cannabisnews.com: Hash Bash Might Not Be Able To Secure Diag





Hash Bash Might Not Be Able To Secure Diag
Posted by CN Staff on March 29, 2008 at 07:50:59 PT
By Charles Gregg-Geist, Daily Staff Reporter 
Source: Michigan Daily 
Michigan -- For 36 years, the Diag has played host to a mass gathering of marijuana enthusiasts in early April. They've turned out in droves through sun, rain and last year, snow. But this year, the organizers of the annual Hash Bash rally fear the University may put more of a damper on their event than precipitation has in the past.Two weeks ago, LSA sophomore Andrew Kent, president of the University's chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, went into the Office of Student Activities and Leadership with plans to reserve the Diag for Saturday, April 5, Hash Bash's scheduled date. He was told another group had already booked the entire space for that date.
"I asked what other dates were available in April, and they said none," Kent said.Diag Administrator Jaden Felix said the space will be unavailable for much of the month because of Spring Commencement, which will be held in the Diag this year.Adam Brook, who heads the Wayne County chapter of NORML, said rescheduling the event for a later date wouldn't be satisfactory, because Hash Bash has traditionally fallen on the first Saturday in April.Asked whether Hash Bash could be moved to another weekend, Brook said, "What, change Christmas? No, you can't do that."Richard Birkett, a member of Michigan NORML who has advised student groups applying for permits in the past, said Hash Bash has experienced scheduling conflicts before. But he said the event's organizers have always been able to negotiate with the other group planning an event for that day. The problem this year, he said, is a University privacy policy that forbids Diag administrators from disclosing which groups have registered for space on the Diag at a certain time.The policy for Diag scheduling on SAL's website reads simply, "SAL does not give out the name of a group who has reserved the DIAG prior to you coming in - plan ahead." Felix said this means that he can't tell Kent which group has the Diag reserved on April 5, and also cannot contact that group on his behalf, because it would be violating NORML's privacy.Whether or not the event is registered, Brook said he is confident marijuana enthusiasts will show up that day."The Hash Bash community is made up of all types of people, and they don't care about all this politics stuff," he said.Birkett said because many people will come for Hash Bash, the other group planning to use the Diag April 5 should negotiate with NORML."They need to know what's going to happen - 2,000 stoners might just show up at their event," he said.Organizers have used several methods to figure out which group might be holding an event that day, but to no avail.Brook said the only thing that could turn Hash Bashers away from the Diag on the first Saturday in April would be bad weather.Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Diane Brown said she wasn't concerned about Hash Bash disrupting another event.The organizers of this year's Hash Bash had planned to fly in John Sinclair, a noted drug policy reform activist, from his Amsterdam home to speak at Hash Bash. Sinclair's 1969 arrest for marijuana possession that inspired liberal icons like John Lennon, Bob Seger and Allen Ginsberg to come to Ann Arbor for the "Free John Now Rally" in 1971. That event evolved into today's Hash Bash. But Brook said organizers may not be able to afford to bring Sinclair if they aren't able to hold a Diag bucket drive, which he said is their principal source of funding.As for obtaining a permit, Brook said he wasn't sure what route organizers would take."The only recourse we seem to have is taking the University to court, and we're trying not to do that," he said, adding that Hash Bash organizers have sued the University for a permit before and been successful."This is now the 37th annual Hash Bash. They've never stopped it before and they're not going to stop it now," he said.Note: Organizers say space is taken, but 'U' won't say who reserved it.Source: Michigan Daily (MI Edu)Author: Charles Gregg-Geist, Daily Staff ReporterPublished: March 27, 2008Copyright: 2008 The Michigan DailyContact: daily.letters umich.eduWebsite: http://www.michigandaily.com/ Michigan NORMLhttp://www.minorml.org/CannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml 
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Comment #13 posted by FoM on April 05, 2008 at 10:52:45 PT
whig
It's nice to see you and yes that is a good song.
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Comment #12 posted by whig on April 05, 2008 at 10:21:15 PT
John Sinclair
Hi all. Just catching up a bit and thought a little music might be nice.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgr9YDDdcQE
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Comment #11 posted by afterburner on April 02, 2008 at 18:52:39 PT
More from Kalamazoo 
US MI: PUB LTE: Body Designed to Receive Cannabinoids
by Guinevere A. Barr.
Sun, 30 Mar 2008.
Kalamazoo Gazette (MI)
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n346/a06.html
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Comment #10 posted by fight_4_freedom on March 30, 2008 at 18:29:53 PT:
Another Kalamazoo Article
Marijuana paraphernalia can be bought easily, legallySunday, March 30, 2008BY CHRIS KILLIANSpecial to the GazetteKALAMAZOO -- The use and sale of marijuana is illegal, but the pipes, papers and other paraphernalia used to smoke the drug are available -- and legal.The debate rages about the propriety of allowing seriously ill people to legally use the drug.But no one has batted an eye at the array of drug paraphernalia available and on prominent display at gas stations, convenience stores and neighborhood mom-and-pop operations.The On The Rocks store on Portage Road, for instance, started selling glass pipes and hookahs last November, employee Dawn Fassett said."They're very popular items," said Fassett, whose husband, Satar Alkenani, owns the store. "We sell at least one per day."
complete article
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Comment #9 posted by fight_4_freedom on March 30, 2008 at 18:27:34 PT:
Medical pot: Let's make a dope deal
Even legal users could be tangled in criminal world of drug salesSunday, March 30, 2008BY CHRIS KILLIANKALAMAZOO -- Even if Michigan voters this fall approve the use of marijuana for medical purposes, sick people will have to get friendly with their neighborhood dope dealers to buy it.There's no provision in the ballot proposal to provide access to the drug through the state or pharmacies, and sale of the drug would remain a felony, even to legal users.Supporters hope users would grow their own plants, but in the interim until harvest, the marijuana would have to be bought off the street.``We've got people who will be legally able to possess marijuana, but then they're going to be buying it from someone who is committing a felony,'' said Joseph Taylor, commander of the Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team, which targets illegal drug use in Kalamazoo County. ``I don't support that. That's a loophole that needs to be changed.''But Taylor does support the initiative's goal of providing relief to those seriously ill as long as it's regulated and ``there are proper checks and balances in place.''And he believes there would be if the ballot measure passes. 
complete article
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Comment #8 posted by fight_4_freedom on March 30, 2008 at 11:43:48 PT:
No problem
I had been making sure to just snip all the the articles since the last time you informed me about that rule. Then last night a friend came a little earlier than I expected and I was in the middle of copying it, so I quickly finished posting it and hurried to get ready to go out.It will not happen again. And as far as Hash Bash goes, word is that the organizers are trying to work with the other group to allow us to have the diag for that 1 hour from 12-1. It really is not going to have any effect. People are going to show up regardless.And actually all this coverage will probably draw in some more people. We should have a nice turnout. It's supposed to be close to 50 outside. Better than last year's snow filled event. Plus this has no effect on the Monroe St. fair. Which will be going at it's regular time from 12-5:30.http://www.monroestreetfair.com/Should be a good time. Anyone from C-News attending this year?????? If so, please let me know.
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on March 30, 2008 at 11:07:03 PT
fight_4_freedom 
Since looking for copyright info does take time when we are busy if the url starts with this one, as far as I know without checking, these must be snipped. I hope this helps.http://www.mlive.com/
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Comment #6 posted by FoM on March 30, 2008 at 10:50:41 PT
fight_4_freedom
Thank you. I really appreciate it.
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Comment #5 posted by fight_4_freedom on March 30, 2008 at 10:34:22 PT:
FoM Please forgive me
I was in a hurry when I posted that article yesterday. It will not happen again. It was truly a mistake.Sorry.
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on March 29, 2008 at 21:18:15 PT
fight_4_freedom 
I'm sorry to have to mention this again but please don't post complete articles because this is a snipped source article. Post 2 or 3 paragraphs and a link and that way I won't get in trouble. You can use this link to check to see if the article is allowed without being snip. If it isn't allowed the Copyright will be in red. I hope you understand.http://www.mapinc.org/perl/directory.pr
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Comment #3 posted by Dankhank on March 29, 2008 at 21:02:32 PT
public speaking ...
you can get pretty good mileage from the rolled up cover of a road-atlas. cone-shaped it really amplifies a voice.Got a report from a Federal Marshall that my questions could be heard at the rear of the Federal building here in Lawton a few years ago...good luck to the Hash Bash ...try not to let the bastards win ...
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Comment #2 posted by fight_4_freedom on March 29, 2008 at 20:16:36 PT:
Rallies vie for U-M's Diag
Showdown appears to loom as Hash Bash shut out of spaceSaturday, March 29, 2008BY TOM GANTERTThe Ann Arbor NewsHash Bash organizers and University of Michigan officials appear to be headed for a showdown over their differing views of freedom of speech as the annual pro-marijuana legalization event approaches April 6.The controversy started when Hash Bash organizers learned the Diag had already been reserved for the first Saturday in April by an undisclosed student organization. For the past 36 years, the Hash Bash has been held on the Diag.U-M officials said the student group has secured the entire Diag for the whole day, thereby preventing the Hash Bash from having its event there. U-M won't disclose what organization reserved the space, but U-M spokeswoman Linda Hancock Green said the student group reserved it last fall."The policy and practice to register that space hasn't changed significantly,'' Green said. "It's simple. It's first come, first serve. When it's full, it's full.''Rich Birkett, a longtime Hash Bash organizer, said if the student organization is legitimate, his group will respect their rally. But Birkett said his group will still go to the Diag that day.Birkett said he'll bring "amplified sound'' to talk to people who come for the Hash Bash, which has been held the first Saturday of April for the past several years. Birkett said he has a FM transmitter, portable boom boxes and mega-phones that will be used during breaks or lulls in the competing event.U-M Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Diane Brown said that won't be allowed."They can't have a shouting match with each other,'' Brown said.Brown said the only allowable permit for amplified sound went to the other organization's event. She said police would use campus "heckler'' rules on anyone who disrupts the other event. Those rules include a series of warnings given to disruptive people before the heckler is eventually removed from the event."She's mistaken,'' Birkett said. "She doesn't understand the law. ... I've been litigating this for 20 years. I know what I'm talking about.''Birkett said if anyone is arrested or equipment is seized, organizers will file a lawsuit. He said there was some discussion of moving the date of the Hash Bash, but that idea was rejected. U-M has graduation ceremonies in May, and Hash Bash organizers want to hold their event while students are still in town.Adam Brook, the emcee of the Hash Bash for the past several years, said he won't use any amplified sound. He said they tried that in the past, but police said they would arrest him. So Brook said he'll just stand on the steps of the graduate library and talk loudly to the crowd.Brook said he didn't get a permit last year, and the Hash Bash went on. He said it will continue in the future."These people will come anyway,'' Brook said.Brook said John Sinclair, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 1969 after giving two marijuana joints to an undercover police officer, is expected to show up to speak at this year's Hash Bash."I haven't told him yet there is no P.A. system,'' Brook said. "I'm embarrassed by that.''
Ann Arbor News
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Comment #1 posted by Dankhank on March 29, 2008 at 14:01:00 PT
seen Google ...
got your lights turned out?On another note ... I feel I must document it here ...As I write this I am connected to a group of "peers" having decided to download a copy, of "American Drug War, from the net as a back up for my DVRd copy.For anyone who know how seeds, leachers, peers work out here, I am hooked to about 35 folks around the globe, I see folks from Denmark, Italy, Germany, Poland, UK, NZ, Ireland, France, Sweden, Australia ... and we're all just sitting here percolating, while we bring the collective peer group to fruition. I've been contributing for about thirty-six hours, so far, and hovering about .1 percent higher than anyone in my group, though everyone sees the odd peer get to 100 percent, but not just jump up and finish everyone else off.Good manners will ensure that everyone who gets something will allow it to be passed at twice the size to others.Those of us who want it are letting the trackers, who control it all, get most of it to all who want it before they let us finish, some who finish will log off without repaying their obligation, and someone else has decided that this file MUST get out.I've been shooting 50+ Kbps for many hours, and watching all rise to my level. I say my, but, there are about twenty of us hovering around 98.5%.another node hit 100.0, but we're still sharing ...just thought you might like to know ......
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