cannabisnews.com: Strawberry Fields Not Forever as Fans Protest Strawberry Fields Not Forever as Fans Protest Posted by CN Staff on December 04, 2002 at 22:57:32 PT By Corey Kilgannon Source: New York Times The city calls the whole thing a simple matter of Parks Department policy. But for a core constituency of fans, the memorial to John Lennon on Sunday night will be nothing less than the defining moment of Michael R. Bloomberg's mayoralty.Quite simply, they want to know, where does he stand: with Giuliani or with Lennon? "It's a bellwether for the next four years of where Bloomberg and the city stand," said Thomas K. Leighton, a co-founder of the John Lennon Memorial Committee, which held a news conference yesterday in Strawberry Fields, the site of the observance, near the 72nd Street entrance of Central Park.The group urged Mr. Bloomberg to restore the vigils commemorating Lennon's death to their original status as all-night events.The annual Dec. 8 vigils, in which hundreds mark the date that Lennon was killed in 1980, had once been held without curfews. Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani's administration ordered them to end by 1 a.m., the regular curfew for the park.Before the news conference began, the Lennon supporters had gotten wind that the curfew would stand, but they made last-minute pleas to the mayor to lift it. Mr. Leighton, who ran for governor last month as the Marijuana Reform Party candidate, said he feared that Mayor Bloomberg was continuing what he called Mr. Giuliani's "moral crusade.""We've been waiting for eight years for a new day in this city," Mr. Leighton said. "Giuliani's ban killed the spirit of this vigil. But when Mike Bloomberg won, we said, `Cool, he's been a Democrat and he smoked pot. He's all right.' "Also at the news conference was the civil liberties lawyer Norman Siegel, who took the microphone in front of a handful of television cameras and gave an out-of-tune paraphrase of some Lennon lyrics."All we are saying," he warbled, "is give freedom a chance."Mr. Siegel called the curfew "classical government interference and repression by an authoritarian government, which is the antithesis of the Lennon legacy."Mr. Siegel added that, unlike John Lennon and his fans, "Rudy Giuliani is not a free spirit. The question is, is Mike Bloomberg a free spirit?" A spokeswoman for the Parks Department, Megan Sheekey, said the very purpose of the curfew is to give peace a chance, by ensuring park safety. "Lennon fans or not, we can only accommodate them until 1 a.m., when the park closes," she said, adding, "If we change the rule, then we'd have to do so for everyone."A spokesmen for Mayor Bloomberg declined to comment, and Mr. Giuliani's spokeswoman did not return calls.Complete Title: Strawberry Fields Not Forever as Fans Protest a CurfewSource: New York Times (NY)Author: Corey KilgannonPublished: December 5, 2002Copyright: 2002 The New York Times Company Contact: letters nytimes.com Website: http://www.nytimes.com/ Related Articles & Web Sites:Marijuana Reform Partyhttp://www.marijuanareform.org/NORML Ad Campaign Pictureshttp://www.freedomtoexhale.com/ad.htmPark Officials Deny Request to End Park Curfew http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14892.shtmlGeorge Harrison Dies at 58 http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11454.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #2 posted by Whirrlin on December 05, 2002 at 07:31:44 PT: Other Things to Worry About! No offense to John Lennon fans, but isn't there more important things to worry about! For example, the last post! The mayor isn't saying that you can't hold the memorial vigil he is just saying you need to abide by the rules of the park, as any other festival would have too. Possibly it isn't about being a free spirit at all, but he is just trying to keep everyone safe. New York isn't a great place to stay out all night at, especially Central Park. This just seems a little silly! [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by TroutMask on December 05, 2002 at 07:00:24 PT Anyone see this yet? I'm back on the edge of my seat watching Canada. There are (supposedly) two weeks before the verdict and all signs are good for the defendents regardless, but there is the possibility that the judge will strike down Canada's marijuana laws entirely. The time that this judge has taken to deliberate is very encouraging, like he's pondering a very giant leap...http://www.canada.com/search/story.aspx?ID=CB9B56E5-DD63-44D1-8E0E-A2EFC999131EI will try to remain pessimistic so as not to be disappointed. ;-)-TM [ Post Comment ] Post Comment