The Union Leader is reporting that in the name of the children, Keene police and prosecutors plan to make arrests in Keene’s Central Square, a piece of “public” property. Will tomorrow’s Pumpkin Fest event be a tragedy of the commons? “Public” property is allegedly owned by everyone, which also means it’s owned by no one. While ideally all property should be owned, as long as the concept of “public” property exists, any peaceful individuals should be allowed there. Because of the children though, Keene’s armed gang has decided that smokers of cannabis will be kidnapped while smokers of tobacco will be left alone. Sure, this is completely arbitrary, but that’s how they roll.
What will happen tomorrow afternoon at 4:20pm is anyone’s guess. Remember, no one is in charge. Will the tokers stay away that one day? Will they show up and be arrested? (If they are arrested, will they take jail time and cost the gang, or will they pay the gang?) Are the cops bluffing? If both sides show up, how many will there be?
“What about the children?”
Why not tell your kids the truth about cannabis? You do know the truth, right?
Child: “What are those people doing over there?” (Points to people standing in a circle, passing a joint.)
Parent: “Well, those are cannabis users. They are altering their state of conciousness. It’s a time-honored tradition and a very social occasion. Many people look down on them for it, but that’s because they’ve been lied to about what cannabis is.”
Child: “What is it?”
Parent: “It’s a plant with special properties. For some people it helps them cope with illness, for others it makes them feel different than they normally do.”
Child: “You said before that smoking is bad”
Parent: “It’s true that smoking is a poor way to deliver a chemical, but there are better, healthier ways to consume cannabis.”
Child: “What are those policemen doing to them?” (Points in alarm at police handcuffing the peaceful smokers.)
Parent: “They are arresting them because they’ve been lied to about cannabis. They think it’s okay to kidnap people who use or sell it.”
Child: “Is it OK?”
Parent: “No way – it’s never appropriate to kidnap someone who hasn’t hurt anyone. Many cannabis users are upstanding members of society, but they are frightened of being hurt and put in a cage. So they hide their use of it. Can you imagine what it would be like if your mom/dad and I were taken away and couldn’t take care of you guys?”
Child: “That would be awful!”
Parent: “You’re right. They call it the “Drug War”, but it’s really a war against our family and friends.”
Here’s the Union Leader article about the crackdown, thanks to Melanie Plenda:
Thousands of lighted, frightful-looking jack-o-lanterns will be crowding Central Square and Main Street tomorrow. Police are worried about something else that may be lit up.
For more than a month, dozens of people have gathered daily at Central Square to light marijuana joints and pipes at 4:20 p.m. to protest drug laws. They do so at the spot where organizers of the Keene Pumpkin Festival locate their signature tower of pumpkins, which casts a goblin-like glow over the entire festival.
Up until now, police have held off on making any drug arrests during the smoke-ins. But an estimated 40,000 people, many of them children, are expected for tomorrow’s event, which earns the quiet Monadnock Regional city its 15 minutes of nationwide fame.
So what will happen if the smell of a pot party wafts over tables of pumpkin treats and hot apple cider? Lt. Steve Russo said police have discussed how they will respond, but he would not divulge details.
“We wouldn’t want (plans) in print,” he said. “But we’ve considered the issue; it’s been discussed with staff and prosecutors.” Russo said police talked with prosecutors in the event there are arrests.
“If there are arrests, then you want to make sure that everyone is on the same page for the initial arrest, post arrest and for the investigation and eventual prosecution,” he said.
County Attorney Peter Heed said his office has been talking with police.
“They obviously are aware of the potential of whatever could happen,” Heed said. “Anytime you have a lot of people in one place and then the potential for pot protester or other protesters there are lots of things that could happen . . . Anytime you have a big crowd you look at all the eventualities.”
Heed said that in past years there have been problems with parties and drinking, which the police have been able to handle.
Suzanne Woodward, director of Center Stage, the nonprofit putting on the Pumpkin Festival, said she’s not worried about protesters affecting the festival.
“If they try to protest in the square they won’t be able to because it will be filled up with pumpkins,” Woodward said. “I mean, they may try to integrate into the crowd, and there’s nothing we can do about that. But it will be completely filled.”
Rich Paul, one of the regular 4:20 protesters who apparently started the rallies, did not immediately return a call for comment.
Russo said police aren’t sure if protesters will even show up.
“I would just hope that they would realize that this is a family event, there will be people with their kids out there,” Russo said. “I would just hope they would show some respect to that. Whatever their beliefs are, they need to respect the fact that there are people out there who have other beliefs. And like a lot of small towns, people are getting unhappy with what (the protesters) have been doing.”
