When Will Mainstream Media Treat Marijuana Like The REAL Political Issue It Is?
Mason Tvert, co-director of the campaign that legalized marijuana in Colorado, appeared on Real Time with Bill Maher for the opening one-on-one discussion with the host. Bill Maher essentially guaranteed campaign funding for marijuana legalization in 2014 in California if Mason would move there and direct the campaign. Visit THE Weed Blog article here to watch the whole clip.
In the Overtime segment that airs only on HBO.com, Mason takes one of the questions from the internet that asks, “Do you have a timeline in mind for winning national legalization and regulation of marijuana?” (around 9:11)
Mason points to Colorado as the great example, as the state repealed alcohol prohibition prior to the federal government’s repeal. He explained how the states decided if the federal government wasn’t serious about enforcing the law, why should they put their time and resources into it?
“We need to stop talking about it as if it is funny,” said Andrew Sullivan, editor at The Daily Beast. “The right to save your own life is not that funny. The right to do with your own body as you please is not a subject of humor. It is a serious issue.”
Samuel L. Jackson wonders if we’d have put the resources into the War on Poverty as we had the War on Drugs and Sullivan runs with it. “The criminalization of marijuana is essentially a war against black men in urban cities in a horribly racist way. It’s a serious matter!”
Add this to the excellent point Jon Stewart made on The Daily Show about news media deriding the legalization issue. The days of President Obama laughing off the marijuana issue are over – winning changes everything.
Republished with the special permission of the National Cannabis Coalition
