Today, Marc Emery, Canadian citizen, loving husband, pot advocate and general mensch, will plead guilty to selling cannabis seeds over the internet in a federal court, and as part of deal with prosecutors, will avoid a possible life sentence, instead receiving 5 years in prison. The media has dubbed him "The Prince of Pot", and indeed, he is singlehandedly responsible for a large portion of the seeds that were cultivated to grow cannabis throughout the world over the last two decades.
in the 90's Marc emerged as one of the world's most tireless advocates for cannabis law reform, and for the rights of medical and recreational cannabis users. It is my hope that we can honor Marc and send a clear message this November 2nd. By organizing for, donating to, and passing Proposition 19, we can finally start a national dialogue about the failure of the drug war, the injustices against our families and society that prohibition has wrought, and the fissures between law enforcement and the communities they serve that have formed as a result.
More below the fold.....
From the summer of 2001 on, I was intimately connected to legalization and medical marijuana activists in Austin, TX. Over the course of about 3 years, I organized marches, rallies and meetings for Austin and Texas NORML, as well as attended more than a few press conferences for our more-professional colleagues, the Marijuana Policy Project. I lived and worked with the President of Texas NORML, and truly put my heart and soul into the cause, one that I believed in, wholeheartedly.
It was no easy task. Lets just say that it is a cause that attracts all types, and those with the least to lose (as well as the least skills, motivation, and grounding in reality) tend to be over-represented, while professionals who smoke tend to be much quieter about their private pastimes, and uninterested in announcing their allegiance. This makes for a difficult group to organize, as you can imagine. After 3 years of work, most of my associates retired from the activist scene, simply tired of beating our heads against the wall.
Today, things seem almost the polar opposite. My former colleagues and I are simply amazed at the strides the movement has made over the past 5 or 6 years. The idea that California may be only two months away from legalizing and regulating cannabis feels like an utter miracle, something from an alternate reality.
Proposition 19 is more than a California ballot measure. It is an opportunity for the entire country to rally behind a rare moment of rational thought in our political system. Our decades-long campaign of imprisonment, property theft, violence, and general life-ruining can finally be held up to the light, and revealed for the travesty of justice and humanity that it is. Real solutions to the drug war raging on our border with Mexico can be considered, and the power of the drug cartels can be reduced, saving lives, jobs and money.
Marc Emery was one of many luminaries that I had the pleasure to hear speak in my days with The Movement. He is a fearless individual, and has never shied down from a fight for what he knows is true and right. He is a kind person, non-violent, and is a loving husband and friend to many, many good people. This November, let's honor Marc, by doing everything we can to help California pass this critical measure. Let's send a clear message that people like Marc are political prisoners, not criminals, and that the system must change.
Please visit Yes on 19's website and make a small donation. If you have previously been involved in cannabis activism, please contact your local NORML chapter and help contribute to their efforts. Organize a benefit party, call your relatives in California, write a letter to your Congressperson or Senator, and ask them to support a rational alternative to prohibition.
Then please visit Cannabis Culture's Contact Marc Emery Page and send Marc a piece of mail, or put a few bucks in his commissary account. Make sure to say thank you.
Oh, and if you want to help organize and put on a benefit for Yes on 19 in Austin, TX this October, shoot me an email at MikeDubWainwright at Gmail dot com.