Push Back the DEA

PUSH BACK THE DEA'S EXPANDING WAR ON AMERICANS

KEEP MEDICAL MARIJUANA SAFE AND LEGAL

NATIONWIDE DAY OF DIRECT ACTION JUNE 6th

* Please Distribute Far And Wide *

WHO: You!

What: Direct Action to Push Back the DEA

Where: Your Local DEA Outpost (write to pushbackthedea [at] hotmail.com for a list of DEA offices)

When: Noon On Thursday, June 6th, 2002

WHAT IS IT? June 6th is a nation-wide day of action to push back DEA attempts to re-criminalize medical cannabis! The DEA is imminently expected to attempt to shut down dispensaries now legally providing medical cannabis to patients in California. To respond, activists in cities across the nation will use creative, non-violent tactics to disrupt DEA offices and
post their own "cease and desist" orders at DEA outposts. Through this action, we will build an "emergency response" network of committed
activists to escalate our resistance to the Federal Government's expanding war on democracy and patients in need of safe access to medical marijuana.

WHO ARE WE? Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is an aggressive grassroots campaign designed to push the Bush Administration to grant states the right
to choose their own medical marijuana laws. We serve as a catalyst for committed grassroots activists to work effectively with drug policy reform groups and supportive local officials and to unify medical marijuana advocates patients, and caregivers around a focused national strategy. We aim to draw national media attention to our struggle and build a nationwide
network of local activists committed to pushing back destructive DEA policies through action. If you are unable to participate in the actions, visit http://www.safeaccessnow.org/ to sign a petition and lobby your government representatives.

WHY DO IT? As part of the 73 percent of Americans who support the legalization of medical marijuana, we have taken all of the legal steps available to us. We know that medical marijuana is the most effective treatment available for many with chronic pain and other illness. We passed state laws through popular referendums. We took our cases to court. We
sought negotiations with the federal government. And despite all the evidence and overwhelming public support, our democratic will is still pushed aside by the Federal Government. It's time to show that we won't back down. We will escalate our tactics to demand effective policy reform on this important issue. We have zero tolerance for the harassment of
medical marijuana patients and dispensaries, and we will put our bodies on the line to prove it.

WHAT SHOULD I DO?

1. ORGANIZE YOUR COMMUNITY: Call a meeting of all activists who are committed to human rights, health rights, civil liberties, and democracy to help join your community into the emergency response network. Set up a phone tree and get going!

2. COMMIT YOUR NETWORK: Print out the "Pledge of Resistance" at http://www.safeaccessnow.org and build up your local network.

3. FLEX YOUR BRAINS: Come up with creative, non-violent actions that will disrupt business-as-usual at your local DEA outpost and demand that they "cease and desist" expanding their war on medical marijuana. A citizen's arrest? A people's occupation? A banner hung for the world to see? You decide! We'll provide you with materials, media support, local contacts and all the assistance you need to pull off a great action.

4. CHOOSE YOUR TARGET: Find your nearest DEA office. A list of office locations is pasted at the end of this message.

5. GET YOUR MATERIALS: Download the ASA Organizer's manual from http://www.safeaccessnow.org/. Print out a "cease and desist" order to post at your local DEA outpost.

6. CONNECT YOUR ACTION: Drop an e-mail to pushbackthedea [at] hotmail.com that includes your name, the address of your local DEA outpost, your phone number, your e-mail address and a brief description of your action (blockade, banner hang, non-violent civil disobedience, rally, march etc.)
so we can announce your action to other activists. Next, Join the emergency response listserve with a blank email to asa-subscribe [at] lists.riseup.net

7. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: If you need legal support (observers or permits or other questions) contact your local National Lawyers Guild at http://www.nlg.org

8. MAKE YOUR MEDIA: A sample press release will go out shortly. If you need help reaching out to reporters, contact the Mintwood Media Collective at 202.232.8997 or adam [at] mintwood.com. Also, be sure to contact your local Independent Media Center at http://www.indymedia.org for videographers and
independent coverage.

9. MAKE YOUR MOVE: ALL ACTIONS SHOULD HAPPEN ON THURSDAY, JUNE 6TH AT NOON.
If we coordinate ourselves well, we'll be able to pull off a nation-wide action to push back the DEA and demand safe access to medical marijuana.

10. KEEP IN TOUCH: This is only the first in a series of direct actions. Through the emergency response listserv, we will notify folks of DEA raids as soon as they happen. To keep the pressure on, we need to respond to these raids FAST. We encourage sustained resistance to these events as they unfold through creative non-violent tactics. From phone calls to sit-ins to spontaneous street theater, we'll work to support your local actions with a national network of assistance and support.

E-mail pushbackthedea [at] hotmail.com, or call 202.986.6186 for anything else you may need to make this a successful action.

This action follows an extremely successful nationwide day of action at the DEA last December when activists in 73 cities across the nation confronted the DEA on their ridiculous rule banning hemp foods. Since that action, the DEA has backed off the ban! We've proven our ability to spread creative
resistance across the country that tackles the absurdities and injustices of the drug war and we plan to build our momentum until we've stopped it. Please join us.

(o)Mintwood Media Collective for Americans for Safe Access.(o)