Volunteer crusades for cannabis and voters
■ Activist John Walsh, co
founder of the Eugene
Cannabis Liberation
Society, works tirelessly
By Lisa Toth
Oregon Daily Emerald
You walk past him daily, but
you were probably too busy to
notice the friendly smile from a
man dressed in a red flannel shirt
and wide-rimmed glasses. With a
box of chewing tobacco shoved in
his coat pocket, political activist
and dedicated volunteer John
Walsh actually has much more to
offer students than meets the eye.
Many know him only for his
petition to legalize marijuana, but
from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. three days
a week, Walsh sits patiently be
hind a table in the EMU getting
students to register to vote.
His spirit of activism was
sparked in 1979, when Walsh
worked in Providence, R.I., for
the Coalition for Consumer Jus
tice, Providence Housing Author
ity and the Green Party, which is
dedicated to peace, civil rights
and environmental protection.
Walsh’s work with the Green
Party brought him to Eugene in
1989. Until April of 1997, he
spent countless hours walking
from house to house, to alert
community members about the
power they have to sign initia
tives and become involved in po
litical campaigns.
Walsh continued his public
work as the current co-founder
and vice-president of the Eugene
Cannabis Liberation Society. CLS
president and co-founder Dan
Koozer described Walsh as “the
anchorperson of the group.
Everything we do wouldn’t be
possible without him.”
The CLS group, which consists
of six members, uses tactics such
as signs, booths and talking to stu
dents to make a difference in im
portant issues that range far be
yond the marijuana debate, such
as the upcoming presidential
elections.
Walsh said that in the national
student newsletter, published by
the United States Students Asso
ciation, 45 percent of voter popu
lation fell under the age range of
18-34. “But only six percent were
actually registered to vote in that
age group,” Walsh said.
The USSA is a national organi
zation committed to providing
better access to education for stu
dents.
Walsh also explained that peo
ple between the ages of 18-34 are
often classified as “functionally il
literate.” This means they do not
have completely developed read
ing and writing skills. According
to the Literacy Volunteers of
America Web site, one in five
American adults — 30 million
people — are functionally illiter
ate. The number of illiterate
adults exceeds, by 16 million, the
entire voter turnout for President
Reagan in the 1980 election.
The CLS, which was originally
formed in January of 1996, will set
up a table at the Freedom Plaza on
April 1 at the Saturday Market and
at county fairs to offer people the
opportunity to register to vote.
■eWeWeVi
Calendar
Thursday, March 9
The documentary "A Place Called
Chiapas” will beshownat7p.m. in
177 Lawrence Hall. Sponsored by
the Committee In Solidarity with the
Central"American People.
Activist John Walsh, co-founder of the Eugene Cannabis Liberation Society, voices his opinions while trying to get people to register to vote on the main floor of the EMU.
“Public education explains our
position to the community,”
Koozer said.
Walsh is working in an envi
ronment where many students
want to be educated about the is
sues but don’t know where to
find information.
“I feel I am obligated to vote.
But I don’t feel my vote can make
a difference because of the major
ity. I don’t want to sit down and
read a long list of ballot meas
ures,” undeclared freshman
Marie Malpass said. She ex
plained that if she knew more
about the issues, she would be
more encouraged to vote.
The CLS provides that link to
information. Walsh said he is
willing to answer questions. To
increase membership in the CLS,
Walsh said the members are try
ing to get people to participate in
the Medical Marijuana Law,
passed in 1998. Once they pay
$150 per year, patients are issued
a card, which allows them to re
ceive treatment for special condi
tions.
Walsh is a firm advocate for a
conference that will take place in
Salem on March 20. The confer
ence will decide whether or not
to add seven conditions, includ
ing schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s
disease and STDs to the program.
Right now, the CLS is working
to restart the dormant Hemp Ed
ucation Network.
“The group has been defunct
since the 1994-95 school year, but
we want to change that,” said
freshman landscape and architec
ture major Aaron Reddick.
Two other initiatives addressed
by these groups are the Oregon
Cannabis Taxation Act and the
Oregon Personal Privacy amend
ment, which are current being de
bated in the Legislature. Both
would help private citizens own
and use marijuana in their homes.
The Oregon Homecrafts Associa
tion’s 16th Annual Spring Artsand
Crafts Show and Sale will be held at
The Lane County Home and Garden
Show at the Lane County Fair
grounds from 5 pm. to 10 pm.
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