Reader: Denver Should Send a Smoke Signal to the World on 4/20

The city is reviewing its policies for Denver's parks, especially Civic Center, in the wake of problems — long lines, trash — during this year's 420 Rally. But the Mile High City's annual celebration can definitely be saved, according to readers, and one has some suggestions. Says Linda Herron:

I didn't make 4/20 this year; as always, the commercialization of this event downplays the entirety of its purpose: A loosely organized hippie sit-in. A peaceful but determined act of civil disobedience. An uncountable, unarrestable, unorganized union of unacceptable undesirables, who somehow managed all that for decades, before it became commercially viable and out of control. An announcement calling for volunteers to clean up the park and adjacent areas like the main library, the Capitol grounds, etc., would have been met by dozens of citizens who would have cleaned it without a blink.

Had the city asked all the dispensaries to donate to the cause for staffing, for sanitation or ground maintenance, it would have lessened the city's paltry bill — paltry because the tax revenue has to exceed the bill for cleanup.

As for the 10 a.m. expletives being heard in government buildings, let me remind you they are not your buildings, they are ours. Drunks, gangs and tired, overworked, underpaid police have and will be problematic, but from my experience, turning the open park into a locked-down, time-consuming, ass-covering BS secured areas, is what is making the event unsafe...so with permission, permits, prom dates and prudes, or without, on 4-20 at 4:20 we will be sending a smoke signal to the rest of the world. Sincerely, respectfully, 420at5280 aka Linda Herron. 

Then there's this response, particularly appropriate on Cinco de Mayo weekend, from Sky Walker: 

Yeah, abolish 4/20. And while we're at it, St. Patrick's Day and Oktoberfest. Actually, we can use this logic to get rid of Christmas, birthdays, marriages. All legal, but to celebrate them is over-indulgent. We should probably just stay home forever.

What do you think should be done with Denver's 4/20 rally?