I'm sure that you've heard more than once, people referring to 420, such as, "Dude, it's almost 420," or something possibly even less clever. These people are more than likely members of a "secret society," in which members congregate to smoke a dried herb (from the Earth)to achieve feelings of "high." But where did this terminology originate? Why 420, and not 415 or 423? The most common fallacy states that 420 is police radio code for public cannabis consumption, therefore, hippies began referring to "smoking pot," as 420ing, and then began congregating at 4:20AM or PM, to smoke. THIS IS NOT TRUE. In fact this is much like the urban legend that this one kid took all this acid, and had a bad trip and now he believes that he is a glass of water, OJ, or any other beverage of your choice. Nowhere in the United States is 420 code for public cannabis consumption, or any marijuana offense at all. Some believe that it's because when a clock is sitting at 4:20, since the hour and minute hand are both together at a lazy angle, it appears that the face is smoking a joint. But in 1971, a group who called themselves the "Waldos," (one member now being the editor for High Times Steven Hager)who said they would all congregate at a statue on campus to "burn the ganja." The group began using the term 420 such as "420 Lewis," and other remarks in front of teachers and others, so as not to alert others to what they were actually conversing about. 420 has now become a trademark of most "stoners," vocabulary. 420 has nearly taken on a life of its own. Now after years of the term being mutated and morphed, "The Waldos," have stepped forward to claim credit. They claim it is not for fame and fortune, but to set the record straight. So unlike Christmas, or Halloween, 420 is a complete product of Americana. Making an urban legend a reality. It's good enough for me. Yet, is this day just another stupid excuse for skeevy potheads and stoners to over-enduldge in their hedonistic, nearly malevolent marijuana smoking? Or is there more?
April 20th is also the birthday for Carmen Electra, Joey Lawrence, and Adolph Hitler.... Wouldn't they have made an interesting cast in "Two Guys a Girl and a pizza place?" I wonder how Joey Lawrence would retain his "boyish grin " after spending 3 weeks at Auschwitz for making out with Adolf's girlfriend? But more than just infamous birthdays other nightmares in recent history have eery resemblances. April 20th, In Littleton Colorado Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold unleashed what is now simply know as "Columbine." Waco hopped on the map as well, as man-woman Janet Reno sent the FBI into Mt. Carmel compound where Davidians went down in an apocalyptic fire-storm of terror and insanity. Two years after Waco, on April 20th, people in OK City, OK, were cleaning up and recovering after Timothy McVeigh had blown up the Alfred P. Murrah Building. Over 420 people watched his execution. April 20th, 1912, the Titanic was sitting at the bottom of the Atlantic and not in New York City as scheduled. Just yesterday in the Phillipines a bomb exploded outside of a mall killing 14 and injuring over 48.
Is April 20th just a day for getting high, or does it double as a day of undeniable terror? Any day that Spawned Joey Lawrence must be somewhat tainted... Yet, undeniably, it is one of my favorites. It is a day of irrepressable laziness and sloth. A day for gluttony and excess. A day where one should seriously wonder about emphysema, and a day if you don't hack up tar, you're missing the point. I could actually feel and hear my brain cells dying, .... and it was worth it.
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