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Wednesday, August 19th, 2009 at 12:47 pm | By: Radical Russ
(The Stranger’s SLOG) I got kicked out of Hempfest’s backstage yesterday, apparently for suggesting in The Stranger that the event should lose the tie-dyes on the stages and go for a broader appeal. …After listening to a few speakers and consuming one gigantic veggie burrito with pickled jalapeños, I went behind the main stage. I was talking to a friend when a member of the Hempfest board, John Davis, whom I’ve known for about 15 years, approached me and said, “You can’t be back here. You have to go.” …Davis snatched the pass out of my hand, and as the security guy escorted me out, he said that it’s because I’m a “member of the media.”
Uh, I’ve been a member of the media in past years, and I’ve always been allowed backstage. And before I was a reporter—back when I was the spokesman for Hempfest—several times we’d have reporters walk freely backstage. So what gives? Hempfest director Vivian McPeak reportedly told a staffer, who went to ask what the fuck was going on, that I had “proverbially stabbed [him] in the back.” But, Vivian, I thought you were omnipotent. About 10 minutes earlier, he was on the main stage mic referring to himself as “the great Vivian McPeak.”
The issue, clearly, is that Hempfest organizers are outraged that anyone would dare critique their event. They cannot separate themselves from their culture from their politics. So any commentary of their political strategy (simply saying they should take down the cheesy tie-dyes) is apparently a personal backstabbing. That’s a tragically self-centered perspective for any organization, political cause, or leader—especially one that is “great.”
Dominic, you must have been ousted shortly after I had a chance to say hi to you and your brother backstage. I had my media people nearly kicked out of backstage at Main Stage as well, as Hempfest had a “backstage escort” requirement this year. Any folks with media passes without an accompanying speaker or musical performer were kicked out, I was told. Too many people trying to relax backstage didn’t want any photos or stories about what they were doing, I guess.
I appreciated the back-and-forth we had on this topic over at the Stash. I’m still of the opinion that 200,000 people gathered peacefully in a park for a weekend openly smoking marijuana while an all-volunteer crew wrangles hundreds of vendors and six stages is enough of a political statement as it is.
I also understand the “that ain’t me” reaction from many pot smokers. It’s the same reaction my wife gives when she sees bud-covered naked women in High Times Magazine. To that I say, great, please, form a new magazine or present a new Hempfest for all the cannabis-closeted squares to come enjoy. If there are so many who are so uncomfortable with hippie tie-dye patchouli-stained ghettoes, there surely should be a huge audience for the new Short-Haired Respectable Polos & Dockers Hempfest with special guest Kenny G, and there must be plenty of ad revenue available for the new Cannabis Connoisseur Magazine.
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So you’re fast asleep in the early Pacific Northwest morning when a reporter from the Associated Press on the East Coast calls you to ask about the appointment of your police chief to the position of Drug Czar and whether police have a barbecue at the world’s largest marijuana festival hosted in your city every year. Such is today in the life of Seattle Hempfest Director Vivian McPeak, as Chief Kerlikowske was named Drug Czar today. It’s just not right for you East Coasters to wake us Cascadians up at your 8am before we’ve had our IV drip of caffeine. Have you been to this part of the country in February? We’re in month three of five months worth of “40 degrees and cloudy with rain likely”! Viv joins us to talk about the Chief, the relationship of Seattle Police Dept. and Hempfest, the Chief’s response to the I-75 lo-pri initiative, and a look at the newly expanded, “18 and barely legal” Hempfest this summer.
Chris Goldstein is churning out excellent short essays on drug war subjects for public radio exchange at PRX.org. You can register and download these and many other readers and subjects for your podcast or public radio show. Today Chris tackles the Boycott Kellogg’s movement and how the only people who might get hurt from Michael Phelps toking a bong are Kellogg’s workers in already economically depressed Battle Creek, Michigan.
(And The Donnas playing kick-ass rock’n'm’f'n’roll! Urb, you down with The Donnas, or too light for ya?)
Friday, October 17th, 2008 at 7:03 pm | By: Radical Russ
Well, kinda live. I was on the panel on Cannabis in the Media. Moderating was Richard Cowan, a former NORML Executive Director and now publisher of MarijuanaNews.com. Paul Armentano, NORML’s Deputy Director, gave a great preentation on how the media lie about cannabis. I followed up with a discussion of why, centering on the political concept of framing. Ann Harrison. an independent journalist, talked about how the journalism profession has been swayed in the Drug War. Finally, Bruce Mirken, Communications Director for MPP, discussed how to influence the media and respond to their poor reporting of the drug war issue.
Then we headed off to the breakout sessions. I moderated a session on Tools for Activists: How to avoid Burnout. Madeline Martinez, Executive Director of Oregon NORML discussed how to share the “attitude of gratitude” in cultivating a volunteer force. Vivian McPeak, Executive Director of Seattle Hempfest, explained how he turned a political rally into the largest reform event in the world. Dr. Mitch Earleywine employed some practical strategies for meditation and how to communicate the marijuana issue. And Keith Saunders of MASS/CANN NORML talked about finding your identity as an activist.
Tonight is the Awards Banquet, which I’m also covering. We’re generating a whole lot of audio and video and we’ll get as much of it on the tubes as we can as quick as we can.
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Sheesh, I barely made it! A Wednesday post with just minutes left in Wednesday out here on the West Coast. I tells ya, I’s a busy media producer these days, and on top of that I had an urgent database project to complete for the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act (OCTA2010.org).
Then I’ve got exclusive audio from last weekend’s Portland Hempstalk with NORML Founder Keith Stroup’s keynote address. It was such a thrill to have “Papa NORML” fly across the continent just to join us at my hometown hempfest. Don’t let him con you about my lack of driving and navigating skills in my Hyundai trying to find a restaurant to meet Madeline Martinez for dinner… I was just being a gracious host by trying to show Mr. Stroup as many Portland side-streets as possible.
You should also check out last Friday’s episode of Cannabis Common Sense with John Trudell, Keith Stroup, Vivian McPeak, Bill Drake, Jack Herer, Eddy Lepp, Tim Pate and Madeline Martinez, hosted by Paul Stanford. It was like a Mt. Rushmore of my heroes on TV!
Monday, July 28th, 2008 at 9:37 am | By: Radical Russ
A great article on the upcoming Seattle Hempfest, with some key quotes by top reformers:
The Case For Pot | Table of Contents | All modules | Seattle Magazine: The Premier Seattle Monthly
“People who dismiss us as a bunch of people smoking pot in the park are completely missing the point,” says [Vivian McPeak, executive director of Hempfest]. “This movement is about people losing their homes, their jobs and their kids, kids getting kicked out of school, people being incarcerated for an equal or greater amount of time than those committing violent crimes. It’s not funny.”
[Seattle’s former police chief Norm Stamper] recently recounted a story from his rookie year as a cop when he arrested a 19-year-old for marijuana possession, handcuffed him, put him in the back of his squad car and started driving toward the station. As he looked at his charge in the rear-view mirror, he realized he’d just arrested a young man who hadn’t been hurting anybody. “I could have been doing real police work,” Stamper says. “I could have been intervening in domestic violence. I could have been stopping people from hurting other people—that’s noble, honorable work.”
When asked why he’s chosen to focus on marijuana rather than other pressing social issues, [travel writer and TV celebrity Rick Steves]’ answer is simple: “Anybody can talk about homelessness and everyone claps, but people are afraid to talk about marijuana…. I can speak out and survive. I don’t need to be elected or promoted.”
The key to winning on this issue is to make it everyone’s issue, and part of doing that is talking openly about marijuana and proudly proclaiming there’s nothing wrong with using it responsibly. That’s why you’ll hear me draw parallels with social alcohol drinkers – we need the average person who doesn’t smoke pot on our side, and for that we need them to empathize with the injustices we face.
I had a fellow activist criticize me for that rhetoric. “You shouldn’t talk about treating marijuana like alcohol, because alcohol is a poison,” he told me, “You’re going to make people think marijuana is a killer like alcohol!”
“You’re right about that,” I replied, “as far as marijuana being far safer than alcohol. No argument there. But I have to convince people who think marijuana is far more dangerous than alcohol. People just can’t flip in a day from ‘marijuana’s evil’ to ‘marijuana’s good’. If I can get them down from ‘marijuana is worse than alcohol’ to ‘marijuana is a lot like alcohol’, then maybe they’ll treat it like alcohol and legalize it. After a generation of alcohol and marijuana competing head-to-head, people will naturally move from ‘marijuana’s a lot like alcohol’ to ‘alcohol is worse than marijuana’ just by observing the evidence.
“People need a ‘hook’. We’re trying to get them to imagine something that doesn’t exist. If we can match it to an established pattern that does exist – a social intoxicant that is taxed, controlled, and regulated – it will be easier for them to imagine.
RevRayGreen: I'll post a pic of me and my son....gimme a minute
Missippi Hippy: Guess what... I'm gonna be a new... ummmmm well, my pet piggie Ganja is in labor and they ain't mine in the same sense. See what your wife [...]
RevRayGreen: days they didn't talk back..or act disrespectful..
RevRayGreen: feel so lucky my son is 18 going 19 and my daughter 16 going on 17..relish the days that can't talk back
Urb Age: Congrats Spof thats awesome. My little Clara is about to hit 20 months. Im not the activist I used to be, but its made me a better man.
Urb Age: Heck I was gonna go up there, but just not feeling well this weekend..Dang it, I hate it when that happens..
RevRayGreen: wishing I was hanging at NORML cafe...
JohnH: Just a quick comment about tokin' and sperm motility....been tokin since age 14 and have 8 kids ranging in age from 30 to 9...(what can I say, I found 2 [...]
slash5city: really ..oprah 35 yr or more in the closet toker ...outed ....o my god !!
SneakerPimp: that would be huge news just imagen the headline
RevRayGreen: maybe Oprah smokes and keeps it on the DL...
SneakerPimp: and good afternoon
mr reuben: I could do without seeing Rob K. on tv. But Bruce and Eithan get a big thumbs up from me.
SneakerPimp: waitn for NSL and congrast for spofett.
mr reuben: I don't respect her opinion bluzguy.
Missippi Hippy: Something about the last year in a contract... folks become more ballsey... and Oprah has big ones.
Marijuana-Related Health Costs Minimal Compared To Those Of Alcohol, Tobacco; California Medical Association Says Pot Prohibition Is A "Failed Public Health Policy"; Oregon: State NORML Affiliate Opens First 'Cannabis Café'. […]
American Medical Association Calls For Scientific Review Of Marijuana's Prohibitive Status; Dutch Marijuana Use Lower Than European Average, Study Says […]
"Truth In Trials Act" Reintroduced In Congress; Maine: Voters Approve Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Measure; Colorado: Breckenridge Voters Overwhelmingly Decide To End Pot Penalties. […]
Some of the nation’s top athletes discuss why today's pros are turning to cannabis — and away from alcohol and painkillers — off the field, and question why pro sports leagues are continuing to sanction those who do. Moderator: Steve Bloom, Author, Pot Culture; editor, celebstoner.com * Toby Grear, MMA fighter * Sean Neumann, Documentary Filmm […]
Cannabis Law Reform's Missing Link: Law Enforcement Former Seattle Police Chief Norm Stamper; LEAP and NORML Advisory Board; Author of Breaking Rank Putting the Mexican Cartels Out of Business Mexican drug cartels now employ over 100,000 soldiers and are responsible for nearly ten thousand deaths per year. Their largest source of income is marijuana. […]
Stash for Thu, Aug 20, 2009
waitn for NSL and congrast for spofett.
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