from damiana-swan.livejournal.com/513...tml:

Our friend Gatter is one of the most amazing human beings I think I've ever met. Given the (truly high) quality of people in my life (yes, I'm talking about you!) that's really saying something. He is a harpist, among many other things, and one of those people you find yourself talking with for hours upon end ... and then realizing that every single word he said was worth listening to. He normally spends his days busking, or travelling to retirement homes to share the joy and serenity he creates with his music and do what he can to make the world a better place.

Gaffer lives in Boulder CO, which is really freaking cold right about now, as it normally is at the turn of the year. Part of what this means is that busking isn't really an option right now, so his income has been cut pretty drastically. And, unfortunately, he's just had an emergency come up that requires him to find new living space and get moved into it on very very short notice. In short, he needs a miracle. Gaffer is physically pretty fragile and isn't going to be able to do all this himself. He could also use some help finding a new place that (a) fulfills his own needs and (b) he's able to afford on his fairly limited housing budget.

There may also be some other stuff people who don't live in Boulder could do to help--I'll be talking with him tonight to find out the details and will share them as they become available. Some of it will be simple financial help, other parts will be things like helping him to set up a website to sell his CD's.

For now, if you live in Boulder, or if you have friends or family or community in Boulder who might be able to help in some way, please, please ... Gaffer is one of the most wonderful human beings you will ever meet, and he can and will fill your world with heart-breakingly lovely harp music in exchange for anything you can do to help, not to mention his (and my) deep appreciation.

His post with the initial information is here: gafferbear.livejournal.com/53997.html

Please feel free to repost and spread the word--the more people who hear about this, the easier it's going to be for us to create the magic to get this fixed.

(end repost)

Gaffer is a damned amazing wise elf of a human being, and after only having hung out with him for a weekend in October, I know that he's my brother. He reminded me recently that we don't work for a living, we PLAY for a living, and for that reminder I'll always love him. Kevin and I won't be back in CO until Jan 7 or so, but we're going to let our Colorado allies know about this and hope that they are willing to help a brother out. You please do the same. If anybody wants to post this to the Burning Man email list, go for it. Thanks so much.

www.gopetition.com/petition...iran.html

Other ways to help can be read here: emsenn.com/iran.php

Fear kills.
People are dying for what they believe in all over the world right now, and not just in Iran. Iran's government is clearly running scared, and their people have become expendable to them--their people who are free thinkers just like us, their students, their mothers, their internet-savvy rebels.

Do what you can from where you are.
Hold the light.
Thank you.