cannabisnews.com: Hempfest-ivities Hempfest-ivities Posted by CN Staff on August 24, 2004 at 13:08:54 PT By Ernest Jasmin, The News Tribune Source: News Tribune Blustery winds and chilly raindrops thinned the crowd that flocked to Seattle Hempfest on Saturday and made it difficult to flick their Bics. But the gloomy weather didn't stop the hundreds gathered at the main stage at Myrtle Edwards Park from engaging in a ceremonial toke at 4:20 p.m. Vivian McPeak, one of Hempfest's directors, stood below a large "Seattle Hempfest" banner and large pot leaf cutouts in the moments leading up to the most universally recognized toke time. "Let's do it right now," the animated McPeak said before leading the soggy throng in a countdown and in spelling out the festival's namesake. "Gimme an H!"Presently, a thin haze wafted above the crowd, lingering for several moments as the rich, pungent aroma of cannabis filled the air.It was a sparse crowd compared with those of previous years of Hempfest, which bills itself as "a kaleidoscope of pot politics, music, speakers, culture and crafts," but a respectable turnout for a Seattle festival none-the-less. Co-director Dominic Holden estimated on Sunday that 50,000 people attended the first day of the two-day festival, and people in the crowd who had been to Hempfest in previous years estimated that it was half the usual crowd.(Things picked up Sunday as the weather cleared and main stage acts included Seattle rap legend Sir Mix-A-Lot.)Holden blamed the rain for driving off revelers and preventing several of Saturday's bands from playing. With no cover for the main stage, the afternoon downpour presented the risk of electrocution for any band with a lot of gear to plug in. But even with less equipment, rap acts such as Tilo kept heads bobbing.Several Hempfest speakers underscored the benefits of medicinal marijuana for cancer and AIDS patients between songs with personal stories.A short walk in either direction and hempophiles also found drum circles and tents where folk singers strummed halcyon melodies and disc jockeys spun records as steady, throbbing bass of house music belched from tarp-covered speakers.A diverse array of supporters flocked to the park, representing virtually every racial and age demographic - from toddlers being pushed in strollers to tattooed teens and middle-age Rastafarians. Many wore leis and boas of fake pot leaves they had bought from a vendor near the park entrance.Eric Viking, 39, of Seattle had been toting his acoustic guitar around the park before he paused to roll a tobacco cigarette near the main stage.A veteran of several Hemfests, Viking noted, "Everybody's a lot younger this year, and all the familiar faces are all working in the booths now."He said he was glad to be back in Seattle after recently being busted for marijuana. "Watch out for Montana," he said. "They'll throw in jail for a little pot."Political and voter registration booths were also on site. Fred Miller, 46, of Seattle wore a military jacket and hat as he manned a booth called "Incredible Feats of Stupidity," where he used props to illustrate waste in government and military spending."Hempfest brings out an amazing array of people," Miller said. "If you go to street fairs, it's usually the same street fair crowd at each one of 'em. Hempfest is a different group of people."Miller, who also volunteered for overnight security, noted the relative lack of violence and arrests at the past few years of Hemp Fest. "Dealing with people who are stoned is a whole lot different than dealing with people who are drunk," he said.Greg Logan, 46, of Shoreline was returning. "Last year was good," he said. "I went to both days last year, and it was great."He was among those who emphasized that the event was about more than just recreational use of marijuana."Beyond legalization of marijuana, what's it about?" Logan said. "It's about freedom. We want our freedom, and we want our peace.""Who came up with the idea of punishment for nonviolent crime?" he asked. "Me going out and smoking a joint isn't going to hurt anybody.""The vast majority of responsible marijuana smokers are like a lot of people," Holden said. "They raise families, they have jobs, they pay taxes. They don't deserve to be treated as criminals."This was the first Hempfest since Initiative 75 passed in Seattle last fall, which made the possession of small amounts of marijuana the Seattle Police Department's lowest priority."There was a lot more pot here than last year. I could smell it," Logan said. "People just felt a little bit more relaxed. It's positive."At one point, McPeak took a moment to shout out to the police who patrolled the event. "They are not our enemies," he told the crowd. "They are our brothers and sisters. They're allowing us to do this and respecting I-75. Thank you, Seattle PD."Neither the Port of Seattle Police Department nor the Seattle Police Department, which worked in conjunction at the festival, reported making arrests at Myrtle Edwards Park."Traditionally, there have not been a lot of problems associated with Hempfest from a law enforcement perspective," Seattle PD spokesman Sean Whitcomb said the day before the festival. "People are going there to have a good time, enjoy themselves, enjoy the waterfront. But of course we'll be there ... as a presence that can ensure everyone's safety."Holden said I-75 added another dimension to this year's Hempfest celebration."I think it gives an extra special feeling of excitement and accomplishment and also gives people at Hempfest confidence that they can make change by taking a stance in the voting booth," he said.Holden foresees similar legislation being passed at the state level. "There is already support for it," he said. "It is not a question of if ... but when."SIDEBAR: • Olympia Hempfest, featuring speakers, live music and political and educational booths, will take place from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday at Heritage Park in Olympia. For more information, call 360-456-3517.Editor's note: Soiree is an occasional feature in which News Tribune writers go behind the scenes at a party or gatheringSource: Tacoma News Tribune (WA)Author: Ernest Jasmin, The News Tribune Published: August 24, 2004Copyright: 2004 Tacoma News Inc.Contact: letters tribnet.comWebsite: http://www.tribnet.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Seattle Hempfesthttp://www.seattlehempfest.com/Festival Celebrates Hemp, Stirs Political Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19378.shtmlThe Drug Issue: 2004 Hempfest Highlightshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19375.shtmlMarijuana Rights Group Uniting Behind Kerry http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19366.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #9 posted by afterburner on August 27, 2004 at 07:47:49 PT SBC Baptist Press Showing their Ignorance ' Hemlock' POISON! ' Botanical: Conium maculatum (LINN.) ' Family: N.O. Umbelliferae' ---Synonyms---Herb Bennet. Spotted Corobane. Musquash Root. Beaver Poison. Poison Hemlock. Poison Parsley. Spotted Hemlock. Kex. Kecksies. ' ---Parts Used---Leaves, fruit, seeds. ' ---Habitat---It is by no means an uncommon plant in this country, found on hedgebanks, in neglected meadows, on waste ground and by the borders of streams in most parts of England, occurring in similar places throughout Europe (except the extreme north) and also in temperate Asia and North Africa. It has been introduced into North and South America. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------' The Hemlock is a member of the great order Umbelliferae, the same family of plants to which the parsley, fennel, parsnip and carrot belong. ' Many of the umbelliferous plants abound in an acrid, watery juice, which is more or less narcotic in its effects on the animal frame, and which, therefore, when properly administered in minute doses, is a valuable medicine. Among these the most important is Conium, or Hemlock. Every part of this plant, especially the fresh leaves and fruit, contains a volatile, oily alkaloid, which is so poisonous that a few drops prove fatal to a small animal. ' --A Modern Herbal Home Page http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/mgmh.htmlCannabis, on the other hand has no known toxicity. This is comparing apple and oranges. Any wise doctor, or medicine person, knows that dosage is very important. ' 11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.' 12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.' 29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.' 30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. ' --Genesis 1: 11,12,29,30. Bible Gateway http://www.biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&passage=genesis+1&version=KJV [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by Hope on August 26, 2004 at 12:53:30 PT I'm not going to write them again They trample "pearls" of truth. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by FoM on August 25, 2004 at 14:14:35 PT Portion of News Article from SBC Baptist Press They missed something very important. If you possess Hemlock you won't go to jail.****One popular angle of opposition that we encounter is often articulated something like this: “Marijuana is a natural plant that God has created. Surely God has not provided for us something that is ultimately harmful and unhealthy.”To this we respond by pointing out that hemlock also is a naturally occurring herb. It is a poisonous plant that can be fatal if ingested. In fact, both marijuana and hemlock are listed on the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine’s list of “Indiana Plants Poisonous to Livestock and Pets.” So, yes, marijuana is a natural plant, like hemlock. Simply because a plant occurs naturally does not legitimize its ingestion as a healthy activity.http://www.sbcbaptistpress.org/bpcolumn.asp?ID=1535 [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by Hope on August 25, 2004 at 13:24:38 PT ELPatricio Thank you so much. That was a wonderful description of the Hempfest. I could imagine being there. I almost got mud on my feet!Thank you so much.I love this:"For a week every year, the idealistic Seattle hempsters create a society that is more diverse, more compassionate and better informed than the Stepford citizens whose complacency allows the oppressive war on drugs to continue." [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by FoM on August 25, 2004 at 11:46:03 PT ElPatricio Thank you! Bad weather and all it sounds like it was wonderful! [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by ElPatricio on August 25, 2004 at 11:43:58 PT: Hempsters Are Resilient I enjoyed attending last weekend's Seattle Hempfest, my third visit in the past four years, thrilled once again to be surrounded by so many like-minded hempsters.An unseasonable rainstorm dampened the enthusiasm Saturday afternoon, just as the audience was growing to typical Hempfest proportions. With tons of risky electronics equipment to protect, festival volunteers worked hard to button down the three main stages before any mishaps could occur.The rain washed away the afternoon's scheduled speakers and bands, and muddy fields and closed stages greeted early arrivals on Sunday. But by early afternoon, thousands of Seattle-area hempsters headed back to Myrtle Edwards Park, resurrecting an event that hours earlier looked moribund. They browsed a mile-long avenue of vendor and activist booths, listened to the Hempfest's stellar lineup of speakers (including for the first time Ethan Nadelmann and Marsha Rosenbaum of the Drug Policy Alliance, and Rob Kampia of the Marijuana Police Project), and kicked back to enjoy the lineup of musical entertainers.What I took home this year was how dedicated the Seattle Hempfest's 1,200 volunteers, including the core staff, are to the hemp cause. I met volunteers who live as far from Seattle as Maine, Pennsylvania, Key West and Kentucky, all sharing a belief in cannabis culture and a resolve to overcome the repressive laws that have unwisely suppressed its use.Among the many benefits of the Seattle event is its outreach to downtown Seattle's homeless population. Street people who might otherwise be looking for a handout pitch in to prepare the park for the event, help keep the grounds clean, and assist in breaking down the temporary village afterward. For a week every year, the idealistic Seattle hempsters create a society that is more diverse, more compassionate and better informed than the Stepford citizens whose complacency allows the oppressive war on drugs to continue.Thanks, Seattle. See you next year. http://www.hempfest.org/ [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by FoM on August 24, 2004 at 21:15:33 PT Update On The Arkansas Initiative Medical Marijuana Act In Question Tuesday, August 24, 2004 Little Rock, AR - What was thought to have been a dead issue may now be back on the ballot, supporters of a medical marijuana act say they should have enough signatures to send the measure to Arkansas voters. The Arkansas Alliance for Medical Marijuana presented more than 40,000 signatures to the Secretary of State in July, but 18,000 of those were not verified because they were incorrectly notarized. The Secretary of State's office says the notary's signature didn't match her stamped signature. Now that the error has been corrected, the 18,000 signatures will be re-submitted, and supporters of the measure plan to present an additional 30,000 signatures, tomorrow. That would be enough to add the issue to the November ballot. http://www.katv.com/news/stories/0804/168378.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on August 24, 2004 at 18:07:29 PT Hope We've been working away from the house and when we came in I saw the end of an ad by Moveon.org. I've been looking for something about it on line because I'd like to see it again. It shows different people smoking a cigarette. A woman in labor, runners at the starting line and a baby with a cigarette. It said the damage to our air is as bad as cigarettes or something close to that. It was a good commercial. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Hope on August 24, 2004 at 18:02:00 PT Wonderful! First hempfest since the new law making pot low priority for police. I bet it was even more wonderful than usual. No arrests at all.From the above article: Holden said I-75 added another dimension to this year's Hempfest celebration."I think it gives an extra special feeling of excitement and accomplishment and also gives people at Hempfest confidence that they can make change by taking a stance in the voting booth," he said. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment