By Luis Mila
April 20th is a day of remembrance, be it horrific occurrences which have brought awareness to global issues and have even changed the course of history, or a cause of humor.
The reason why 420 is associated with marijuana dates back to San Rafael California in the early 70s, when a group of five San Rafael High School friends known as the Waldos – by virtue of their chosen hang-out spot, a wall outside the school – coined the term in 1971. The term signified the time they would meet up to smoke, and eventually their code word to incite the activity.
4/20, the code term for Cannabis, marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), or whatever you want to call it. This herb has done some tremendous things in everyday human lives.
From helping with Charlotte’s 300 seizures a week in Colorado, all the way to only four or five a month.
THC has no adverse effects asides from a loss of motor skills, and impairing memory in the duration of the “high.”
However, when it comes to smoking the herb, it has all the other dangers of other smoked drugs like cigarettes, and vaping products.
On a grim note, April 20th also represents the birth of the infamous Adolf Hitler — the leader of Nazi Germany who showcased his rule from 1934 to 1945.
With the birth of this man, and the exercise of his power, Adolf Hitler became responsible for the second World War, and for the deaths of 11 million people, including 6 million jews.
“I do agree that the holocaust should continued to be studied in schools because it is history. We can’t pretend that it never happened,” says Nicole Hernandez, a sophomore at MLEC who believes that education on the Holocaust is necessary to prevent such a tragedy from reoccurring.
Next, on this day, there was the death of 12 students and one teacher by the hand of two teenagers — Dylan Klebold, 17, and Eric Harris, 18 — this was the Columbine massacre.
The two prepared with homemade videos that referenced the attack, and were already apologizing to their parents before they even conducted the shooting.
Harris and Klebold killed themselves by inflicting gunshot wounds in their heads. Five hours had to pass before law enforcement declared the school under control.
The impact of the first school shooting massacre was replicated in the bloodshed that took place recently at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
Nikolas Cruz, a 19-year-old alumni from the high school unleashed a rain of bullets upon the premises, causing the deaths of 17 students, and left a permanent, emotional scar on survivors and their parents.
While the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting didn’t take place on April 20th, another student walkout is scheduled to take place on this day to commemorate not only the fallen students at Stoneman Douglas, but the victims of Columbine as well.
In order to reminisce about the horrors of America, the teens who died in Stoneman Douglas, and the 25 school shootings since Columbine, students prepare walkouts to make a political statement.
“I just think the parkland shooting walkouts are important because as a youth, we’re the ones who are going through situations like these first hand and adults don’t listen to us. so we have to speak up and let them know we, and our opinions, matter too.” says Naomi Rodriguez, a freshman at MLEC.
Every student finds it important to make their voice heard, and be the change they want to see in the future.
It is students like those who were petrified from Stoneman Douglas who have the power to bring change and awareness to gun laws. drop
4/20 is a day that needs to be remembered. It is more than just a common reference to marijuana and fun, it holds the memory of millions of deaths under the orders of Adolf Hitler and the memory of those lost from the Columbine and Marjory Stoneman Douglas school shootings.
