cannabisnews.com: FBI Changes Prompt Fear in Drug War 










  FBI Changes Prompt Fear in Drug War 

Posted by CN Staff on June 03, 2002 at 11:20:56 PT
By Jill Barton, Associated Press Writer 
Source: Associated Press 

Law enforcement officials nationwide, already strained by added security work since Sept. 11, say the FBI's sweeping reorganization could hamper their ability to fight drug traffickers and white-collar criminals.Some authorities have urged the government to increase funding to local agencies. Others say they're prepared to take on the FBI's responsibilities in investigations into drug and gang activity, bank robberies and fraud.
"All the sheriffs in the country are making an extra effort and we'll continue to do that," said Monroe County, Ga., Sheriff John Cary Bittick, president of the National Sheriffs' Association. "I think it can be done, and I think we're obligated to make it happen."FBI Director Robert Mueller has proposed shifting hundreds of agents, mostly from drug and white-collar crime investigations, to focus on terrorism. A new assistant director, Louis F. Quijas, also is slated to coordinate better relationships with state and local police.The details of the changes won't be known until Congress approves the measure.While law enforcement officials applauded the FBI for retooling its mission, some question the costs to their agencies in manpower and resources."Now that the FBI is going to be focused on its core mission of terrorism, I'm wondering how our state and local agencies are going to deal with motorcycle gangs, narcotics trafficking and white-collar crime," Washington State Patrol Chief Ronal Serpas said. "White collar crimes usually don't usually occur in just one city or one county ... and the FBI has been really helpful with that over the years."Broward County, Fla., Sheriff Ken Jenne said the changes will create "a gaping hole" in his agency's fight against drugs and white-collar crime.In Chicago, Mayor Richard Daley warned last week that drug dealers are terrorists and the city will suffer if the FBI pulls its resources.FBI agent Hardrick Crawford Jr. of El Paso, Texas, said the reorganization means the FBI must be more selective in targeting drug cases.In the past, FBI agents have worked on unsolved crimes and investigated identified groups, he said. He said his agents now have been told, "You have to prevent. You have to neutralize. You have to predict."He admits it won't be easy."It's humanly impossible to be flawless when an enemy is determined to strike in a way and on a time of his own choosing," Crawford said.The agency that will be most affected by the changes, the Drug Enforcement Administration, said it will transfer agents to ensure there is no lag."The void that the FBI is going to leave in the war on drugs ... is going to be immediately backfilled by the DEA," said DEA agent Osvaldo Amaro in El Paso.Smaller agencies with fewer officers may feel more of a pinch. In Peoria County, Ill., Sheriff Chuck Schofield said the FBI provides crucial support for fighting gang activity."I know they have big responsibilities, but I'd hate to have the relationship affected," he said.Rockford, Ill., Police Chief Jeff Nielsen said he envisions fewer arrests on major drug cases the FBI works, but it may be a fair trade-off."While you wish they didn't have to (pull agents), you understand," Nielsen said. "If a slightly lower arrest rate means they have a higher arrest rate in terrorism, that's good." Newshawk: Nicholas Thimmesch II -- http://www.norml.org/Source: Associated PressAuthor: Jill Barton, Associated Press WriterPublished: Monday, June 3, 2002Copyright: 2002 The Associated Press Related Articles:Terrorism Focus Set For FBI http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12988.shtmlF.B.I. Director, Facing Criticism, Plans New Focushttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12986.shtmlCannabisNews FBI Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/FBI.shtml

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Comment #35 posted by Number 7 on June 08, 2002 at 17:38:41 PT:
We will never win
I don't know how some of you think that we are actually going to beat the war on drugs. You have no idea of what you are up against. To Scott, post #27, that million dollars will be best spent arming ourselves. One lobbyist won't do squat. To the rest of you aspiring Sam Adams: start facing reality. This Ghandi stuff will not work. Pot prohibition is worse now than ever. The main reason alcohol prohibition ended was because more people died from prohibition than from leagal alcohol. You just will not see that kind of carnage surrounding pot. You can forget legislating this abomination out also. Do you really think that Bill Clinton was the only one in government in denial??? Few in government will admit to using pot and fewer still will risk their careers criticizing the drug war. Sorry, I have no suggestions on how to end it either. Personally, I don't think it will end, ever in this nation. As an individual it can be won though. By getting wealthy enough to afford the best justice money can buy. Just like Dione and Puff....
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Comment #34 posted by The GCW on June 04, 2002 at 20:31:45 PT
Jill Barton's trail...
This story is out now at different papers. Here are 2, so far.http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1036/a08.html?1621 FBI CHANGES PROMPT FEAR IN DRUG WAR / Washington Post (DC)And FBI changes prompt fear of drug war woes / http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/home/article/0,1299,DRMN_1_1187289,00.html that will be on map later.
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Comment #33 posted by PAUL PETERSON on June 04, 2002 at 19:08:42 PT:
MDG
NICE POST. No, you are not unusual. Cannabis is unique in the way it attacks anxiety in some, and causes it in others!I just saw an article about an ADD form called RBS (racing brain syndrome). That's probably what I have. I was an attorney, got suspended because I tried to get the state of Illinois to approve this under our 30 year medical marijuana law. Now I am totally crashed money wise. Keep it up. Good luck with the bio car idea. PAUL
http://illinois-mmi.org
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Comment #32 posted by Zero_G on June 04, 2002 at 15:18:21 PT
Dr. Russo, correct again!
thanks for playing...and thanks for your work in general,Zero G
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Comment #31 posted by The GCW on June 04, 2002 at 15:07:16 PT
perfect religion of living spirit.
some explaination...of different types of religion...PERFECT RELIGION HARMS NO ONE.Urantia; p. 1,727; Jesus talked with the apostles each day, and they more clearly discerned that a new phase of the work of preaching the kingdom of heaven was now beginning. They were commencing to comprehend that the "kingdom of heaven is not meat and drink but the realization of the spiritual joy of the acceptance of divine sonship."
---------------------
The apostles learned that the Jews were spiritually stagnant and dying because they had crystallized truth into a creed; that when truth becomes formulated as a boundary line of self-righteous exclusiveness instead of serving as signposts of spiritual guidance and progress, such teachings lose their creative and life-giving power http://www.urantia.org/papers/paper157.html  and ultimately become merely preservative and fossilizing.
Increasingly they learned from Jesus to look upon human personalities in terms of their possibilities in time and in eternity. They learned that many souls can best be led to love the unseen God by being first taught to love their brethren whom they can see. And it was in this connection that new meaning became attached to the Master's pronouncement concerning unselfish service for one's fellows: "Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of my brethren, you did it to me."
pointing out to the 
 
Page 1728 
 
twelve the great danger of accepting religious symbols and ceremonies in the place of religious experience. His whole earth life was consistently devoted to the mission of thawing out the frozen forms of religion into the liquid liberties of enlightened sonship.
--------
5. THE DISCOURSE ON TRUE RELIGIONThis memorable discourse on religion, summarized and restated in modern phraseology, gave expression to the following truths:While the religions of the world have a double origin--natural and revelatory--at any one time and among any one people there are to be found three distinct forms of religious devotion. And these three manifestations of the religious urge are:1. Primitive religion. The seminatural and instinctive urge to fear mysterious energies and worship superior forces, chiefly a religion of the physical nature, the religion of fear.2. The religion of civilization. The advancing religious concepts and practices of the civilizing races--the religion of the mind--the intellectual theology of the authority of established religious tradition.3. True religion--the religion of revelation. The revelation of supernatural values, a partial insight into eternal realities, a glimpse of the goodness and beauty of the infinite character of the Father in heaven--the religion of the spirit as demonstrated in human experience.
 
Urantia p. 1729; Until the races become highly intelligent and more fully civilized, there will persist many of those childlike and superstitious ceremonies which are so characteristic of the evolutionary religious practices of primitive and backward peoples. Until the human race progresses to the level of a higher and more general recognition of the realities of spiritual experience, large numbers of men and women will continue to show a personal preference for those religions of authority which require only intellectual assent, in contrast to the religion of the spirit, which entails active participation of mind and soul in the faith adventure of grappling with the rigorous realities of progressive human experience.
---------------------
The religion of the spirit means effort, struggle, conflict, faith, determination, love, loyalty, and progress. The religion of the mind--the theology of authority--requires little or none of these exertions from its formal believers. Tradition is a safe refuge and an easy path for those fearful and halfhearted souls who instinctively shun the spirit struggles and mental uncertainties associated with those faith voyages of daring adventure out upon the high seas of unexplored truth in search for the farther shores of spiritual realities as they may be discovered by the progressive human mind and experienced by the evolving human soul.
------------
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Comment #30 posted by Ethan Russo MD on June 04, 2002 at 14:26:16 PT:
I Got It!
St. Stephen, Grateful Dead.
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Comment #29 posted by Zero_G on June 04, 2002 at 14:04:14 PT
Meme Symbols
Consider religion, similarly patriotism as a symbolic meme which necessarily hold differing connotations for individuals.Patriotism for some may include burning the flag and wrapping oneself in the constitution, for others the exact opposite applies.Religion, similarly may be a process which leads to epistomolgical discovery, or it may be dogmatic fundamentalism.Socialism means a search for economic justice to some and the restriction of individual liberty to others..."Talk about your plenty, talk about your ills
One man gathers what another man spills"Today's mystery quote
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Comment #28 posted by Sandino on June 04, 2002 at 13:48:40 PT:
Heaven and Hell
Inside Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche's mind:"Talking much about oneself can also be a means to conceal oneself.""To make an individual unconfortable, that is my task.""The better the state established, the fainter is humanity.""How good bad music and bad reasons sound when we march against an enemy.""Faith: not wanting to know what is true.""In heaven all the interesting people are missing.""Which is it, is man one of god's blunders or is god one of man's?""He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster and if you gaze into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.""The christian resolution to find the world ugly and bad has made the world ugly and bad.""Here the ways of man part: If you wish to strive for peace of soul and pleasure, then believe, if you wish to be a devotee of truth, then inquire.""Believe me! The secret of reaping the greatest fruitfulness and the greatest enjoyment from life is to live dangerously."All quotes are by: Friedrich Wilhelm NietzschePosted by: S.A. Homes, a Libertarian untill the end... 
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Comment #27 posted by scott on June 04, 2002 at 12:12:01 PT
if we all gave 2 cents...
we'd have a million dollars for a lobbyist.We need to remember that we all come here for the same reason, regardless of whether we do that by railing against the might, or by using faith to rail against the wrong.All the churches are powerful potential allies in this fight, but we must remember, too, that the existing power structure of prohibition is weak, and must be fiercly shaken to loosen the psychophants that have become lodged in our freedom, binding us in the glue of their greed.
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Comment #26 posted by FoM on June 04, 2002 at 11:48:14 PT
el_toonces 
You are so welcome. You're such a nice person. I'm so glad we've had a chance to have nice talks. Keep up the good work!
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Comment #25 posted by el_toonces on June 04, 2002 at 11:45:52 PT:
FoM -- If you could only.....
..re-write the history of the WoSD the way you fix my errors!Thanks!
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Comment #24 posted by el_toonces on June 04, 2002 at 10:53:20 PT:

MDG, Yoga and cannabis
MDG --Can't tell you how pleased I am to learn I am not the only person who has benefited from the tremendous synergy arising from cannabis and yoga! In fact, I would never have even sat through a yoga class, skeptical bastard that I am, sans cannabis.

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Comment #23 posted by FoM on June 04, 2002 at 10:47:44 PT

MDG
You're welcome.
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Comment #22 posted by MDG on June 04, 2002 at 10:37:17 PT

FoM...
I certainly hope I don't isolate anyone with my beliefs. That's why I say "This is what I believe. What you believe is up to you." I think discussion of all sorts is wonderful and should be encouraged even if disagreement is the only result. Discussion makes one think not only of his interpretation of others' beliefs, but also of his own, for better or worse, possibly calling for re-evaluation. I've only come to my position by doing so. But, many other people have become bent against Christianity and vice versa because so often Christians of all denominations take the position "I'm right, you're wrong and going to burn in Hell forever" and slab them with a Bible. Often we Christians forget the teachings we claim to hold dear. Bob Barr is no more a Christian than Mohammed Atta a faithful Muslim. We all decide what is ultimately best for ourselves, but unfortunately many decide what is best for others. Well, that's my nickel or so in this thread.
Thanks for having such a great forum for discussions, though sometimes some of us (me) drift a bit.
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Comment #21 posted by idbsne1 on June 04, 2002 at 10:29:32 PT

dimebag......relax....
Your quote at the end of comment#15 shows that obviously you have a hostility towards religion... get over it....it is as close minded as ever....Not to dismiss your words about a belIEF system....the government twists it's belief system according to its agenda...the government is NOT religious, and neither are it's greedy, power hungry members, so don't blame religion, blame them...they only use religion as a convenient excuse, just like they use "the children"....I believe in God... you believe in your beliefs... forget the rhetoric of "Ideas" and "Beliefs" (it actually doesn't make too much sense anyway...)and getting a better understanding of what you are dissing would be cool too:"We were obviously not put here to warship him otherwise he would have made it clear what his needs were"Actually, this IS precisely what religions explain.I would hope that you get over the hatred you have for people who believe in God...it is as lame as hatred for cannabis users. I do not hate anyone that DOESN'T believe in God... or even ones who believe in Tool lyrics....:)Let us each have our beliefs without judgement or hatred...just my 2 cents...idbsne1PS...BTW I am Muslim, not Christian....
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Comment #20 posted by el_toonces on June 04, 2002 at 10:20:36 PT:

For ddddisgusted.......
Remember, it was the better Elvis who sang:"Well, I used to be disgusted
 But now I try to amused Since their wings have gotten rusted
 You know the angels wanna wear my red shoes...."So, dddd, we want to see you -- or, if not you, then qqqq -- laughing and dancing all day:)LOL
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Comment #19 posted by FoM on June 04, 2002 at 09:54:34 PT

Just a Comment
I guess I don't understand why what a person believes is important. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. We all have Faith but what we have Faith in can vary considerably. I have strong convictions about certain things but I feel they are my convictions and not for everyone. We can have Faith in a God, a person, an organization etc. We shouldn't tell people how to believe because we might be wrong. I don't have a direct phone line to God nor does anyone else so why fight about issues like religion?Hope you all don't mind my two cents.
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Comment #18 posted by MDG on June 04, 2002 at 08:19:38 PT

"Think for yourself"...
I used to sound just like you, way back in college, but I think I could find someone more interesting to quote than Timothy Leary (not Leroy), even Harry Browne is. But, the statement that, "Our Government is ruled by that same beleif system" rings true. That's why I'm a Libertarian. I don't think you should have to live your life according to my beliefs, and vice versa. The Constitution doesn't allow that, but the Power-worshipping politicians don't care. Consequently, you have Democrats punishing their enemies when they're in power, the Republicans do the same when they get the reigns. So, we are in the situation we find ourselves, thanks to them. Take care.
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Comment #17 posted by markjc on June 04, 2002 at 08:16:32 PT:

dimebag
you obviously listen to tool. if everyone listened to tool we wouldn't have any problems. maynard is god.
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Comment #16 posted by dimebag on June 04, 2002 at 06:55:55 PT

Life
     Life is too short to warship false idols.Dime.
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Comment #15 posted by dimebag on June 04, 2002 at 06:53:46 PT

Christianity
The words that were put into context, Think For Your Self, and Question authroity were the very words of a man calld
   Timothy Leroy"...... A great Mind and great Man.But Christianity as a whole is no more than a simple beleif system. Our Government is ruled by that same beleif system. But we need not beleif's, because it is much harder to change a beleif. Instead we should have Ideas. Ideas pop up every day. None are more wrong than right. 
We are contorlled by Beleif's that were put into context and then drilled into everyones head's for thousands of years. Well instead of beleiving that The Christian God is the Almighty, and All powerful think of God as a being higher up than you or I. We were obviously not put here to warship him otherwise he would have made it clear what his needs were. Maybe God Is in all of us. Maybe we are too small of a creature to realize the simple fact that all matter is merely energy condenced into a slow vibration and that we are all one consciencenous experiencing its self subjectively and there is no such thing as Death, life is only a dream and we are the imigination of our selfs.WE DO NOT KNOW WHO WE ARE OR,
WHERE WE ARE GOING, IN THIS OCEAN OF CHAOS.Dimebag.So to Say you are a christian, would be saying you do not think for your self, you beleive just like every little pathetic creature on this earth that beleives Jesus is our saviour and will be saved in our eternal DEATH!!!
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Comment #14 posted by The GCW on June 04, 2002 at 05:48:03 PT

Nuevo Mexican
If You carry it at the metaphysical bookstore, cafe, check the authors, on the contents page.http://www.urantia.org/papers/toc.html If You are interested in using Urantia, to channel Your reach for the Holy Spirit of Truth, to the bridging of that promise, consider starting on PART IV. THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF JESUS. GCW GCW GCW GCW GCWThe greedy should stop asking citizens to pay them to cage and kill children for using cannabis.That includes more than the FBI, ceasing, but also includes local town, county and state agencies, along with all other fed. agencies.Stop using a single resource, to harm people using cannabis.
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Comment #13 posted by Nuevo Mexican on June 03, 2002 at 21:22:48 PT

Urantia!!!
Hey Gcw, I used to live in the house where the book of Urantia was supposedly written, in Box Canyon, west of San Fernando Valley in Chatsworth! It had a huge prayer room with a stage for plays and the hugest fireplace you ever saw! There are additional houses on the lot and Mansons' ranch was just down the hill (years later, that is, as these were the original 50's hippies with white robes, nudists', and one house had a running stream running through it in its heyday, before a car went off the road and crashed into the house from several hundred feet above. The American Indian Movement was up the road as well. It all ended when the main Guru, was blown up by two followers whose wifes were thought to be having an affair with the leader, the tnt explosion was so loud it was heard in studio City across the way. Lots of history in that Canyon, and someones' gonna have to write the book. Great stuff, the Book of Urantia, and we carry it at the metaphysical bookstore, cafe I work in! It would take years to read and years to digest, but it's pretty amazing stuff. I like the Aquarian Gospel of Jesus THE Christ, by Levi for a somewhat easier to read 'channeded' version of the missing years of Christs' life. check it out if you haven't already!
Don't mourn people, organize!
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Comment #12 posted by The GCW on June 03, 2002 at 18:52:32 PT

dimebag & MDG
The issue of cannabis presents itself as a sort of Biblical litmus test. Christians can go directly to the source for the Truth.Go to the Holy Spirit of Truth, Your self, for the Truth. Being persecuted as a Christian, for using cannabis, enables You to find the Truth of all Truth, as promised in John 14 – 16. The persecuted have always had the spirit as the comforter. The persecuted are those who reach for Truth. Those who accept cannabis are amongst the persecuted, and thus it creates an excellent example of man reaching for the Truth, and getting it. It creates an environment conducive to gaining what has been promised. It allows the persecuted, the means to ask directly the questions you have, to the Father through the Holy Spirit of Truth. It enables You to get the answers from the source instead of wondering who is right... and allows you to know who lives with the spirit also.This issue has helped bring Me to the Holy Spirit of Truth, as a Christian, more than most anything I can think of.A Christian can literally go to the Holy Spirit of Truth, for the Truth.Truth is, the only Biblical restriction placed on cannabis, is that we accept it with thanksgiving.So, in prayer, after asking Father to forgive You for Your sins, thank Our Father for Your food, Your daily bread. Ask him to bless Your daily bread, that You may glorify Him.And ask that He show You the Truth as He wishes for You to know it. Keep asking and He keeps giving. The Holy Spitit of Truth is alive. He will go beyond, if You give Him some of Your time. He will show how those who cage and kill their brother for using this plant cannabis, do not pass the litmus test.2 Thes. 2:11-12; Man of Lawlessness http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=2THES+2&language=english&version=NASB&showfn=on&showxref=on For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 
12  in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.The Green Collar Worker
Urantia; p. 1,722; http://www.urantia.org/papers/paper154.html Jesus fully understood how difficult it is for men to break with their past. He knew how human beings are swayed by the preacher's eloquence, and how the conscience responds to emotional appeal as the mind does to logic and reason, but he also knew how far more difficult it is to persuade men to disown the past.
It is forever true that all who may think they are misunderstood or not appreciated have in Jesus a sympathizing friend and an understanding counselor. 
The Green Collar Worker

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Comment #11 posted by MDG on June 03, 2002 at 17:06:33 PT

dimebag?
I didn't know if your comment was for me or not, but my message was regarding the use/prohibition of cannabis within the context of Christianity. I went through a long time of being rather animous toward Christians (even considering myself atheist), stemming from the belief that is was this rigid structure of ultra-conservative "dogma" I felt was forced upon me by my mother. When I figured out that it wasn't the source of my problems, things were easier to accept, even though I still have questions and doubt. This is the very tricky thing called "faith". Faith has not so much to do with with anything but allowing yourself to be confident in something that might otherwise not make any sense. I am not one of those Christians that practically want to beat people into submission. Quite the contrary, I can/will only say, "This is what I believe. What you believe is up to you." This is the basis of free will. But, that doesn't make my beliefs any more/less valid than yours. Believing in something like the Bible doesn't mean people don't think for themselves. I know I don't have all the answers, I know none of us does. But, searching for something greater than himself has been part of man since the beginning (whenever that might be). There isn't any universal "truth". There is only fact; Dog(ma) "A" was run over by Kar(ma) "B". The truth is only your subjective interpretation of fact. Besides, if I didn't think for myself, I'd be trumpeting the lines of the Republicrats and calling for Asian blood, wouldn't I?
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Comment #10 posted by Lehder on June 03, 2002 at 15:50:58 PT

drug traffickers and white-collar criminals
Law enforcement officials nationwide, already strained by added
   security work since Sept. 11, say the FBI's sweeping reorganization
   could hamper their ability to fight drug traffickers and white-collar
   criminals.Really?! Gee, nothing will stop the feds from busting medical mj centers, and nothing stops them from jailing pot smokers - even in Canada!But I don't see how they can do any worse on white-collar crime! Are Ken Lay's whereabouts a secret? He was on television a whole lot a few months ago, and about 20,000 Enron employees want his head for stealing $160,000,000! Maybe if the feds use their IR cameras to look through the White House walls they'll find him in there...along with Osama bin Laden!
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Comment #9 posted by dimebag on June 03, 2002 at 15:09:26 PT

Think For Your Self !!!
Think for yourself
Question authorityThroughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening,
terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are going in
this ocean of chaos, it has been the authorities, the political, the
religious, the educational authorities who attempted to comfort us by
giving us order, rules, regulations, informing, forming in our minds their
view of reality. To think for yourself you must question authority and
learn how to put yourself in a state of vulnerable, open-mindedness;
chaotic, confused, vulnerability to inform yourself.Think for yourself.
Question authority.
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Comment #8 posted by MDG on June 03, 2002 at 13:54:28 PT

I wonder...
if people really are concerned about "terrorism" in the States like the media pretend they are. I doubt it, but that's just me. I think the worst things happening in the US are perpetrated by the Government. Those are the things that make my "Sketchometer" (scech-AH-mi-tur) start flashing and beeping. I don't give second thoughts about "terror warnings" or whatever they're supposed to be. It's when I see what this seriously God-forsaken government is doing that I wig-out. Make no bones about it, folks; God is not on the side of the US government. If He was, (or at least the politicians who say they are "Christians" really were!) they'd stop their persecution RIGHT NOW! But, they aren't and their true god, Power is in full control of this ship; headed for the rocks.
It's this simple, folks. I'll have to relay my own situation once more, please bear with me. I have long-lived experience with chronic anxiety, which was not satisfactorily alleviated by prescription drugs (and side-effects), counselling (secular and through Church), but was partly mitigated by Yoga and exercise. However, I discovered that cannabis helped tremendously, especially while trying my best at Yoga (I only discovered the synergy relatively recently) and even jogging. Instead of being awake at 3:30 or later in the morning feeling like I had gone completely psychotic, I'd be asleep on the couch at 10:30 after ransacking my fridge. So, I know it works.
But!
My point is this: Christians should have no moral reservations about using cannabis, especially when it's used medicinally. My situation was one of "Go to the doctor and get medication, but don't even think about trying that marijawanna stuff because it's a druuug. Aside from the obvious fault in logic (the doctor gave me all kinds of pharmaceutical drugs, but this one is an herb), what this advocacy does, with respect to Christianity, is place our faith in man and his creations (against God's explicit instruction), not God's gift to us (deemed "good" and given before we were created) described in the Bible. Think about that from a Christian's point of view; the healing is to come from man, not God, in fact doing what I mentioned earlier: Putting faith in man, instead of God.
Undoubtedly, if you present this information to a run-of-the-mill Christian, he might say, "Yes, healing from God, through prayer, not drugs" ignoring what they'll find in scripture, specifically because they've been taught from birth that "drugs are bad, and are whatever the government says they are". But, as we all know, this isn't the case. Well, that's my rant.
Incidentally, I thought I'd mention I am a Christian Libertarian buying a diesel car (specifically for Biodiesel/SVO/environmental reasons) with experience using cannabis to treat anxiety. Am I a rare bird?
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on June 03, 2002 at 13:42:10 PT

Check our Arianna's New Column
Did The Drug War Claim Another 3,056 Casualties On 9-11?
http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread13041.shtml
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Comment #6 posted by null on June 03, 2002 at 13:39:33 PT

It's all about the Benjamins
"The void that the FBI is going to leave in the war on drugs ... is going to be immediately backfilled by the DEA," said DEA agent Osvaldo Amaro in El Paso.gee... and I thought the DEA were busy busting medical marijuanna patients. I'm sure they will be calling for their budget to be further expanded so they can continue to arrest medicinal users as well as picking up the FBI slack.FOM and p4me: It *is* all about the Benjamins - as they say in the vernacular. Consider:The international illicit drug business generates as much as $400 billion in trade annually according to the United Nations International Drug Control Program. That amounts to 8% of all international trade and is comparable to the annual turnover in textiles, according to the study.Source: United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention, Economic and Social Consequences of Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (New York, NY: UNODCCP, 1998), p. 3.
$400 BILLION per year!! You can buy every share of Microsoft stock for $267 billion. And then you can use to spare change to buy AOL/Timewarner for a rinky-dink $80 billion. And since you have some pocket change left over you can then buy ALL of General Motors stock for $34 billion. (These figures are based on the Market Cap of each of these stocks as of today.) THINK ABOUT THIS! In one year you would own 100% of three of the largest companies in the world. And next year you could buy a couple more flat out. And the drug war has been going on for HOW many years??!!So it should be no shock that for CIA director William Colby stated in 1995 that "The Latin American drug cartels have stretched their tentacles much deeper into our lives than most people believe. It's possible they are calling the shots at all levels of government."IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BENJAMINS.
Educate yourself on the Drug War economics.
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Comment #5 posted by p4me on June 03, 2002 at 13:18:36 PT

that is $3.86 today
In commment 4 I should have said that your share of the national debt went up by $3.86 today, yesterday, tomorrow, and for a long time to come until someone starts to guard the vault.
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Comment #4 posted by p4me on June 03, 2002 at 13:13:57 PT

let's see
September, October, November, December, January, February, March, April, oh no they are saying we were negligent in our duties so let's announce a reorganization plan.The national debt still went up 1,111 million. That is $3.86 for every one of our 288 million Americans. There is a raid on the public treasury that is misguided by corruption under the banner of war on drugs and war on terrorism. Are those people checking baggage soldiers in the war on terrorism or should you really say that they are part of the effort against terrorism.The fight for freedom is calling us all.And it is the money stupid. It is not correct because the Bible says it and it gets repeated because money is what makes the world go round: Money is the root of all evil.ICBS, VAAI, POW
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on June 03, 2002 at 12:25:22 PT

FBI and CIA
This might be overly simplified but my feelings are they didn't want to focus on terrorism but on drugs. They can get money if they bust people with drugs but no money if they were looking for possible terrorists. They wouldn't want to share information if they were afraid of losing money to the other agency. Does this make sense?It's the money stupid.Isn't it?
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Comment #2 posted by dddd on June 03, 2002 at 12:13:38 PT

...I could not resist!...
...I was gonna go off-line,and go to work,,,but this ghastly gem from the AP changed my plan...
..I am awed by the obvious way that this "news report",festers with obscene propaganda!..This is hardcore propaganda!,,direct, from the empire,to your local paper,and TV screen......

"FBI Director Robert Mueller has proposed shifting hundreds of agents, mostly from drug and white-collar crime
      investigations, to focus on terrorism."

.....WHAT!.....white collar crime!..?.......gimme a freekin' break!...the only white collar crime they have gone after,,is busting people in white t-shirts!

"In the past, FBI agents have worked on unsolved crimes and investigated identified groups, he said. He said his
      agents now have been told, "You have to prevent. You have to neutralize. You have to predict."      He admits it won't be easy.      "It's humanly impossible to be flawless when an enemy is determined to strike in a way and on a time of his own
      choosing," Crawford said.      The agency that will be most affected by the changes, the Drug Enforcement Administration, said it will transfer
      agents to ensure there is no lag."

......This kind of CRAP would not even be convincing in a stupid cheap monster movie!.......:""It's humanly impossible to be flawless when an enemy is determined to strike in a way and on a time of his own choosing," Crawford said."...... My oh my,,that sure is a deep,insightful bit of news!.....so,,in other words,,it WOULD be humanly possible to be "flawless",,if you had an enemy that was not very determined to strike,,,and if the enemy did decide to strike,they would give Crawford a call first,and let him know the "way and time",that was chosen for "the strike"...

...................cocka-fuckin' doodle doo!...If people are so freekin' stupid,that they cant wake up and realize what's going on,,then they deserve what the empire has planned for their children...............ddddisgusted
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Comment #1 posted by stickyresins on June 03, 2002 at 11:49:58 PT:

the link between terrorism and drugs
This is disgusting. It seems that the government is realizing that the war on drugs is failing. What do they do? Look to reform? Of course not....instead they take something that the people care about at this moment(terrorism) and link it to the war on drugs. Now that the taliban is out the opium crop in afganistan is going to be larger than ever. We need to help people understand that the drugs themselves do not aid terrorists...it is the prohibition of these drugs that makes the "terrorists" rich. If when i buy my marijuana i support terrorism then why shouldn't i be able to grow my own....or buy it in a controlled manner where i know that the money is going towards improving our schools, or something of the like....anyway i am done ranting for now
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