Dear Local Guy!
Green Harvest is over! You like celebrate with us?

-Puff da Magic Dragon

In 2000, the County Council voted to remove Green Harvest funds. The next year, it was back in the budget. Before you start celebrating, maybe should get together and draw up one agenda on all the sensitive issues involved with pakalolo.
I think the movement needs more locals. Too often the face of activism on Big Island is non-local. With a few more pakalolo-friendly local people (with jobs and who vote), maybe the winds of change can blow stronger. Probably not soon because 1) most locals hate the spotlight, and 2) people still fear being mislabeled, misjudged or fired.
I get friends and family in law enforcement, so I really no can get mad at them. They just doing their job, but it often lead to confrontations with many good hard-working braddahs and sistas who love to puff da herb.
The original effort to criminalize pakalolo in America was not based on public safety, but on racism and aggressive business practices by politicos closely aligned with the cotton industry. Hemp, not cotton, was the ultimate fabric-making plant. With hemp and smokeable herb close cousins, the bigwigs naturally trumped up the evils of the newly named "marijuana" plant from evil Mexicans who came to destroy the American way of life. Images of drug-crazed Mexicans chasing harmless little white girls sent fear and terror throughout the collective American psyche. Sounds familiar? A lot of folks raised with this Reefer Madness stuff side with prohibition based on flawed (yet believable) information.
Yet plenty pakalolo smokers are indeed that-lolo. Many people consume herb in one responsible manner (prayer, love, song, art, healing arts, etc.), but there's enough who are just as disrespectful as someone who is always drunk. An elder once told me:
"Herb dance with you any way you like da buggah go. If you like be good, think good thoughts, sing one song, pray, relax, heal, the buggah can work. But If you like be lazy, eat everything in the house, no do nothing productive, then the herb can work with you that way too. You choose."
The police could very well know pakalolo's benefits. Yet for program reviews, accreditations, or evaluations, they must include how many plants were eradicated to illustrate 1) how they keeping the community "safe" from drugs, and 2) why more money is needed. I would not be surprised if some of Hawai'i County's finest wish wholeheartedly that they could fire up one sweet one when they pau work. It's a stressful job. They know it would be nice to watch TV and just drift off to the irie zone.
The federal government considers Hawai'i a "supplier" state; grant writers, administrative staff, helicopter companies and fuel companies are all stakeholders in this war on pakalolo. They have are accustomed to this money and will fight (or testify) to protect it! The police get "dangerous" pay and overtime, and a good dosage of gung ho bravado. I once saw an off-duty officer wearing a T-shirt that said "Porky's Revenge," with picture of muscle-bound officers (in pig face) rappelling from helicopters.
I'm definitely not for messing with the police's coin, so how can we let them earn extra money for doing other things that combat drug "abuse"? How about keeping gyms open at night? Or bonus pay or overtime for revitalizing Police Athletic Leagues, or coaching youth sports? Why does it have to be Porky's revenge-scaring and sometimes arresting people who really not making trouble?
Don't get me wrong-I don't like drug dealers. I give police the green light to go get those buggahz-from ice to ecstasy to cocaine. But the braddahs and sistas growing a couple of plants and responsibly consuming da herb, they now living a "criminal" lifestyle. I believe that things slowly changing and maybe we no need be as scared. Yes, it would be shame to get your name in the paper for "promoting a detrimental drug," but to me it would be more shame for police to bust one sista for growing five plants!
Feds provide pakalolo eradication money as "package deals" with environment and child welfare money. So maybe your call for the elimination of Green Harvest also leading to the elimination of an after-school program or a weed and seed program. Even if elected folks and police understand and appreciate the arguments of the pro-pakalolo masses, get too many other things at stake. So pakalolo stay illegal.
I not ready to party because choke people still think herb growers/smokers are detrimental, lawless people. But if mind-opening patterns persist, maybe we going see added forms of legalization someday.
We live in paradise and we grow the best herb. Folks from around the world would flock here if it were legal, and I have my issues with tourism being the sole backbone of the economy. Legalization would bring choke more tourists. There can be too many good, cool, nature loving, open-minded, money-spending, friendly people.
Festivals, music and food shows sound good, but what about this: people wanting to move here, overcrowding, lolos with no respect trying to prove something by lighting up one spliff at the children's soccer game. If that is you, have some respect. Take your ass away from the crowd and light up.
All the pakalolo-rights people need tell the masses not to act stupid. Practice responsibility. No let the same old lolos be the faces of what you believe is precious-your right to consume, be employed and not be criminal. Work with the politicians. Might just work in our behalf after all. Remember, the mills of the gods grind slow, but exceedingly fine.
For now, no need tell the council members the "great benefits of cannabis," and the "evils of eradication." They heard it all already-many times. It is not "bad police versus the angelic herb people"-it's much deeper. Education, respect, and responsibility are important if we gonna take more meaningful steps. Can you imagine a day when Big Island Candies create one special cookie for the cause? How about Big Island coffee, food, music and herb all mixed into one huge festival at Moku Ola or at the Hilton? That would be some party. Could happen one day. Now how to keep all the visitors from wanting to move here. How's this: Beware of the killer Coqui! n
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