An interesting development has occurred in recent months which is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before and it hasn’t been pretty. For the past several months there has been a campaign waged against the leader of CLEAR, Peter Reynolds. which has taken the form of a “cyber bullying” campaign. What makes this perhaps even more strange is the fact that I have known quite a few of the people involved for a considerable period because they are people who have been involved in the law reform campaign for years.
I first came across Peter Reynolds about 18 months ago because of a BBC programme being made about medical cannabis. Peter had somehow arranged for “Pinky” (a well-known person on the cannabis scene) to travel to Holland in order to bring back some medically prescribed cannabis (see here). Peter was starting up the ill-fated medical cannabis register, the BMCR, and it’s fair to say I fell out with him at the time – I made no secret of it and it’s all explained in this blog . It’s true to say I was somewhat wary of Peter originally. However, this was to change.
The other group worth mentioning at this point isn’t a campaign group at all, but a website dedicated to growing cannabis: UK420. Given the nature of the site and it’s – er – ‘main reason for being’ it’s always prefered to keep a low profile but recent events have come close to getting it unwanted attention. At one time UK420 had the best activist forum (members only, you have to subscribe to view it). It was a place where everyone met and discussed things and there are some well-known law reform activists there. Like all forums UK420 has its regulars and some have been posting there just about everyday for years. Over time however it became a place dominated by arguments and insults and bickering. The LCA were the first to feel the wrath of UK420 members and for many years the “old guard” of the LCA were treated with derision on UK420, but perhaps not without good reason.
I had split company with the LCA back in 2006. Now I can’t really say this any other way but the LCA were a joke. It was almost as if they had gone out of their way to make the cannabis law reform campaign look daft, presenting the worst image of cannabis users they were the awful “unwashed hippy” stereotype writ large. It had become the the focus of ridicule – not just on UK420 – and it needed to be put out of its misery.
So it was with some interest I noticed that in late 2010 Peter Reynolds pops up in the LCA and is immediately promoted to spokesman. How that came about was down to the “main man” at the LCA, someone who I have known ever since my involvement with the CLCIA. It’s fair to say we have never really hit it off and although we both support cannabis law reform, we seem to do so for totally opposite reasons. Add to this his perhaps unusual characteristic of trusting people he doesn’t know more than those he does made him a difficult person to work with. Again, this all history and for anyone interested in the death throes of the LCA, it’s all here
The really important if very small-town point to all this is that the LCA generated a steady stream of alienated people who often migrated to UK420 where they either became additional objects of ridicule themselves or settled into the community.
Peter Reynolds had already engaged the wrath of UK420 before he appeared on the LCA. All this is really so small-town , given the millions of cannabis users out there, plus the unknown millions of non-users who support some kind of law reform it is little short of stunning how often the same names seem to crop up.
Anyway, Peter had arrived at the LCA like a gale and within a short period of time had stood for election as leader and had taken control. This was possible incidentally because despite existing for over 10 years and claiming to be the main cannabis law reform campaign in the country the LCA only had around 70 members, which perhaps shows how much of a joke it had become.
Peter didn’t waste time, he did what was needed and revamped the LCA into a modern, professional campaign called CLEAR. Frankly, I was impressed and when I was asked to take on the CLEAR website in late summer, I did so willingly. Since then I have got to know Peter as a real person, not as someone on the end of a computer terminal. I do not agree with a lot of Peter’s politics, but then I don’t agree with a lot of people’s politics and that doesn’t stop me working with them in my professional life. We do agree on the sort of law reform campaign that’s needed, the sort of image it needs to convey and the aims and objectives the campaign should have.
For the first time we have, in CLEAR, a cannabis law reform campaign worthy of the name. From the start this seems to have annoyed some people. Very shortly after CLEAR was formed a hate site appeared (Peter Reynolds watch), this was shut down but soon re-appeared. Unknown to the rest of us Peter was getting a constant stream of hate posts for some months. Just before Christmas the ex-main man of the LCA starts a page on Facebook demanding Peter step down from CLEAR.
A strange – and frankly almost suspicious – thing then happened. People who had only months before been at each others throats for years joined forces to dig the dirt on Peter Reynolds. All the usual suspects were there, people well-known from UK420 in particular, but also people who had been ridiculed in tha past on UK420 and even the old guard from the LCA; the very best of enemies united in the single cause of attacking the leader of the most successful cannabis law reform campaign this country had ever seen.
Now it has to be admitted that Peter did give them some free ammunition. Before his involvement in the cannabis law reform movement, he had been a serial blogger and some of his comments were, perhaps, written in a language which some might have considered ill-advised. He discussed thorny issues such as immigration, saying how communities he had known as a kid had changed due to mass immigration, he touched on that hot potato that is the Arab-Israel conflict and more besides. These were his personal blogs and has always claimed they were written to be controversial. They were also known about before he stood for election at the old LCA.
It has to be said that Peter had written a lot of blogs, of which only a handful contained these controversial comments, but what we got was a Facebook campaign against him based on them which claimed to show proof that he was a raging homophobic racist, all run and coordinated by the newly united band of previous enemies who have been joined by others in a campaign which can only be described as obsessive.
Over the months Peter Reynolds has been accused of being:
A Police informer A Homophobe A racist A sex pervert In cahoots with big pharma
And probably a whole wedge of other things besides.
Things first came to a bit of a head on Christmas eve, when I was away from home visiting the rellies for at the festive period. I took a break from the enforced festivities and checked the CLEAR site where I saw that Peter posted a very aggressive comment, when I saw it I phoned him and it was then I discovered the extent of the campaign he’d been enduring for months. He was, it transpired, under a hell of a lot of lot of stress because of it.
well-written. there is far too much mobbing in England eg in supposedly drug reform circles. experienced it myself
Seriously? The first reasonable chance we’ve had at some real reform, and some small minded morons are now running a mass smear campaign? Pathetic.
This is of course assuming it’s just them, and not being financed by our “glorious leaders”.
Peter, you have my support.
Pro cannabis vs pro cannabis! Get your prioitys sorted.. put aside your petty differences and focus on the task at hand. Petty jealousy against a man who is starting to make some noise. Only together can we achieve
As a gay man I have to admit I was hurt to see some of Mr Reynolds blog posts from before he became leader of the LCA and it became CLEAR. However I don’t support this group to fight homophobia, but to support the fight for Cannabis legalization. Unless we all band together and stop fighting over unrelated issues no-one’s going to take us seriously and we won’t get what we want. Since Peter Reynolds took over the website appears much more professional and the appears much more active.
I support the message, not the man. What he beliefs is irrelevant and doesn’t bother me unless he starts using CLEAR resources for that, since he isn’t I’m happy for him to stay. He’s done nothing but good work in his position here.
So Derek tries to defend the indefensible.Like a lot of people I joined Clear and supported Peter Reynolds until it became apparent that he’s a 24 carat nutcase who is undoubtedly very bad news for the cause.Inventing a Doctor to boost your credibility is worse than pathetic.Dr.Carla Margam first appeared on the scene to back up Peter Reynolds while he was having an argument (not unusual for Peter-sooner or later he argues with everyone with the possible exception of his dogs) with Ewan Hoyle of the Liberal Democrats.She then started circulating Facebook lavishing praise on Peter Reynolds andabuse on his enemies.She even wrote a WordPress article about cannabis&psychosis but her links with Peter Reynolds were all too clear-Carla is the name of his dog,Margam is the name of a town in South Wales.After a call to the General Medical Council established the fact that there is no “Dr.Carla Margam” registered as a Doctor in the UK and that impersonating a Doctor is a criminal matter and therefore a matter for the Police Mr.Reynolds was informed on his blog that he’d been reported to the Police for impersonating a Doctor at which point the Carla Margam Facebook page was taken down and likewise the Carla Margam WordPress blog.All the evidence that Carla Margam is really Peter Reynolds is on Peter Reynolds’ computers so I imagine by now that he’s placing powerful magnets next to the hard drive.
I deliberatly didn’t mention any names in the account above, but as he’s posted here Billy Gartside is one of the most active in this campaign against Peter Reynolds, although he is a new name to me.
I forgot about the latest accusation of inpersonating a doctor, add that to the ever growing list of things Peter is supposedly guilty of.
Anyway, I dare say the others will wade in and indentify themselves in due course.
I see you are trying to defend the indefensible again Derek, Peter Reynolds is a racist homophobe ,there is no getting round this issue however which way it is dressed up by you,Personally I believe racist bigots should be exposed for who they truly are,Clear has a leader that trawls swinger sites posting photos of his “manhood” and looking for “women” that are “gagging for his spunk”,then he falsely impersonates an NHS doctor to win an argument, never mind the block/ban /delete tactics being employed against Clear members who choose to question his ethics and policies and then we have the link to “big pharma” no wonder he has set the license policy that people are questioning as it certainly takes more rights off an individual than it gives,in other words …A COMPLETE FARCE.Do you really think this man will get anywhere without the support of the MP’s that have refused to share a platform with Peter Reynolds because he is a bigoted racist….Bot Is this really very wise for someone purporting to represent what is a very compassionate cause, when I fail to see any compassion in Peter Reynolds at all…..
Well said Mr Pink.
The fact that so many different people with different ideas about many social aspects are all together in this struggle against oppression underlines the righteousness of our cause.
My attitude is very much: in a time of war, anyone who is an enemy of my enemy is my friend.
i have been in a forum with these guys and it is an all out hate campaign simple as that i wanted to explain to them that i believed P,R did a good job and i spent the next 2 hrs being told i was peter or i was an uneducated unknown so they are not interested in debate or even being polite to a stranger with an interest in the cannabis issue. instead of trying to convince me of their side they could only attack me for supporting P,R and that is why they will fail, i also pointed out that every campaign to change any government policy is going to have agents of the state involved to spread lies and disinformation and disruption and that they needed to question what they were doing as it only could damage the msg we ALL want to push but i came away feeling like i just took a swim in a septic tank best to identify and ignore in future i just hope the genuine people that are getting sucked into this hate group see whats going on and wise up to the way they are damaging the entire cannabis campaign but for the state agents working in the background this is their way of fighting us all
please explain the following…
“The Medicine Wheel Project LLC and MMDS stakeholders are adamantly opposed to the wholesale recreational use of marijuana.”
from http://clear-uk.org/100000-well-paid-uk-jobs-through-compassionate-medicinal-cannabis-legislation/#disqus_thread
This is a joke, The first time it felt like the cannabis legalization was going to go anywhere and then this happens.
It is intended to open a meaningful dialogue that is at the start. to me this is an open debate and nothing is set in stone, we need to find ground to meet the government so they can debate this issue. if you dont like this plan why dont you put your own plan together and add it to the debate who knows i might agree with it. but right now all i hear is bitching, when the debate starts clear will not have the influence that we would all like, big pharma, drinks industry, Daily Mail all those voices will be louder than us and with the hate campaign you will make our influence even less . dont be surprised if the clear plan is lost completely in the opening debate but at least we will have achieved the debate. what will those guys that want to keep the hate campaign achieve ?
The Spanish model of cannabis clubs seems to be an ideal and a perfectly workable solution.
But in such a model there would be no need for Vic or Peter or their grubby personal agendas.
So I can safely say CLEAR will never advocate the Spanish model whilst Peter remains in charge.
Why won’t he run in a leadership election?
Sanj C would be willing to stand against him and a poll of the 700(?) memebers which CLEAR has now would surely be better than a poll of 60(?) LCA members in electing a leader with a majority mandate.
If Peter stands in a fair and free election for the leadership of CLEAR (something he has never done, he was voted leader of the LCA remember) and wins, I really can’t see how we could carry on complaining.
In fact, if Peter announced a leadership contest, I’d join now.
Believe me that CLEAR is only interested in lining the pockets of pharma companies as is apparent by the way Peter Reynolds set up the now defunct BMCR
to collate data to give to Victor and his American canna plaster compadres.
Anonymous are also disgusted with CLEAR’s behaviour and the way they have cosied up to dubious groups like the Medicine Wheel and its unsavoury ethics.
CLEAR is now toxic to the anti prohibition movement here and in the U.S. as Peter has been found to be of unsound character with all his lies and fabrications.
P,R has a term of office i would assume if you or anyone else has ideas as to how to move the campaign forward i would love to hear them. when his term of office is up he will need to stand for election then if any one else wants to stand i will be happy to listen to their ideas and if i like what they say they might get my vote, But we can not call a leadership election every time someone gets angry with the leader of the party, in the real world we all like amateurs we need to recognize that every thing has a time and place i think your problem is you dont want to wait until the proper time, That is not how things are done in the world of politics, i would like to win this war on prohibition in my lifetime and that is made much more difficult when other campaigners are damaging the image of clear with their childish behavior and diverting the attention away from the message that cannabis is good for everyone, I also believe that all use of cannabis is medicinal even if it is just to relax after a hard day so we are all medical users there is no such thing as recreational use
I read Peter Reynolds’ blog and came to the conclusion that he’s mentally ill.Have you thought about getting your leader some psychiatric help?I don’t mean from the ‘psychiatrist Dr.Carla Matgam’-that’s the fake psychiatrist Peter Reynolds invented.I mean get him help from the men in white coats.
billy you just dont listen to anyone else you are the one with the problem . i wont bother trying to change your mind as i think you are just misguided and wrong i hope you soon recognize what an error you are makeing and how you are only damaging the cannabis campaign. So goodbye and good luck I wont be responding to any more of your hate spam
“CLEAR supports cannabis for both medicinal and recreational purposes, although recognises, the priority is for people in pain to have free access to their medicine.” from facebook.
Please explain the following…
“The Medicine Wheel Project LLC and MMDS stakeholders are adamantly opposed to the wholesale recreational use of marijuana.”
“Victor Hamilton | Director Strategic Marketing
Victor is a well-known United Kingdom cannabis campaigner and a former Legalise Cannabis Alliance parliamentary candidate. He liaises as a United Kingdom representative with the European Coalition for Just and Effective Drug Policies and is a Council Member of the British Medical Cannabis Registry. Victor, himself suffering from a debilitating medical condition for which Medical Marijuana brings relief, has worked tirelessly for the advancement of Compassionate Medical Marijuana Legislation in the United Kingdom.”
from
http://clear-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/United-Kingdom-Presentation-FINAL-FORM-Sept-14-11.pdf
http://worldwright.wordpress.com/2011/12/29/british-medicinal-cannabis-register-bmcr-to-close/ – Note Jim Alekson’s name on the list. He was invited onto the BMCR council by Peter Reynolds.
http://environbiofuels.wordpress.com/visitors-book/ – Note Peter’s long term association with Vic Hamilton and his bussinesses.
http://www.wix.com/peterreynolds/environbiofuels – As above
“Victor HamiltonFeb 22, 2011 08:32 AM
“I “invented” the transdermal cannabis patch here in Britain 10 years ago and registered the trademark “Canniderm”. I would be interested to work with you inadvancing this idea in Britain and Europe.” ”
from http://themedicinewheelproject.blogspot.com/2010/12/medicinal-marijuana-patch-exclusive.html#comment-form
Peter Reynolds and Victor Hamilton’s intention from the beginning has been to create a databse of users who they can market Canniderm to. (You might want to check your UK IPO registrations Vic, before somebody else does).
The truth is out there people, open your eyes: wake up.
Derek said: “I first came across Peter Reynolds about 18 months ago”
I find this odd given Peter Reynolds has been, in his own words, a cannabis campaigner for 30 years.
Derek said: “Perhaps there is another explaination though because I am, actually, more than a little suspicious of this whole charade.”
Are you suggesting that I’m an undercobver officer Derek? Or that there is some mass governmental conspiracy to discredit a man who when it comes down to it, doesn’t want to change the status quo at all.
Really?
Peter has told several people via email that their names and addresses have been forwarded to the police for further investigation. I’d say that makes him a police informer, but really that and the fact he likes to post pictures of “little pete” on the internet are merely a distraction from the the reality. Peter Reynolds is nothing more than a con artist and a convicted fraudster. His spots have obviously not changed over the years.
Anyway, enjoy yourself Derek, I really did used to have a good bit respect for you, even if I didn’t always agree with you. I thought you were a man of integrity. Stop taking everything Peter tells you at face value and start using your own brain FFS.
I’m out of here.
No one legitimate impersonates a Doctor.Your big hero Peter Reynolds is going to jail over that and when he’s in jail he’ll be on rule 43.If your big hero Peter Reynolds can’t handle rule 43 neither could my former lawyer Robert M.Broudie which is why he jumped off the top of that cathedral and smashed his skull in with his own pelvis.
What an excellent article, which illuminates so much to so many people. Well me at least.
You are wrong with your conclusions though. Cannabis use, whether heavy or not, is not the cause of this. This is clearly just human nature at it’s extremes on display. It’s the clique mentality of Lord of the Flies (or Big Brother when George Galloway was in!), where extreme behaviour is condoned, encouraged even, as long as it’s against a chosen common enemy.
Human nature unfortunately dictates that most people act in this way when trapped in a social circle which only only has one purpose – hate. The common enemy for these people is clearly Peter Reynolds.
It’s completely shit being in a clique like that, totally driven by negativity. It’s bizarre the desperately sick lengths these people can clearly go to in such a situation. The clique will always back them up though, no one will tell them that they are wrong there, however low their actions. As long as it’s against the common enemy it’s all good – it’s the only good. And that’s all they ever hear.
Take a look for yourself on the UK420 pages regarding Peter Reynolds – it’s got a sticky to keep it at the top of the cannabis news. They have no shame! It’s a classic clique there for all to see – absolutely no dissenting voices, only sycophancy – it could be a case study for psychology students.
The problem is that anyone outside the clique sees them for what they are though; pathetic clowns desperate not to fall out of line for fear of incurring the wrath themselves. And the truth is they are trapped, bar severing relationships with the clique. It’s super shit with icing on top for them.
Everyone outside the clique also sees their campaign for what it is as well; pathetic. It’s not the stuff of pleasant people or even adults. It really is shameful. I’d be genuinely embarrassed if I was them. Ashamed definitely over time. If they are decent people then that will undoubtedly be the case.
The cannabis community at large is clearly united behind Peter Reynolds. He is an amazing face to front the ongoing successful campaign, and he is completely justified in taking the lead for the hard graft he’s put in.
If this sorry pathetic stuff is the best you can come up with on Peter, then brilliant. Pretty much every politician out there has far worse. They don’t have sad goons spending all day, every day, scheming against them though. That’s the truth – real MPs don’t even have people like you campaigning vilely against like this. They probably couldn’t believe a large group of people could be so sad. There are not so many people with bizarrely nothing better to do like this.
You people do not represent the cannabis community at large in any way. You are making enemies of yourselves to the cannabis community at large. The cannabis community at large wants change. Peter Reynolds has been an amazing thing for change. You obviously need to find another common enemy, or find a different subject to purport to represent, or better still just stop acting in the pathetic way you are.
Here’s a crazy option – come over to CLEAR. There are no cliques there. No-one is picked on for not following whatever particular people say. It’s friendly, it’s clique free, and it’s the future. The current clique who are spreading vile hatred clearly aren’t. They’re shameful.
Len, I think you will find that CLEAR is indeed advocating the setting up of Cannabis Clubs.
http://clear-uk.org/cannabis-social-clubs-in-spain/
Dan, I’ve given up with you already, having not even conversed with you.
I admire your commitment to Peter, it is a noble trait; it’s just a shame a con-man has taken you in.
You are like Boxer the loyal but rather daft horse.
He got turned into glue in exchange for a case of whisky.
Expect no better from Peter.
“Here’s a crazy option – come over to CLEAR. There are no cliques there. No-one is picked on for not following whatever particular people say.”
Why exactly was Sanj C expelled again?
I’d be shouting this from the rooftops if I was on my own.
If Peter feels he has the support of the party he should demonstrate it by running for an election, something which he himself offered to do then reneged on.
http://dopecast.libsyn.com/webpage/dopecast305-out-now-
Jeff Ditchfield is a troll.
SSDP UK are trolls.
Mel Thomas is a troll.
Sarah McCulloch is a genetically confused half woman half werewolf.
etc etc etc
Ya. That’s right. Nobody is picked on…
I give up.
Jack Herer i could not agree more with what you say but i also believe that more sinister elements are behind all this. Where i live we are used to finding agents of the state in everything it is not paranoid it is history and they are so stupid to think that their methods will work in this information age, they throw shit thinking it will stick to their target but instead it just leaves a trail right back to them selves they will, not allow any other voice to have an opinion they think by shouting the same crap over and over people will support them, well guess what i have looked and listened and to me the truth is CLEAR are doing a great job and Peter has my support
What an embarrassment, its at times like this i feel like getting a rope and ending it all. Whats the point if i have to share this life knowing such anger and bitterness exists in what is supposed to be a ‘civilsed’ country. If you throw stones you must be whiter than white, have ever said/done/acted/behaved in any way that can be deemed negative/bad. If you haven’t you are the paradigm of virtue and should be hailed as the spiritual leader of the universe. Its boring, incredibly boring, get on with your own lives, spend some time with your family, friends, loved ones, read a book, go for a walk, most importantly don’t spend more than an hour a day on the internet, believe me it is possible.
Eric Hoffer
A man is likely to mind his own business when it is worth minding. When it is not, he takes his mind off his own meaningless affairs by minding other people’s business.
Charles Bukowski
We have wasted History like a bunch of drunks shooting dice back in the men’s crapper of the local bar.
“but instead it just leaves a trail right back to them selves”
Hi, stevo01.
Remember when you were telling everybody you could trace them and that you were going to call the police on them?
I do.
Do a search for – site:uk420.com stevo01 – on google. Sadly I think most of your craziest rants were removed by the moderators.
I’d also like to remind those people hurling abuse at UK420 that the admin and owner of the site Joolz has pointedly refused to become invloved in this debate. To blame him is like blaming the bus driver because a passenger is rude to you.
UK420 is an invaluable resource. Anybody who tries to lay any kind of blame for this at the door of UK420 really needs to appraise themselves of the facts.
“but instead it just leaves a trail right back to them selves” I said that so here we go again I am not stevo 01 lol
can you guys not understand that a lot of people are now using the internet, it is no longer a small club with a few loud ranting voices, now people like me are getting active so move over and let us all have a viewpoint, I do not troll and make accusations against anyone as i do have a life but i will not be silent when i see a concerted effort being made to derail the cannabis campaign
Steve01 it is you and it shows you to be also of unsound character Like most of CLEARS cyber brownshirts.A real shame you aren’t man enough to admit that you did threaten to inform the police on 420ers.
Firstly no one made anything up about Peter Reynolds as all his actions are documented and recorded in google cache.Secondly you say there are no cliques over on CLEAR but you censor free speech and threaten anyone who dares to raise valid questions about Mr Reynolds?
Jan 2011- Peter Reynolds solicits the BMCR as a secure register around several canna sites.
Certain educated and influential people ask him if he will guarantee peoples safety if they Register with the BMCR which he refuses to do and even goes far enough as to say he would give the information to the Police if asked.
Next thing people are getting threats that Mr Reynolds is going to hand over peoples details to the police if they don’t keep quiet?
Next we have LovePeteGuru’s take over of the LCA and he proceeds to claim to have been campaigning for 30 years against prohibition?
The funny thing is that the anti prohibition activist movement was quite small in the UK and most of the activists knew each other but no one has heard of this Reynolds character??
Then the full story comes out when People realize that these new faces are actually in cahoots with pharma companies and dubious groups like the Medicine wheel project?
Believe me that CLEAR is the worst thing for people who want Normalization or decriminalization as they only want to feather their nests and line their own pockets.
To blame him is like blaming the bus driver because a passenger is rude to you.
UK420 is an invaluable resource. Anybody who tries to lay any kind of blame for this at the door of UK420 really needs to appraise themselves of the facts.
If i was on a bus with a rude passenger i would expect the driver to remove them as it is his bus,
if a number of passengers are making the problem then demand they behave or remove them do not shirk the responsibility, if UK420 wish to provide a platform they should be held responsible for what is going on, these guys are posting the same crap over and over.
when its your site that is being Hijacked stand up and stop them you will have support, if not you will find a lot of people like me who have only come onto these forums in the last year (yes i am a newbee) will just turn away from you
Steve01 it is you and it shows you to be also of unsound character Like most of CLEARS cyber brownshirts.
grow up and talk like an adult i will not be posting my details for trolls like you to start sending me the hate but i will say I am Irish and where i live people who want to debate the drugs issue can find our own little pro ho army d,a,a,d , these guys will kick in your door and kill you if you get noticed for having a different view to them so if i use an alias its for my own peace of mind
Please note that posts with more than two links will be held in the moderation queue bythe anti spam software.
Lem – you should know that Vic Hamilton is not new to the cannabis campaign. He’s been around the scene as long as any of us, he was an active member of the LCA over 10 years ago for example. He is an example of what you might call and “old skool” campaigner.
It is actually true that the majority of core “activists” in this campaign orignate from UK420, but as I said in the article their little bunch consists of people some on UK420 have treated with contempt for years, but who now seem to be the best of mates.
Regards my comment as to some “organisation” behind all this, I do think there is, but quite what form it takes I have no idea. It could be the result of some kind of police infiltration – that isn’t at all unlikely given the documented way the police infiltrate activist groups (Mark Kennedy). But it could be something else, some other group who would stand to lose out from a regulated commerical cannabis trade. It could be alot of things, I would suggest an open mind to all possiblities is the best approach.
I think the thing I find both interesting and sad about all this is how the people involved are so certain they are right – about all their claims. I for one would never make such a firm conclusion about anything or anyone. Much less would I spend so much time and effort to attack a particular person.
There agian, I don’t hunt in packs either.
“There agian, I don’t hunt in packs either.”
http://www.theweedblog.com/what-is-uk-cannabis-activist-group-clear/
Peter left a link to the this article on facebook, as a call for “comment warriors”, I’d say that is the very definition of hunting in packs.
As soon as he realised that the people telling the truth were outweighing his lackeys, the story was removed from the CLEAR facebook wall.
I am both aware of how long Vic has been around for and also couldn’t care less, he has admitted himself that his intentions are selfish. He is working as the director of european marketing for a US company whilst claiming sickness benefits. Most people get a bank loan when they are setting up a business. Not Vic, he gets the tax payer to front up.
“I for one would never make such a firm conclusion about anything or anyone.”
Maybe you should spend a bit more time researching the man you call leader, Del. The fact is, you as a long term campigner admit to only having met him 18 months ago, despite his claims to have been campigning for 30 years plus: nobody else had ever heard of him until then either.
His past doesn’t stack up, and nor do his claims about his past. His opinions are vile. He is a convicted fraudster. He posts naked pictures of himself on the internet. He responds with abuse to any form of criticism.
You think he’s under stress now? What’s going to happen when a national paper or TV news channel starts asking questions? He hasn’t even come close to experiencing stress yet: when he does I wouldn’t want to be within 50 miles, the fall out is going to be messy.
Leaders should inspire confidence. They should be able to deal with criticism magnanimously. They should be able to cope with stress without snapping and ranting.
Peter does none of these things.
If you want members for CLEAR Derek, and I’m sure you do; make an announcement that Peter is going to stand for election as leader of CLEAR (he’s a bit like Gordon Brown really, he was never elected leader of the party he claims to represent, where is his mandate?) you will have a surge in membership like you wouldn’t believe. If you care one jot for the cause you will convince Peter of the necessity of holding a leadership election as soon as is possible.
Why exactly was Sanj suspended again Derek?
And for some balance, this is what the US thinks of Vic and Pete and Jim Alekson’s plan.
http://www.tokeofthetown.com/2012/02/corporation_aims_to_co-opt_medical_marijuana_make.php
The comments speak volumes.
Hi Derek,
It’s clear there is a lot of money to be made from cannabis and it is possible that those with ulterior motives could be infiltrating either or both sides of the debate.
Personally I think it very unlikely that anyone that needs be taken seriously would be involved at this time as Clear really aren’t yet at all influential and as far as i know not planning on blowing up any power stations.
Jim Alekson however is somewhat of a interesting character. His proposals seem bizarre and entirely unrealistic, yet at the same time he doesn’t appear to be completely crackpot insane.
You cannot deny that his proposals are totally contrary to Clears stated aims, so it does seem strange that Peter is promoting his business plan. Victor Hamilton is quite open about his involvement with Jim Alekson. He is not on big pharmas pay roll, but he does stand to make a considerable amount of money if we take these proposals seriously. I don’t think it unreasonable to ask whether Peter Reynolds is in a similar position.
I’m glad to hear that you not making any firm conclusions, i just hope this extends to Peter.
i see your ambivilous about me ending my own life oh well……humans make me sad….gleefully slapping themselves on the back thinking their right, without actually thinking.
Bernard Shaw
-The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.
“i see your ambivilous about me ending my own life oh well”
Ambivalent – the word you wanted was ambivalent: in fact, I think it was probably oblivious. Or maybe Oblivalent.
I didn’t take you seriously to be honest.
If you are serious I would suggest you call the Samaritans or a relative, I can’t really help apartt from to say don’t.
Killing yourself won’t solve anything, nor will quoting famous people in an attempt to look moody and intellectual. It’s been done to death.
Good job at addressing the points raised though.
Why do none of you CLEAR chaps ever answer the questions raised by us about Mr reynolds??
Better still Steve why don’t you answer the questions raised by me earlier before you go off on one about people kicking you’re door in?
Sorry whats that??
You cant?
K
Hi Derek
Sorry, but what exactly did you take exception to in my post?
Here are a few links to the real Peter Reynolds and shame on you if you still support this man leading any political party.
http://dopecast.libsyn.com/web…
http://dopecast.libsyn.com/web…
http://www.campaign.mondialvil…
http://www.sarahmcculloch.com/…
http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/ne…
http://itsonlymeitsnotmymind.b…
http://www.campaign.mondialvil…
If You Have Read and Understood These Links
You Will Want to Sign Here:
https://www.change.org/petitio…
Thank You for your Kind Attention.
fair dues lem, fairs dues
what i write has as much chance of ‘addressing the points’ as anything else that has been written, that’s the sad thing. Its just a few people arguing over positions that they will never back down from. Why would someone answer all the questions you raise when whatever is said will have no effect. i don’t know whether it is ego’s or boredom or something else. Start your own campaign use your evident energy and intelligence in another way. I have looked at all the information you suggest and at the end i still find CLEAR to represent how i believe things should move forward, from what i have seen and what Peter seems to be doing it’s a direction i fond encouraging. If you disagree and think he should go and have reasons for this ok, you have given me the information and i have made my opinion. I cant say more than that i think, you may call me stupid or oblivious! that’s ok, i don’t think i am now lets move on.
It’s not intellectual i just went to brainy quotes
so the same moron 00 has shown up here to accuse me of being someone i am not, how many more of your accusations are wrong, you are so sure i am someone else i wonder will you question your other beliefs if you found out who i am? or would you pass the information to you conTROLLer and just keep on making the same accusation? or would you just bombard me with your hate mail? it is not my job to defend P,R and i dont see why i should he is quite good at doing that himself and he will do it much better than i could. I am only interested in pointing out how much damage you guys do to the campaign for cannabis, whilst you hide behind the campaigner cover.
i have watched quietly since before Christmas at the antics you guys have got up to from all the spam you sent to every friend on P,Rs Facebook list yes i got those as well to the constant repetition of the same accusations, well i have heard them and i dismiss them, the case is closed. so now if i disagree with any of you guys i get subjected to an all out attack and i am then dismissed as being someone else with a hidden agenda,or even an uneducated unknown, as i told you before if you wish to win peoples minds you do not do it by attacking them, you do it by convincing them of your cause and you guys have failed to do that. all you have done is make sure people like me never give you any credibility, you are offensive crude rude and ignorant and no matter what your message it is lost behind your venom. if you can not see the points i make it is because your own rabid nature will not allow you to see any other viewpoint other than that of your fellow travelers, you are irrelevant the movement for cannabis is not a small group anymore and yours are not the only voices you are discovering that in the grown up world people do things differently than they do in the playground when you learn how to behave yourself the grown ups might listen . I believe that CLEAR with P,R at the helm have the only chance of moving the cannabis debate forward, all your actions prove is that is not what you guys want so get behind Hitchens and the Daily Mail and stand your ground with him dont pretend to be on the side of cannabis anymore your actions are what i take offence to and the manner that you guys approach people is no different than any of the accusations you make against P,R you guys dont have the support so get over it and move on
Simple question.
Does Peter Reynolds have any kind of business relationship with Jim Alekson?
Sorry for not coming back on these comments, I was working late last night and today has been hectic.
@davedangleberry wrote: “Sorry, but what exactly did you take exception to in my post?” – er, what post? I’ve just read through todays additions for the first time now, I haveint complained about any posts and nothing’s been deleted nor nothin’
Lem – hunting in packs is hardly the same as the comment warriors campaign. The aim of CW is to give feedback to papers that print anti cannabis stories, huntin gin packs is chasing a person with a mob, an entirley different concept.
But 41 comments minus about two or three from me does somewhat illustrate my point as to how some of you guys are fixated by this whole issue. For heavens sake let’s get real here. You claim to be interested in cannabis law reform, yet how many of the people here comment on items I post about real cannabis issues? Hardly any to be honest. Yet when it come to discussing a person you all leap to your keyboards.
In all honesty if you don’t like what CLEAR is, then that’s fine by me, just don’t have anything to do with it. Just like you probably don’t have anything to do with the Labour party.
Ok fair enough here it is again.
It’s clear there is a lot of money to be made from cannabis and it is possible that those with ulterior motives could be infiltrating either or both sides of the debate.
Personally I think it very unlikely that anyone that needs be taken seriously would be involved at this time as Clear really aren’t yet at all influential and as far as i know not planning on blowing up any power stations.
Jim Alekson however is somewhat of a interesting character. His proposals seem bizarre and entirely unrealistic, yet at the same time he doesn’t appear to be completely crackpot insane.
You cannot deny that his proposals are totally contrary to Clears stated aims, so it does seem strange that Peter is promoting his business plan. Victor Hamilton is quite open about his involvement with Jim Alekson. He is not on big pharmas pay roll, but he does stand to make a considerable amount of money if we take these proposals seriously. I don’t think it unreasonable to ask whether Peter Reynolds is in a similar position.
The same old same old with Ad hominum attacks and name calling which seems to be CLEAR’s response if you ask them to clarify their position?
It is very easy to see that Peter Reynolds and CLEAR have no interest in Normalization as they have cosied up to dubious characters like Jim Alekson and his medicine wheel group.You only have to look on some of our American cousins forums to see how highly he is regarded with his wacky ideas which CLEAR and Peter Reynolds endorse.
Hows about you answer the questions regarding Peter and desist from the abuse please Stevo01.
Dewek maybe you could also answer some questions also before you use the censor pen again?
00
oo you are a fool at best and a sinister plant at worst only you know the truth,but as you can not hear any answer that is given to you i will add you to the troll list and just ignore your rants. cause thats what us grown ups do, so go back to the playground and protect your patch and in the future you might try to recognize people by what they say, not by what you want to hear, instead of constantly making a fool of yourself by ignoring my points.
point 1, i am a member of clear that gives me the right to my opinion,
point 2 i have heard you accusations looked at your links and posts and i do not believe your anything other than a malevolent person.
point 3 I am my own person and not the guy you repeatedly accuse me of being.
point 4 all you will gain with your constant attacks on any one who disagrees with you is disruption to the entire cannabis campaign you dont like to follow the normal rules of civility there is no excuse for you so go away and grow up because you and your venom is not needed in my opinion
in the last few days i have spent more time answering fools like oo and billy and it has been a total waste of my time, i could have been putting comments on the Daily Fail or any number of papers, but instead i have spent it playing with trolls. i think as a former alter boy i should give up playing with trolls for lent, and get back to the more important cannabis campaigning so Peter you got my support and I recommend you and everyone recognize the trolls and give up playing with them they are history
@00 – Ah, I think I recognise your style enough to be pretty sure as to who you are. It really is the same people time and time again.
Anyhow, as I suspect you know already know my position regarding “normalising” is fairly simple; you can’t “normalise” things, they have to become normalised due to cutural acceptance. Something being “normal” means it is governed by a set of “norms” which grow out of experience.
If by “normalise” you mean totally remove all laws pertaining to cannabis that isn’t something that is going to happen, so I don’t consider it a valid idea to even discuss, but for the record I would be very opposed to it. I want to see cannabis sold in shops and I want the cannabis sold to be what it is claimed to be; consitent levels of THC and CBD for a start.
@ davedangleberry – my spam filter doesn’t like you it seems. Nothing personal!
Also @oo – if you post losts of links the post will get marked as spam and blocked by the filter. I’ve just approved the many-linked post you made above, even though most of the links don’t actually work.
Of the links that do work, the Dopefeind netcast is interesting, if only because he made no attempt to check out CLEAR’s side of the story. I have also e-mailed Dopefeind and had no reply.
In one of Dopefeinds broadcasts he discusses Peter with someone who proudly claims to haver introduced high potency cannabis into this country. Now never mind the debate over whether high potency cannabis is indeed anything new, the fact that this guy proudly admits to having done that means he is someone whoes support I wouldn’t like to have.
The other link you posted is to Sarah McCulloughs blog. Sarah has been one of the most obsessive people in this charade, and shes a pretty sloppy journalist as well to be honest.
All the other links you posted are dead.