Pubdate: Wed, 21 Aug 2002
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2002 The Province
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouver/theprovince/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Mark Tonner

MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO 'GET LIT'

Just how many ways are there to describe smoking pot? I'm reading John 
Gordon's book, and counting.

Gordon, a member of the B.C. Marijuana Party, spent a recent afternoon 
autographing copies of his new soft-cover 'Chronic Chronicles.' I'd heard 
about the signing on FM radio and couldn't resist dropping by.

Marijuana Party headquarters on Hastings is a step into alternative reality 
for a police officer wandering life's mystery on mere caffeine. It was 
reminiscent of Amsterdam, or Gastown in the late 1960's ; everyone inside 
grooving and cool, with pot being smoked as if it were legal.

I reminded myself I was there uninvited, and introduced myself politely to 
Gordon.

That in itself presented a challenge. Was I to intro myself as constable 
Tonner, full time lawman and sometime journalist? Here to have a go at your 
latest stoned work?

Gordon might even have been open to it: he's a friendly fellow, but it 
seemed like a grossly uncool thing to announce in such a post-post modern 
setting, and I introduced myself simply as Mark.

A signature, five bucks and a dreamy smile later I was back into fresh air.

The book is a series of tales; glimpses into the social side of marijuana 
advocacy from the POV of a fictional character 'Flash' While John Gordon 
signs with the same moniker, Flash, he sees the fictional designation as 
extending artistic license. And though the stories speak of actual 
incidents, writing them as fiction is seen as a way to avoid legal trouble.

That said, a great many well known and non-fictional names are used.

Marc Emery is portrayed as entering several scenes, offering encouragement 
and high-grade bud to all. Among other advocates mentioned by name are 
David Malmo Levine, Hilary Black, Dana Larsen and Richard Cowan.

Marijuana advocates are determined folk, so I'll assume they're aware their 
have been used, and that they don't mind. My intent is to review a piece of 
written work, after all; not to offer a prelude to Prosecution. So, back to 
descriptions of smoking up. Characters in the tales were described as 
alternately 'sparking' joints, toking up, starting days with 'wake-n-bake,' 
inhaling a 'B.C. pinner' or indulging in the 'champion's breakfast'.

All of which is reasonably creative, if a little vague in focus. The 
problem in fictionalizing actual events is well known, and shadows this 
work as it has many others: real stories don't come with proper plot lines 
or character development. As Homer Simpson is known to say, they're just a 
bunch of stuff that happened.

Whether or not Gordon's stories are accurate, they fit the Simpson profile. 
An herbal subculture is portrayed as hopping from meeting to rally, with 
little in mind other than getting high-high-high and fighting for the right 
to do so.

If that's what spins your hydro meter you'll have to make do with 
indifference from this writer. The legislation decision isn't mine to make, 
and I won't make predictions either way. What I will do is carry on with 
unofficial insight from the blue side of the street.
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MAP posted-by: Alex