first and foremost: fuck the police (when you don't need them). secondly, you don't want this shit legalized. you want it to stay just like it is, because as soon as the status quo finds a way to accept the lifestyles of these americans, hempfests will be a thing of the past, at least for locals. the netherlands hosts an annual cannabis cup. been there. its just a tourist trap. no soul. no bud hashquatch. i could be wrong though. renaissance festivals thrive in the usa. but their reason for being isn't a political one. it's an economical one, which by the looks of hempfest 2011 is secondarily the same agenda. as soon as the $ symbol becomes a part of an article, we are talking economics. and it's not a failure that said mercantile of this fest had paid $400 dollars to set up. I know of marketing one's product purely in an advertizing fashion to cost considerably more in other instances. The vendors just have to ask themselves this: Did I have shit that people actually want? Or do I have shit that everyone has already seen before? Capitalism isn't a bad thing, it just becomes one in the hands of the unoriginal and greedy. So let us confess, it's not the law that brought Hempfest 2011 to down to frown town, its the lack of a never seen before sensation. If you lost four hundred bones at the fest, bummer dude, but I am sure you have a website where people can buy that which they really wanted to at hempfest. What's that? you are selling the same crap they can get anywhere else? oh, yeah, bummer dude. This wasn't a battle against government. This was a you didn't have the cabbage patch doll everyone wanted. Thanks:)

Steph & Patrick,

Thanks for your support. My 11 year old daughter also shielded the glass case at the same vendor when she had her feather crimped in. That would be Positive Vibrations Glass, I believe. My 7 year old blew glass for the first time at Jimmy Hughes Artisan Alley tent, then watched in dismay as they were ticketed without just cause for practicing their art and conducting licensed business in the park. I had to take time to explain to her what was happening, and why those artists were being cited. This is NOT the impression that I want my daughter to have of police officers. The suppression of commercial business and individual freedoms by TPD was unacceptable.

I would like to briefly acknowledge their role in breaking up a fight, however. That was an example of fine civil service.

Thank you,

Kevin Heiderich
Tacoma Hempfest/Shock Treatment Management

Talk about your ranting douch bags. Low Brow must get a certain rush from seeing his mess of arrogance and bile printed online. Shut the fuck up.

now you know exactly how i feel, justin genital

It is unfortunate that someone such as lowbar has the opportunity to scribe such mentally unsound and intellectually devoid gibberish for all to see. I support the Tacoma Hempfest and the vendors there. As much as the warmongers want to make marijuana a cultural thing, the truth is it is just a plant and all kinds of Americans use it daily. We, the marijuana lobby, are winning. So, screw the Tacoma Police, the federal government, the haters who believe the lies they say about us, and the cowardly politicians who advance these insane, immoral, illogical laws. Justin and his comrades should get a medal pinned on them. Instead they will be drained of their time, money and resources. If they could, the pot warmongers would take their freedom away too, thank God it has not gone down to that yet.

Prepare for an America swimming in cannabis. It is only ten or fifteen years away.

Great article Steph! Thank you!

even if weed were legal, that still wouldn't make the table of boring ass generic glass pipes any less boring of a product. Why in fuck is buying a generic looking piece of paraphernalia at a hempfest so much better than just buying it in a fucking headshop? You idiots already have your stupid legalize weed petition thing, you didn't have to be a moron and pick a fight with the po po and make the whole thing a fucking bummer.

How the fuck now is Bud Hasquatch going to repair his Q status?

You don't smoke weed to fight. You smoke because it makes music sound better and food taste better. But now, because some fool wanted to sell a bunch of generic pipes he bought in bulk from some 3rd world country, it makes the whole thing retarded and everyone is on edge.

Or maybe you sick bastards just like seeing a fight? I forget were talking about Tacomans here.

Anyhow, way to blame a stupid pot head idea of selling paraphernalia, and turning the whole thing into a spectacle, on the po po. Trust me you stupid pot head, your hypocritical little fingers are still going to dial the numbers 911 whenever you need to. Or maybe in your case you'll just bore an invader out of your house with a table full of boring ass glass pipes.