On Saturday, over two thousand Texans joined DFW NORML in Ft. Worth to rally against the prohibition of marijuana.
The rally was part of an all day event hosted by the Dallas-Fort Worth NORML chapter. The day’s activities kicked off at noon with a festival style atmosphere featuring vendors, speakers, and musical entertainment. At 4:20pm the crowd marched from their location to the Tarrant County Courthouse (pictured above).
Similar rallies were held nationwide, with many being hosted by NORML affiliates, both regionally in locations such as Austin and El Paso and as far away as Newark, Delaware.
You can become part of the grassroots movement that is sweeping the nation. Join your local NORML chapter and get active in reforming marijuana laws in your own state. Click here to find the group nearest to you.
which politionsaresupporting this important issue I want to support these people 9043927314. jeanney ritter@gmail please let me know I am a valid voter thanks
It will be soon. Mark my words before president Obama leave’s office. The united states government will reschedule if not completely remove marijuana from its controlled substance list. I will take Texas to pass and in act a medical marijuana program first. I will be so proud the day my home state has a marijuana program. Keep up the great work NORML!!!
(re-posted from previous post)
I just read what the newly founded group MAMMA is about. Apparently, the mothers walking next to me today in the march (In Austin) with autistic children and baby carriages were a Christian group who are working with Republicans Against Marijuana Prohibition and the Marijuana Policy Project to get legislation moving next year.
The irony is I had another sign to my left, (Besides the one on my right that read, “Control THIS Substance; END prohibition NOW!”) …shielding my face to the sun and the mothers, that had a verse from Mathew 25:39-40 on it:
“Lord when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you? And the King answered, ‘Amen. I tell you, even for the least of these my brothers and sisters, what you did for them you did for me.’”
The mothers walked next to me for quite a distance, reading the sign I suppose, as I blocked the sun.
What I wonder is, did they see my hemp-flyer on the back that said “Vote for Democratic candidate for agricultural commissioner Kinky Friedman”?
And then I wonder, after all the money poured into politics, does who we vote for matter as much to Americans as marijuana legalization initiatives?
According to a Floridian I spoke with earlier this afternoon at the march, he said ” The problem is marijuana doesn’t have a very conservative image.” I replied, “Cannabis IS conservative. Hemp conserves water.” The Floridian pondered that for a moment, than said, “Well, whoever supports marijuana reform will get his vote. Prohibition is just ridiculous.” I told him “Good. Because Florida is going to tip the scale of prohibition.”
(Adding to previous post;)
Texans: Special Primary Elections for Kinky Friedman are Tuesday, May 27th! If you are not registered, PLEASE register to VOTE. Kinky says “Hemp uses half the water of cotton or corn while producing twice the fiber and oil.” With Austin looking at minimal stage 3 water restrictions this summer as lake levels hit record lows, and as fracking and agriculture continues to deplete what drought does not take, we need every source of water conservation available!
Hemp is conservative! It creates jobs and conserves water! If that means Democrats have to take the conservative agenda, so be it. Meanwhile the alleged conservative Koch Brothers and their pet superPak “Americans for Prosperity,” are going around the nation purchasing their version of the conservative agenda by trying to impose solar and wind tax… that’s right, the Koch brothers are FOR a tax… so they can profit off of their timber and petrochemical patents that would be otherwise less valuable with an American-grown domestic hemp industry.
Hemp can replace petrochemical products with renewable, biodegradable celulosic hemp products such as plastics, paper, textiles, clothing, celulosic ethanol, and building materials. Cannabis medicines and food could be zoned in prime farm lands while more industrial hemp varieties used for fuel could be grown in coastal areas prone to industrial accidents such as Galveston Bay to absorb oil spills and hurricanes. The Jones Act could fund hemp seeding projects in coastal areas.
Together, we can restore Texan soils, water supplies and forests with hemp.
VOTE KINKY!
Why cannabis is illegal …
1) Some people have very little knowledge of the plant and are therefore irrationally scared of it.
2) They like to lock people up and have an easy reason to do so.
3) Evil people don’t want the masses to have the medical benefits of cannabis and its cannabinoids and to be healthy.
4) Cannabis hemp provides an alternative via bio fuels, cannabis oils, and many other products therefore reducing the need for crude oil and creating competition to petroleum products.
5) Prohibiton produces an underground monopoly on cannabis providing higher prices, bigger profits, and fewer competion to the cartels that sell it.
6) They like to scar people’s records with mistemeanors and felonies trying to make life harder for people.
7) Prohibition provides big business for private prisons, lawyers, attorneys, police, judges, politicians, etc.
8) Medical marijuana programs create another form of monopoly by limiting freedom. Money made on doctor vists, cannabis cards, they only allow dispensaries in certain areas causing some people to travel long distances, and they only allow a select few to operate dispensaries. They make you pay a fee upfront to get a cannabis card and make you see a doctor and pay to renew it every year.
Evil people enforcing evil unjust laws.
Legalize Cannabis Freedom !
While pressure for reform is mounting around the country, the prohibitionists in Washington, DC are plotting a Federal response judging from some of the committee testimonies I see on C-SPAN.
@ Mr. Hernandez…”Evil people enforcing evil unjust laws”…. We can fight these unjust laws. Be a voter. When called for jury duty, use your power as a member of a jury in a non-violent drug case to nullify the states’ case. In other words, don’t convict. Don’t help them enforce these unjust laws. Our voices are being heard, but also being ignored. No more excuses, no more convictions.
Idaho loves ZZ Top, and we like Texas to Thanks Texas activists, you are my voice, and I’m irreverently yours.
AS the founder of Texas NORML in 1998, I am proud of the tremendous job of getting awareness raised in my former hometown. The leadership of Texas and DFW NORML is to be commended for their hard work and dedication.
“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”
We will win with continued pressure. The time is now. The place is here.
We will prevail.
Want to help? It’s really easy.
First, register to vote. Yep, put your name on that nasty government list. Believe me, it doesn’t hurt as much as you’ve heard.
Second, VOTE! Exercise that right! On Election Day or when the ballot comes by mail, do yourself and all your buddies a big freaking favor by voting. VOTE, VOTE, VOTE! It’s easy and doesn’t cause warts or STD’s or anything like that. Then make sure all your buddies voted too. Have a session after the vote to celebrate your contribution to the demise of Prohibition.
Next, Join NORML. Takes a few bucks but it’s hella worth it. Forgo that next eighth and send the coin to the fine folks at NORML. I’ve been a member for over 30 years and I turned out OK. No warts but you get a cool pin for your hat.
Next, Get off the couch! When your local NORML sends out a call for action – DO IT! March, make signs, set up water stations, cheer us on!
See, still no warts. It can be a lot of fun and extremely rewarding. You meet loads of cool people who believe in this as strongly as you do and you’re doing your part to take down that Wall.
Legalization in your part of the world is just a few steps away. Take ’em.
Thanks Rick, for all your hard work. Texas has an increasingly powerful platform for marijuana legalization as more conservative Christian groups defend medicinal cannabis and increasing education develops about hemp’s water conserving advantage over corn and cotton, two staple crops that will no longer be viable in the state of Texas with a drought half as bad as the one we had in 2011. Thanks to 75 years of prohibition, hemp is not genetically modified to depend on Round Up, Monsanto’s water-absorbing herbicide used in corn and cotton. Furthermore, hemp creates twice the cellulose and fiber than cotton, while containing all the readily-available, essential protein-amino-acids, unlike corn, which has to be cooked with ash to release vital nutrients.
The most comprehensive climate change report in U.S. history was released this week showing Texas in a state of water-shortage crisis.I intend to meet Dem. Ag. Commissioner Candidate Kinky Friedman in Austin tonight at 8:00pm this evening at the Flamingo Cantina on 6th st. to discuss these issues at Texas NORML’s open meeting. I will report my discussions here on this site so that Texans can be informed before special primary elections May 27th.
Vote hemp! Vote marijuana! Vote Kinky!
how do these rallies accomplish anything? sure awareness but what else?
These rallys are critical to demonstrate to others in the closet that it is OK to come out on the issue to their friends and elected officials.
They also allow a way for people to be involved on the most basic level, to check out the group to see if there is legitimacy, therefore worthy of volunteerism or donation.
It is not a panacea, it is a tool in the toolbox of activism.
While I was disappointed that Kinky Friedman missed the last Texas NORML meeting in Austin, even my wife was real impressed with the mothers who spoke of their children’s autism. The highlight of the evening was when one of the well dressed “conservative Republican suburban housewives from Westlake” pointed to a dread-locked tye-dyed guy off stage and said, “you are my brother!” I loved the speech about the endocannabinoid system and quotes from Genesis. Legalization is really bringing Americans together.
Now I dont know what was up with the awful stand-up comedians. The third guy was so bad and offensive we actually walked out. Cheyanne was funnier than they were, and she was just pointing out the ironies of current events.
So I thought I’d write some stand up material we can all use to break up some if the burned out feeling we all have from waiting on the Texas legislature.
All we have to do to make marijuana comedy is read the headlines. The DA of Travis County still has her job after being caught last year driving up the wrong way on 360 with some prescription meds and an open bottle of Vodka… And marijuana is still illegal?
The whole attack from prohibitionists on marijuana cookies and brownies is pretty funny when you think about it. Like remember that kid at the playground who was all over the news from eating a marijuana cookie from off the ground? We can tell when its propoganda when we dont get a report on the diagnosis. So… What was the diagnosis Doc? Did you have to restrain the little kid like hannibal lector or keep the kid’s head from spinning like the exorcist? Did the kid pick up hospital tools and start chasing you down the halls like Chucky and then try to jump of. A balcony? What was that? Oh, you told the kid to “sit in the corner for an hour. You’ll be fine.” …I see. Sounds like real dangerous stuff…
And what about that guy who allegedly jumped to his death from a balcony after eating a marijuana brownie? Like thats all that could have caused that? If that was true, that all that influenced that decision was the consumption of marijuana, every building in America would need one of those suicide fences like the ones Apple built for slave labor in China. Literally, it would be raining brownies and people by now. “Is Ed working today Bob?” (Bob):”Naw, marijuana brownie… Krsplat…” The DEA is so stupid to think we’ll believe that shit.
So there’s a guy facing 5 to life right now in the State of Texas. Guess what for? Nope, didnt kill anyone. Didnt even do anything violent. Ready for this? 8 pounds of marijuana brownies. Yeah, forget how little marijuana was actually in the mix; charge him for the sugar and the chocolate too! Lord knows THEY need to be controlled substances! Ever seen a five year old on chocolate? I dont care who you are, THAT requires some jail time!… Ok, or maybe some time-out.
(To self) Heeeey, if we are what we eat, doesnt that make us all a controled substance? …I dont like these rules anymore…
Anyone ever tell their drug tester to watch them urinate just to fuck with them? Be like,”Well how else will you know Im not cheating?” And then smile at them all creepy and stare at them… Thats always fun. Unless its some big hairy creepy guy and he smiles back. That wouldn’t be funny.
Thanks NORML, you’ve been great.
Before the kid jumps, he stabs the doctor and yells, “Take THAT societYyyyyyy! (thump). People gather to the balcony and they’re like, “Another marijuana brownie victim? Tch*, I hate it when that happens. …then everybody takes a deep breath and casually mills back to what they were doing like “nothing to see here folks; just another marijuana brownie victim. Move along.”
Unlike California & now Colorado & Washington State the people protesting in that picture are not smoking marijuana for fear of being arrested . Shows how controlling law enforcement is there .
My husband and some friends were there. They were smoking.
I’m sure some were smoking there anyway. I agree with the sign in the picture.