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Friday, August 15, 2008

Historical Ignorance Sadly Fostered By the DPF/DPA

That so few people fathom the sheer illegality of the pharmacratic inquisition -- aka the US Constitution was amended to ban the manufacture, transport and sale of alcohol, yet people acquiesce to criminal "laws" [legislative crime] banning even possession of other consumables -- spotlights an ignorance of history- an ignorance alas fostered by the Drug Policy Foundation/Alliance.
From my unpublished manuscript "Coca Forgotten Medicine"

The 1999 international conference of the Drug Policy Foundation, held that May 12 -15, included a panel that I had proposed: "The History Panel", featuring Rufas King. Although I had included myself with a presentation of the history of the criminalization of Coca through the USDA, I was excluded, as was the issue. However that panel did have a full array of speakers (none addressing Coca), and really should have been split into two or more sesions.

It would be Rufas King's final appearance at a DPF conference; he would pass away in late December 1999.

I would continue to propose a "History Panel" for subsequent DPF/DPA conferences (the organization would have a name change from a "Foundation" to an "Alliance"). I remember that they would hold such a panel, titled or subtitled "A Century of Prohibition". It included no presentations regarding Coca or cocaine prohibition, nor about the entities and processes which through it was brought about, particularly the entire swath of the initial U.S. Federal government anti-Coca crusade via the U.S.D.A. (Department of Agrilculture) and its Bureau of Chemistry Chief Harvey Wiley.

In sharp contrast to the 1999 History Panel, this latter panel had fewer speakers, only 2 if I recall correctly, one being Marijuana historian Dale Geringer, hence leaving plenty of time for additional presenters.

They were clearly not only blackballing me, they were blackballing the very issue.

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