Veterans to lead mass die-in at White House to end marijuana prohibition

Written By Emily Gray Brosious 
 

 

(Photo credit: @aeidinger/Twitter)

Protesters plan mass cannabis consumption on White House front lawn.

Organizers with the Weed For Warriors Project and DCMJ, a DC-based cannabis advocacy group, are planning to descend on the White House front lawn May 20 at 5:20 p.m. EDT to call on the Obama administration to end marijuana prohibition in the United States.

May 20 is the 124th birthday of Harry J. Anslinger, the man widely credited with leading the first major charge to prohibit marijuana in the U.S. when he pushed Congress to institute the “Marijuana Tax Act” in 1937.

Per DCMJ:

We feel compelled to do this as a symbolic message of solidarity on behalf of the tens of thousands of medical patients denied safe access to cannabis and the additional tens of thousands of Americans, who are rotting behind bars due to cannabis criminalization.

Organizers bill the demonstration as a day to “remember the blatant racism behind the 80-year-old war on marijuana users.”

Anslinger is infamous for making intensely racist comments about his motivations for outlawing marijuana in the country.

Here are just a few of Anslinger’s offensive statements:

“There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos, and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz, and swing, result from marijuana use. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers, and any others.”

“… the primary reason to outlaw marijuana is its effect on the degenerate races.”
“Reefer makes darkies think they’re as good as white men.”