Prohibition will end
when the leaders of this country can see the real world around
them,
instead of the imaginary one that fits their ideology.
6th April 2007
BluesFest Welcome: NSW Police Winnebago
seen 200 metres from Byron Bay Police station doing saliva testing.
Obviously, its going to move around ...
IF U ARE GOING TO REGISTER TO VOTE,
Do it before APRIL 16th!
The Federal Government has passed extraordinary legislation that
will
close the rolls for new voters at 8pm, on the very night the election
is
officially called. In the last election, 83,000 first-time voters
enrolled in the first week after the election was called. Hundreds
of
thousands more registered at their new address. But this time
they won't
get that chance - unless we act urgently.
That's why whether you're enroled to vote or not, there's a crucial
role
for you to play right now. Click on the link below to demand this
law be
revoked, and help friends and family enrol correctly in the next
two
weeks - before new changes and extra red tape come into effect
on April
16 making it even harder!
OK, we run a "real" shop too. Our volunteer staff have
shop meetings on Thursdays, and usually, thats when any new products
are looked at, to see if we think they are appropriate for the
Embassy.
We have been meeting the team from Arianrhod
Aromatics for awhile now, and members have been testing their
products, providing feedback. Their enthusiasm and commitment
is infectious, so we now have their products available at the
HEMP Embassy.
Drug abuse as a criminal offence is a waste of public money and
law enforcement resources.
I have this idea that people think that without such measures
there would be a plague of drug users, but I don’t think
this would be so.
Since the dawn of time, humans have taken things to alter their
mental state, and civilisation did not wither, but went from peak
to peak.
Only a small percentage of the population have this predisposition
to substance use, and I think it a fairly stable percentage. We
should accept that not all people have the capacity to be drug
free, and treat the problem on the realistic basis that few break
the patterns of substance abuse, but the ones that don't will
not bring about the downfall of civilisation either.
Having a friend or relative who has done this, is not that unusual
any more, no matter what one’s circumstances. I appreciate
the tragedy of wasted lives, but don’t see the imprisonment
of users as a useful response. That’s getting stuck in the
anger and denial part of moving on from it all.
It would be better to avoid hysteria, accept the situation as
it really is, and deal with it in a medically appropriate fashion,
without expecting a dramatic change to ensue, because it won’t.
Not for worse or better.
Taking an totally intolerant position is not only futile, but
destructively punitive in furthering the misery attached for those
involved, and its not only “lowlifes”, it could easily
be someone you’ve known or loved, a real person rather than
an imagined stereotype.
Does anyone seriously imagine that all the harassment, fines
and imprisonment have any effect on the number of drug abusers
in a given population? Is punitive treatment a rational response,
or an emotional one, something like isolating lepers for fear
of contagion?
The jails aren’t even drug free.
If an addict commits a property or violent crime, that is already
covered by criminal law. Just as alcoholics who drive while disqualified
or rob liquor stores, go to jail, so should addicts who commit
crimes, always with the avenue of rehabilitation, but not necessarily
a lesser sentence. It is the criminalisation of mere users that
is not rational.
I don’t think the present drug laws make good sense in
the world we have today. They might have once, briefly, in our
attempts to come to grips with the problem, but we should have
moved on from that by now, not stubbornly stuck to the familiar
for familiarities sake.
We need to concentrate on medical approaches, but without expecting
unrealistic outcomes. There is no magic “cure”.
Amigos de Maria - Vitoria has initiated the first Internet Pharmacy
for
therapeutical cannabis in Spain. This non-profit initiative facilitates
the
contact between patients and growers through the Internet. Its
sole purpose
is to improve the quality of life of patients who wish to benefit
from the
advantages offered by THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).
For this initiative, Amigos de Maria has recieved the support
of the regional
government of the Basque Country and various political parties.
See
www.amigosdemaria.com
Although it operates on the Internet, the administration of the
pharmacy is
based in Álava, and more concretely in the seat of Amigos
de María-Mariaren
Lagunak in Vitoria-Gasteiz, which is actively collaborating with
various
Spanish associations who are working in favour of cannabis legalisation.
The
new "Cannabis Pharmacy" seeks to facilitate information
to patients on the
therapeutic use of cannabis and promote the cultivation for personal
use by
those who can use the plant as a natural medicine.
The pharmacy will maintain of a list of patients and another
of cannabis growers who will donate part of their harvest essentially
for the purpose of pain control. It will establish contact between
both groups. It will not directly administer stocks of cannabis,
nor facilitate the transport of it. The sole purpose is to allow
the exchange of information that will help patients with cancer,
aids, glaucoma, asthma of MS, among many other pathologies, to
improve their situation when using cannabis under medical control.
The continuous supervision by experts is one of the characteristics
that mark the initiative in Alava. Paco, spokesperson of Amigos
de María, explains that the organisation has installed
various mechanisms to avoid possible manipulation. “Firstly,
we carry out interviews with the people who are interested, in
order to confirm that they are patients who fulfill the requirements
to enter the programme. They undergo a medical test by a doctor,
who establishes the dosis they are entitled to, and the way of
administration”, he notes.
There are also procedures to avoid that someone can obtain economic
benefits
from the initiative. “The growers donate part of their harvest
for free, we
will make sure that absolutely no sale of cannabis takes place.
Altruism is
the fundamental element of this programme and we are going to
defend it with
all means", says Paco.
Every week, two to three persons contact the seat of Amigos de
María, in the
old town of Vitoria, in search of cannabis to relieve their pains.
Most of
them want information, as they have already purchased their doses
of cannabis
on the black market, to a price of 3 euro/gramme. “The other
day, an old lady
calls us to ask our help, as her sister who is suffering from
cancer had
swallowed a too large bud of cannabis and she was afraid to call
the police.
She did not know that what she was doing was not illegal and that
the effect
of a too high dose of cannabis can easily be reduced with some
sugar. We do
not wish to accept this state of desinformation and panic"
explains Paco.
A visit to the seat of Amigos de María does not guarantee
a free use of
cannabis. “The other day our doctor recommended someone
who suffers from
glaucoma not to use cannabis, as the disease was too advanced
as was his age,
a serious impediment to cannabis consumption", says the spokesperson
of the
organisation. “We are not afraid as we are convinced that
what we are doing is
good and helps people. A law is only a good law if it is a just
law, and this
is not the case today".
Ganja Faeries, Big Joint, local musicians, performers, street
theatre atmosphere, live web-cam feed, Industrial Hemp Displays,
Medicinal Cannabis Information, Hemp Seed Oil Nutrition, HempChoices
discussion at the Town Hall and at Peace Park the annual MardiGrass
Hemp Olympix.
This year, as well as the Gold Medals for the Grower�s Ironperson
Event plus the Bong Throw & Yell and the Joint Rolling Contest,
there will be a new Hemp Olympix Gold Medal Event.
HEMP JELLY WRESTLING
24 fully certified and professionally trained Orthodox Hemp Jelly
Wrestlers, 10 barrels of extra strong Hemp Jelly made in Nimbin
by real Hippies
Lights � Camera � Action
Stages are: Orthodox Wrestling, Pole Straddle and Dump
the Loser
Plus a Live Band � (Third Eye Screamers)
The Hemp Jelly will be green with a good skunk & mango flavour.
Agar-agar or sea weed will be mixed with food colouring, flavouring,
perfume, texture enhancer, sparkles, flowers, herbs and water.
This recipe has all the ingredients for lots of excitement. All
the wrestlers� costumes will be made of hemp blend fabric. The
tournament will be in a large vat, holding more than a ton, of
Hemp Jelly about knee deep.
Some of the contenders for the Gold Medal will be Dreadlock
Headlock, Gumboot, Jelly Belly Sally, The Masked Assassin, Judge
Custody, Dark Horse, Stinky the Lizard, Hempy the Clown, The Weed
Inspector, Julia Jellard or maybe The Profit Mahoward could
take it out with an upset victory. The winner of this new event
will have the honour of becoming the first Hemp Olympix
Gold Medallist and World Champion Hemp Jelly Wrestler.
All entrants will sign a disclaimer before the
tournament begins on Saturday May 5th in Peace Park.
Entry forms will be accepted until April
1st 2007 !!!
Major sponsors at this stage include: Nimbin Television - Church
of the Holy Smoke - Intergalactic Blues Mafia � StickyPoint Magazine
- Nimbin HempJobs - Nimbin Gourmet - Nimbin Museum - Nimbin HEMP
BAR - Nimbin HEMP Embassy NIMBIN MardiGrass � HEMP JELLY Wrestling
Will the forces of Hemp overcome the forces of evil?
Who will be the first World Champion Hemp Jelly Wrestler?
IT COULD BE YOU!
"Celebration of 30 Years of
Police Over-kill"
Saturday August 12th,
Nimbin at "high noon"
August 12th is the 30th anniversary of an event that is well-remembered
by some sections of the Nimbin community. On that day in 1976,
60 fully armed police raided the Tuntable Falls Community, simultaneously
serving photocopied search warrants at the North End, Centre,
and South End of the 2000 acre property. They rounded up as many
people as possible, marching them up to the road, and transporting
them (some in a cattle truck) to an identification area on the
ridge
above Tuntable valley.
"I was awoken from my slumbers by a police officer pointing
a gun in my face, and asking me if I wanted to be charged with
a cap of smack or a bag of grass?" recalls long-term Nimbin
resident Alan Salt. "I told him there was nothing there.
He said that didn’t matter, what did I want to be charged
with, a cap of smack or a bag of grass? He was still pointing
his gun. I said that seeing as I didn’t have anything, he’d
have to decide that for himself, whereupon he ordered me to get
dressed and get outside to join the others, already herded into
a group near the Tin Shed (one of the Tuntable dwellings). No
pot had been found on or near anyone arrested at the Tin Shed,
nor was
there any effort made to find any."
42 people were arrested in the "Great Tuntable Falls Cattle
Truck Bust" under similar circumstances. "The real question
is whether there was some over-kill" said then NSW Premier
Neville Wran about the raid. An official enquiry decided that
there was. Eventually
all charges were dismissed and the Police were reprimanded for
their heavy-handed (and illegal)
tactics.
Today, many Nimbin locals feel that little has really changed.
The overwhelming police presence (riot squad, mounted police etc)
at this year's Mardi Grass, recent weekend-long roadblocks outside
Nimbin (manned by uniformed police, Department of Immigration
officials, Centrelink investigators and sniffer dogs) and comments
by local politician Thomas George (under
parliamentary privilege he stated that Nimbin was "another
Macquarie Fields waiting to happen") have done little to
dispel this feeling.
It is thought by many residents that policing policies in Nimbin
are "asymmetrical" or one-sided,
concentrating on relatively minor drug crime whilst completely
ignoring vandalism, drunkenness and
violence. We feel that these policies are based on prejudice and
bigotry rather than genuine community concern. In our more paranoid
moments, we feel that we are being used as a convenient "soft"
target by the police and ambitious politicians wishing to make
a name for themselves.
In many ways, the erosion of civil liberties in a tiny hippie
town like Nimbin is small potatoes compared with the nightmares
being dealt out in freedom's name to the rest of the world. Still,
wasn't there an old hippie cliché about "thinking
globally and acting locally"? There's also an even older
activists' one-liner that "it's better to die on your feet
than to live on your knees" (as borrowed by Midnight Oil
in the 80s). Surely it's time to at least try and stand up for
our basic civil rights.
So in time-honoured hippie tradition, you are all invited to
a peaceful and humorous
"Celebration of 30 years of Police Over-kill"
to be held in Nimbin on Saturday August 12th at "high noon".
Street theatre, live bands, addled raves
and a "reverse re-enactment"
are planned (this time the cops get put in the cattle
truck). Bring a smile, some courage, a joint (just
kidding, officer) and a good sense of humour.
If nothing else, it's bound to be a crack-up.
See you
there.
One law for the pot heads - another for
MacDonalds....
"In the end, the only person responsible for what
goes into my mouth is me... ah... and government can't control
what people eat, shouldn't control what people eat and it can't
control and shouldn't try to control people's exercise. All government
can do is to support, encourage and facilitate and that certainly
is what the federal government is doing."
"In the end it's important for government to give
people the right messages and the right example but we shouldn't
pretend that we can make this problem go away by banning something."
Federal Health Minister Tony Abbot,
speaking in relation to a state government call for the banning
of junk food advertising to children.
Probably an edited version could
be...
"In the end, the only person responsible for what
goes
into my mouth is me... we shouldn't pretend that we
can make this problem go away by banning something."
They can see it for fat, but not for pot!
Why not?
They are both one syllable words, after all.
Asymmetric Policing
[How to Discipline and Punish ‘Nonconformist’
Communities]
Asymmetric Policing is where the ruthless
enforcement of some laws goes hand in hand with a disregard for
the law and order issues that are of primary concern for a community.
The enforcement side uses impersonal, hi-tech, invasive,
isolating, and mass presence policing techniques. The areas of
disregard are vandalism, drunkenness, violence, plus earning and
keeping the trust of a community.
This situation in Nimbin has developed over 33 years
of conflict, spurred on by fear mongering conservative politicians,
developers, journalists, and police, all eager to make a name
for themselves. The result is a complete breakdown of communication
between community and police, and a community that generally fears
police more than it does most ‘criminals’.
A classic example of AP was during the month preceding MardiGrass;
Monday to Thursday between 10:00am and 4:00pm, when about a dozen
paramilitary style police marched up and down the main street
searching people they didn't like the look of. After dark, police
were unavailable. When a local citizen asked an officer to intercede
in a drunken scuffle she was told, "We are not here for that
sort of thing." Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were left unhindered
by any mass police presence.
One of the biggest benefits of AP for the police is in
the Public Relations and Spin Doctor departments, Warwick Fry
in his article ‘Policing Nimbin’ in the 'Nimbin Good
Times' very well illustrates the practical application of this
divide and conquer tactic. By disregarding the most consistent
request; a couple of police to keep an eye on things at pub closing
time, and instead mounting highly intensive search operations,
they split the community and play one side against the other.
Good spin, but lousy policing.
Max Maxxted has also hit the nail on the head in the ‘Nimbin
News', "We do not need blue stingers swarming all over us
in a simulated anti terrorist exercise, and setting up roadblocks
at Goolmangar and Uki; and when they hit town, over-policing the
American inspired ‘War on Drugs'. We need regular police
here in the village after dark to buffer the trouble caused by
alcohol fuelled revellers"
Once most of the community have been terrorised by the
heavy handed application of policing methods, which seem more
appropriate to escaped or armed criminals, terrorists or warring
bikie gangs, a them and us attitude develops, that generates a
host of problems.
Its only human for the police to be reluctant to face
up to the more mundane and difficult policing jobs; much more
comfortable and safer to focus on the marijuana user component
of the drug laws and let helicopters, roadblocks, sniffer dogs,
and riot squads “shoot ducks in a barrel”!
Asymmetric Policing is a perversion of the law, a corruption
of the basic principle that the law applies equally to everyone,
The selective application of laws on targeted populations is a
traditional weapon of authoritarian powers, used to punish, discipline,
or change behaviour, and a clear violation of democratic civil
rights.
The issue in Nimbin today isn't about legalizing marijuana,
it's about sensible community policing and better allocation and
increased funding of community resources.
Are we going to stand up for our rights?
Were YOU arrested in
one of these raids?
In 1976, on August 12th, before
dawn, about 60 fully armed police raided the Tuntable Falls Community,
simultaneously serving photocopied warrants at the north end,
centre, and south end of the 2000 acre property, rounding up as
many people as possible, marching them up to the road, and transporting
them by road, some in a cattle truck, to an identification area
on the ridge above Tuntable, where the Police were simultaneously
having a barbecue. There were 43 people arrested, but only 42
made it to the cells that day. A young woman nursing a baby was
spared on condition she surrender herself later. The remaining
42 were taken to Lismore lockup, and later bailed.
It seemed that only people living close
to the initial raid areas were arrested. No effort was made to
find evidence, rather the intent seemed to be to capture as many
hippies as possible before the alarm spread. The arrested ones
were told the 3/4 pound milk tin and matchbox full that did turn
up would be divided among them for the charges.
On August 12th, 2006, it will be Thirty Years since that
infamous Tuntable Falls Police Raid.
I was one of the Tuntable Falls 43. There must be other survivors
of the Great '76 Raid.
It would be very much appreciated if survivors could write
down their memories of that day, and contribute them to a collection
that I would put on this website, with or without name, as you
prefer...
Survivors of the Cedar Bay Community Police Raid
of August 29th, 1976, in Queensland, are also requested to send
in their memory of that experience. Buildings were burned, and
rainwater tanks punctured by gunshots....tell us more, please,
if you were there.
Survivors of the 1997 Wytaliba Community Police Raid
are also invited to contribute to a collection.
There is not much information on the web, or in books, about
these events. It would be good to remedy that.
"Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a
man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man."
(Matt. 15:11)
NIMBIN HEMP EMBASSY DELEGATION TO CANBERRA
INVITATION TO MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT & MEDIA for Wed
31 May
No one, except Max Stone, wanted to go. They’re barely
listening in Canberra. Cannabis is being demonised all over again
by people who are so far removed from the reality we live in,
they may as well be on another planet.
Then Pumpkin arrives. He’s going to Canberra next week
for an interview to be a chauffeur for the Ghana Embassy. Centrelink
lined it up. And, he’s got a ute!
So we leave on Monday morning with a quick stopover at Lismore
Court House, 10 a.m., when thirty odd people busted at MardiGrass
are appearing.
Then onto Canberra following Pumpkin’s ute pulling the
Nmbngee Community trailer which Max reckons can carry the new
Big Joint capable of being dismantled and transported easily!
We owe the trip to Max. We promised. And he’s spent the
last 10 years as a full-time activist for cannabis law reform.
He’s passionate like so many of us - we know we are
not criminals, and the injustice won’t stop smouldering.
Yet again we ask the Government to review the policy of prohibition
and its consequences. When ever will they? We fear Howard has
no idea of what we are even talking about. The biodiesel alone
is worth $billions. He’s a victim of his own Reefer Madness.
We’ll be in the designated protest area outside
Parliament House, this Wednesday 31st May, all day from 8 a.m.
- with hot coffee & chai! Do come and talk to us for some
real life feedback of what’s happening on the streets of
Australia with illegal drug use, in the war against our own children.
The forgotten war, the war on drugs, and in our case cannabis,
needs to be questioned, reviewed, and reassessed. PLEASE! Its
impact on our community, and many others, is devastating. Politicians
say cannabis users are not locked up, but many young people are
daily risking jail by selling pot, how else can they afford it?
‘Dealing is better than Stealing’, is the saying,
but disrespect for other good laws is a growing fact of life.
NSW Premier Iemmas' new indoor laws, five plants ten years jail,
and the Federal Governments new stance against cannabis is a marker
to a steeper slide into youth drug abuse. The public will be confronted
with even more crazed and drunk people committing more and more
crime. Ice use will go up and up. More young people will use more
ice and other drugs more often, in greater amounts and at a younger
age if Governments keep their heads in the sand, or is it cement?
We are tired of pharmaceutical giants who have the global monopoly
on supplying pain relief wanting proof about cannabis health benefits.
It’s a sidelining and endless argument, while prohibition
is the real demon, suppressing all research and proper education.
End prohibition of cannabis and most related problems will dissipate,
we believe, and thousands of ‘dole bludging pot smoking
hippy types’, could become legal farmers and pay tax!!!
Nimbin Chamber of Commerce President: Andrew Kavasilas
0427 891968
Max Stone www.bigjoint.org … Live webcam of the
journey!
The Big Joint
has been to Canberra and the
Big Joint website is still in FULL ACTION MODE.
MardiGrass 2006 Impressions
The street cameras got painted out by some prankster on Thursday
before MardiGrass, and the LCC came out and cleaned them on Friday.
Only the leading Kombi of the Kombi Konvoy was pulled over this
year, which stopped all the others anyway....but the driver wasn't
over the limit, so they were soon on their way again.
The BigJoint did not seem to start construction till Sunday morning,
and there was a fear that it would not be ready in time. At 2:30pm
a bare frame stood forlorn in the Hall yard, as people elsewhere
made their way to the Protest Parade gathering. The start was
delayed by late arrivals, but still no sign of the Big Joint.
The Parade began. Half way to the centre of town a cry goes out
and a huge cheer erupts from the crowd as the Big Joint appears
at the gallop and joins the march. Phew.
The Parade makes its way to PeacePark, and pours in through the
gate. The Joint is laid to rest, and speeches begin before all
the marchers have arrived. The last marcher approaches the gate,
but is stopped by two police following the parade on horseback.
People protest, so they tell the young man to move to the centre
of the road, and direct others to stand back. They make the young
man empty his sari on the road. He has nothing. They take his
name and address and let him go.
Mostly the Public Order and Riot Squad behaved well in an unfamiliar
situation. Before MardiGrass there were tense moments when they
moved to search two schoolgirls in the lunchtime crowds, and the
older youngsters around them strongly objected to it. Who was
intimidating who is a matter of opinion. After a short while Police
behaviour moderated, and most people described police as polite
and courteous.
I feel the "Public Order and Riot Squad" were put in
a difficult position in being sent here, unfamiliar with the terrain
so to speak and with questionable political motives behind the
operation. I applaud the overall lack of provocative actions and
general good sense shown by these officers during MardiGrass.
Monday morning after MardiGrass, stumbling around putting coffee
together, then going outside into the early morning sun. Looking
up the street I see a line of volunteers bearing garbage bags,
cleaning up early. It makes you proud to be part of it all.
Only one arrest at MardiGrass seemed particularly violent,
but this is without knowing what the man was arrested for. Given
the treatment he received, one would hope he had committed crime
enough to warrant it. Given his brief attire, he certainly wasn't
hiding anything.
He was jumped by a large number of police bearing him
to the ground, apparently using some spray on his eyes in the
process. He was trussed up with cable ties and left that way with
eyes streaming and in obvious distress. Efforts to relieve his
situation were discouraged, though some managed to clean his wounds
and face before he was taken away.
Here is a selection of shots from the mardigrass if you are interested
with a couple from the byron markets...this first link below if
you want to
see them..thanks, tao
In the Century of the Consumption
Aggressive
Psychotic
Obsessive
Cannabis causes the greatest psychosis in its opponents……
We have just had a MardiGrass where police have overshadowed
the whole event. There were greater numbers of police here than
we have seen for a long time. They were omnipresent. There were
confusing pronouncements from the police prior to the event, and
with behaviour on the ground not seeming to bear much relation
to those same pronouncements, it made it difficult to see precisely
what was meant to be achieved. Was it just a political stunt?
The cost in police man hours must have been considerable.
There was already another shadow over the village; the death
of a young Nimbin man over at the coast, caught in a rip rescuing
children. His brother had died in a car accident four years ago
at the same age. It was a horrible tragedy for that family and
our small community, where with emotions raw, we were then overrun
with riot squad for the three weeks leading up to MardiGrass,
when there were even more.
Suggestions of a riot in Nimbin are ludicrous. Whoever started
that idea should admit themselves. Back when these suggestions
first arose, there followed prompt reports of a riot in Byron
Bay, vandalism sprees in Alstonville, and violence in Lismore.
Not in Nimbin.
Nimbin doesn’t have riots, it has spontaneous demonstrations
that go and stand outside the police station, all talking about
the igniting event, and looking for a sensible response from police
rather than senseless heavy handedness. MardiGrass is an organised
event that seeks the same thing.
MardiGrass has always been a peaceful demonstration, and the
only riot is the riot of colourful clothing, banners and pennants.
MardiGrass is not a threat. It is a demonstration against the
cannabis laws, a strange one that begins at the police station
and goes away to Peace Park. We never go to a Riot Park, - never.
This police presence has reminded us of why we protest. We protest
against law enforcement that bases its actions on false assumptions.
There is no riot here. It was a ridiculous story based in prejudice,
and unworthy of political utterance.
Thomas George, why did you promulgate these ridiculous riot stories?
You have smeared an entire village with this.
On a separate note, it has always puzzled me why politicians
and the police have such a distorted view of what is happening
out in the real world. They are so busy acting on outdated and
erroneous information that they fail to keep up with new trends
in society and in drug use in particular.
Interviewing our "other drug" users here reveals there
is a bit of a drought on in the powders department. There are
poor quality amphetamines and some ecstasy available, but no ice,
and little heroin. No one has heard of any supposed shipments
of anything. There is also less cannabis than usual, so it was
hard to get enough for a good puff at MardiGrass this year, police
or no police. One has to wonder at the quality of information
that police are acting on, or if there ever was any genuine information.
Is such a blatantly political rumour or smear really worth acting
on?
Two MardiGrass ago we had a small group of individuals, intoxicated
with amphetamines and alcohol, hitting defenceless people at a
Doof. There were no such occurrences the years after, as the Doof
now hires security personnel. Is this a police response to events
two years ago? It feels that way. It suggests a world where the
top end of town is seriously out of touch with the lower end of
town, and has an erroneous view of what happens there, and when.
Nimbin is a peaceful village, but we have occasionally had genuine
trouble with a few late night louts that pick fights. They seem
a very common problem in more places than just Nimbin, and none
of us like to be judged by our few worst elements. A community
is much bigger than that.
We have asked for police to deal with that. The Police response
is to increase daytime patrols looking for pot, which they then
say we asked for. It appears that they can not or will not act
on actual community concerns.
My own impression is that this could be the beginning of a carefully
staged plan to silence our colourful little protest and celebration,
and that we must be wary of the motives behind what has happened
with the Police here so far this year. We should also be particularly
wary of opportunistic sensation seeking politicians, journalists,
and media, particularly those who will exploit any prejudice for
their own personal advancement.
Mid April 2006:Three
weeks before MardiGrass, the "Public Order and Riot Squad"
spend Monday to Thursday, 7:00am to 5:00pm looking for people
doing anything with cannabis.
Wednesday
3 May 2006: Thomas George
has luncheon with Superintendent Area Commander
Bruce Lyons and others, and, in Parliament later, at 5:17pm,
launches an exaggerated attack on Nimbin to demand increased policing.
Carl Scully, (minister for screwing
portfolios and moving on), joins in....the scenario setup.
2:30pm Friday May 5th 2006:
Reports of large numbers of police searching cars Lismore-Nimbin
Road, Cawongla Road, and Murwillumbah Road at Bray Park
10:00am
Saturday May 6th 2006: Reports that NSW Police at Bray
Park telling people that "Nimbin is full, turn back"
Also "Too dangerous, turn back" Nimbin was not full.
It was a beautiful day, and a peaceful festival went on being
peaceful... There was no danger. If persons having such an experience
could provide us with a written witnessed statement describing
the event with as much detail of fact as possible, we would certainly
be interested.
The “Good Weekend” recently carried a story on
Hydro, and I was disappointed with the writer’s uncritical
acceptance of some of the dodgy opinions and ideas expressed
in the article.
The line “zonked out kids selling dodgy hydro”
particularly caught my eye. A marvellous line from a creative
or even a biased view, but unfortunately untrue. The author
has fallen prey to the ideological divide between Bush growers
and Hydro growers.
With respect to cannabis of any form actually causing psychosis,
there is still no credible scientific proof of that.
With particular respect to hydroponically grown plants, the
Department of Agriculture feels there is no connection between
hydroponics and psychosis, so yes, you can keep eating the unblemished
supermarket tomatoes and vegetables …..
The “Bush” versus “Hydro” is all marketing
hype, like “Pepsi” versus “Coca-Cola”.
Older cannabis users prefer the Bush they grew up with, and
Bush growers are not averse to spreading negative rumours about
their hydroponic rival. More recent smokers that started with
Hydro have stuck to it, and Hydro growers are not averse to
suggesting that Bush is weak pot. This could be equated to a
Holden versus Ford mentality , and you know how many otherwise
intelligent human beings can take such things seriously.
Bush pot can be just as strong as Hydro if grown in good soil
with full sun, good weather, and no diseases or insect pests.
That is very hard to do with helicopter surveillance, thieves
and Acts of God. Growers usually select a compromised growing
position to reduce the chances of detection. Hydroponic growers
get to expose their plants to the equivalent of full sun for
as many hours of the day as they deem appropriate, and all while
they remain hidden from view.
This can give a consistent higher potency, but no higher than
that achieved by good Bush. There is no Hydro (choose a number
>1 ) times stronger than the best Bush, but the best high
potency Bush is harder to find. Dedicated Bush lovers accept
the best Bush available, but there are also plenty of smokers
who will smoke both Hydro and Bush, depending on budget and
availability. Obviously, Hydro is the better commercial path
in terms of consistent potency, harvest predictability, and
ease of care and inspection.
This is not to say all Hydro growers are commercial. There
are those who grow hydroponically for personal or medical use.
There is a significant proportion of the cannabis community
who do not want an end to prohibition. They are mostly growers
or sellers, and the thinking is that their livelihood actually
depends on prohibition remaining. They feel they would get locked
out of the growing and marketing, and even if they were not,
even if prices remained high, the government would take the
biggest cut of the take.
Some feel that the independent rebel image associated with
cannabis use would evaporate, and cannabis use would be reduced
to the mundane. “It would not mean anything anymore…”
The HEMP Embassy feels that people should not be discriminated
against for use of cannabis, and that there should be no criminality
attached to cannabis use, or growing cannabis for personal use.
When cannabis use started in the late sixties/early seventies
it was contained in the community of use, but by the mid seventies
criminal enterprises entered the distribution system, and “deals”
by them with police became more common. The user chain was contaminated,
and at the same time a greater than usual number of police were
corrupted. This situation remained as the status quo. Prohibition
of cannabis provided the fertile ground, and to no good social
effect.
If prohibition were ended, we feel society would be a little
more just, with a little less opportunity for corruption and
exploitation.
It is unfortunate that misinformation on cannabis does not
only come from its opponents, and that even cannabis users can
be uncritically accepting of misinformation, all the more easily
if it suits their circumstances.
It is very difficult in this political climate to even establish
an unbiased study, so contaminated is the field already. Successive
governments have stonewalled all positive findings or recommendations
by internal committees and inquiries since 1970, and, for an
individual researcher, making positive findings on cannabis
can be damaging to your career.
In the USA, only research looking for negatives is funded.
It appears that the USA has an ideological commitment in its
opposition to Cannabis that precludes any pesky scientific facts
getting in the way.
Personally, I would prefer the issues be decided by scientific
enquiry rather than by political or religious ideology, personal
faith, or marketing. I can only hope there are enough others
who feel the same way.
The pendulum swings away from minorities, and we have already
watched in stunned disbelief as it pulled out of the station
and departed for intolerance. We have our protest, and we will
continue to demonstrate against overkill and oppression. Already
drug testing regimes may be the forerunner of a truly Orwellian
culture where no person who has taken a drug will have a job
in 2015. That is of course unless the "Economic Rationalists"
resort to something unspeakable to purify society, and fall
into revulsion at themselves. That may be what is needed before
the pendulum can come back to the place the horrors of WW2 sent
it, to a time where the vision of a better world was genuinely
sought,and not cynically derided. As memories fade, the dogs
of
the right grow boldly malicious, and even if it does end as
badly as it has usually done, there will always arise new generations
with the hope and optimism to try once more to transform the
killer apes in our midst, and quell their nameless angers with
that compassion so often seen as a weakness to be crushed or
exploited ....a pox on alpha males that lead men into death
to feed their self righteous egos. (� 2004)
Think about it...
Pot Paranoia- chicken or egg?
Ever since the days of Reefer Madness, self-styled drug experts
have been demonizing cannabis and cannabis users. Is the tragic,
shuffling spectre of the pot-addled teen psychotic just the
latest in a long line of government-generated media myths or
is there some truth to it? Does cannabis lead to schizophrenia
or is the supposed current rise in mental health problems just
a chicken-or-egg symptom of the pressures of modern life? Who
wouldn't get depressed in today's world?
War on Terror/War on Drugs
The 21st Century has seen a conservative resurgence unequalled
in our lifetimes. Civil liberties and human rights have been
increasingly eroded in the name of internal security and the
war on terror. Police powers have been expanded and personal
freedom has been reduced. The concept of "Big Brother"
has been reduced in the public mind to a cheesy reality TV show.
How do the new police powers impact on our lives? With helicopters,
sniffer dogs, saliva testing and anti-terrorist laws, where
do pot-heads stand in all this?
Just how organic is organic?
Various indoor cannabis-growing techniques have been developed
worldwide over the last 20 years. This has resulted in a supposedly
"new" type of drug- hydroponic marijuana. The media,
politicians and police have seized on this and generated much
hysteria and a whole battery of new laws based on very little
hard information.
But what exactly defines "hydroponic"... both from
a gardening and a legal point of view? Is it possible to grow
"organic hydro"? Are there really strains of pot that
are "seven times stronger" and if so, where can we
get some?
The way forward- zero tolerance or harm minimalisation.
While Australia blindly follows the American model of zero tolerance
to drugs, the UK is in the throes of a pot renaissance. A few
years back, the British Police Union refused to process any
more pot possession charges, claiming they had more important
things to do. Cannabis was de-scheduled and now Britain rivals
Amsterdam for both sensible laws and high quality pot. The Prime
Minister Tony Blair recently admitted that his father-in-law
liked the occasional joint. If John Howard is such a Queen-lover,
why on Earth are we playing by Uncle Sam's rules? When will
someone turn on Johnny's father-in-law?
Neil Pike 2006
Dear Reader,
Western society is in an extreme state of decay. Governments
look for scapegoats as a vehicle to aid their re-election. People
everywhere are disenfranchised and disillusioned. Love of the
mother whether it be the earth or the female human being is
probably lower than ever before.
The legal drug consumption in our society is astronomical.
Just one example are the large numbers of children and adolescents
who are on dexamphetamine for their supposed condition of ADHD,
with side effects including mood swings, weight loss, depression,
nightmares, aggression and anger. It’s not a good example
to set in a culture coming to terms with the use of Ice, another
form of amphetamine.
Western medicine is now based on the simplistic notion that
giving people drugs for everything will cure them. It is extremely
expensive, ineffective, self-indulgent and sometimes terminal.
At the same time we have politicians who are totally lacking
in knowledge making decisions about what herbs are allowed to
be used.
Nimbin is a centre of alternative medicine. Even though the
doctors can’t keep up with business and there is a methadone
clinic put there by the medical system, a large majority of
the population, especially in surrounding rural areas, are well
versed in alternative medicine and looking after themselves.
Part of that process for some is growing marijuana and using
it as a mild social lubricant or painkiller. The cult of greed
and consumerism that has taken hold everywhere on the planet
in the form of conspicuous consumption of hydro is not the fault
of Nimbin. It is the grim result of determined prohibition of
a herb used by humanity for thousands of years.
Drug addiction as opposed to drug use is on the rise everywhere.
The cumulative despair of western culture as it turns its back
on the enlightenment that once made it great, the effect of
war, famine, climate change, multi-national controlled economy,
the insensitivity of governments to their citizens and the worship
of money is all contributing to people switching off from normality
and consuming drugs, legal or illegal to send them into oblivion.
Who knows if our leaders making crucial decisions for the
future of our country are free from this affliction and govern
with a head free from any substance abuse? Do any politicians
take medicine with mental and emotional side effects? Quite
incredibly, they can drink taxpayer subsidized alcohol while
in parliament. Can they be accused of drink driving?
The police forces let loose in Nimbin preceding the Mardi-Grass
can definitely be accused of thuggery. There were a lot of people
quite brutally treated by police, including young women. In
their desire for action they were gloating in their power over
the caged local beings and goading them into conflict.
The presence of large groups of burly men with multiple weapons
sticking out of their uniforms hanging on street corners is
an overwhelmingly fearful, agitating and adrenaline stirring
experience. There was no effort of community policing. Instead,
it was like being occupied by the army.
The police created such a bad feeling, interfering greatly
with the social and business life of the town, scaring away
locals and tourists alike for a whole month. For those who live
in town it was a nightmare.
Goodwill creates peace and harmony in Nimbin as much as anywhere.
Mardi-Grass is our town festival full of music and fun .Too
much dancing to need your anti-depressants. There never has
been any violence during a Mardi-Grass festival. I’m sure
Beef Week will not have the same level of interference.
