WTF Happened at Rainbow Farm?

I decided that the only way to keep the Pioneers and Activists alive in the History unfolding before us with Marijuana Reform is to make videos about them. I have already made several videos throughout the time I have had this channel about activists and I feel like more need to be made. These stories were already not told enough, and if we forget about them now, they will get lost when Weed History is finally set in stone. Although this story is 17 years old, there is an update! A movie about the event is in the works. Rainbow Farm was one of the craziest things that happened in the Drug War that no one ever heard about. Well, I guess I am going to try to inform a few more people about it here on my humble little channel on YouTube. Come down the rabbit hole a little with me as I go over some of the material I used when researching what went down that week in September of 2001. Although I was an activist, a grower, lived in Michigan, and a fan of festivals at the time the farm was blossoming, I only actually went to 1 party in 96 or 97 I believe. I am not telling this story from the inside at all, and really only remember that at the time, no one really talked about it and it was barely covered on the news (locally or nationally). Most of that had to do with the event that happened later that week, 9/11/2001. Anyway, I hope I might help spread the story of a couple of Martyrs for the Cause, who fought the Powers that Be against Forfeiture and Family Separation, because in the end, that is really why they died for. The fact that weed and ancillary drug deals was what spurred the actions of Law Enforcement underscores the insanity of the drug war. The drug war delineated human lives all around in this case. The hubris of the Prosecutor to hold his position despite so many ways in which a peaceful resolution could have been attempted from the beginning tells us more about the euphoria of Power than it does the dangers of “illicit” drugs. Apparently preventing people from obtaining and consuming drugs at a festival was more important than letting someone live peacefully on their own hard earned property, enjoy their property, and not have their family torn apart by Child Protective Services because of a harmless plant. Two men are dead. Their son left with a giant void in his life. Their families ravaged by their losses. Did it cripple the movement to legalize and normalize cannabis in Michigan? After all, their parties and the speakers that attended were the most fervent of voices in the Legalization Movement, as well as people pushing actual ballot initiatives. The event only made the movement stronger, and as it continued to gain strength, seven years later Michigan voted to legalize medical marijuana in a landslide. What other lessons did Michigan learn from this standoff? The relationship between the Police and festivals has changed, as the police are invited IN so that they can monitor them and have the assurance that the festivals themselves nor the vendors that exist inside of them are not selling illegal drugs to the patrons. Festivals in Michigan these days are well regarded by Law Enforcement as safe and the drug use/dealing/dangers have been minimized by a more tolerant, accommodating, and forgiving atmosphere. Correction: @ 19:25 I called Steve Hager Tom Hager. Opps, sorry! If you want to go further down the rabbit hole, I HIGHLY recommend the Book “Burning Rainbow Farm” by Dean Kuipers: https://www.amazon.com/Burning-Rainbo... Or read the abbreviated version, also by Kuipers, which was published in the October 2003 Issue of Playboy Magazine: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n1... Here is a link to an article about the incident by local reporter Lou Mumford, South Bend Tribune Staff Writer: http://articles.southbendtribune.com/... And here is his follow up article that concludes the story about the standoff: http://articles.southbendtribune.com/... Too lazy to google “Rainbow Farm Michigan” and click the Video button? Here: https://www.google.com/search?q=rainb... The Webpage for the Campground (Memorial): http://www.rainbowfarmcamp.com/ Here is some major rabbit hole material for you supergeeks. It is a Cannabis Culture Magazine Message Board from the week it happened. Interesting takes and analysis by people in the movement as stories were coming out. http://forums.cannabisculture.com/for... Thanks for stopping by! If you want to see more videos like this, hit that like button and subscribe! I will be making more videos featuring activists!