The initial decision to criminalize marijuana in 1937 wasn’t based on a study of the science and biology of addiction or pharmacology, but purely on politics and racism. Harry Anslinger, Commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics — precursor to today’s DEA — was a notorious racist and liar who based his opinions on marijuana on pure, raw racist stereotypes and who believed that marijuana was a sure gateway to violence, sedition and social discontent. It was Anslinger’s inflammatory lies which led to the passage of state marijuana laws as a component of Jim Crow and stoked the hype for propaganda films such as Marihuana: The Devil’s Weed and Reefer Madness.

As a follow-up to their wildly epic April 2nd event and their historic meeting with White House representives from the Office of National Drug Control Policy, DCMJ — the people who brought you legal weed in DC — are throwing a sequel to April 2 on May 20, the one-month anniversary of 4/20, to highlight the fact that Obama is late on descheduling cannabis, and to remind folks of the racism behind the 1937 marijuana ban which is still a major component of the War On Drugs.

And, here’s more of the wit and wisdom of Harry Anslinger…

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Continue reading "Weed War is Race War!" »

When women like Carly Fiorina, Sheryl Sandberg and Hillary Clinton break the “glass ceiling”, it’s because they’re standing on the backs of millions of poor and working-class women who are lucky to see the floor.

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Continue reading "Glass Ceiling" »

Economic justice seems so sentimental,
but Wall Street is a girl’s best friend —

15 an hour is so detrimental,
when Wall Street is a girl’s best friend…!

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Continue reading "Gentlemen Prefer Hillary" »

Ahh, Democracy Spring — that time when a young activist’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of mindlessly lining up for a meaningless, symbolic, ceremonial civil disobedience at the Capitol which does absolutely nada to change the status quo of American politics.

At last report, the Democracy Spring “production” was well on its way to hitting its goal of 3500 civil disobedience arrests at the Capitol — and they really are into yelling about how they’re breaking the record for CD arrests at the Capitol, almost to the point of fetishizing. At a $50 fine for each arrest, Democracy Spring is fattening up the US Capitol Police coffers to the tune of $175k — especially given that, if on-the-ground accounts are to be believed, many of the Democracy Springers are getting back in line to be arrested again after being taken around the back of the Capitol to be cited, fines paid, and released.

Well, shut my mouth — looks like nonviolent civil disobedience really does work… sorta kinda.

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Continue reading "Overheard at #DemocracySpring" »