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| D. Is Not For Drugs |
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Posted by FoM on June 29, 2001 at 08:22:34 PT By Chris King, Exclusive To STLtoday.com Source: STLtoday.com 
He doesn't care if you smoke dope. He doesn't advocate that you do. He is far from a slacker, no turn-on and dropout type. He works as a union laborer on the East Side and has grandkids. Doesn't go out much. Really can't be bothered. He also moonlights tirelessly, burning up the Internet constantly seeking to reform the current drug laws, especially concerning marijuana, which he defines as a medicine, not a drug. We'll call him "D." In fact, that's what his friends call him. A fuller identification would be no favor to him, given the repressive political climate that surrounds criminalized drugs. His labors as an activist are many. He edits the Web site for The Media Awareness Project, archiving all of its published letters and managing its media database that lists, he says, "I don't know how many papers, magazines, and other publications from around the world. It's interesting to read that most countries are not following the U.S. lead and are moving toward more sensible policies." His newest endeavor is another Web site, the Drug Policy Forum of Illinois. (Note: a good search engine, such as Google, should lead you to these resources.) He is also thinking about manning a "hempformation" booth at the Illinois State Fair. "I hope I'm not mentally ill," he jokes, alluding to the public nature of such a gesture. How did he get into this? D. Says, "That's an easy one. I read a newspaper article about two dudes who added a drug to baby formula they manufactured that killed 38 babies – six months and a $130,000 fine. Followed by a small article about two East St. Louis men facing life in prison for marijuana distribution. I've carried them in my wallet since. Needless to say, it's not dated and is faded real bad after 20 years, but with effort it can be read." What effect has any of it had? He says that his Web sites combine to receive nearly 3,000,000 hits a month and attract more visitors than The Office of National Drug Control Policy, The Partnership for a Drug Free America, The Center for Addiction and Substance Abuse and DARE combined. "No site supporting existing policy even comes close to the DrugSense/MAP sites for relative popularity and number of visitors," he notes. Nevertheless, D. says, "I have no grand illusions of changing the world overnight. I'd really much prefer people don't listen to me (in a way) and just educate themselves. I'm just trying to make it easier for them to find the information." Among that information is heartrending stories about people who never smoked pot for pleasure but did develop debilitating illnesses, such as glaucoma, that are uniquely eased by cannabis, and who fight for their lives (and often languish in prison) trying to get access to the one drug that helps them. Also, many stories about non-violent offenders expensively clogging our prison system. "I really need to explain I'm not pro-drug!" D. emphasizes. "I am pro-reform. It seems to me the current laws cause more harm than good. With Bush denying student loans when someone has been arrested for pot, I find it bizarre. I think harm reduction is my real goal, and that means a major overhaul of the current drug laws." It's a goal he takes seriously, laboring at his computer for hours at night after manning a jackhammer or pouring concrete all day to support his family. D. says, "I also get up at 4 a.m. to get in a couple of hours before work. I've said for 20 years if someone can prove to me I'm wrong, I'd be more then happy to stop and just live my life like everyone else. I'm still waiting!" Chris King studied literature at Washington University and has taught there and at Lindenwood University. He has reviewed books for the Post-Dispatch, the Nation, and the New York Times. Source: STLtoday.com (MO) Related Articles & Web Sites: The Media Awareness Project Drug Policy Forum of Illinois DrugSense Site Map CannabisNews MapInc. Archives Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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| Comment #8 posted by FoM on July 02, 2001 at 14:48:19 PT |
FORUM SCHEDULE: Monday, July 2, 2001 8 p.m. Eastern - 5 p.m. Pacific in the NY Times Drug Policy Forum http://forums.nytimes.com/comment/index-national.html join Keith Stroup, executive director of NORML http://www.norml.org Once at the NYT forum webpage, click on Drug Policy. If you have not registered you will have to register to participate. Keith will follow up with a chat in the DrugSense Chat Room on Sunday, July 8, 2001 at 8 p.m. Eastern Future guests already scheduled in the series include Al Giordano, Steve & Michele Kubby, Renee Boje, and Al Robison. See: http://www.cultural-baggage.com/schedule.htm for details. The transcript of the DrugSense Chat with Kevin Zeese on Sunday is online now at: http://mapinc.org/drugnews/v01.n1170.a07.html [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #7 posted by dddd on June 30, 2001 at 11:15:56 PT |
| I wish I could take credit CS...It was a nice thought....dddd [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #6 posted by CongressmanSuet on June 29, 2001 at 21:18:36 PT:
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| talking about sounds like it could be dddd! I knew you were an old fox, not wanting to take credit where credit is deserved! This totally vindicates anything I might have said in anger, Im sorry, am am so gland we have such a hard working member of this board. Getting up at 4 am! Wow, ddd,,,youre the best! [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #5 posted by mayan on June 29, 2001 at 18:28:37 PT |
| Thank you cannabisnews & mapinc for the work you do! You are truly defenders of the truth! [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #4 posted by FoM on June 29, 2001 at 12:05:25 PT |
| I want to add that Cannabis News has been supported and maintained by MapInc. for a long time now and I have met the nicest people. Everyone is serious and works very hard. We all don't agree on everything but everyone works together and it is a wonderful group of people. MapInc. has never told me how to do Cannbis News but helps me when I don't know what to do about something. They just pay the bills. That has allowed me to not be concerned and to focus on doing what I feel I should. That's why MapInc. and all the people mean so much to me. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #3 posted by Rambler on June 29, 2001 at 11:57:40 PT |
| Someday,there will be a list of people who made a difference in trying to counter the insanity that a small group of evil people are trying to dominate the world with. History will record the valiant efforts of these nice people. FoM,your name will definitly be on that list. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #2 posted by Sudaca on June 29, 2001 at 11:56:11 PT |
| The MAPINC project is one of the best examples of the Internet as a tool for social reform. the ability to see the news reported by different sources, side by side has been an invaluable tool to find out the agendas behind the news reports. I'd say the MAPINC project , the framework D has provided for coherent activism is really valuable and worth copying in other areas. thank you D [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by Juan Costo on June 29, 2001 at 08:27:37 PT |
| The MAP activists are making a difference. Thank you, thank you, thank you! [ Post Comment ] |
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