MADISON: Thousands of people attended day one of Madison's two day 40th Annual Great Midwest Marijuana Harvest Festival Saturday despite chilly winds and mostly gray skies. The festival, which began in 1971, entered its fifth decade this weekend. The festival continues Sunday - attendees will return to Library Mall after 12:30 for live music and speakers before the traditional parade to the State Capitol at the other end of State St. The parade is slated to depart Library Mall at 3:15pm for a 4pm rally on the State St. steps of the Capitol with a concert by the Milwaukee area reggae band Recalcitrant.
On Saturday afternoon, in between a selection of Wisconsin bands featuring a number of musical genres, speaker after speaker denounced marijuana prohibition from every angle. Among those speaking was Jacki Rickert, namesake of the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act (JRMMA), which failed to make it out of committee despite strong legislative support, overwhelming public support and an 8-hour public hearing in Dec. 2009. The legislator who stopped the JRMMA in its tracks, State Sen. Julie Lassa (D-Milladore), who joined the Senate Health committee Republicans in opposing the bill and killing it in committee was a frequent topic.
Lassa's action was recalled by various speakers including New Jersey activist Jim Miller, who strongly urged attendees protest at a Lassa fundraiser scheduled for Tuesday Oct. 5 at 5pm at the Madison Club at 5 E. Wilson next to Monona Terrace convention center. Gary Storck noted how he and Rickert began the year expecting to enroll in a state medical cannabis program, and how because of Lassa's action, they instead had to travel to Oregon. He noted how Lassa had ignored overwhelming constituent support and instead followed the wishes of special interests including the Marshfield Clinic and Waushara county Sheriff David Peterson. Storck noted how the bill's failure not only hurt patients but also cost the state new jobs and businesses. Madison author T A Sedlak had spoken earlier of how cannabis prohibition was causing a brain drain of cannabis prohibition refugees out of Wisconsin, and how he planned to join the exodus, and Storck echoed those remarks in the damage prohibition is causing the state.
River Falls alder Bob Hughes spoke of how he organized a campaign to put a medical marijuana advisory referendum on city ballots this November, knocking on hundreds of doors to get the necessary signatures. His local county counterpart, St. Croix County Supervisor Ben Plunkett touted voter registration and registered voters at a table at the event. The River Falls referendum has identical language as Dane County's advisory ballot.
A number of candidates for state office spoke including three State Assembly candidates along with a Madison attorney planning Spring 2011 run for the State Supreme Court. Two of the three candidates for the seat now held by retiring 77th Assembly Rep. Spencer Black were on hand, Republican Dave Redick and Green Party candidate Ben Manski. The Democratic candidate, Brett Hulsey, did not respond to several invitations to speak. Independent candidate for Assembly District 41, Jay Selthofner also spoke earlier. All three supported an end to marijuana prohibition and drug policy reforms. Supreme Court candidate Joel Winnig also denounced marijuana prohibition and the drug war.
Late in the afternoon, Mason Tvert, Executive Director of the Colorado based Safer Alternatives For Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER) took to the stage for the second time, this time reading off Sen. Lassa's office number (Toll-Free (800) 925-7491), urging attendees to call her as well as attend her Tuesday, Oct. 5 Madison Club fundraiser. Protesters will gather after 4:30 for the Lassa fundraiser, which starts at 5:30pm.
Festival organizer Ben Masel estimated that as many as 4,000 people attended Saturday. While the weather may have shortened the duration of many attendees visits, clearly the enthusiasm is not lagging. Had it been less windy and a bit warmer, many would have stayed all afternoon. Organizers point to a warmer forecast for Sunday's parade, with less windy conditions.
Read all my Madison NORML examiner articles here.
Comments
Legalize it! It's only going to do good for community and the government...
It is fraud to keep laws which were created to profit some companies legal when all the evidence shows that pot heals people.
So It is also a crime to enforce corrupt laws, no matter if those laws are on the books.
When fraud and lies are defended by legal means and upheld as truth and fact what is that act called? And when such an act is the cause of suffering, death, violence and discrimination against peace loving tax paying voters it is labeled treason.
Why can't anyone, any lawyer, any judge charge the congress with fraud, with treason, with obstruction of justice, with contempt of court, perjury. There are so many chargeable offenses which go unfiled and that is also a crime.
The next border war is coming and it will be at the states which border California unless a Presidently policy makes cannabis legal in all states like it should have been.
the war on drugs has shown those who are greedy that a blank check could be draw up and cashed by their own companies. This blank check theory is now being used in overseas wars to fund who knows what, cause they won't tell us.
We can't have a democracy when we mistreat 1/3 of our people who choose to smoke a non toxic plant.
the time has come along time ago and those who can't accept the change need to get arrested for their cowardness, prejuice, hate and for not studing a topic if they pass laws on that same thing.
One plant grown correctly can produce enough buds in one year to supply one hippy for a year or more.
Dear America, we are sorry that we used lies to create a multi-billion dollar undergound pot industry resulting in the dismantling of the bill of rights, the constitution, states rights, and the right to grow your own crops.
No action less then a total disengagment of the current cannabis laws is the very least we can do.
From this day on any one 21 or older who wants to puff puff pass, can and they also can grow enough for themselves to use every year, of course check local lience, fees and distribution restrictions.
As a greater token, all citizens in prison for possession of cannabis will be released at once and their property will be returned if possible.
As an American it is your right to your body and since pot kills no one and is so useful, please start creating companies based on cannabis and start hiring people.
Oh ya vote but not for Julia Lassa, shes a backstabber.
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