Pubdate: Wed, 19 Sep 2012
Source: BC Heights (US MA: Edu)
Copyright: 2012 The Heights, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.bcheights.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4616
Author: Andrew Skaras

TAKING THE HIGH GROUND

Participants Present Their Cases For Pot Legalization

A great cloud rose over the Boston Common Saturday, Sept. 15, as 
thousands of people from all over New England gathered for the 23rd 
Boston Freedom Rally. Bringing together speakers, musicians, and many 
different kinds of vendors, the rally serves as a yearly gathering 
point for marijuana legalization advocates to get together and 
protest the government's drug policy.

Beginning at 12 p.m., people of all different sorts streamed into the 
Common. Although the college age cohort seemed to make up the 
majority of those in attendance, there were some Baby Boomers and 
Generation-Xers as well. Most people gathered in circles on the lawns 
near the two large stages to smoke.

The rally was organized by the Massachusetts chapter of the National 
Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), the 
Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition, or MassCann. Founded in 
1970, NORML has vocally opposed the marijuana coalition as a 
non-profit public-interest advocacy group. According to the NORML 
website, the organization's mission "is to move public opinion 
sufficiently to achieve the repeal of marijuana prohibition so that 
the responsible use of cannabis by adults is no longer subject to penalty."

As the Massachusetts branch of NORML, MassCann has worked since 1989 
to influence policymakers and voters to change marijuana laws in the 
state. The group was instrumental in the passage of the 2008 ballot 
measure that decriminalized the possession of under an ounce of 
marijuana in the state.

In addition to staging rallies, the group is currently campaigning 
across the state for the passage of Question 3 on the ballot in 
November. Question 3 is an initiative backed by the ACLU, the 
Massachusetts Advocacy Alliance, and the Committee for Compassionate 
Medicine that would eliminate criminal and civil penalties for the 
medical use of marijuana. Furthermore, the act would establish 
state-regulated centers for the distribution of medical marijuana.

One of the main focal points of the afternoon was the series of 
speakers that MassCann lined up to advocate for the end of the 
prohibition on marijuana. Ranging from former law enforcers, to 
medical doctors, to a sitting congressman, the speakers represented a 
variety of different fields and interests.

John Decker, a representative of the national office of Students for 
Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) spoke about the work his organization 
does in mobilizing students on college campuses across the country. 
He highlighted the success of student led initiatives in changing 
state legislation and persuading voters.

Jack Cole, a founder of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), 
spoke about his experience in the War on Drugs. Retired after 26 
years in the New Jersey sey state police, Cole described his 
experience and portrayed the War on Drugs as destructive and a failure.

Keith Stroup, a lawyer and founder of NORML, took a broad perspective 
to the question of legalizing marijuana. He framed the issue in the 
context of the changes that have occurred in the public's opinion of 
the issue since the organization was founded in 1970. He also 
stressed the importance of understanding the marijuana smoking experience.

"Marijuana improves the appreciation of food, music, and sex," Stroup 
said. "We [marijuana smokers] work hard and contribute to the 
community. This is an issue of personal freedom."

The keynote speaker of the event was the 16-term U.S. congressman 
from Massachusetts' 4th district, Barney Frank. An avid supporter of 
marijuana legalization, Frank spoke about his efforts to end the 
marijuana prohibition in Massachusetts and the United States at large.

"I am fighting for a measure that will reduce crime and make money 
for the government," Frank said. "At this festival, there is no 
fighting and no anger. If this were a beer festival, the cops would 
have been busy breaking up fights. There is no logical standard for 
prohibiting marijuana; it is a cultural bias. We could save money on 
prisons and the judicial system."

While Frank stressed the work that still needed to be done, he also 
acknowledged the work that had already been accomplished. He 
recognized several of the organizations that were sponsoring the 
event for the work that they had done and urged them to continue their efforts.

Throughout the event, there were police and park rangers circling 
around the park. They ignored the people openly smoking in the park 
within their eyesight, however.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom