cannabisnews.com: Cannabis Advocates Rally for Rights










  Cannabis Advocates Rally for Rights

Posted by CN Staff on September 18, 2005 at 07:38:27 PT
By Lisa Wangsness, Globe Staff  
Source: Boston Globe  

Boston, MA -- Under hovering storm clouds, thousands gathered on the Boston Common yesterday to sway to gritty rock music, shop for T-shirts with slogans like ''Thank You for Pot Smoking," and rally against marijuana prohibition.Police motorcycles were parked seven deep at the Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition's 16th Annual Freedom Rally, and uniformed and undercover police trolled the crowd for marijuana smokers. Puffs of smoke hovering over the crowd came mostly from cigarettes, but police made 44 arrests, mostly for drug possession, although there were some distribution charges.
''There is no day off from the law today," said Deputy Superintendent Paul Fitzgerald.Turnout was smaller than in years past, when the event sometimes drew crowds of 30,000 or 40,000, according to police. Last year, Hurricane Ivan forced the event's cancellation, and this year, Hurricane Ophelia nearly did. But the weather held, and several thousand people were milling about by 2 p.m. yesterday, according to Keith Saunders, president of the Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition, or Mass Cann.The theme of this year's rally was ''Secure the Blessings of Liberty," which Saunders described as a call to political action. His group is backing a bill that is before the state Senate and would impose a civil fine of $100 for possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, rather than a criminal penalty. The Joint Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse heard testimony on the bill in June but has not taken action on it, Saunders said. Though a recent federal study found that the Boston area is the nation's capital of marijuana use, only a handful of people showed up to testify in favor of the bill, according to Mass Cann.Saunders said that despite his support for decriminalization, he would not encourage anyone to light up on the Common during the protest.''This is probably the worst place in the city of Boston to be smoking marijuana," he said.Some were unfazed, though. Wayne Burke, a 53-year-old retired painter, placidly shared a joint on the lawn with two younger friends, Matt Duszak, 19, and Kevin Woods, 20. The three drove to Boston together from Worcester to attend the rally.''When we're done smoking this bone, we're not going to go rob somebody," Burke said with a shrug. ''We're going to go home and eat a sandwich and watch TV."A pair of antidrug protesters wended their way through the legions of youth in hooded sweatshirts and faux-cannabis leis yesterday.Lea Palleria Cox of the Hanover-based Concerned Citizens for Drug Prevention Inc. and Bill Breault of the Main South Alliance for Public Safety in Worcester, who have attended the rally for about a decade, said they were appalled to find vendors selling ceramic pipes this year. They said they were also dismayed to again see so many young people in the crowd.''Parents have no clue," he said. ''When their kid says 'I'm going to a concert on the Common,' they have no idea what goes on here."Note: Group seeks lighter penalties. Source: Boston Globe (MA)Author:   Lisa Wangsness, Globe Staff Published: September 18, 2005Copyright: 2005 Globe Newspaper CompanyContact: letter globe.comWebsite: http://www.boston.com/globe/Related Articles & Web Site:MassCannhttp://www.masscann.org/ Why We Need a Freedom Rallyhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21115.shtmlHub Goes To Pot - Boston Heraldhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20876.shtml 

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Comment #24 posted by FoM on September 19, 2005 at 22:39:13 PT
Related Article from The Daily Free Press 
Common Call for Legal PotBy Maria C. Knapp September 19, 2005After Boston was ranked the nation's No. 1 area for marijuana use early last summer, more than 30,000 teenagers and adults flocked to Boston Common to push marijuana legalization onto the state's political agenda at the city's 16th annual Hempfest."If it were sunny there would be 50,000 [people]," Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition President Dr. Keith Saunders said. "But let's put it this way -- we are two hours and seven minutes away from 4:20 p.m. and there's already a huge crowd."The federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported last June that 12 percent of the Boston area population smoked pot. Boston's main Hempfest organizer, Bill Downing, said MassCann, based in Georgetown, organized the festivities to rally political support on both a social and legislative level.Among the sea of political booths and merchandise vendors sprawled across the Common, Karla Ellenbogen, a 65-year-old Somerville nurse, handed out pamphlets and discussed the socialist argument for marijuana legalization at her stand."My whole purpose in life is to spread knowledge and understanding for the case for socialism," she said. "My own feeling is that with any drug or medicine you need to evaluate the risk versus benefit. I have diabetes so I shouldn't smoke, but for many it has a medicinal purpose."Ellenbogen said while the Socialist Party does not have a position on the legalization of marijuana, socialist doctrines reinforce her view."A friend, Phyllis, had breast cancer and her doctor advised her to use marijuana, but she wasn't able to find it," she said. "She would have died either way, but her last years would have been more comfortable. Marijuana has a therapeutic benefit -- just the same way aspirin does."In addition to vendors, Hempfest featured speeches by reverends, political figures and activists. From noon to 5:30 p.m. in between speakers, 10 bands, including The Fools and Waltham, took the stage. Carrie Davis, 34, who works for the Seattle Hempfest, encouraged people to create social change through peaceful, grassroots efforts."Thank the cops," she said. "They have a hard, largely unappreciated job and if you guys would get off your butts and change the laws, they wouldn't have to be here."Boston Police Captain Bernard O'Rourke described the force's presence at Hempfest as "significant.""We're here to maintain public safety and enforce the law," he said. "We've always made a significant number of arrests here in the past. And the fact that we have to devote so many officers away from their regular routine - it drains our resources."Along with uniformed officers, undercover cops and park rangers also patrolled the Common and had already made several arrests for drug law violation an hour into the rally, O'Rourke said.Allston resident Rob Potylo, the manager of one of the fest's bands, said he thought the undercover cops overstepped their boundaries."Basically, I was over at the merchandise table trying to make some money for these [expletive deleted] hippies, and an undercover cop came up behind me and grabbed me," he said. "He flashed his Fisher Price badge, threw me down and searched my bags without any probable cause."I wasn't doing anything suspicious," he continued. "I don't even drink, let alone smoke."Describing himself as a habitual marijuana smoker, Peabody native James Gardner, 20, said although he had never been to Hempfest, he was not concerned about the police presence."You always run the risk of getting caught," he said while passing a colored, glass pipe to a friend. "We shouldn't get just one day to do this each year."Although last year's Hempfest was almost rained out because of Hurricane Ivan, Saunders, who is also a professor at Northeastern University and the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, said more than 40,000 people have turned out in previous years.But Susan Jervis, 17, said, "I don't think the state is going to pass anything soon. I don't think the legislators will do it."Downing, who aside from planning Hempfest works to spearhead political initiatives, said the last pro-marijuana bill was passed in 1997 through Governor William Weld. The bill was a follow-up to a 1991 bill concerning medicinal marijuana use, which was passed in 30 states and legalized the installation of "cannabis therapeutic research programs" run through state health departments."But all those programs depended on a federal government supply of marijuana, a supply that was shut down by Ronald Reagan," Downing said.Downing said a current bill, in committee in 11 states, includes language that makes it possible for legitimate marijuana patients to grow the herb for medicinal purpose or to designate a caregiver to grow for them.In addition to that effort, MassCann worker Mitch Fava, a 55-year-old from Arlington, encouraged people to support a smaller, "decramp" bill that would make marijuana possession of less than an ounce punishable by no more than a $100 fine."It's the right thing to do," he said while passing out postcards addressed to the State House. "And it's the first step we have to take to enlighten people in this state." http://www.dailyfreepress.com/media/paper87/news/2005/09/19/News/Common.Call.For.Legal.Pot-989689.shtml
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Comment #23 posted by FoM on September 19, 2005 at 12:10:55 PT
westnyc
I know what you are saying and I believe you are correct.
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Comment #22 posted by westnyc on September 19, 2005 at 12:09:29 PT
One more thing!
These KKK types try to elicit radical actions through visible means and therefore are countered by the opposition; however, the Boy's Club have the same philosophy except their actions are "under the radar;" and, therefore much more damaging.
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Comment #21 posted by FoM on September 19, 2005 at 12:08:35 PT
Related Article from The Daily Campus
Pot Heads Gather for Political RallyBy Nick HennesseyMonday, September 19, 2005 The Freedom Rally, held annually on the Boston Common green is definitely a festival conceived, organized and run by potheads. At 1 p.m. Saturday, an hour into the festival, there were a few scattered group of confused white teenagers in front of a stage watching a group of middle-aged, half-enthusiastic musicians perform. The band, Herbal Nation, played slow tempo funk-soul. During the last chorus of their final song, their front-woman, T-Buck, repeated the line "We love the earth" for three minutes straight while the balding drummer jammed on his miniscule electronic drum set. They received sparse bits of applause while they left the stage and the singer, happily exclaimed, "Smoke more pot, we love you." The festival is meant to rally supporters of marijuana, to get them involved in voting toward the reform of laws against marijuana, and to attract media attention in order for the public to take the issues discussed during the rally seriously. Despite its slow start, which may have been due to the overcast weather, pot users and supporters eventually arrived in large numbers. Kristopher T. Krane, the associate director of National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws [NORML], speculated the number of people who would at least travel through the festival would reach 30,000 to 40,000. Around 3 p.m. things started picking up and the booths set up by various sponsors, such as High Times, Grammas For Ganja and Salvia Zone began attracting crowds. The businesses and organizations were able to gain supporters, and express their views on the many issues focused on during the speeches. It is this down to earth approach that allows the kingpins of the pro pot community to try to create the changes they support, which is the overall goal of the festival. Steve Bloom, the editor of High Times magazine, said that it is the key to the progression of legalizing medicinal marijuana. He hopes that festivals like this one in Boston lead to complete legalization of marijuana use. "You have to have active groups, active leaders, quick response," he said. He also said groups such as NORML have to "keep a constant flow of information about the war against pot so we know what we're up against." The beginning of the festival saw an abundance of young men and women in Bob Marley shirts playing with hackey sacks. They ignored the speakers and peered though bloodshot eye looking for a place to smoke. But with the variety of subjects touched on and the fast-paced changing of acts on stage, the initial novelty of a pot festival bloomed into a haven of knowledge. The burnt old men who were angry that the promotional plastic mock marijuana leaves on their necklace didn't get them high were overshadowed by the fact that there was eventually a perceptive, open crowd absorbing most of the speaker's thoughts and feelings on marijuana. Copyright: 2005 The Daily Campus and College Publisherhttp://www.dailycampus.com/media/paper340/news/2005/09/19/Focus/Pot-Heads.Gather.For.Political.Rally-989884.shtml
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Comment #20 posted by westnyc on September 19, 2005 at 12:03:29 PT
Fear more the Good-ole Corporate White Boy's Club!
Yes! I have seen the KKK on and around the news every once in a while. However, I've always felt that these people make themselves look-like exactly what they are: a bunch of whiskey swilling rednecks that defeat their own purpose with their ridiculousness. What I mean to say is those that should be recognized are those that wear nice suits and ties and seem legit; another words, they don't look like a racist because of their position in society. They still have the mentality of these KKK rednecks; however, they are much more clever in issuing their ignorance.
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Comment #19 posted by FoM on September 19, 2005 at 09:29:22 PT
Toker00 
The other night we watched an older movie called Glory with Matthew Broderick and Denzel Washington. One thing that I was really surprised about in the movie was if a black person or a white officer got caught fighting for the freedom of the slaves they would be killed. Why such hate? I'll never understand that war. Never.
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Comment #18 posted by Toker00 on September 19, 2005 at 09:18:44 PT
FoM
Yeah, FoM, the kkk is unfortunately still alive and well in the south. They are passing themselves off as non-violent and non-rascist, which we know is BS.The fact that black people are high in numbers, but low in leadership positions is evidence racism is still alive and well in the south, too.I correct red-necks all the time about racism, fascism, and classism. Some get p-offed and frown and turn red, some actually are convicted by the truth, and make attempts to correct it. It's a never ending job down here, correcting red-necks, but somebody has to do it. I have to admit I am a reformed red-neck, being born in the deep south, but I started my reform at about age 13. And it is a lot easier said than done.Wage peace on war. END CANNABIS PROHIBITION NOW! 
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Comment #17 posted by FoM on September 19, 2005 at 06:28:38 PT
Toker00
Forgive my ignorance but are there still kkk things going on in the year 2005 anywhere in the USA? I can't imagine that. Last night Neil Young played Southern Man at Farm-Aid. So many people were trying to access the webcast when he finally was on it kept locking up for me even with a high speed connection. I've read it was great. I think the south must have more black folks then white folks and it doesn't make sense to me that they aren't running the south if I'm right about the numbers.
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Comment #16 posted by Toker00 on September 19, 2005 at 03:30:20 PT
Hope #10
Except for the motorcycles, you described the police presence at the kkk protest in Tomball Tx. to a T. Take away the motors but add M-16's, body armor, black from head to toe with steel pots on their head, lined up side by side every 20 feet. By the end of the rally, they were collapsing from the 100 degree heat.Wage peace on war. END CANNABIS PROHIBITION NOW!
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Comment #15 posted by mayan on September 18, 2005 at 23:19:11 PT
No Day Off
''There is no day off from the law today," said Deputy Superintendent Paul Fitzgerald.There is no day off from the squandering of our tax dollars. America is so much safer now!
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Comment #14 posted by FoM on September 18, 2005 at 21:48:09 PT
Thanks Dankhank!
http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread21124.shtml
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Comment #13 posted by Dankhank on September 18, 2005 at 21:18:14 PT
Reefer Madness ...
It never ends ...http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2005/09/19/reefer_madness/index.htmlArrrrrrrgh .........
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Comment #12 posted by john wayne on September 18, 2005 at 20:32:07 PT
Cops obey no law but self interest
> I'd always been taught, "The policeman is your friend."That's where your teachers were wrong. The cop is his own friend and nobody elses. (Except maybe another cop.) Keep this in mind whenever you encounter those in the drug-war welfare-scam.
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Comment #11 posted by ekim on September 18, 2005 at 18:58:47 PT
hey lets get to the 50000 mark on the counter
 
http://www.hempology.org/WELCOME TO HEMPOLOGY.ORG,
THE BOSTON HEMP CO-OP'S DIGITAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM 49790
http://www.hempology.org/
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Comment #10 posted by Hope on September 18, 2005 at 18:42:57 PT
Police motorcycles
Several years ago, as we arrived at the beginning point for a march, when we turned the corner to our destination, the sight of so many police motorcycles, all with a silent, straight ahead looking...inhuman looking...Darth Vader, sans cape, type person sitting on each motorcycle, literally took my breath for a moment. They were lined up in long rows, several rows deep...all the motorcycles leaning to one direction, at the staging area.I couldn't have imagined that even a city like Austin had that many motorcycles and motorcycle officers. There was definitely no "shortage of police officers" in Austin! It was meant to intimidate and it did intimidate me. It took all the nerve I had to just walk past them. There were no smiles, their faces were covered. No hellos. No friendly nods or waves. I pretty much felt threatened and emotionally "molested" by such an unnecessary show of force.I'd always been taught, "The policeman is your friend." Dang! I had some scary menacing looking friends if that was true.Black motorcycles, black uniforms, and black helmets with black visors that hid the faces of the officers. And so many of them. It was surreal.
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Comment #9 posted by FoM on September 18, 2005 at 18:28:00 PT
runderwo
Thank you. That's really interesting. I'm still watching Farm Aid but I'm waiting now to see and hear Neil Young and Willie Nelson. Neil is suppose to be playing Walking to New Orleans tonight. I hope so it was really good on the Katrina Benefit.
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Comment #8 posted by runderwo on September 18, 2005 at 17:33:05 PT
schwagstock
More info here. Schwagstock is basically a recreation of Woodstock on 330 acres out in the middle of nowhere in Missouri, staffed by private security only who do not enforce anti-drug rules unless people create a disturbance. I was smoking a joint in front of security and they were indifferent. Between all of us we probably put away 3/4 oz in one night, all out in the open either sitting at our campsite or walking around. We also split a bag of mushrooms that made the events rather interesting...It really is a beautiful scene with nothing but nature around you for miles.Being there was almost like a glimpse into a future of more tolerance and freedom that is waiting for us one day.
The Schwag
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on September 18, 2005 at 16:33:04 PT
goneposthole
Freedom what is it? To me a person can be free even if they aren't free. We can always be free in our own mind.
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Comment #6 posted by goneposthole on September 18, 2005 at 15:51:59 PT
Freedom Rally
"Police motorcycles were parked seven deep at the Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition's 16th Annual Freedom Rally, and uniformed and undercover police trolled the crowd for marijuana smokers."Doesn't sound or look like freedom, though.
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on September 18, 2005 at 15:36:34 PT

About Farm-Aid
This is a great day of music at Farm-Aid. I thought some here might like to see the one t-shirt they are selling this year.http://www.farmaid.org/images/content/pagebuilder/21829.jpg
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on September 18, 2005 at 11:44:12 PT

runderwo
What's Schwagstock?
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Comment #3 posted by runderwo on September 18, 2005 at 11:40:35 PT

schwagstock
Did any of you attend Schwagstock over the past weekend or perhaps earlier this year? I did and we had a blast.
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on September 18, 2005 at 11:00:07 PT

Just a Note
I'm watching Farm Aid Live now and listening to Rust Never Sleeps and I am also watching CNN with the sound muted and it's all great. I hope others are having a good Sunday!
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on September 18, 2005 at 07:59:24 PT

Farn-Aid Live Webcast Information
Hello everyone,I thought I'd post information on the Farm-Aid concert. The free webcast will begin at 10:30 CDT. http://www.farmaid.org/The list of performers are:Artists Scheduled to Perform: Willie Nelson John Mellencamp Neil Young Dave Matthews ***Arlo Guthrie Buddy GuyCongressman Collin Peterson and the Second AmendmentsEmmylou Harris James McMurtryJimmy Sturr & His OrchestraJohn Mayer Kate VoegeleKathleen EdwardsKenny Chesney Los Lonely Boys Shannon BrownSupersuckersSusan Tedeschi Widespread Panic Wilcohttp://www.farmaid.org/site/PageServer?pagename=concert_artistsAlice's Restaurant Massacre: http://www.arlo.net/massacree/set2_56k.rm
Farm-Aid 2005: Chicago Illinois
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