To the organizers of the Cannabis World Conference and Business Expo,

We the undersigned individuals and businesses are outraged at your decision to invite Roger Stone to speak at your conferences. Stone’s position on cannabis is positive but does not excuse his hateful statements and actions taken against women, people of color, Jewish people and other vulnerable populations.

Before this was an industry, it was a movement -- a movement born in opposition to marginalization, criminalization and discrimination. Through his language and actions, Mr. Stone perpetuates and perpetrates the very marginalization and discrimination that we are fighting against. As we have expanded to include an industry, those of us who ushered it in have worked tirelessly to preserve the values of the movement.

As movement leaders, we demand that hate is not be given a voice in pursuit of profit.
As industry leaders, we demand that Roger Stone not be invited to share our space.
As cannabis companies, we demand that our reputations not be sullied by association with such a person.

Some of Mr. Stone’s comments include:

Tweeting that commentator Roland Martin is a "stupid negro" and a "fat negro," commentator Herman Cain is “mandingo,” and former Rep. Allen West (R-FL) is an "arrogant know-it-all negro." He also tweeted that commentator Rev. Al Sharpton is a "professional negro" who likes fried chicken, asked if former Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson was an “Uncle Tom,” and referred to himself as a “n*gga” with a Nixon tattoo. [Media Matters, 2/24/16, 4/22/16]

Stone tweeted that New York Times columnist Gail Collins is an "elitist c*nt," MSNBC host Rachel Maddow is "Rachel the muff-diver," Fox News’ Megyn Kelly has a "nice set of cans,” and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) is a “jap” (acronym for "Jewish American Princess") who is “every man’s first wife.” He also tweeted "DIE B*TCH" at former New York Times executive editor Jill Abramson, and said he would kill himself if he was married to “screechy” and “shrill” Carly Fiorina. The Sun Sentinel also reported that Stone called Florida politician Barbara Stern a “self-important, nasty c*nt” on Twitter. [Media Matters, 4/22/16; Sun Sentinel, 8/16/14]

Inviting Mr. Stone to speak to the crowd, especially as we see the rise of overt racism and anti-semitism, is an affront to the very movement you purport to promote, the industry and all who are involved. We are therefore requesting that the invitation to Roger Stone be rescinded. If this does not happen, many of us will drop out of the conference, and we will be equipping those who attend with a strategy of disruption and media attention to the values that the CWCBE is embracing by giving this individual public space.

Signed,

Aaron Biros

Amanda Reiman

Andrew Kline

Ashley Picillo

Barbara Koz Paley

Betty Aldworth

Bonita Money

Brenda Loughery

David Rheins

Diane and Jay Czarkowski

Drake Sutton-Shearer

Felicia Carbajal

George Jage

Giadha Aguirre De Carcer

Heather Burke

Jeffrey Rosen

Jesce Horton

Kayvan T Khalatbari

Kristin Heidelbach

Kristin Jordan

Dr. Lakisha Jenkins

Lauren Padgett

Leah Heise

Mara Gordon

Robert Frichtel

Shaleen Title

Shanel Lindsay

Roz McCarthy

Tracy Ryan

Wanda James

Aunt Zelda's

California Cannabis Advocates

Cannabis Industry Journal

Cannalogix

Denver Relief Consulting

Dope Media

Flow Kana

Greenspoon Marder Law

IP Holdings, LLC

Marijuana Business Association

New Frontier Data

Newman Ferrara LLP

PDQ Printing

PRØHBTD

Simply Pure

Students for Sensible Drug Policy

Vital Garden Supply

Xendance Technologies