cannabisnews.com: Legalizing Pot Gets High Priority at Rally





Legalizing Pot Gets High Priority at Rally
Posted by FoM on September 17, 2000 at 07:33:46 PT
By Dave Wedge 
Source: Boston Herald
Thirty years ago, the late Bob Marley urged the government to ``Legalize It.'' Yesterday, a pro-pot crowd of more than 40,000 took to the Common to boldly voice that message, rolling joints and smoking them right under the nose of Boston police.``Weed is peace. Straight up,'' said ``Flow,'' a 24-year-old Cambridge man as he smoked with his friends. ``It's healthy for the mind, body and soul.'' ``Say yes to marijuana,'' added ``Jazz,'' a 26-year-old Boston mother.
The 2000 Freedom Rally featured music, food and lots of open marijuana use, and was mostly peaceful, except for dozens of arrests.Boston Police spokesman Cliff Connolly said by 6 p.m., police had made about 70 arrests, mostly for possession of marijuana, but some for selling the drug. One person was arrested with 100 hits of LSD.Event organizers were angry that police were searching people entering the park and demanding they open their bags. Some who refused to consent to the searches, were turned away by police.``They do it on purpose to intimidate people,'' said Bill Downing, president of the Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition, which organized the event.``This is a public park. I'm offended by the searches,'' added Keith Stroup, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based group, NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws).Connolly said the searches were ``alcohol check points'' and were legal because alcohol is banned in public parks.``The officers weren't searching for drugs,'' he said. ``As a general rule, they don't search without suspicion.''The event featured well-known Boston bands Tree, Darkbuster and Scissorfight, as well as up-and-coming hip-hop acts Mr. Lif and Akrobatik. The day was also a forum for Libertarian party presidential candidate Harry Browne and U.S. Senate candidate Carla Howell, who is challenging Ted Kennedy.While many dismiss the day as a ploy to allow open pot smoking, Downing says the police presence ensures that it is not.``Evidently, by the number of arrests, it's not just a free day to come down and smoke pot on the lawn,'' he said.Members of the MIT Hemp Coalition were among the thousands of college students on hand voicing their concerns against the so-called drug war.``We're filling up the jails with a lot of people who aren't real criminals,'' said Paula, a member of the coalition who didn't want her last name used.Boston Police Capt. Bernie O'Rourke said the department's strategy was ``to arrest as many people as we see breaking the law.''``If someone is smoking, they'll be arrested,'' he said.But Stroup took issue with the police strategy - and the nation's continued criminalization of marijuana - saying laws should be relaxed.``We're destroying the lives and careers of good, hard-working people in the United States and it's unfair,'' he said.Stroup pointed out that 88 percent of marijuana arrests in the U.S. last year were for possession. He also noted that seven states have approved medicinal marijuana use, despite a federal ban.``Most Americans now realize marijuana is less harmful than alcohol or tobacco,'' he said. ``We're beginning to make headway. Public attitude is on our side. Now we have to make it public policy.''Published: Sunday, September 17, 2000Source: Boston Herald (MA)Copyright: 2000 The Boston Herald, Inc.Contact: letterstoeditor bostonherald.comAddress: One Herald Square, Boston, MA 02106-2096Website: http://www.bostonherald.com/Related Articles & Web Sites:MassCannhttp://www.masscann.org/NORMLhttp://www.norml.org/Marijuana Festival Promotes Drug Legalization http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7059.shtmlHub Police Brace for Marijuana Rally on Commonhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7049.shtml 
END SNIP -->
Snipped
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Comment #1 posted by FoM on September 18, 2000 at 12:04:02 PT:
Related Article
US MN: Pro-Pot Activists Irked At Police TabNewshawk: Chris WrightPubdate: Sun, 17 Sep 2000Source: Saint Paul Pioneer Press (MN)Copyright: 2000 St. Paul Pioneer PressContact: letters pioneerpress.comAddress: 345 Cedar St., St. Paul, MN 55101Website: http://www.pioneerplanet.com/Forum: http://www.pioneerplanet.com/watercooler/Author: Nancy Ngo, Staff WriterOnly three people were arrested for possession and there were no confrontations with police, but a cloud still hung over the 14th annual Minnesota Tea Party, calling for the legalization of marijuana. The 150 to 300 people at the event -- which started with guest speakers and bands at the State Capitol and ended with a march to the Governor's Residence on Summit Avenue -- fell far short of last year's attendance of 1,000. Chris Wright, chairman of the Grassroots Party and organizer of the event, said festivals elsewhere in the state, particularly the Harvest Festival in Albert Lea, likely contributed to low turnout. Even so, police presence was increased over last year. Two additional off-duty police officers came to manage traffic if protesters spilled onto the streets, as happened last year. The Grassroots Party has been asked to pick up the tab, but Wright said the group refuses to pay the extra $260. ``Just because they think there's going to be more arrests and lawbreaking, we shouldn't have to pay more,'' he said. Three people were arrested for marijuana possession, compared to 13 arrests the previous year. But the party's refusal to pay could jeopardize its ability to secure future permits, officials said. ``If you have outstanding bills with the city, the city can't do business (with you),'' said Sgt. Ray Jefferson of the St. Paul Police Department. He said the conditions of the permit were based on the number of officers that would have been adequate at last year's parade. Click the link to read the complete article.US MN: Pro-Pot Activists Irked At Police Tabhttp://mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1390/a06.html
[ Post Comment ]

Post Comment


Name: Optional Password: 
E-Mail: 
Subject: 
Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message]
Link URL: 
Link Title: