Culture
Legalize Willie Nelson's Tour Bus
Posted in Chronicle Blog by Scott Morgan on Tue, 02/02/2010 - 6:43pmI don't usually cover celebrity pot-bust stories, but the repeated harassment of Willie Nelson's tour bus is ridiculous and it needs to stop:
The strong odor of marijuana wafting from the window of a Willie Nelson tour bus led to six members of the country singer's entourage getting busted in Duplin County for possession of marijuana and three-fourths of a quart of moonshine, law enforcement officials said. [News Observer]
Seriously, if anyone has a problem with what a bunch of aging musicians do in their tour bus, then don't go in there. If these guys were a legitimate threat to public safety, it shouldn't take a probable cause search to catch them. If they'd run a Church choir off the highway wasted on shrooms and moonshine, that would be a different story, but they're super old and it's clear by now that they can be trusted.
To dispel any confusion, I propose federal legislation clarifying the right of Willie Nelson and his associates to do whatever they feel is necessary in order to have an awesome time. The smell of potent cannabis emanating from their tour bus should be interpreted as a sign that everything is fine.
It's Time to Legalize Medical Marijuana in Professional Sports
Posted in Chronicle Blog by Scott Morgan on Fri, 01/08/2010 - 12:58amAndrew Sullivan points to this ESPN comment regarding NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Percy Harvin:
Harvin was a controversial draft pick after he tested positive for marijuana use at the February scouting combine. But as it turned out, the biggest problem he encountered was an intensification of migraine headaches that has plagued him for much of his life.
Oh, I think I know what's going on here. First, Harvin gets in trouble for testing positive for marijuana. Now he's passing drug tests, but suffering from constant debilitating migraines. Sounds like the NFL has simply prohibited him from using the one medicine that effectively treats his condition.
The thing about marijuana and migraines is that it doesn't just relieve symptoms, it often stops the headaches from ever happening in the first place. I've spoken with many migraine sufferers who've found that even modest use of marijuana simply makes the problem go away. I discovered this for myself in my late teens and it changed my life. I used to wake up everyday wondering if by mid-afternoon, I'd be huddled in a dark room, half-blind, violently nauseous and knowing I'd be unable to function again for 12 hours. It was horrible, but it ended quite abruptly one summer, and it was only later that I came to understand why.
So I can't even begin to describe my frustration at watching a world-class athlete's career jeopardized by the NFL's ridiculous prohibition against marijuana. Banning recreational use is silly, but this is an outrage. If you don't want publicity surrounding marijuana use in professional sports, then stop testing the athletes for marijuana. If that's too much to ask, then at least create an exemption for cases in which a doctor recommends medical use. Believe me, this would generate next to no controversy, although substantial coverage ranging from neutral to positive would be almost guaranteed.
If the President of the United States can embrace a more reasonable medical marijuana policy, there's no reason the NFL can’t do the same.
The Year on Drugs 2009: The Top Ten US Domestic Drug Policy Stories
As 2009 prepares to become history, we look back at the past year's domestic drug policy developments.
Tommy Chong's Prosecutor Says He Should Have Gotten More Jail Time
Posted in Chronicle Blog by Scott Morgan on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 1:29amMary Beth Buchanan, easily the nastiest federal prosecutor in the nation, has finally resigned her post. Yet, even as lovers of justice across the country celebrate her long-overdue departure (and pray she won't run for elected office), Buchanan has managed to turn our stomachs for what will hopefully be the last time:
On her last day in office, Buchanan says her only regret during her tenure was accepting a plea from Tommy Chong. [KDKA.com]
Such pure arrogance is really something to behold. Every legal textbook in the country should display her picture beside the term "malicious prosecution," as the railroading of Tommy Chong is a mere footnote within a career defined by gratuitous excesses.
Of course, Tommy was amused to hear that Buchanan still holds a grudge against him. The feeling is mutual:
"I'm honored to be Mary Beth's only regret. Now does she regret going after me? Or does she regret that I never got enough time? I tend to think she wishes she'd never heard my name. I have become her legacy. Mary Beth Loose Cannon is now looking for a job. She blew her last job busting me. Karma is so sweet! She's looking for a work while Cheech and I start our second multi-million dollar tour thanks to the publicity she created for us! Thank you Mary Beth - may you find peace and happiness in your search for your soul." [CelebStoner]
I dunno, Tommy. You might wanna keep the floodlights on at night, just in case. If we know one thing about Mary Beth Buchanan, it’s that she never ever stops. She could be lurking in your bushes at this very moment, drunk with fury and looking to finish what she started.
Cheech and Chong vs. Bill O'Reilly: Worst Interview Ever
Posted in Chronicle Blog by Scott Morgan on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 12:33amBoy, O'Reilly really knows how to suck the humor out of a room:
This should never have been allowed to take place. Bill O'Reilly shouldn't be allowed anywhere these guys, or anyone else who's ever been remotely funny at any point in modern history.
And if anyone can think of a legal way to make O'Reilly stop saying things like this, please share:
O'REILLY: We found out that in San Francisco, which leads the league in marijuana clinics, medical marijuana clinics, a lot of hard-core drug addicts go in there, buy the pot and sell it to kids so they can buy their heroin and meth and everything else.Yeah, right. This is one of those social problems that you'll only hear about on the O'Reilly Factor because it only exists in the twisted mind of Bill O'Reilly.
CHONG: Sell it to kids?
O'REILLY: Yes.
CHONG: Where did you get that information?
O'REILLY: We got it from our undercover people.
Feature: Fired Up in Albuquerque -- The 2009 International Drug Policy Reform Conference
Drug Czar Blames the Media for Marijuana's Popularity
Posted in Chronicle Blog by Scott Morgan on Wed, 11/04/2009 - 8:51pmIf you wanna hear drug czar Gil Kerlikowske getting served by random people who hate the drug war, check out this NPR interview. As soon as the phones open, Mr. K gets put on the defensive by a social worker, a physician and various others who aren't too fond of the war on drugs. Right on, radio people.
But I think my favorite part is this clueless attempt to explain America's obsession with marijuana:
KRIS (Caller): Thank you. I was wondering - I'm 62 years old, and when I was in high school, I didn't even know what marijuana was. And I'm wondering why is it so rampant now, and it never used to be?Mr. KERLIKOWSKE: Well, I wish I had a good answer for that, Rachel. I am - I actually just about two years younger than you are, and so I'm afraid I would put myself in exactly the same mindset. But I think that marijuana is popularized on television shows. It is popularized in media. There is only one antidrug media message out there, and that's the one that the Office of the National Drug Control Policy actually funds, and that - the antidrug.com…
Has it occurred to you, sir, that TV shows and the media are talking about marijuana because people are interested in it, not the other way around? It wasn't the press that popularized marijuana, it was the people.
But this isn’t just about the popularity of pot, either. The reason marijuana is in the news constantly isn't just because everyone loves smoking it. This is happening because our marijuana policy is such a complete disaster that every single one of us is affected by it. If there weren't a massive war against marijuana being fought everyday throughout the country, then there wouldn’t be nearly as much to talk about, I assure you.
Drug War Chronicle Book Review: "Drug War Zone: Frontline Dispatches from the Streets of El Paso and Juarez," by Howard Campbell (2009, University of Texas Press, 310 pp., $24.95 PB)
Phillip S. Smith, Writer Editor
Marijuana: Boston Freedom Rally Draws 30,000 -- No Arrests, Some Tickets, in Wake of State Decrim Vote
The 20th annual Boston Freedom Rally brought an estimated 30,000 people to Boston Common on Saturday, September 19, to support the ref
Stars of “From Prison to the Stage” at Kennedy Center return to Connecticut
Posted in In the Trenches by David Guard on Tue, 09/15/2009 - 12:44pm[Courtesy of The Safe Streets Arts Foundation]
We are pleased to report that the Judy Dworin Performance Project, which was a big hit at our "From Prison to the Stage" show at the Kennedy Center on Sept. 5, has returned safely to its home in Hartford, Connecticut.
The Judy Dworin Performance Project (JDPP) was founded in 1989 as a nonprofit organization to provide support for individual artists, particularly the silent and silenced. Over the past 20 years, JDPP has provided innovative, inspiring, educational and collaborative art rooted in the belief that the arts can be a powerful agent for change.
Upcoming events of JDPP:
• October 30, 6:30pm - Excerpts from the award winning The Witching Hour at the Old State House in downtown Hartford
• Nov 5, 6 & 7, 7:30pm - Premiere of What I Want to Say at Charter Oak Cultural Center, an evening that celebrates past pieces and debuts from the Judy Dworin Performance Ensemble.
• Feb 2 - Dreamings, a piece created at York Correctional Institution (women's state prison), as further developed by formerly incarcerated women and family members of the incarcerated, at Kinsella Performing Arts Magnet School.
Upcoming residencies:
The Moving Matters! Residency program of JDPP brings movement-based multi-arts residencies into schools, prisons and community centers through collaborative multi-arts projects.
• A 5th year in residence at York Correctional Institution, with workshops in dance, song, storytelling, poetry and personal testimony on the theme of "Bridging the Divides" to culminate in July
• A further development of the York Moms & Kids program bridging the divide between incarcerated mothers and their children.
For further information about JDPP, its performance or residency work or DVDs of work listed here, please visit www.judydworin.org or contact JDPPinc@gmail.com or 860.527.9800.
Prison Tattoo Art Contest Winners
Posted in In the Trenches by David Guard on Thu, 09/10/2009 - 12:31pm
Hello everyone,
We have the winners for the 2009 Prison Tattoo Art Contest. Go to our web site and check them out.
We received so much astonishing art that it was difficult to choose the winners, but as usual, we have. We have also selected other artists to be displayed in "Prison Ink" the tabletop tattoo art book that will be released sometime in 2010. Watch our web site for changes and other announcements regarding "Prison Ink".
If you have not been notified regarding the contest you are not a winner. Winners have already been notified. Artists selected to be in the book will be receiving their notification within the next few weeks. Please do not contact us about your status we will send out all notifications by US mail.
We would also like to apologize for our late beginning for the second short story contest. The delay is due to limited funds. We will be holding the contest real soon - our priority is paying the winners of the art contest. Thank you for you patience and understanding in this matter.
Remember our stories can change the world,
Theresa M. Huggins
CEO, Shot Caller Press, LLC
503-890-1027
Media Hypocrisy in the Marijuana Debate
Posted in Chronicle Blog by Scott Morgan on Mon, 08/03/2009 - 11:49pmRuss Belville shares the fascinating story of some "higher ups" at CBS pulling the plug on a NORML radio show that was about to go on the air. The whole thing is magnificently absurd considering that CBS owns Showtime, home of the hit series Weeds.
If CBS has a problem with marijuana, then they really shouldn’t be out there making money by sensationalizing it. Boy, it would really suck for CBS if word got out among Weeds viewers that the show's corporate owners have some kind of problem with debating marijuana laws.
Ecstacy and the war on empathy.
Posted in Reader Blogs by Glen Stark on Tue, 07/14/2009 - 9:22amI recently read an article on the Sotomeyer Hearings, which discussed how "Republicans Question Need for Empathy".
Feature: Censorship in California -- MPP Marijuana Ad Campaign Hits Bumps as Stations Reject It
The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) kicked off a TV ad campaign aimed at gaining support for a California marijuana legalization bill in the legislatu
Safe Streets Arts Foundation: International Publicity for Our Prison Art Show
Posted in In the Trenches by David Guard on Wed, 06/10/2009 - 5:11pmCanadian Radio Station Interview about our Upcoming Pano Prison Art Show
(Listen to It at Your Leisure)
Listen to our interview
live on Monday, June 8, 10:30 pm Eastern time on a prominent Vancouver, Canada radio station at www.coopradio.org or, if you miss it, listen to the podcast at www.rabble.ca.
The subject of the radio interview is
our upcoming free art show featuring "Pano" art created in prisons across America. This is a special show called "Pano in American Tradition" at Takoma Park Community Center (Gallery 3), 7500 Maple Ave, Takoma Park, Maryland from June 12 to July 25, 2009. The art is part of the collection of the Safe Streets Arts Foundation, which operates the Prison Art Gallery in Washington DC. The opening reception will take place on June 12 from 6 to 9 pm, and will feature live music by ex-prisoner guitarist Dennis Sobin, who has performed at the Kennedy Center.
Paño art draws on the deepest emotions of prisoners whose artistic expression is limited only by the materials at hand. The word paño (Spanish for cloth or handkerchief) has come to mean the art form itself -- a ball point pen or colored pencil drawing on a handkerchief.
Scholars have yet to determine the origin of paño art but some believe that it emerged in the 1940s among Chicano prisoners in the Southwestern United States who drew on the handkerchiefs or torn bed sheets. They do this because finding materials for artistic expression is difficult.
The portable and economical aspects of the Paño (handkerchief) allow prisoners to share their work with family and friends, use in bartering, and to mentally escape prison life. Today paño art is associated with Chicano inmates around the country, both male and female, who neatly fold paños into envelopes and mail them to loved ones.
Paños typically depict prison life, loved ones, dreams, memories, or personal experiences. Paño artists take much of their imagery and inspiration from the larger visual arts vocabulary of Chicano art conspicuous in murals, posters, low rider cars, graffiti, and tattoos.
Most prisons offer handkerchiefs for sale in the commissary and tacitly sanction the art. Panos are collected in great numbers by convict patrons. The Smithsonian Museum has a pano collection, recognizing the uniqueness of this art form.
The Safe Streets Arts Foundation, incorporating both the Prisons Foundation and the Victims Foundation, is the sponsor of the annual From-Prison-to-The-Stage Show at the Kennedy Center and the Prison Art Gallery in Washington, DC. It is supported through the generosity Lloyd S. Rubin, ex-prisoner and international arts consultant.
For more information about the free Pano art show sponsored by the City of Takoma Park and taking place at the Takoma Park Community Center (Gallery 3) from June 12 to July 25, 2009, contact Stéphan Janin at: tpahcexhibitsdirector@hotmail.com
"The Safe Streets Arts Foundation, incorporating both the Prisons Foundation and the Victims Foundation, is proud to sponsor the annual From-Prison-to-The-Stage Show at the Kennedy Center and the Prison Art Gallery at 1600 K Street. NW, Suite 501, Washington, DC, three blocks from the White House."
Europe: Danish Court Says Christiania Residents Have No Right to It
A Danish court has ruled that the residents of Copenhagen's Christiania neighborhood have no right to use the property they have called home since 1971.
Cool "History of Weed" Video from Showtime "Weeds" Program
Posted in Chronicle Blog by David Borden on Sun, 05/24/2009 - 8:49pmA precisely two minute YouTube ad for the Showtime program "Weeds" offers "A Brief History of Weed." The video begins with medical marijuana use documented in China in 2727 BC -- about 2,300 years too early for the Buddha image they use to represent it, but that's nitpicking. Flamethrower imagery at 1:06, representing the beginning of federal marijuana prohibition, is very effective, and post-Prop. 215 marijuana storefront footage is downright exciting. Check it out -- check out the Weeds season premiere on June 8th too. (Via The Daily Dish blog's "Cool Ad Watch.")
Michael Phelps and Marijuana Legalization
Posted in Chronicle Blog by Scott Morgan on Mon, 05/18/2009 - 9:05pmPhelps resumed competition this weekend, prompting Jim Caple at ESPN to call for a debate on legalizing marijuana:
We need to hear all sides, as part of a serious discussion on this subject, and then make a rational decision about whether marijuana should be legal in this country.What we do not need is to waste any more energy fretting over a college-age athlete smoking pot and the negative lesson it sends to the nation's youth. Otherwise the negative message kids will learn from Phelps' bong hit is this: Adults are too busy shouting about meaningless crap to intelligently discuss what is actually important.
Damn straight. I'm assuming, of course, that he's referring to those who condemned Phelps and not those of us who launched an angry boycott against Kellogg's. Because that was totally necessary.
Feature: Cannabis Nation Takes to the Streets in First Week of Global Marijuana March
