(editor's note- in this piece, Cheryl Miller is mistakenly refered to as one of the 7 US-Government supplied legal medical marijuana patients. She is an activist, and in dire need to marijuana's beneficial effects, but the US government is not supplying her with her medicine.)

"It isn’t freedom of speech if you can’t speak where the people are" Dana Beal of Cures-Not-Wars

Dana Beal

Taking Over Front Steps of New York City Hall to Protest the War on Drugs

by Preston Peet for Drugwar.com

all photos by Preston Peet unless otherwise noted

February 25, 2002

What Is it They Want to Say?

A divergent group of approximately 25 Drug War reform activists gathered at New York City Hall in Lower Manhattan on Monday, February 25. Organized by Cures-Not-Wars, the group took over City Hall steps for half an hour, then moving to the plaza directly in front of City Hall, as an assortment of individuals addressed a number of different issues, ranging from demands that the city and Mayor Bloomberg allow NYC's May 4th Marijuana-Ibogaine protest, (held in conjuncture with 150 cities around the world this 2002), to take place in Washington Square Park, and that more studies and treatment involving Ibogaine, a powerful psychedlic derived from the African Tabernathe iboga, be allowed in the US. One speaker suggested that marijuana be flat out legalized for both medical and recreational purposes, and notice was given by another that a busload of people would be headed for the NY State Capital of Albany on Tuesday Feb. 26 to lobby for an end to the Rockefeller Drug Laws, some of the most repressive in the US.

Stop the Hatred

"This press conference and small demonstration is [partly] about the city's interfering with our Ibogaine-Marijuana protests, keeping us out of Washington Square Park, forcing us to rally 4 blocks away," said Dana Beal of Cures-Not-Wars, and co-author of "The Ibogaine Story."

"I’ve seen groups like the homeless advocacy group Housing Works hold an event in which people threw mock elephant dung at a 15 foot tall painting of former Mayor Giuliani," said Beal, "as well as many other groups. I see no reason why we cannot hold our event in Washington Square Park, especially now that New York University has approved research protocols for a proposed study of Ibogaine."

Howard Lotsoff

"It is a highly effective treatment method for interupting addictive drug use, in alcohol, tobacco, heroin, cocaine, and more," said Howard Lotsoff, proponent of Ibogaine treatment in the US for many years. "At NYU, there has been approval for test design, but not actual implementation as of yet. It’s mainly a financial issue," Lotsoff said, addressing why Ibogaine and other alternative forms of drug treatment are not being actively pursued in the US. "Pharmaceutical companies make their decisions based on profits not on treating patients. And drug treatment is one of the only places where doctors themselves do not treat the individual patients, they treat by orthodoxy."

For Some, Ibogaine Seems An Answer

Carl Renfro

"Ibogaine game me a small break from the cycle of shooting up," said Carl Renfro, son of Cheryl Miller, one of 7 US-government supplied recipients of legal medical marijuana. "After 9 failed tries at rehabs, Ibogaine treatment, ironically in Amsterdam, Holland, gave me the ability to see I could go without shooting drugs."

Dana Beal and Sean Sweeny

Drop a Rock on Top of the Rockefeller Drug Laws

"NY Greens are for the legalization of marijuana," said NY Greens Coordinating Committee member Paul Gilman in a firm, unwavering voice.

Paul Gilman

"We’re tired of this locking people up. Here in NY, Governor Pataki wants to decrease Rockefeller Drug Law penalties slightly in some areas, but increase the penalties for pot. As a Green," Gilman told drugwar.com, "I want to point out that this is yet another example of the Republicrats giving the people something with one hand, and slapping us around with the other."

Tekimm Berlack

 

"We’re heading to Albany from our church in a bus at 6AM tomorrow for the Drop the Rock protests against the Rockefeller Drug Laws," Tekimm Berlack of the Harlem Convent Baptist Church told drugwar.com. "We have so many of our community being sent away for such long periods of time. We have to stop this, it is killing us. The Rockefeller Drug Laws have destroyed a generation."

Let's not Forget, There's Yet Another True Warrior Facing Drug Warriors in Court, and Years in Prison

Arwen Hardin

"Sister Somaya is facing 25 to life (scroll down to second to last article at this link-editor.) this Thursday in Los Angeles, California," said Arwen Hardin, speaking about the current serious legal troubles for the long time L.A. medical marijuana activist. "Sister Somayah stands in a long tradition of those advocating the use of natural remedies. Why does the federal government insist on putting in jail someone who helps patients with great compassion by offering an alternative therapy, medical marijuana? The federal government can no longer afford to allow the pharmaceutical companies to control both the political process and give them the only rights to manufacture legal drugs, thus limiting the therapeutic options of all Americans." Sister Somayah’s trial begins Thursday morning, Feb. 28, at 8:30AM at 210 West Temple St. 13th Floor, Division 122, Criminal Court Building, before Judge Craig Zeal.

NYC is Participating in the World Wide May 4th Marijuana Protests

"Because of some family groups and lies spread about unruly behavior, the Pot protest has been moved out onto the street," said Manhattan Community Board 2 member Sean Sweeny. This is the Community Board who would vote on whether to allow the protestors into Washington Square Park. "There are some people on the board who want the rally in Washington Square Park," said Sweeny, but went on to say that NYC Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe has declared there’s no way the protest will be held in Washington Square, regardless of how the Community Board votes.

"We have been offered and accepted Battery Park again this year for our rally," said Cures-Not-Wars’ attorney Jerry Greenberg.

Rabbi Isaac Fried, Paul Gilman, Jerry Greenberg, and Dana Beal

Describing the May 4th parade’s one-lane route down Broadway to Battery Park, and the city’s keeping the rally point blocks from Washington Square, Greenberg said it had the effect of "cutting us off from our natural constituency in the West Village."

In the Midst of No Replies, One Glimmer of Light

At one point NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg himself walked past the assembled protestors, but paid no attention whatsoever to their calls for dialogue.

NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg utterly ignoring protestors assembled on City Hall's front steps.

Ex-NYC Mayor Ed Koch behaved similarly, smiling but otherwise giving no response to calls for his support or a minute of his time.

ex-NYC Mayor Ed Koch, stopping for a quick pose, but no comments

A. Gifford Miller, Speaker of the NYC City Council also passed without comment or second glance, but City Council member Robert Jackson (D- 7th District) stopped and spoke with Tekimm Berlack, accepting literature on Ibogaine and ending the War on Drugs from her.

Drugwar.com editor asking, when is the War going to End for Pete's sake?!?!? - photo by Valerie Vande Panne