Officials, Pro-44 Lobbyists Clash |
Posted by CN Staff on October 28, 2006 at 09:10:04 PT By John Fryar, The Daily Times-Call Source: Daily Times-Call Denver, CO -- Supporters of Amendment 44 outnumbered the state and local law enforcement officials who gathered Friday on the state Capitol steps to detail their opposition to that marijuana-legalization initiative. “This is a sad day for Colorado,” Gov. Bill Owens said after the pro-44 demonstrators heckled and chanted during the anti-44 news conference. Owens, one of the featured speakers at the news conference, complained he’d never before seen a news conference where a legitimate debate by organizers was “shouted down.” Owens ignored a challenge from Amendment 44 proponent Mason Tvert to debate the initiative, which asks voters to make it legal under state law for anyone age 21 and older to possess up to an ounce of marijuana. In the news conference sponsored by Save Our Society from Drugs, one of the groups campaigning against Amendment 44, Owens and Colorado Attorney General John Suthers were joined by about a dozen law enforcement officers, including Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle and Weld County Sheriff John Cooke. But more than four dozen marijuana-legalization supporters showed up, many of them wearing green “Yes on 44” shirts and carrying signs directed at the anti-44 law officers that said, “Protect the People, Not Your Jobs.” Demonstrators aligned with SAFER, the group supporting Amendment 44 that contends marijuana offers a safer alternative to alcohol, jeered when Suthers said: “There is nothing safe about marijuana.” Accompanying Tvert and the SAFER protestors was Norm Stamper, a 34-year law enforcement veteran who was a San Diego police officer before serving as Seattle’s police chief from 1994 to 2000. Stamper said in an interview that drug prohibitions have led to more death, disease and crime than would have been the case under a system of taxation, regulation and control of drugs like marijuana. Marijuana laws now “are not working and need to change,” Tvert said. But Owens, Suthers and law enforcement officials at the news conference offered a laundry list of reasons against the measure. “We are also concerned that legalizing marijuana will cause a spike in impaired-driving fatalities and injuries caused by more motorists driving impaired on marijuana,” said Park County Sheriff Fred Wegener, president of County Sheriffs of Colorado. “The reality also exists that it is more difficult for law enforcement to detect impairment caused by marijuana and other drugs as compared to alcohol,” Wegener said. Source: Daily Times-Call, The (CO) Related Articles & Web Sites: Safer Choice Safer Colorado Opponents, Proponents Tangle Over MJ Ballot Owens Drug Talk No Love-In Proponents of Marijuana Initiative, Governor Clash Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
Comment #12 posted by FoM on October 28, 2006 at 15:16:15 PT |
It's really good. We bought it a while back. We have loaned it to a number of people and they are liked it. Enjoy! [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #11 posted by mayan on October 28, 2006 at 15:13:54 PT |
“This is a sad day for Colorado,” Gov. Bill Owens said after the pro-44 demonstrators heckled and chanted during the anti-44 news conference. It IS a sad day when a state government can spend the taxpayer's money and tell those taxpayers how to vote! And then the fascists have the nerve to call it a debate? THE WAY OUT IS THE WAY IN... 9/11 only "make-believe," Iranian government official says: http://prisonplanet.com/articles/October2006/281006make-believe.htm Members of Bush Gang Swore Under Oath Saddam Was Behind 9/11: http://www.smirkingchimp.com/node/2276 9/11 and American Empire Vol. II: Christians, Jews and Muslims Speak Out - a short review: http://911blogger.com/node/4123 FALSE FLAG NEWS - Saving the world one drill at a time: http://falseflagnews.com/ [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #10 posted by Toker00 on October 28, 2006 at 14:36:12 PT |
I just received my copy of WAITING TO INHALE. Gonna watch it. Right now. Toke. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #9 posted by laduncon on October 28, 2006 at 13:17:32 PT |
A look at the effort to pass a medical marijuana law in South Dakota [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #8 posted by laduncon on October 28, 2006 at 13:17:32 PT |
A look at the effort to pass a medical marijuana law in South Dakota [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #7 posted by unkat27 on October 28, 2006 at 13:10:42 PT |
You know what bugs me the most about these prohibitionist bs artists -- they know that they can just keep spewing lies and promoting fear of mj until hell freezes over and never give in, and in doing so, manage to prevent mj from being legalized. The reason why i point this out is because the only alternative to peaceful talk is violent action, and they know that any violent actions taken can be used against mj in favor of their lies. One day, when some violence occurs related to mj activism, they will plaster it all over the media as a perfect example of what mj does to people, completely ignoring the fact that the US constitution itself claims that American ideals of freedom and democracy are values worth "fighting for" and that the fore-fathers themselves conducted a violent war for freedom against oppression, the same kind of oppression that mj users are facing today. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #6 posted by BGreen on October 28, 2006 at 11:12:29 PT |
Can you imagine the power that the millions of our voices hold? Wow! The Reverend Bud Green [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #5 posted by BGreen on October 28, 2006 at 11:05:01 PT |
Owens, one of the featured speakers at the news conference, complained he’d never before seen a news conference where a legitimate debate by organizers was “shouted down.”Debate (n) 1. a discussion, as of a public question in an assembly, involving opposing viewpoints: a debate in the Senate on farm price supports. 2. a formal contest in which the affirmative and negative sides of a proposition are advocated by opposing speakers. If our elected leaders don't know the difference between a press conference and a debate, then I would argue that they are incapable of performing their elected duties.The Reverend Bud Green [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #4 posted by greenmed on October 28, 2006 at 10:47:24 PT |
Thanks for the info. I'll check it out. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #3 posted by Had Enough on October 28, 2006 at 10:29:04 PT |
Click the help thing. Your answer is there. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #2 posted by Max Flowers on October 28, 2006 at 10:26:55 PT |
“The reality also exists that it is more difficult for law enforcement to detect impairment caused by marijuana" That's because it really isn't impairment, sheriff. If you can't see it and measure it, it ain't there and you don't need to worry about it. You're worrying about the wrong things. I think you're actually worrying about your law enforcement anti-cannabis easy-money federal grants, THAT'S what you're worried about! [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #1 posted by greenmed on October 28, 2006 at 10:17:36 PT |
"Owens, one of the featured speakers at the news conference, complained he’d never before seen a news conference where a legitimate debate by organizers was “shouted down.” Owens ignored a challenge from Amendment 44 proponent Mason Tvert to debate the initiative, which asks voters to make it legal under state law for anyone age 21 and older to possess up to an ounce of marijuana. In the news conference sponsored by Save Our Society from Drugs, one of the groups campaigning against Amendment 44, Owens and Colorado Attorney General John Suthers were joined by about a dozen law enforcement officers, including Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle and Weld County Sheriff John Cooke." --- It doesn't seem like much of a 'legitimate debate' as Mr. Owens claims, does it? A lecture is more like it. Perhaps he should take a cue from Mr. Bush and speak only to supporters whose credentials are checked at the door, rather than from the steps of the Peoples' Capitol. A sad day indeed, for reasoned debate that is. But we know how that would result, having witnessed the prohibitionists' prop decimated by Mr. Tvert. Good on ya, Mason and SAFER! Off Topic - would someone explain how to get comment text to display in colors? [ Post Comment ] |
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