YouTube Censors Pro-Marijuana Law Reform Video, More Pro-Prop. 19 Videos

As first reported yesterday afternoon on SouthFloridaGayNews, Google’s YouTube has decided to censor the well done and catchy pro-Prop. 19 musical parody by entertainer Steve Berke after less than 48 hours of the Eminem and Rihanna music video parody going viral on the Internet—garnering over 108,000 views after NORML highlighted the video this past Monday.

NORML protests YouTube’s removal of a non-controversial, political advertisement that encourages California citizens who’re voting on Tuesday to come out en mass to vote ‘yes’ on the country’s most important cannabis legalization initiative to date.

Well…if the overlords of public discourse at YouTube didn’t like Mr. Berke’s creativity and support for Prop. 19, what will they do with country music performer Colt Jackson’s video in support of cannabis legalization?

Or, short filmmakers Fordy Shoor’s and Garth Von Ahnen’s Reefer Madness inspired sci-fi narrative that takes a mocking opposition to Prop. 19. Will YouTube’s censors get the comedy and sense of irony, and build a password wall around it, or allow it to stay up misunderstanding that the animation does not support Cannabis Prohibition?

Away from YouTube’s prying eyes, comedian and cannabis law reform supporter Rob Cantrell’s new Pro-Prop. 19 video spoofs US Army legend General Patton as ‘General Potton’?

How about Funny or Die’s Pro-Prop. 19 video? Again, off of YouTube’s system, creative artists don’t have to fear censorship and can address a political concern.

NORML encourages other like-minded citizens and organizations to contact YouTube and tell them to stop censoring Steve Berke’s ‘Should Be Legalized’ video and let it—along with all other pro-cannabis law reform videos—continue to gather public attention and support for the underlying political message: Let’s end 74-year of Cannabis Prohibition in America!

YouTube Censors Pro Prop 19 Political Campaign, Comedian’s Video Supports Pro Pot Legalization Drive

Miami Beach, FL (Oct 26th, 2010) Last week, comedian Steve Berke launched an online political campaign in support of Proposition 19 in California with the recent release of his latest music video, “Should Be Legalized”, a political commentary on Eminem’s music video “Love The Way You Lie.”

The campaign, supported by NORML (National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws) was generating huge internet buzz, and had amassed 108,000 views within 2 days, when YouTube flagged it for being offensive, thus requiring users to login to view the video, killing the video’s chance at becoming viral.

“We were on pace to reach 1 million views within a week, and our video was rallying supporters of Prop 19 and decriminalization in every state that had it on the ballot.  Then YouTube flagged us for being offensive and killed any chance we had at reaching our potential audience.   Their censorship of this video is similar to the Internet censorship that takes place in repressive countries like North Korea and China.”

YouTube failed to give any reason to Berke for flagging the video and it is presently inaccessible to the vast majority of worldwide. “The flagging system does not have a system of recourse and re-review,” stated Berke.

Fort Lauderdale attorney Norm Kent, on the Board of Directors at NORML, is among those who are outraged.  ”We will not let YouTube squash a vibrant political campaign the week before the historic November 2nd elections.

Videos of rapper Snoop Dogg smoking marijuana are not flagged as offensive, but a song that merely names him as a marijuana user is? YouTube is effectively freezing a viral political movement as it gains momentum in time for a critical vote. They must remove the flag. If they do not, we will pursue the matter further until they do.”

NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre adds, “YouTube’s building a wall around Steve Berke’s video makes no sense in light of dozens of other videos that depict normal cannabis use.  YouTube, whether it means to or not, is stifling legitimate political discourse regarding an important initiative vote in California next week that seeks to legalize and tax cannabis.”

“I just don’t understand it,” said Berke.  “People smoking marijuana in videos on YouTube go unflagged, but our video, that involves actors merely pretending to smoke marijuana as political satire, is flagged immediately.”

“In Eminem’s video, alcohol abuse, spousal abuse, sexual assault, arson and murder are all prevalent and the video is not censored in any way. In fact, YouTube runs ads against it, not only profiting off the video, but also making it viewable to all ages at all times,” Berke added.

The link to Eminem’s “Love The Way You Lie” is here.

The link to Berke’s “Should Be Legalized” is here.

Media Hysterics About Supposed Cancer Link Nothing New

It must have been a slow news day.

According to Google News, more than 750 media outlets — that’s 7-5-0, folks — have now weighed in on this week’s pot scare story du jour: “Smoking marijuana causes testicular cancer.”

So is there any truth behind the provocative headline? Some, but hardly enough to justify the media’s feeding frenzy.

Researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research in Seattle matched 369 men with of testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) with 979 healthy controls. Here’s what they found.

Men who self-reported having “ever used” marijuana had no statistically significant risk of testicular cancer compared to healthy controls who never used pot.

Men who reported currently using marijuana at least once per week, and who had started smoking pot prior to age 18, had an elevated risk compared to controls of contracting a type of testicular cancer known as nonseminoma.

Sounds scary, huh?  Well here’s the catch.

According to the federal government, millions of people smoke marijuana regularly. By contrast, diagnoses of nonseminoma, which typically affects males between the ages of 15 and 34, are extremely rare.

How rare?

Nonseminomas account for fewer than one half of one percent of all cancers among American men.

Further undermining the study’s hypothesis is this: Since the 1970s, the percentage of American males smoking pot has climbed dramatically. By contrast, incidences of nonseminoma have risen only nominally during this same time period.

Of course, this is hardly the first time the mainstream media has jumped ugly on cannabis. Around this same time last year, news outlets from Reuters to Fox News declared that marijuana posed a greater cancer risk than cigarettes. Only problem was that the study they were reporting on actually demonstrated the opposite.

So why does the mainstream media continue to get the story wrong when it comes to pot? Good question. You can read my abbreviated answer here. And while you’re on NORML’s site, get the skinny on what the scientific literature really has to say about any potential links between marijuana and cancer here, here, and here.

‘Snapshot’ Of A Day During Cannabis Prohibition In America

Like so many others these days, I use Google to aggregate news related to cannabis every hour, of every day, from all around the world. Hundreds of cannabis-related articles, columns, editorials, cultural reviews and legal cases; academic, medical and scientific papers, everyday!

I’m always amazed at both the number and scope of cannabis-related ‘news’ that now conveniently lands hourly not only at my desk, but on my iPhone as well. What I usually see through bias eyes when viewing these daily news feeds is how utterly futile it has become (probably always was to begin with) to try to enforce cannabis prohibition in free market-oriented democracies.

Just look at a Google news feed ‘snapshot’ below from midday yesterday to see if you see what I’m seeing…

Google News Alert for: marijuana

Marijuana investigation continues
Steamboat Pilot – Steamboat Springs,CO,USA
By Melinda Dudley (Contact) Steamboat Springs — Future arrests are possible as the Routt County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate a major marijuana …

Authorities destroy $64 million in marijuana off Carmel Valley Road
The Salinas Californian – Salinas,CA,USA
Monterey County authorities are looking for suspects connected to a large marijuana field found off Carmel Valley Road. County sheriff’s deputies and …

Fremont police find six pounds of marijuana in, under home
Inside Bay Area – Oakland,CA,USA
By Ben Aguirre Jr. FREMONT — Police recovered more than 6 pounds of marijuana from a South Sundale neighborhood home early Monday after someone tipped …

Drug agents raid pot farms in upscale Calif. homes
San Jose Mercury News – CA, USA
AP SACRAMENTO—Drug agents say they have arrested six key players in a Sacramento-based drug ring that was growing hundreds of marijuana plants in upscale …

Border Patrol agents seize nearly 2000 pounds of marijuana
KVIA – El Paso,TX,USA
Upon further investigation, agents discovered 1915 lbs. of marijuana worth approximately $1532704 inside the 2006 Ford F-250 truck. …

Coast Guard seizes 336 pounds of marijuana
OCRegister – Santa Ana,CA,USA
By JON CASSIDY CORONA DEL MAR – A US Coast Guard cutter based in Corona del Mar picked up four bales of marijuana weighing roughly 336 pounds after a chase …

Marijuana growing operated seized in Randolph County
Kirksville Daily Express and Daily News – Kirksville,MO,USA
The task force, partnered with the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department, discovered 40 growing marijuana plants, …

Several Arrested In Marijuana Sweep
KQCA, My58.com – Sacramento,CA,USA
Several people were arrested Tuesday in connection with indoor marijuana-growing operations in exclusive neighborhoods El Dorado Hills, Cameron Park and …

Helicopters collect marijuana plants with nets
Victorville Daily Press – Victorville,CA,USA
The marijuana eradication operation combines efforts of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department with the state Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement’s …

Marijuana-growing operation discovered on farm
Sauk Centre Herald – Sauk Centre,MN,USA
Investigators also discovered marijuana was being grown on the property. Ahrens had felony warrants out in Wright, Douglas and Stearns Counties

Now, proponents of prohibition and the status quo may view the above example (which typifies a daily news feed re ‘cannabis’, ‘marijuana’ and ‘hemp’) as examples of successes in the government’s war against some drugs. But, however, one can also be tasked to empty an ocean with a spoon…

When looking at the numerous cannabis busts (one every 37 seconds in America…), tonnage of cannabis interdicted and eye-popping domestic cannabis plant eradication numbers reported daily via Google, one has to wonder why a simple, effective, low tech solution like a tax stamp issued at the retail level (like the way state and federal governments control—and profit from—alcohol and tobacco product sales to adults) is not preferable to the incredibly ineffective, constitution-warping and police and military personnel-endangering policies fostered under prohibition?

In a blog to be posted later this week, the answer to my rhetorically asked question above was partially revealed this week on Capitol Hill.

BTW, the media and its role in cannabis prohibition will be discussed in detail at NORML’s soon approaching national conference. Registrations and vending tables are still available, but going quickly!