Pubdate: Fri, 28 May 1999
Source: Seattle Times (WA)
Copyright: 1999 The Seattle Times Company
Contact:  http://www.seattletimes.com/
Author:  Jennifer Harrison, Seattle

MILLION MARIJUANA MARCH

Not Just A Stoner Rally; Where Was The News Coverage?

On May 1, I was one of 4,000 to 5,000 people who joined the Seattle Million
Marijuana March from Volunteer Park to Westlake Center.

I joined the march, as did thousands of people worldwide in their own
cities, to show my support for the reclassification of medical marijuana as
a Class C drug, and to support the uses of industrial hemp as a sustainable,
pesticide-free substitute for cotton, paper and oil.

This was not just a stoner rally: We had people of all backgrounds and ages
join our parade. The Seattle Police Department closed the streets and
directed traffic. We were all courteous and friendly to each other.
Thousands of people were feeling democratically empowered and were
peacefully advocating change.

But was The Seattle Times there? No. In fact, apart from a (surprisingly
positive) blurb in The Stranger, there was no mention that Broadway and Pike
streets were closed while thousands of people marched in support of
marijuana-law reform.

Just like civil rights was at its peak, marijuana reform is a sticky,
politically unpopular movement.

I, like many others, read The Times to get local and state news. Shame on
you for not covering this great grass-roots democratic event. Shame on me
for relying on The Times to provide me an unbiased look at what is happening
in my city and state.

Jennifer Harrison, Seattle

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