Happy Birthday to our good friend, local defense attorney Richard B. MacDonald! Mac is not only one of the best attorneys around but hes a great guy too full of compassion, wisdom and intellect. I saw Mac on television years ago with the national director of NORML so when I organized my first rally ever on December 8, 2012 I asked him to speak in downtown Lancaster for the Pennsylvania Hempland Security Rally. He agreed and came and delivered what I consider to be an important, profound and even historical speech. Having Mac speak was important for our movement. A Viet Nam veteran, he has been practicing law in Lancaster since 1980. He is well known, well respected and liked. His circle of friends and people who he knows or deals with on a regular basis include the DA, judges, all the prosecuting attorneys, defense attorneys, police, constables, sheriffs, etc. Basically, the whos who of the whole law enforcement/prison/justice system in Lancaster County. Mac told me before the rally that he was trying to spread the word around but the DA and some others were not impressed. Well, he came to our rally and gave a truly profound speech. The Lancaster Sunday News gave us a prominent, huge write up on the front page of the local section with several pictures, including him and quoted him extensively as well. When Mac went back to the court house that Monday he informed me that sheriffs were racing to be the first ones to salute him. He said that everyone shook his hand and was eager to agree with him and that we set the whole courthouse abuzz! Before that moment, no one ever talked about the possibility of legalizing cannabis in Lancaster. It was almost a taboo subject but we ripped open that seal and talked about it openly in the streets of downtown, in the newspapers and now in every level and aspect of law enforcement and the system and at kitchen tables and living rooms all across the county. When I decided to have a second rally in Lancaster in May of 2013 I knew I wanted Mac there again. He showed up and came through again and helped us to keep the issue alive. The Lancaster Hemp Rally drew a couple hundred people and was an outstanding success in every way. N.a. Poe and The Panic Hour came to the Lancaster Hemp Rally to entertain and motivate the crowd. They liked what they saw in Mac and invited him to speak at the now infamous Smoke Down Prohibition V rally in Philadelphia. If you dont know about Smoke Down number five you really dont know about one of the most important stories of our movement. After four fantastic events, number five on May 18, 2013 was a day of infamy. They corralled us into a very intimidating situation. Hundreds of cops outnumbered the protestors. They closed in and arrested N.a. Poe, Adam Kokesh and others, throwing them in federal detention for six days together. Things got crazy and out of hand. We call it the Battle at the Liberty Bell. It was part of a year long unfolding drama down there. I was there. Erica was there. Albert was there. Chris was there. A lot of you were there. Mac was there, and he spoke less than a half hour before the crap hit the fan. Some day I may write a story about the epic smoke downs. Its a story that should be kept alive because it is a story of how we helped to change things. I am convinced that the year long string of activism in Philly helped get us to where we are today with City Council passing a serious decrim law. (I know that activism has been going on for many years prior, but I am just acknowledging what I perceive to be the importance of the Smoke Downs.) We went on to have five rallies in Lancaster and Mac was at every one of them. He came and spoke at our recent rally in Reading as well and is going to speak at our York Cannabis Reform Rally in downtown York on September 6. Macs presence and inspiration have helped us tremendously. He is best friends with the Mayor of Lancaster and through their friendship they see eye to eye on many issues, including the cannabis issue. Mac is now giving us input and advise on language for the Lancaster City Council Decriminalization Resolution that we are now working on. We will use our Lancaster work as a model on how to proceed in Reading. So, Happy Birthday to Attorney Richard B. Mac MacDonald, a great guy, great friend and true unsung hero for the cause of cannabis and hemp reform! Without him, we would not be as far as we are in Pa. and he is advocating on a national level as well. If you need a lawyer, hes your guy. Here is a video of part of Macs speech at Smoke Down Prohibition V in Philly... https://youtube/watch?v=RaepJMhpwqw
Posted on: Fri, 15 Aug 2014 18:08:15 +0000
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