I begin with the definition of hegemony... something generally used to denote BIG time politics on a global scale, but which fits in nicely with country-wide politics. Hegemony is generally referred to when discussing global politics and supremacy. It is the act of creating a hedge wherein one is supreme. As the following quote from Wikipedia denotes, "a hegemony can be directed towards cultural supremacy", as in the federal governments fervent proclamations that marijuana is very bad stuff, deserving of Schedule One DEA status.
"The Marxist theory of cultural hegemony, is the idea that the ruling class can manipulate the system of values and mores of a society, so that their view becomes the world view."
Wikipedia - Hegemony
Marijuana use, by different names has been around some 10,000 years. Until 1937 it was never deemed a threat and was never illegal, in fact, it's cousin, hemp, was a lucrative agricultural commodity - one of the plants that led to the inclusion of Article 86 of the NH Constitution, although that history is forgotten in a little more than 100 years. Synthetics dominate the market, and although hemp could compete, big money prefers synthetics/chemical products.
Hemp production was so big that, although hemp cultivation was brought to a stop in 1937 with the Marihuana Tax Act, by federal law it was made legal and grown by agricultural clubs including children, to provide hemp during WWII. Then abruptly it was made illegal again at the end of the War, and synthetics took it's place.
The original reasoning for making marijuana a prohibited substance was, as I've said before, a result of the influence of Yellow Journalism - newspapers seeking to take advantage of a bad economy by casting a black light on immigrants from Mexico.
Southern states, like Arizona, New Mexico and others were the most out-spoken, demanding a stop to illegal immigration, forcing Congress to act.
In 1961 nearly all prohibition of marihuana/hemp became unconstitutional, and technically for a time marihuana was essentially legal.
This led to two interesting collisions in American history.
1) The Hippie Movement/anti Viet Nam war movement.
2) Federal hegemony.
The hippie movement during the 1960's epitomized marijuana as it's trademark. States passed hasty laws against marijuana, some of it based upon a 1960's American led ban on marijuana world-wide. Criminal penalties generally began with a year in prison for any amount.
By 1971 this all changed, though each act canceled the other out. States began to pass laws decriminalizing marijuana, and the out-look was positive for a general lift on the prohibition of marijuana. Magazines like Playboy published many stories relating to legalization. NORML came to be, a national lobby for Reform of Marijuana laws, along with High Times magazine.
President Richard Nixon came to be also, and in hindsight it's clear to see one of his number one objectives was to bury marijuana use for the public. His blue-ribbon committee, called the Shaffer committee, which he assembled (and being as he believed it to be ultra-conservative and would rule in his favor) ruled that although marijuana use appeared to promote unconventional type thinking, despite that, it was a consensus that marijuana should not be illegal. President Nixon ignored the committee findings and had marijuana permanently placed under DEA scheduling as Schedule One.
A "hegemony" occurred when obvious facts made it clear that Nixon's actions were political and not based on fact. Marijuana is in no way deserving of a Schedule One status, or any status, considering the legality of alcohol and tobacco. To make it so is to bring hypocrisy to federal law, and a respect for the law.
A history-setting federal case was held recently in which for the first time in decades, a federal judge will hear arguments before and against marijuana's Schedule One status.
Federal Evidentiary Hearing Regarding The Constitutionality Of Cannabis Prohibition Concludes...
A federal hegemony places citizens at the mercy of federal mores... not science and fact.It places the government and the law, above what is science and conclusive fact.
"The Marxist theory of cultural hegemony, is the idea that the ruling class can manipulate the system of values and mores of a society, so that their view becomes the world view."
Wikipedia - Hegemony
Marijuana use, by different names has been around some 10,000 years. Until 1937 it was never deemed a threat and was never illegal, in fact, it's cousin, hemp, was a lucrative agricultural commodity - one of the plants that led to the inclusion of Article 86 of the NH Constitution, although that history is forgotten in a little more than 100 years. Synthetics dominate the market, and although hemp could compete, big money prefers synthetics/chemical products.
Hemp production was so big that, although hemp cultivation was brought to a stop in 1937 with the Marihuana Tax Act, by federal law it was made legal and grown by agricultural clubs including children, to provide hemp during WWII. Then abruptly it was made illegal again at the end of the War, and synthetics took it's place.
The original reasoning for making marijuana a prohibited substance was, as I've said before, a result of the influence of Yellow Journalism - newspapers seeking to take advantage of a bad economy by casting a black light on immigrants from Mexico.
Southern states, like Arizona, New Mexico and others were the most out-spoken, demanding a stop to illegal immigration, forcing Congress to act.
In 1961 nearly all prohibition of marihuana/hemp became unconstitutional, and technically for a time marihuana was essentially legal.
This led to two interesting collisions in American history.
1) The Hippie Movement/anti Viet Nam war movement.
2) Federal hegemony.
The hippie movement during the 1960's epitomized marijuana as it's trademark. States passed hasty laws against marijuana, some of it based upon a 1960's American led ban on marijuana world-wide. Criminal penalties generally began with a year in prison for any amount.
By 1971 this all changed, though each act canceled the other out. States began to pass laws decriminalizing marijuana, and the out-look was positive for a general lift on the prohibition of marijuana. Magazines like Playboy published many stories relating to legalization. NORML came to be, a national lobby for Reform of Marijuana laws, along with High Times magazine.
President Richard Nixon came to be also, and in hindsight it's clear to see one of his number one objectives was to bury marijuana use for the public. His blue-ribbon committee, called the Shaffer committee, which he assembled (and being as he believed it to be ultra-conservative and would rule in his favor) ruled that although marijuana use appeared to promote unconventional type thinking, despite that, it was a consensus that marijuana should not be illegal. President Nixon ignored the committee findings and had marijuana permanently placed under DEA scheduling as Schedule One.
A "hegemony" occurred when obvious facts made it clear that Nixon's actions were political and not based on fact. Marijuana is in no way deserving of a Schedule One status, or any status, considering the legality of alcohol and tobacco. To make it so is to bring hypocrisy to federal law, and a respect for the law.
A history-setting federal case was held recently in which for the first time in decades, a federal judge will hear arguments before and against marijuana's Schedule One status.
Federal Evidentiary Hearing Regarding The Constitutionality Of Cannabis Prohibition Concludes...
A federal hegemony places citizens at the mercy of federal mores... not science and fact.It places the government and the law, above what is science and conclusive fact.
