home

Masel Tov! Happy Ben Masel Day

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Blog Related
Posted on Fri Apr 20, 2012 at 05:41:06 PM EST
Tags: (all tags)
Share This: Digg! StumbleUpon del.icio.us reddit reddit
Ben Masel
Our hero

Happy Ben Masel Day:

Ben Masel, the happy warrior against the drug war who became one of Madison’s most beloved civil libertarians, may have died last year. But his legacy is very much alive. It will be celebrated this afternoon at the Capitol — where Masel so frequently protested secrecy, intolerance and injustice — and tonight at the Barrymore Theatre. City officials have even voted to make this “Ben Masel Day.” And rightly so.

< George Zimmerman's Bail Set at $150k | Reaction to the George Zimmerman Bail Hearing >

  • The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news

  • Contribute To TalkLeft


    • Display: Sort:
    Masel Tov! Happy Ben Masel Day | 14 comments (14 topical)

    Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment

    A dying concept (5.00 / 3) (#2)
    by Rojas on Fri Apr 20, 2012 at 06:12:55 PM EST
    Civil Libertarian..
    Can you imagine? I never thought I would see that in my lifetime in this country.

    Ben was the real deal. He bucked the trend all the way to the end. We could do with a few (hundred) thousand more just like him.

    It was a crushing loss (5.00 / 3) (#5)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Apr 20, 2012 at 07:16:09 PM EST
    I loved him and everything that he shared dearly.  He was so evolved, and he easily reminded me of what liberty truly encompasses and embraces.  His words were often so clear and concise and went right to my inner heart that governs my actions.  I planted a grafted rose tree next to my Southern style long front porch in remembrance of him, and appropriately it has three red roses (2 buds and 1 blossom) and one yellow bud today.  When it gets a little warmer there is also a graft of a rose on it called Gypsy Carnival that is yellow petaled ending in red edges.

    Peace Ben, I wish you were here.

    I raise my bong in salute. (5.00 / 1) (#8)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Apr 20, 2012 at 08:48:24 PM EST
    "All human situations have their inconveniences. We feel those of the present, but neither see nor feel those of the future; and hence we often make troublesome changes without amendment, and frequently for the worse."
    -- Benjamin Franklin, philosopher & statesman (1706-1790)

    It's never easy to speak truth to power. The Ben Masels among us are those voices of reason in an often hysterical world, who serve to keep us grounded and real, by reminding us that transient popular opinion doesn't always equate with sound public principle.

    I'm really happy that the City of Madison chose to honor Masel in this manner, offering his legacy as a means to educate the next generations about the importance of civil liberty, tolerance and dissent in a free society.

    Today I learned 2 much better associations (5.00 / 1) (#11)
    by ruffian on Sat Apr 21, 2012 at 09:01:18 AM EST
    with April 20 than the one I previously had.

    I miss Ben's voice here and am so glad he is being remembered in fine fashion in Madison, the town I look to as the civil liberties capital. (What a shame it is not Wash D.C)

    Weed is not my thing but, but god bless, go forward and enjoy the weekend. Should be as legal as my gin and tonic.

    Here's to you Ben! (none / 0) (#1)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Fri Apr 20, 2012 at 06:04:48 PM EST
    Puff, puff, pass.

    More... (5.00 / 2) (#3)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Fri Apr 20, 2012 at 06:29:50 PM EST
    Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen

    Brewer & Shipley

    Dr. Hook

    The Toyes

    FYI, tomorrow is Record Store Day--please get out and support your local independent record store!

    Parent

    Live from the (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by Rojas on Fri Apr 20, 2012 at 06:52:02 PM EST
    Armadillo World Headquarters.
    From Denver no less...
    How very diplomatic of you.
    In the best spirit of Ben.
    Blessed are the peacemakers*.

    not a reference to Colt.

    Parent

    Happy Day... (none / 0) (#6)
    by desertswine on Fri Apr 20, 2012 at 08:19:44 PM EST
    Where ever you are.

    most stalwart first amendment (none / 0) (#7)
    by jpe on Fri Apr 20, 2012 at 08:46:40 PM EST
    supporter I'd ever encountered.  a mensch.

    I may have missed someone mentioning it (none / 0) (#9)
    by CoralGables on Fri Apr 20, 2012 at 09:10:15 PM EST
    but how could no one notice the particular day chosen Ben Masel Day? April 20, best known as National Weed Day.

    I was busy being in the epicenter. (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Fri Apr 20, 2012 at 09:47:14 PM EST
    My office is a block away from the 420 rally in Civic Center Park.  I was on the bus right in from of the park right at 4:20.  Quite the sight.  

    Ben would have loved it here today--a crowd in the tens of thousands exercising their right to assemble and endeavoring to pursue happiness under a sunny (aside from the cloud of smoke) Colorado sky.  

    They really could have used him in Boulder today and pretty much all week though.

    Parent

    Maseltov! (none / 0) (#12)
    by Dadler on Sun Apr 22, 2012 at 02:08:29 PM EST


    oops (none / 0) (#13)
    by Dadler on Sun Apr 22, 2012 at 02:09:13 PM EST
    meant to add, "back atcha Ben."

    Parent
    Maybe one day... (none / 0) (#14)
    by kdog on Tue Apr 24, 2012 at 09:22:36 AM EST
    when Ben's dreams are finally realized and made reality, April 20th can be officically declared Drug War Memorial Day, a national holiday.

    A day to honor all the untold victims of this cruel senseless war, and to honor the noble freedom fighters like Ben Masel who gave tirelessly of themselves to try and make a better world.

    Masel Tov! Happy Ben Masel Day | 14 comments (14 topical)

    Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment