Biography and Activism:
- Ben Masel’s background, involvement with the Youth International Party, and activism for First Amendment rights.
- Arrest during the 1968 Democratic National Convention protests.
- Relocation to Madison, Wisconsin in 1971.
- Notable events like the Great Midwest Marijuana Harvest Festival and the organization of Weedstock protestival.
- Contributions to the cannabis rights movement and political writing for The Yipster Times.
Political Campaigns and Advocacy:
- Initiating the Hemp Tour in 1989 and running for political positions, including against Governor Tommy Thompson.
- Challenging the Attorney General to a chess match to address cannabis intelligence criticism.
- Advocacy for cannabis legalization and his US Senate campaign in 2006.
- Unconventional campaign strategies that garnered significant voter support.
Legal Battles and Civil Rights:
- Settlement from Sauk County, Wisconsin, for an arrest during Weedstock.
- Civil rights suits against police officers for excessive force.
- Expertise in laws related to free speech and assembly.
- Legacy of defending civil liberties through legal battles.
- Victories in lawsuits defending the right to protest.
Legacy and Recognition:
- Contributions like organizing Weedstock, advocating for marijuana legalization, and excessive force lawsuit settlement.
- Memorial 420 Chess Tournament held in his honor.
- City of Madison declaring April 20th as Ben Masel Day.
- Government and media recognition, including the Madison Common Council honoring him and articles celebrating Ben Masel Day.
Legal History and International Reforms:
- Overview of the legal history of cannabis in the US, including the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 and recent reforms like rescheduling in 2020.
- Publications and citations related to Ben Masel, including coverage of Weedstock and legal battles.
- Government recognition through designations like Ben Masel Day.
- International legal reforms in countries like Canada, Germany, the UK, and Uruguay, along with legal actions related to cannabis globally.
Ben Masel Data Sources
| Reference | URL |
|---|---|
| Glossary | https:/glossary/ben-masel |
| Wikipedia | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Masel |
| Wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q29440992 |
| Knowledge Graph | https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/g/11g7258jc3 |
| DBPedia | http://dbpedia.org/resource/Ben_Masel |
| Product Ontology | http://www.productontology.org/id/Ben_Masel |