I was going to start this post by making a crack about getting any cracks about references to 420 out of the way. But then I realized they’re actually apropos of the intent of this post.

Yes, often when we folks think of the numbers 420 the references to marijuana jump out. Not a habit I’ve ever had any interest in, but I’ve been around it enough to feel its effects and I guess I can understand why others might partake. Growing up in the 70s and 80s I was routinely offered it but always declined due to lack of interest. That said, one thing that I never really dwelt on much was what would happen if I got caught with it. My skin color mattered.

Three events though shaped 4/20/21 for me.

I happened to reread (I had come across it earlier) a post by Eva Kor on Quora. Eva Kor was a twin who survived Josef Mengele’s atrocities and spent much of her life talking about them. She was a living witness to the history of the Holocaust, an event we must never forget. Sadly she is gone now, but her writings and voice live on.

4/20 also happens to be the birthday of George Takei. I recall growing up watching him in reruns of the original Star Trek, playing originally a physicist on the Enterprise, but really best known as the ship’s navigator. To quote Spock Sulu “is at heart a swashbuckler out of the 18th century”. But I later learned he was also instrumental in bringing attention to a dark period of our own US history during WWII, the internment of US citizens of Japanese heritage. He is, at this writing, still a living witness to those dark days. But, the truth is unfortunately, time will eventually silence his great voice. But that does not mean we can be allowed to forget what the US did to its own citizens.

And finally of course 4/20/21 was the reading of the verdict of in the George Floyd murder case. Guilty on all three counts. George Floyd’s life was sadly ended with the words “I can’t breath.” He can’t speak for himself. But fortunately, due to cell phone cameras, and the work of the prosecution, the jury could speak for accountability and hold his murderer responsible.

While the murderer will be held accountable, it will not change the tragedy that such an event should never have happened. There are those that will still argue, “well if he hadn’t resisted arrest…” ignoring the idea that perhaps the initial response while legal, probably should have been handled very differently. Dr. Mengele’s atrocities were considered legal, but that didn’t make them right by any moral compass I am comfortable with. The Supreme Court in Korematsu v. United States held that the government could force Korematsu to be detained because of his heritage. In the case of George Floyd, the defense argued a reasonable officer would do what George Floyd’s murderer did. The jury rejected that argument. Thankfully. But we know all to often where that argument did hold sway. And, honestly will again.

So back to 420. The decriminalization of marijuana is quickly becoming the norm. Even my US Senator Chuck “I never found a camera I didn’t like” Schumer posted on Facebook positively about 420 day. These are steps forward. But, there is still an ugly racial history to the handling and prosecution of crimes related to marijuana in this country. Blacks for example are about twice as likely to be arrested for possession, despite their rate of use being about the same as whites. Like many aspects of the law, it’s clear it’s applied disproportionality and in a huge part based on the color of ones skin. Hence why I never really worried too much about it.

Fortunately here in New York, part of the rollback of marijuana laws is including vacating 10s of thousands or prior convictions and expunging them from individual records (there are some caveats however.) This is a step towards restorative justice.

So 4/20 represents a confluence of events and perhaps a step forward. But despite Eva Kor’s testimonies, George Takei’s work, still going on today, and the conviction of George Floyd’s murderer, we have a long ways to go towards the living up to our ideals. They are the voices calling us to do better. And we must. And we must never think the work is done.