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Seattle Hempfest's John B. Davis took the first shot at explaining what happened on Sunday when Stranger blogger and former festival director Dominic Holden was kicked out of the backstage area. Now it's Holden's turn. Below is his rebuttal to Davis' side of the Hempfest story - exclusively at CelebStoner.
Hah. A few requests and points:
 1) Please link to the pieces in question so people can see what I wrote in its entirety. Otherwise it's just out of context. I've also said plenty of nice things about Hempfest while making this critique. [The pieces are linked here]
2) You should probably explain what my arguments have been. It's not just randomly regressive - I explain myself clearly and you should represent that viewpoint either by quoting my writing or accurately paraphrasing my points.
3) I have not been "attacking" Hempfest. I write more about drug policy than any other reporter in Seattle, and I critique the opponents and strategies of the supporters. Pst critiques have been aimed at the ACLU of Washington, MPP, NORML, medical marijuana groups, Hempfest, elected officials - everyone. I also write lots of favorable things about drug policy reformers and Hempfest.
4) I apologized for the patchouli remark at a meeting with several members of the Hempfest board and core group about two weeks after the incident. Regardless, they chose to ban me from speaking. They never informed me I was banned from the backstage.
5) I did not "drop off of the face of the earth." After the 2004 event, I took time off, for sure. But they knew where I was, how to reach me, etc. We're volunteers and the event was over. And I couldn't have "dropped off of the face of the earth" - in 2006 and 2007 I did PR for the event and helped them get a permit. I've copied a news release below to prove it. [Note: Due to length, we've excerpted it below.] Also, here's an article where I'm quoted while working on the event's behalf in 2006.
6) When I was listed as Hempfest director it's when I was, you know, a director, spokesman, permitee, etc.
7) The claim that all the tie-dyes are on one stage (the Seeley Stage) is false. I've attached a photo of the McWilliams Stage (the "metal" stage) taken last Sunday.
8) I most certainly was escorted out of the backstage. The security member's name is Jon Axlen, and he told me he was instructed to see me to the stage's gate. That's a security escort out.
9) I don't hate hippies, as I've said many times. And I've repeated this in basically everything I've written about this issue. Again, you need to link to those articles.
10) The following paragraph also contains inaccuracies:
He's always had a snarky edge to any mention of Hempfest in his rag. When he finally called Hempfest a “patchouli-stained ghetto” and suggested that Hempfest is dragging down marijuana-policy reform, we could no longer stay silent. Then, in a piece called “Why Hippies Hate Me," he stated, “I left because it was a constant fight with hippies who wanted the event to be as much about celebrating hippie culture as reforming policy.” This is an outlandishly inaccurate statement. I was on the steering committee for several years with Dom. I attended every meeting. Never were there the rifts he claims. I never heard him argue for a less hippie event. It's just false in every way. Plus, under Dom’s direction, Hempfest was waaaaaaaaay more hippie.
The Hempfest steering committee had several meetings where we discussed this issue - maybe John was absent, or maybe it was in the years before John was on the steering committee? So to say it never happened is bizarre. Several steering committee members insisted that the event should split its focus evenly between being a countercultural celebration and a political advocacy rally; I disagreed. (After I left the event, I reiterated these concerns to Vivian and he said he already knew I felt that way, based on numerous previous discussions.) Several members of the steering committee held this viewpoint, which is why the hippie vibe was more prevalent in those years. Regardless, I think wrapping a bullhorn in countercultural cliches from yesteryear turns off would-be supporters and it's up to the Hempfest organizers to fix the event's image problem.
Thanks for your attention. Hope you're well.
Dom
NEWS RELEASE
August 7, 2006
Contact: Dominic Holden (206) 877-2240
Vivian McPeak (206) 295-7258
Event backers withdraw lawsuit after City issues permit
Seattle Art Museum concedes access through Olympic Sculpture Park construction
SEATTLE – Organizers of the Seattle Hempfest today withdrew a lawsuit against City officials and the Seattle Art Museum after Gary Keese of City Hall's Law Department sent Hempfest organizers an event permit late last Friday afternoon that met Hempfest's request for safe access into Myrtle Edwards Park. The suit, filed in King County Superior Court on July 31, argued that officials had failed to provide
sufficient access to event grounds and issue a Special Event Permit in time for the August 2006 event...
Also see:
Hempfest vs. Holden
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He needs to start swilling Martinis with his "Metro" friends and admit to what he is. The enemy.
I-CLICK
You can't really keep young people out; it's a public park.
You can't not have vendors and expect to be able to pay the bills.
You can't not have bands playing and expect to draw a massive crowd.
So there are tie-dyes on the stages. Do you think the average Seattle hipster, soccer mom, or NASCAR dad will be swayed by taking down tie-dyes? "Thank God they took down those multi-colored pieces of cloth; now we can go and enjoy being shoulder-to-shoulder in a crowd of 350,000 sweaty tattooed pierced pot-smoking young people as we enjoy reggae-rock and hip-hop and shop from a selection of five-foot bong vendors."
At least Eric Sterling was upfront about his desire to just abolish all hempfests as being a blight on drug policy reform. Hempfest is what it is and is the most successful one there is. I'll say it again: you've got the First Amendment and 51 other weekends to work with; organize Squarefest 2010 - Respectable Folks for Marijuana Law Reform (with special guest Kenny G) and let's see how that turns out.
An incident-free two day event with 350,000 people openly smoking pot, organized by over 1,000 volunteers is a success, period. By example it shows that fears about legalization are ridiculous and by counterpoint to alcohol-themed events it shows that marijuana is far safer than alcohol.
Hempfest: love it or leave it!