Hippie - Yippie - yippy?
A pig as US president?
Did you know that in 1968 a pig was nominated for the presidential election in the USA? And we don't mean that as a disrespectful insult, but quite literally: “Pigasus the Immortal” weighed 66 kilograms, came from a farm in the Chicago area and was the top candidate of the Youth International Party. Their members were known as “Yippies”, a reference to the hippies that were so widespread at the time.
Why nominate a pig as US president? The Yippies stated: If they don't get Pigasus into the White House, they can still eat him. Very practical thinking.
But it didn't come to that. Pigasus had only just begun his acceptance speech in front of the Chicago Civic Center when the pig was arrested by the police, along with seven Yippies. The charge: disorderly conduct. In addition, the station wagon in which the grunting presidential candidate and his entourage had arrived was causing a traffic obstruction. And that really can't be done.
To make matters worse for the police, the Yippies had deliberately chosen the national convention of the Democrats in Chicago as the venue for their event. This Democratic National Convention was already the target of numerous protests that year anyway. So the police apparently thought the pig was one mess too many.
Curious actions with a serious background
What now sounds like a silly prank had a serious background to it all. The Youth International Party was a protest movement that used theatrical actions of all kinds to draw attention to itself. They wanted to hold up a mirror to the establishment and expose the absurdities of modern society.
In all of this, they fought for political and social goals. One important issue for them was the legalization of cannabis. The official party flag was a green cannabis leaf on a red star on a black background.
So, in addition to the name, there is a parallel to yippy. Because we report in detail on the state of cannabis legalization in Germany and in Europe and soon worldwide.
We do not use animals.
... to spread our information. Instead, we focus on important, verifiable facts and the opinions of experts. We connect interested parties with experts, companies, clubs, organizations and the industry itself. And here is the legal disclaimer: We as yippy have nothing to do with the party!
Enormous progress in the last 50 years
What is astonishing, however, is how much society has changed in the last 50 years. In the USA, the majority of states have now legalized cannabis in one form or another. Medical cannabis, with its proven positive effects and uses, is often the forerunner here. General sales to private individuals for their own consumption often follow later.
This is also the case in Germany. For centuries, hemp was as much a part of German culture as beer and potatoes. The fundamental demonization of this enormously versatile plant and its active ingredients has slowly but surely been abandoned in recent decades.
The steps in this direction are sometimes painfully slow. The current partial legalization of cannabis in Germany, for example, is being sharply criticized by interest groups because it does not go far enough and threatens to over-regulate. But in the long term, the direction is clear.
At the same time, when the Yippies took to the streets for cannabis legalization, they risked arrest, prosecution, and punishment.
One member, for example, offered two joints for sale to undercover investigators and was sentenced to a whopping ten years in prison
Whaaat?
This judgment was later overturned. The fact that the person concerned was a well-known author may have played a role here. However, the disproportionate penalties surrounding cannabis remained in place and are still valid in many places today. Cannabis is still illegal in the US as a whole, while at the same time it is legal in many states.
We yippies can now report on how cannabis legalization in Germany is making its way through the courts. That would have been hard to imagine in the 1960s. In April 2024, the time will finally come for at least a first step to be taken. Home growing, cannabis clubs and private possession will then be legal. The rules are complicated and strict. But a start has been made.
From the presidential pig to legal cannabis
In this respect, Pigasus had no chance of becoming US president. It is not even entirely clear what happened to the pig. But the actions of the Yippies ultimately made a difference – together with many others who fought for the same goal. (It should be noted that such an action with a defenseless animal would certainly be viewed differently today. This is also a sign of the social change that has taken place in recent decades.)
“Think about that the next time you enjoy your broccoli legally...”
