Why I Do Not Celebrate 4:20 Anymore.....A Story by Andrew N. FarrensThis was a question I began to ask myself in recent years......
For those of
you not in the know, April 20th is the universal day of the year when all the
World's adherents to The Goddess of Marijuana light up in celebration of what
they inherently consider THEIR national holiday. In locations like Golden Gate Park in San
Francisco, crowds of various ages all gather to listen to music, enjoy the
outdoors of a beautiful (most usually) Spring day that promises, more so than
New Year’s, that a brand-new year of fresh chance has finally arrived, and also
to partake in the mostly community peace-pipes stuffed full with good marijuana. The day is filled with joy and love, almost
always peaceful since the average user under the influence of marijuana does
not become violent. It is like this in
many spots around the U.S., and around the world, since 4:20 has gone global.
In The Bay Area
of California, many police officers ignore the clouds of smoke that lazily waft
through the air filled with music and singing, making the occasional arrest when
they spot some-one selling large amounts of marijuana or some other despicable ‘hard’
drug. Most Police Department of
enlightened communities, like the rational and responsible American Citizens
who just happen to smoke ‘weed’, want to separate the serious narcotics from the
marijuana for the simple reason that the current Federal Laws regarding
marijuana are tyrannical and unfair in their very essence. I do not want to go into the reasons Federal Cannabis
Laws are malicious and utterly stupid, the results of men Harry Anslinger. According to
certain legends, the roots of 4:20 go back to a group of students who used to
meet in the Point Reyes area (The North Bay), located on the Central Coast of
California. These otherwise studious (allegedly) students would smoke out at 4:20
every day after school, which was in between the time when they finished
extracurricular activities at school and before they "hit the books"
at night. I love the story because they
were responsible, intelligent stoners but frankly, I suspect it was very likely
a replica of a scene from "Fast Times at Ridgemont High", when all
the damned slackers stumble out a sixties era Volkswagen Bus
that was choked with marijuana smoke, saturating every occupant with that
unique, acrid stank. This and several
other theories have put forth about the origins of 4:20 but regardless of who
began the tradition, it was quickly adopted by the counter-culture. For years
April 20th, despite it also being Hitler's birthday and the anniversary of the
Columbine Massacre --along with many other unfortunate events throughout
History--, was an almost Underground phenomenon and I was a proud supporter of
it ever since my ninth grade year, when I was told about it by a long ago
forgotten classmate.
I
am not a supporter of 4:20 anymore........ It has
become too commercial and after the political debacle in California when the legalization
of marijuana legal was voted down, I lost hope. That particular Proposition was
not lost because the “square bears” voted against it but by the greedy dealers,
and especially the avaricious “commercial” growers through-out California (mainly
in Humboldt and Mendocino counties), who saw their profits floating out the
window with the advent of legalization.
Who
really benefits from 4-20??
The marijuana
dealers, Medicinal Marijuana Clubs (though people NEED their medicine.) and
ultimately, the producers of marijuana (along with certain Government alphabet
organizations in ways of budgetary concerns). I have nothing against growers
personally; some of the greatest people I know, folks I consider family, are
producers and dealers. As a matter of fact, some of these people I know voted FOR legalization so I should not
be so quick to brand the entire group. However, the majority of marijuana
agriculturists and dealers are TRAITORS to the Movement and although I do not
smoke much anymore, if I do put a little tree in the air, I only spend my money
with certain people. I
am loyal that way.......
So while y'all
are burning (or vaporizing) the most beneficial plant that The Gods ever
bestowed upon Humanity today --and I truly believe we do NOT deserve such a
wonderful and merciful gift due to our inherent wickedness as humans--, please
remember those unfortunate people who have suffered or are still suffering in
the War Against Marijuana (basically I mean “The War on Drugs, which is the longest
war America has ever fought) and realize that we all could be toking RIGHT NOW
--at least in California-- without fear of reprisal from the Gestapo Police
State in which we all now live, if not only for the greed of the materialistic
growers and dealers...... MARIJUANA SHOULD BE GIVEN
AWAY, NOT SOLD FOR PROFIT!! Indeed...... Res Ipsa Loquitur Andrew N. Farrens April 20, 2012 West Stockton, California © 2012 Andrew N. FarrensAuthor's Note
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StatsAuthorAndrew N. FarrensWest Stockton, CAAboutAndrew Nicolas Farrens A/N/F Drew Kazinsky westies 209 Andrew N. Farrens a.k.a Drew Kazinsky is an awful, often Confused Poet/Writer/Musician/Word-Bully/Word-Slinger and many .. more..Writing
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