wherever just being is an act of demonstration...

you very well may find me there! :)  take this past weekend in Seattle for instance... yes, there at the corner of Broad and Alaska Way, i was wheeled into the gates of 2009's Hempfest.  thankfully last year's excursion into Vancouver, B.C. helped fortify me for the wonders such a grand gathering the event turned out to be!!  The festival encompassed three parks along the Puget sound with three different stages/venues for the music performances, panel discussions, open workshops, and comedy acts that enlivened the gathering.  While this event has been called by many a "protestival," would those not of the 420 tribe truly understand this demonstration?  For me--after spending 5 hours perusing the different venues, kiosks, discussions, books, pamphlets-- the answer was yes.  

Now I know many of you are already even doubting that a bunch of weed-toking hippy stoners are even capable or desirous of making a social or political statement... yet booth after booth declared otherwise.  From the organic and sustainably-made clothing and food, to the calls for decriminalization of possession of marijuana [particularly for medical patients], to the overall message as to the economic, social, and medicinal impact that growing hemp and allowing for the legal distribution of pot to medical patients could have in this country.  Thankfully, several vendors sold products that weren't just about tools and trinkets for recreational users... clothing, shoes, soap, food, ice cream, and beverages were prominently displayed that had been made utilizing hemp!  Several medical information booths were also disseminating information on the laws of medical use and how to apply for a card.  [Unfortunately, because of this focus, several strangers approached me to guide me to the location of the closest medical info booth so i could begin to get my own card!!]

It truly was lovely to see most of the attendees [soooooo many people] acting kind and generous towards each other... such a spirit of inclusion and harmony, for the most part.  I never witnessed any fights, altercations, or crimes while there.  Nor have i heard of any problems during this event.  [Now how many festivals can say that?!]  Well other than people getting higher than gas and getting arrested for being that intoxicated in public.  Even better to see was the sheer mass of people smoking on the rocks of the Sound without interference from the cops... or the 4:20 experience of seeing a giant cloud of smoke arise from one end of the event to the other.  I'm fairly certain that every sentient being down wind of us for a few miles around were stoned from that cloud too :)  

What was a bit discouraging about Hempfest was the sheer number of people that made getting around difficult.  To add to this difficulty, I was in the wheelchair for most of the day.  Now for an event that tries to focus greatly on medicinal use, wouldn't the planners of the event thought to make it more wheelchair accessible?  Not to be picky, but even the bathrooms there were hard to get to in a chair!  Furthermore, people there were just so very inconsiderate to others not able to walk.  During 4:20, my friend who was pushing my chair and I had to be "rescued" by a wonderfully vibrant womyn who went ahead of us to clear the way in the wall of people so I could wheel through .  I experienced such kindness three times, the kindness of a stranger willing to help me get through a crowd or over those dastardly power-cord-across-the-walkway covers that was impossible for me to wheel myself over solo.  Yet for all the aggravation of moving around in such an event, I must say, it was worth it in the end.  At the end of the day, I could say that I "stood" in solidarity with those who deserve the right to not suffer from disease, disorder, or terminal illness; or with those seeking to legally dispense medicine to those in need without fear of federal intervention, interrogation, and prosecution.  As someone who has had to see far too many loved ones suffer as they struggled with various cancers and AIDS, I fully support the decriminalization of marijuana!  Maybe you can too...