First International "420" Protest Against the Bush War on Marijuana Date: Sunday April 20, 2003 Time: 4:20 PM Place: Everywhere
Bush ignores the will of the American people regarding Medical Marijuana	"80% of Americans think adults should be able to use Marijuana legally for medical purposes. So, what special right does President Bush think he has which allows him to ignore the will of the American people?" Professor Hemp (Source: Time Magazine, November 2002)	Ed Rosenthal could be sentenced to 85 years in federal prison for growing Medical Marijuana

Contents:

Overview
Submitting a 420 Event Location
Print and Distribute Copies of the 420 Flyer
Text of First 420 Flyer
Bushs low profile in Drug Policy Actions in California
This protest is making the following demands on the Bush Administration
How to Participate in the 420
Sending donations to help facilitate the 420 Protest
 

Overview

The conviction of Ed Rosenthal in a federal "kangaroo" court on Friday, January 31st, for growing medical marijuana should outrage every drug reform activist around the world.  We want to create a noise that will be heard around the world on April 20th, 2003 at 4:20 PM to demand that President Bush grant clemency to all Medical Marijuana growers that have been impacted by his "witch hunt" on Medical Marijuana providers.   Between 4:20 PM and 4:30 PM we want individuals to beep their car horns wherever they may be (including home).  We also want to encourage groups to gather at locations with the most exposure to the public (malls, large road intersections, large afternoon events).

Submitting a "420" Event Location

We will be compiling a list of any group or organization that is planning on gathering at a specific location at 4:20 PM on 04/20/2003.  A better submission form will be constructed shortly.  But if your group is planning an event please send the following information.  Remember to type "420 Event" in the Subject line:

Country:
State/Region:
City:
Description of Location:
Description of Event Activities:
Organization Name (if applicable):
email contact:
web address (if applicable):
Phone contact: (not required)

Print and Distribute Copies of the "420" Flyer

Just click below to print a copy of the "420" Flyer.  The file requires the freely available "Adobe Acrobat" to view and print.  You can cut and paste over this flyer to customize it for events that will be happening at specific locations.

Text of First "420" Flyer

It is not a coincidence that Bush has distanced himself from the federal inquisition against Ed Rosenthal, (author of numerous books on Marijuana Cultivation) which recently convicted him (01/31/03) of growing over 1,000 Marijuana plants. It would instantly blow Bush's self ascribed status as a "compassionate conservative" right out of the water.

The federal court refused to allow the jurors to be informed that Ed Rosenthal was growing Marijuana for the Oakland Grow Club which provides medicine to the sick and dying. As a result, of this federal "kangaroo court," Ed is facing 85 years in prison and a $6.5 Million dollar fine. Bush's actions ignore the fact that 56% of California voters enacted Proposition 215 (November 1996) which sanctioned the use of Marijuana as a medicine. Bush likes to talk about representative democracy when it fits his needs but appears perfectly willing to ignore the will of the American people when he arbitrarily disagrees. Bush is a compassionless hypocrite who threatens to undermine the civil liberties of freedom loving Americans.

We need to broadcast the fact that Bush and Congress are willfully ignoring the wishes of its electorate. Consider the results of a scientific poll conducted by Time Magazine (November 2002):

* 80% Think adults should be able to use Marijuana legally for medical purposes.

* 72% Say people arrested for possessing small amounts of Marijuana should be fined, not jailed.

* 47% Say the have tried Marijuana at least once.

* 34% Want Marijuana to be totally legalized (This figure has doubled from 17% when Time first conducted the poll in 1986).

Ed will be sentenced in early June and we need to use the "420" protest, the Million Marijuana March and other events, to insist that Bush end his War on State Medical Marijuana providers immediately.

* President Bush must immediately grant clemency to Ed Rosenthal and all of the Medical Marijuana Providers that have been persecuted by this federal "witch hunt."

* The federal government must promise to stop meddling with State Initiatives that have been passed to provide Marijuana as a medical choice for the sick and dying.

* The federal government must immediately reschedule Marijuana, under the Controlled Substances Act, from a Class 1 to a Class 3 or 4 drug.

* The federal government must admit that Marijuana is less dangerous than many currently available drugs (e.g., alcohol, tobacco, prescription drugs), and begin considering the more progressive drug laws that are being implemented in other first world nations (e.g., England, Canada, Amsterdam, Portugal, Switzerland).

Our first idea was to kidnap President Bush and shove a six foot joint so far up his behind that the flowering tops come popping out of his ears — a novel form of Brain Cleansing? But as usual someone suggested this might be a little to extreme, and may not be legal in some states.

Instead we are assembling ideas that will be orchestrated with a PR campaign to let the media know what we are up to on this date. Here are some of the ideas suggested so far:

* Drive with you car head lamps on throughout the day

* Beep you car horn for 5 minutes at 4:20 PM

* Tie Green Ribbons or other Cannabis symbols to your car antennae

* Visit the Malls and other public places with groups of friends that are wearing Marijuana Lei’s and other items with Re-Legalization themes.

Sending donations to help facilitate the "420" Protest

If you think this is a worthy effort we are encouraging, those that can afford it, to send in a donation.  Checks and Money Orders should be made out to "New Age Citizen" and sent to the following address: