: Bruce Margolin, Parvati Markus
: Down for the Cause
: BookBaby
: 9798350995671
: Down for the Cause
: 1
: CHF 10.50
:
: Biographien, Autobiographien
: English
: 216
: kein Kopierschutz
: PC/MAC/eReader/Tablet
: ePUB
Down for the Cause is Bruce Margolin's memoir, covering his career as the 'dean of cannabis law' and as an ardent advocate for the decriminalization and legalization of marijuana. He has been 'down for the cause' since the heyday of the 1960s in Los Angeles, when he quickly became well known for defending those who didn't 'just say no' and keeping them out of jail and prison. Bruce struggled with undiagnosed dyslexia, but his older brother had wanted to be a lawyer and when he died at an early age from leukemia, Bruce took up the mantle. His father's untimely death also made Bruce seek out the answers to the deeper questions of life. To explore his search for meaning, Bruce left his booming law practice to travel, winding up in India where he met Ram Dass (whose book, Be Here Now, had a profound impact on him) and Ram Dass's (and his) guru, Neem Karoli Baba, who touched his heart deeply. When Bruce returned to the West, he brought to his law practice a spirituality based on the Vedic concept of dharma (right living) mixed with the Jewish concept of Tikkun Olam (the 'repair of the world'), and a regular meditation practice. He was called upon to defend Dr. Timothy Leary, the Pied Piper of LSD, in the trial that followed his escape from prison. It was a valiant attempt to bring the concept of the punishment fitting the crime to the forefront of America's attention, as Leary had originally been sentenced to ten years for simple possession of a small amount of marijuana. As the founder and director of the Los Angeles chapter of NORML (the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws), Bruce ran for political office a number of times in order to promote the idea of legalization, and came close to winning. In Down for the Cause, Bruce shows how legalization, in all its complexity, was finally accomplished in his home state of California.

PARVATI MARKUS is the author of Whisper in the Heart: The Ongoing Presence of Neem Karoli Baba (Mandala Publishing, 2022); Love Everyone: The Transcendent Wisdom of Neem Karoli Baba Told Through the Stories of the Westerners Whose Lives He Transformed (HarperOne, 2015); and a children's book, Isabella Castaspella: The Happy Little Witch and Her Friends (SitaRam Press, 2022), with co-author Radha Baum, which is in development as an animated television series, Izzy Casts A Spell. Parvati is a developmental editor who has been midwifing spiritually oriented, non-fiction books and memoirs since her first efforts with Ram Dass's classic Be Here Now and has helped with spiritual organizations (past President of the Board of the Neem Karoli Baba Ashram and Temple in Taos, NM) and events (as a development consultant for the Global Peace Initiative of Women). She is on the Board of Advisors for the Love Serve Remember Foundation.
ADVANCE PRAISE
“Down for the Cause is a fascinating account of the legal history of cannabis in the United States. From criminalization to legalization, Bruce invites the reader to travel in time to understand better how a plant with thousands of years of use for medicinal, religious, and recreational purposes goes from being one of America's most demonized drugs to one that is widely used and increasingly legalized for medicinal and recreational purposes around the country. Through his personal journey growing up in Los Angeles, becoming a successful criminal defense attorney, a husband, a father, and a grandfather, Bruce connects the reader to the cannabis world, exposing the policy failures of the War on Drugs. In search of his own place in the universe, Bruce's spirituality, love for his family, and compassion for others inspire and educate the reader in ways most policy-driven books on the subject cannot. A great read for anyone interested in seeking to avoid past policy failures of America's Wars on itself.”
~ George Gascón, the Los Angeles County District Attorney
“Margolin takes us on a delightful visit to the vibrant American counterculture beginning in the late 1960s and introduces us to a list of the leading anti-government activists from those decades, some of whom, including Tim Leary, he represented. The theme that binds his stories together is his passionate drive to legalize marijuana and his commitment to helping the many victims of marijuana prohibition.”
~ Keith Stroup, Director and Founder of NORML
“The fascinating tale of a true believing Buddh-ish, Hind-Jew, heartfelt champion of underdogs, and a pioneering marijuana defense attorney—an engaging countercultural odyssey from 1940s Cleveland to 1960-70s Los Angeles, Hollywood, and Beverly Hills, from high school through law school, boot camp, a pioneering marijuana defense practice, then onto a life-altering pilgrimage to a guru in India, then back to the courts of LA county and founding the marijuana movement with NORML. The book includes personal encounters with chimpanzees and horses, Baba Ram Dass, Indian gurus, and yogis, Timothy Leary, Keith Stroup, Leonard Cohen, the Panthers, Charles Manson, and Gavin Newsom, among others. No one has blazed the trail more originally or faithfully than my longtime friend and colleague Bruce Margolin.”
~ Dale Gieringer, Director, California NORML
“Down for the Cause takes a wild ride through post-WWII America and through the first decades of the 21st century, as experienced by one of the best-known marijuana defense attorneys of his day, Bruce Margolin. The story moves at a good pace as he and co-author Parvati Markus fill in the details of people, history, and political context to keep the reader from getting lost in the sea of celebrities and characters who flow through Margolin’s colorful life and role in the legalization movement. Along the way, he shares a lot of entertaining tales and memories while also presenting his philosophy of life and the universe. A fun, informative, and compelling read.”
~ Chris Conrad, Editor, theLeafOnline.com
“Reading Bruce Margolin’s book was a revelation! It’s full of a lifetime of extraordinary experiences that blew me away, even though I’ve known Bruce since the 1960s. Riding horseback as a kid in the untamed San Fernando Valley; losing a brother; traveling the world; finding his guru, Ram Dass, and peace in India; beginning the long trek to legalize marijuana in California with NORML while saving thousands arrested for pot from jail; running for political office; representing Timothy Leary in court, and so much more—Down for the Cause takes you on a wild and true ride. Fasten your seatbelt and enjoy!”
~Linda Lucks, political activist, currently working for affordable housing in Los Angeles
“1969: the year of Woodstock, 250,000 people marching on Washington against the war in Vietnam, and Richard Nixo