It was 4:20 in the afternoon on 4-20, and I did as good pot smokers do. To this day, I can't tell you where the reference originated, but if anyone says it's 4:20, they are eluding to getting high. The day April 20 has other significant references. It's Hitler's Birthday, it's when the Columbine shooting occurred, and spring fever affects everyone from this day until the sun cooks our brains in June. How did people mark the occasion this year? By protesting.

In Quebec, the Summit of Americas kicked into its first serious day. Leaders from throughout the Western Hemisphere came together to talk about free trade, and college students and radicals came together to protest 2.3 mile away from them. As tear gas cans flew back and forth, I couldn't see the point. I didn't know why the riot gear police swung at everything they saw. I didn't know why the protesters pounded on cars. I had no idea what any of it had to do with tariffs on goods.

I just came back from Brazil, and one of the things I learned was that with all the language and cultural differences, people down there are similar to us. Many girls wear tight blue jeans, and many guys wear soccer jerseys. Just like Americans, they hang out, sell products to each other, make a living, and find ways to get by. I got a degree in political science, and I know the danger of viewing countries like individual people. "Free trade will hurt Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia, Mexico," and on and on as if we shook hands and had conversations with each country. Personally, I think free trade will help these countries in some ways and hinder them in others, but I know the people will adjust like they always do. Not the kind of opinion that makes me want to drive to Quebec and yell at leaders 2.3 miles away from me.

Around the United States on 4-20, kids ditched school in response to Columbine. In Albuquerque, three out of every four kids stayed home. I understand this completely. Any chance a child has to miss school without consequence, I thoroughly encourage. I always gunned for perfect attendance, and now I can't tell say my education was any better than Huck Finn's. These students, however, ditched more because of Holden Caulfield than Huckleberry Finn. The angst and rejection of being a teenager led two boys in Columbine to respond most incorrectly two years ago, and now the kids don't have to go to school on 4-20.

What point are the kids making? Not much. Sort of like the protesters in Quebec. The misfit kids don't like the social order found in junior high and high school. They don't like the fact that some people have great childhoods while others feel miserable. They don't like the fact that they are ignored. These grievances are nothing new. They were around when I was in school. They were around when my parents were in school. They will always be around. I drank a lot of alcohol to cope with my adolescence. No matter what your views are, I'm sure you'll admit that was better than picking up a gun.

I smoke more pot and drink less alcohol these days. While I don't consider smoking marijuana much of a protest, I am breaking the law just like my fellow reactionaries. Although I never feel the need to flaunt my use in front of police in riot gear, I am nevertheless staging a silent protest. So as they scattered in Quebec and ditched school around the country, I took a few long tokes and settled into my counter-culture mind set.

Soon after my 4:20 moment on 4-20, I realized I had dry cleaning to pick up. As I put my sport coats and slacks in the car, a tall thin black man asked for a ride. He locked the keys in his car and had to walk to get the extra set. Not only did I drive him where he needed to go, but I agreed to get him back to where his car was. It took me an extra fifteen minutes, but the man was thankful to get out of the wind. I realized that this was my protest. I can get stoned, pick up my dry cleaning and be a good Samaritan without the praise or scorn of the public. I can do all kinds of things no one will ever know about unless I tell them. Freer than freedom. So there you have it, 4-20 is the new protest holiday. You can celebrate or ignore it as much as you want. And the next time you hear someone say "Hey, it's 4:20," you'll know exactly what they mean.

Chris Jungle is the laziest protester.