From: [v--d--t] at [twain.ucs.umass.edu] (Sol Lightman) Newsgroups: alt.drugs Subject: racism/mexicans/prohibition Date: 26 Aug 1993 23:12:08 GMT Here are the cites I promised on racism and the Mexican usage of marijuana ``The Puzzle of the Social Origins of the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937'' by John F. Galliher and Allynn Walker; Social problems 1977, vol. 24 p367-376 ``Mexicans and Marijuana'' by John Helmer in his book ``Drugs and Minority Oppression'' (pub. data to follow) Brian -------- an old post I found... Reefer Racism Cinco de Mayo and The War on Drugs by Pastor Jaymes Douglass Fyr Happy birthday, Mexico. Birthplace of many millions of Americans. Birthplace of ancient cultures. Birthplace of great music and food. Birthplace of MARIJUANA!!?? The history books tell us that one reason for the prohibition of marijuana was that "under its baseful influence reckless men become bloodthirsty, terribly daring and dangerous to an uncontrollable degree." We are told that in 1910 a public official wrote that "marijuana was the most frightening and vicious drug ever to hit New Orleans." What was the real reason marijuana was prohibited? RACISM! Good old red, white and blue American racism! The Mexican revolution broke out in 1910 and the unrest spread over the U.S. border in 1916 when Pancho Villa and his pot smoking followers (some of them) invaded Columbus, New Mexico. Crowds of poverty stricken, uneducated Mexican peasants were migrating northward. Jim Crow America sensed another "yellow peril." Just as with the Chinese and opium, American public opinion was manipulated to believe that Mexican immigrants would bring in their devil drug, "marijuana," to seduce and corrupt the divine American way. MARIJUANA? WHAT'S THAT?? In reality cannabis had already been in the country for centuries, but it was known as "hemp." "Marijuana" was its Mexican name. Nobody knew what it was, but everyone knew that Mexicans smoked it and it made them grow crazy. So the government began to ban it. That was in the 1930's. THE REST YOU KNOW. Today we are becoming aware that merely smoking "marijuana" does not drive you crazy and that smoking its leaves and flowers is only one use out of thousands for cannabis/hemp. Let's put aside the semantics and racial perjuratives. Yeah, we all know the stereotypes: shiftless Mexicans smoking marijuana and ravishing American women; drunken Indians on their impoverished reservations; devious Chinese and Laotians, scheming to hook American youth on opium and heroin. And lately homicidal blacks pushing cocaine and crack. Racial prejudice always can use some kind of exotic chemical boogie man nobody ever heard of to fan its fires. WHAT ABOUT ALCOHOL? The average American parent will casually offer their adult child a beer. That's our cultural drug. But 100 years ago Americans wore hemp fiber clothing, read from hemp paper and used cannabis ingredients in their patent medicines. What's changed? Something called "marijuana" - pass a law against it and the problem - as well as its scruffy users - will go away. Will we ever learn? On Cinco de Mayo we celebrate the birth of the United States of Mexico and wish her a long life and good health. The USA should keep its imperialistic mitts to itself and if the people of Mexico wish to smoke "marijuana" or anything else, that's their business. The USA has no right to interfere in Mexico's sovereignty! The USA is a democracy and we will eventually repeal the prohibition of cannabis/hemp. On Cinco de Mayo we just want to point out how racism branded three species of plants - and a nation full of people - to be evil. Thank you Mexico - for giving us "Marijuana!" Western Washington U, Viking Union, Box E-9, Bellingham, WA 98225 (206) 650-3460 [nor m l] at [henson.cc.wwu.edu] Kevin Keyes, Coordinator Robert Halvorson, Co-Cooridinator -------------------------------------------------------------------- -- The University of Massachusetts at Amherst | _________,^-. Cannabis Reform Coalition ( | ) ,> S.A.O. Box #2 \|/ { 415 Student Union Building `-^-' ? ) UMASS, Amherst MA 01003 [v--d--t] at [twain.ucs.umass.edu] |____________ `--~ ; \_,-__/ * To find out about our on-line library, mail a message with the * pattern "{{{readme}}}" contained IN THE SUBJECT LINE. * You will be mailed instructions; your message will be otherwise ignored