A few weeks after being sworn into office, President Obama told the Oregon’s Mail Tribunethat the “basic concept of using medical marijuana for the same purposes and with the same controls as other drugs prescribed by doctors…is entirely appropriate.” Convinced that one liberalization would lead to another, smokers everywhere rolled off their beanbag chairs and gave one another tepid high-fives.
But then just this month California medical marijuana dispensary owner Charlie Lynch was sentenced by a federal judge to a year and a day in prison. As a result, expect more than a few promise-breaker signs at this year’s Fourth of July Smoke-In, D.C.’s longest-running annual pro-marijuana rally.
The mile-long parade wraps up with tunes from Lloyd Stuart Casson, San Francisco jammers Ashpool, and Bad Brains singer H.R.’s Human Rights. Organizers advise against bringing “large quantities of contraband” through security—in other words, a spliff or two, toked in moderation, should be enough to celebrate the day.
Saturday July 4th, 2009 Washington D.C.
2:00PM-9:00PM
23rd & Constitution Ave NW
(Near the Lincoln Memorial and Foggy Bottom Metro on 23rd Street)
2009 Supporting Performers
Lloyd Stuart Casson 8:40PM
(Dove, Human Rights, Calpop)
Performing The National Anthem
How will the Federal Gov't cannabis policies change under President Obama?
Escalate the Drug War 4%
Continue on the same destructive path 34%
Reschedule to Schedule II 16%
(accepted medical use w/prescription)
The states will decide 38%
They'll tax & regulate hemp 8%
House Subcommittee OKs Pot on D.C. Ballot
House appropriations subcommittee has lifted a long-standing budget rider banning the District government from spending any money to decriminalize marijuana.
DC Vote blocked By Bill Miller and Spencer S. Hsu Results Are Out: Marijuana Initiative Passes
Hill Republicans, Who Blocked D.C. Vote Tally,
Vow Measure Won't Become Law
Tuesday, September 21, 1999; Page A01
"When the President does it,
that means that it's not illegal."
~ Richard M. Nixon
Thousands of fans waited eagerly to see Lloyd Stuart Casson close the 40th Annual National Smoke-In at the Washington, D.C. Mall July 4th, 2009 celebration, only to find the feds pull the plug as he began to play the national anthem in a Hendrix-style tribute, according to sources at CalPOP.
"all plants are created equal"
Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) July 5, 2009 -- Thousands of fans waited eagerly to see Lloyd Stuart Casson close the 40th Annual National Smoke-In at the Washington, D.C. Mall July 4th, 2009 celebration, only to find the feds pull the plug as he began to play the national anthem in a Hendrix-style tribute, according to sources at CalPOP.
Stuart Cason & Lynn Tracy of CalPOP band
Lloyd Stuart Casson, guitarist for controversial band CalPOP, had only played a handful of notes in his tribute to Jimi Hendrix National Anthem when the feds pulled the plug, leaving thousands of fans angry. Stuart ripped his American flag T-shirt from his chest, threw it to the angry crowd and yelled out "all plants are created equal" to close the 40th Annual Smoke-In on July 4, 2009.
CalPOP, who only a couple months ago released the controversial album Best Record In The World (still available on Apple’s music download website iTunes.com) has been wrought in controversy, having been banned completely from popular music download website LALA.com.
The Best Record In The World album is a concept album similar to Pink Floyd's THE WALL, only it is about a Linux hacker who sells his soul to get a girl he meets on MySpace.com.
One of the hit songs on CalPOP's controversial album is Purple Flowers, which rumor has it may be about a purple-colored marijuana called "purps".
Lloyd Stuart Casson had just finished a tour with Bad Brains band Human Rights, who also played the 4th of July celebration. Local and state laws are still at conflict with federal laws which prohibit medical marijuana.
"All in all, it's almost ironic that on a day where people are celebrating their freedom that even those who meet to hear their favorite artists perform still have to feel the wrath of feds who have nothing better to do but ruin what would have only been a great musical performance by one the greatest guitar player of all time," says a CalPOP spokesman.
Thank You The 4th of July Hemp Coalition would like to thank everyone for your support, especially ALL those without whose tireless efforts the event wouldn't have occurred.
The Rally started at "High Noon" in Lafayette Park (North side of the White House).
From 12:00-3:00pm Activist speakers from the front lines of the "War On Drugs" comment on the progress and direction of ending marijuana prohibition and other aspects of drug policy reform.
Lafayette Park has been chosen as the location for our Rally because of its use by the woman's suffrage movement in the late 1800's when women where fighting for the right to vote. During that time the park across the street from the White House became known as "People's Park". The place where ordinary people could go to voice their grievances against government policy when no elected representative would represent them on Capitol Hill or in the White House.
At the peak of the Suffrage movement, when a Bill was passed by congress and sent to the President of the United States to be signed into law. Couriers would bring a copy of the legislation to women waiting by a smoldering cauldron hanging in the park. They would then burn the copy of the bill and declare their contempt for not being included in the representative system of democracy and demand their right to vote. The schedule is available here, more details will be added as the event draws closer.
Guest speakers from previous years:
Anise Jenkins, Stand up for Democracy
Wayne Turner, Initiative 59
William Perry, Declaration of Independence
Julian Heicklen, Professor, Penn State University
Keith Halderman, Hemp Historian
Chris Conrad, Hemp Author
Mikki Norris, Author of "Shattered Lives"
Jeff Jones, Oakland CBC
Elvy Musikka, Medical Marijuana Patient
Gary Reams, Quaker Prison Project
David Peel, Hempilation Activist
Robbie Robinson, N.Y. State C.A.N.
Dana Beal, Cures Not Wars
Ed Rosenthal, Author
Ed Tant, Columnist
Lennice Werth, VA. Against Drug Violence
Eric Sterling, Criminal Justice Policy Foundation
Paul Cornwell, C.A.M.P.
Jean Marlow, N.C. Medical Marijuana
Joe Hart, Florida Medical Marijuana
Rob Lawrence, Prohibition Times
Janice Pressler, Mid Atlantic Activist Coal.
Ron Crickenberg, Libertarian Party
Frank Arndt, Free Speech
John P. Pylka, Marijuana Activist
Diane Fornbacher, Freedom Fighter Faith, DC Mayoral Candidate
Michael McClarren, Hemp Paper Maker
The DC Smoke-In was a success for Students for Sensible Drug Policy ( SSDP ). We had very good reactions from the attendees, and about 150 people got on the action alert email list. Tyler Smith from the National office of SSDP gave an excellent speech. We walked around in front of the White House displaying our YES WE CANNABIS banner, and a large number of people took pictures and wanted to hold the sign. I also took the opportunity to politely tell every police officer I saw to check out Law Enforcement Against Prohibition ( leap.cc ) when their shift ended. A few were even receptive to the information. I feel accomplished, like I made a real difference by being at the event. ~ Jason
We Need a Staple Gun
This video was shot at the Annual Fourth of July Yippie Smoke-In in 1988 by John Heyn and Seth Morris. They borrowed the camera and equipment from the publilc access studio I was running at the time. This event went on for years, and was at its peak in the 1980s. I'm Jeff Krulik and I thank Dana Beall for coming up with the title.
You would think after 40 years...
Linear Mode
