cannabisnews.com: Storm Dampens a Rally for Marijuana





Storm Dampens a Rally for Marijuana
Posted by CN Staff on September 19, 2004 at 09:19:13 PT
By Jack Encarnacao, Globe Correspondent 
Source: Boston Globe 
Keith Saunders had expected to use a microphone yesterday to address tens of thousands who support the decriminalization of marijuana. Instead, he needed only a megaphone to be heard by the several hundred who showed up at the gathering, the 15th annual Boston Freedom Rally."You folks came out in a hurricane because you believe in this so much," Saunders said to the cheers of enthusiasts, who were jammed into small tents on a corner of the Boston Common, many of whose feet were buried in mud.
Saunders and other organizers of what is normally one of the nation's largest annual marijuana culture festivals didn't get the 40,000 people they had expected. Only about 400 showed up in the driving rain, and only four of the expected 50 vendors turned out to hawk T-shirts, posters, and CDs.Leaders of the Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition, which had organized the event, stayed light-hearted about the dousing that set back the turnout.Bill Downing, president of the coalition, cited the hazard of using electricity in heavy rain. Though some musicians turned out to beat drums and to strum acoustic guitars, several bands scheduled to perform with electric instruments could not plug into generators."All the major bands couldn't play," Downing said, leaning against a trailer of equipment made useless by the persistent rain. "We lost basically all the entertainment."Downing lauded those who still turned out as "hardcore."Boston police, who, organizers said, normally assign dozens of officers to the gathering, had a much smaller presence as well. Because the cannabis enthusiasts did not hold a major rally, the police presence planned for the event was not necessary, said a police spokeswoman, Nadine Taylor-Miller.Those who attended did not allow the weather to dampen their spirits."It's not about the amount of people that showed up," said Mark Spielman, 26, who made the trip from Toronto and had no problem wading through the muddy grounds in his sandals. "It's about the cause."Note: Event draws fewer than hoped.Source: Boston Globe (MA)Author: Jack Encarnacao, Globe CorrespondentPublished: September 19, 2004Copyright: 2004 Globe Newspaper CompanyContact: letter globe.comWebsite: http://www.boston.com/globe/Related Articles & Web Site:MassCannhttp://www.masscann.org/Pot Question on Ballot in Parts of E. Arlington http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19471.shtmlA Show of Support for Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19383.shtmlHigher and Higher: Reefer Sanityhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19323.shtml
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