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"NEW YORK LIBERTARIANS MARCH 
TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA" 
Written by John Reed, Edited by Blay Tarnoff 
(Published in FreeNY, June 1998) 

It was Phase I of the Million Marijuana March, Phase II to take place May Day (Saturday May 1) 1999, at which a million people are expected to attend. 

For years, the annual protest against marijuana prohibition has been held the on first Saturday in May, at Washington Square Park.  This year, Giuliani changed all that.  The first step, taken last year, was to install video cameras in the park, ostensibly to "stop drug dealers" -- that action intimidated many protesters into wearing scarves or bandannas over their faces to mask their identities.  His latter act of suppression was to declare "Family Day" in the park, as a thinly-veiled 
excuse to deny the protesters a permit.  Balloons, clowns, and kiddie rides were brought in; the First Amendment was tossed out.  Thus, on this day which has traditionally been reserved for the legalization rally, and playing what we have all come to recognize as the favorite trump card of government officials these days, Mayor Giuliani held up his constituents' children as human shields to protect the marijuana prohibitionist lobby from the voice of dissent. 

A permit was ultimately granted to rally in Battery Park, approximately two miles south; the protesters marched down Broadway, stopping briefly at City Hall to voice complaints.  Displaying the Libertarian Party banner along the route, the LPNY was prominently represented by Gubernatorial Candidate Chris Garvey, his running mate Don Silberger, 
Vice Chair Blay Tarnoff, and party activist John Reed, who heard a passer-by to remark, "whenever something is happening, the Libertarians are there." 

The march culminated in a concert in Battery Park, at which many speakers with widely varying agendas criticized various aspects of current marijuana policy.  Chris and Don each spoke at length to the receptive crowd, eloquently articulating the Libertarian position on marijuana prohibition and its attendant evils. 

Sadly, the police were everywhere.  About 200 of them ringed the crowd, while a number of undercover agents milled about within it.  Anyone identified as possessing marijuana who was foolish enough to wander from the crowd was arrested and booked in one of the very intimidating Mobile 
Arrest Centers that surrounded the park -- large mobile home-type vehicles with little jail cells inside. 

On a positive note, we successfully ran an Operation  Politically Homeless booth at the concert, complete with Nolan Chart, a few quotes, and a "Does the Government do a Good Job?" sign wrapped around a tree.  Fifty people took the quiz, with an amazing 82% scoring libertarian or on the libertarian border. 

Out of the fifty people quizzed:  
74% scored Libertarian (with 8% border line around Libertarian) 
8% scored Liberal 
4% scored Centrist 
2% scored Conservative 
2% scored Authoritarian 
(note: the other 10% were at border lines) 

We also asked each person what they considered themselves politically before we gave them their score:  
46% had claimed to be Independent 
38% had claimed to be Democrat 
16% had claimed to be Republican 

Many had no idea they were libertarian, and their eyes lit up upon hearing the news.  We would congratulate them, shake their hands, and say, "welcome home!"  Most left their addresses for follow-up information and took a brochure.  As usual, those who left addresses will be sent information from the Advocates for Self-Government, plus a host of other libertarian organizations, and will receive several solicitations to join the party, as well. 

In contrast to the attitudes of most in the crowd, an undercover police officer who took the quiz scored scored 50% on personal freedom and 20% on economic freedom, placing him at the point where the liberal, centrist, and authoritarian sections meet.  His was by far the lowest 
score of the day, and even without his police radio going off every few minutes, it was easy to tell he was generally out of synch with the freedom-loving crowd. 

Over all, everyone had lots of fun, and we encourage everyone to do an OPH booth at one time or another.  Each time we do one, we find more sympathy, understanding, and respect for our point of view.  So, each time it just gets better and better.  See you soon. 

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