is easier to focus on the interviews and drama by knowing the end of the story beforehand.

Farm Report
On a lighter note. Last year when I started this writing project violets were starting to bloom. The plants have been beaten by weather this spring, but still making the effort.

These tiny white flowers are waiting for some sunshine to open.