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Steve Bloom
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Sunday, 05 April 2009 07:19 |
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High Times associate publisher Richard Cusick says Stranger blogger Dominic Holden should "be removed from the NORML Board of Directors" over "consistent negative public comments" he's made about hippies.
  In a blog posted at HighTimes.com, Cusick (at right) takes issue with Holden calling the yearly Seattle Hempfest a "patchouli-stained ghetto" in his Mar. 24 blog, "Shit or Get Off the Pot." Cusick writes: "On the number of professional occasions that I have been with Mr. Holden I have always sensed a thinly-veiled bigotry on his part towards the so-called 'hippie' faction of the counterculture...
"A few years ago I was on a panel with Dominic at Hempfest with Jack Herer and after Jack and I said our piece it was Dominic’s turn and he quickly brought the level of the discussion down to long-haired, patchouli-smelling activists who he thought were detrimental to the cause of marijuana-law reform and advised all present to wear the proper haircuts and wear the proper clothes if they want to be effective activists for marijuana law reform. I was about to vehemently disagree when the panel ran out of time."
I too clashed with Holden at last summer's Hempfest over the same issue during a panel discussion. (Holden also slagged my book Pot Culture in his review: "Sure, the anthropology of hippie culture is interesting, but in the context of a book about pot, it would be more interesting (rather than totally predictable) if it included the pot-related history of anything else at all.")
I criticized Holden for his repeated use of the term "dirty hippie." This spilled over into his blog, with a long comment discussion about gay peoples' alienation from Hempfest (Holden is openly "queer"). I learned essentially that this is Holden's schtick.
Holden is a great blogger with a truly distinctive voice and reporting style; NORML's lucky to have him. And let's face it: NORML can use all the diversity it can get.
Cusick should hop off his high horse and apologize to Holden by sending him a bottle of patchouli.
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Holden pic by Nicole Kelly
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In his article Cusick states that "In fact, a very large percentage of the 20 million marijuana smokers who have been arrested in the U.S. since 1965 have been long-haired, holes-in-your-jeans patchouli drenched hippies like myself, the targeted class to which you, Mr. Holden, turn up your nose." Really? I'd be interested in how Mr. Cusick has acquired these so called facts. In fact haven't we been arguing that those Americans getting arrested are no longer hippies? We must show the Government and our communities that the NOW Generation wants to pay our taxes, is supportive of our government and are not enemies of the Republic. We are every man and every woman. We are your neighbors, teachers, coaches,doctors,lawyers,CPAs,chefs,factory workers and journalists. There's nothing to be afraid of. We are everywhere and we run things already. We vote. We just need to raise our hands,be counted, and show the world has no detrimental effect on our society (it never has).
Opponents to the movement have spun pot lovers as anarchists and deadbeats. Mr. Cusick's retort is just the dieing rant of those who couldn't get the job done. Failures. Stand aside and let others do the job your generation either sold out on or scared the shit out of Americans with your appearance. Look anyway you want, but don't act so surprise when America doesn't embrace your point of view.
Mr. Cusick, you are an anachronism. Your time is up and has passed. Your services are no longer required.
As the great Hunter S. Thompon said: "WE is the most important word in politics."
So let's not forget who We are, and why We must act together if We are to have any hope of attaining Our common goal. Oh--and that's not the "royal" We, but the democratic one featured in the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution and held so highly in all keen minds.
*To the first posting: Great concluding sentence! LMAO + ROTFL
By any means necessary till we win this war on people!
As a 15 year long volunteer for Seattle Hempfest, I know that there are many individuals involved who are not tie dye wearers and abhor the smell of patchouli. I am one of them. We need all supporting segments of our vast population to come together and support reform regardless of their labels.
Free people in an alleged "free" society should have the right to make decisions for themselves which does not impinge on an others choices or safety. And then there the industrial and medical aspects......
cookie cutter image person for a while.
I thought it was what my family wanted , my
friends would think better of me, da da da.
I cut my hair , shaved , lots of us Know the routine. I go over to see my Grandma, I did it all the time she was my best friend, I come rolling into her kitchen Where she was washing some dishes and looking out the window. She turned to say "hello" and upon looking at me,her eyes got real big and with a concerned look on her face, she cried out in anguish"oh my God! What did you do: whatever it is we'll get you a good lawyer"
At that point I realized that people love me for the "me" I am.
I should think that with what this homo dude has gone through in his own life he should have the least little bit of sensitivity to living in the world and accepting people for who they are. He's welcome to live in his little stupid dreamland ,where everyone bows to his whim,however , stay away and go play with your self or whatever.
Love Dave Green