cannabisnews.com: Press Release Could Be Illegal Under New Drug Law Press Release Could Be Illegal Under New Drug Law Posted by FoM on May 28, 2000 at 12:13:38 PT Libertarian Party Press Release Source: Libertarian Party Warning: This press release could be illegal under new anti-drug legislation. Politicians are so desperate to win the War on Drugs that they're willing to outlaw this press release, the Libertarian Party said today. "Warning: This press release contains illegal information," said the party's National Director Steve Dasbach. "You could be prosecuted -- and sentenced to a 10-year prison term -- for reading it on the air, publishing it in a newspaper, or linking it to your website." The reason? Congress appears poised to pass legislation that would make it a crime to publicize information about illegal drugs. The bill, HR. 2987, would make it a federal felony to advertise, link a website to, or even publish certain kinds of factual data about drugs, drug culture, or drug paraphernalia. "The War on Drugs has been turned into a War on Words," said Dasbach. "This bill would make certain kinds of Constitutionally protected speech illegal, and give politicians the power to put Americans in prison for writing, posting, or advocating information the government doesn't like." The Methamphetamine Anti-Proliferation Act, sponsored by senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) -- passed the Senate unanimously last November. It is now being considered by two House committees. Supporters say the bill is designed to fight so-called "meth labs," which produce a dangerous form of amphetamine. But the bill would go far beyond that, said Dasbach -- and would create several new "communication crimes," including: * Illegal linking (three years in prison): It would be illegal for any "communications facility to post, publicize, transmit, publish, link to, broadcast or otherwise advertise" -- or even provide "indirect advertising for" -- Internet sites that sell drug paraphernalia. "For example, this press release would be illegal if we mention that www.bongs.com has information about buying marijuana pipes," said Dasbach. "It could even be illegal if we provided this information so you could prevent your children from visiting that site." * Illegal teaching (10 years in prison). It would be illegal to tell someone how to produce an illegal drug, such as growing marijuana. "It would be a felony to mention that you can purchase a book about growing marijuana at www.marijuana-hemp.com," said Dasbach. "It could even be a felony if you intended to grow marijuana in a state where medical marijuana is legal, and you planned to grow it for bona fide medical reasons." The bill is a dangerous expansion of government power, said Dasbach, because although politicians now have the power to outlaw certain activities, the First Amendment prohibits them from outlawing speech about those illegal activities. "Politicians have already made possession of drugs a crime -- now they want to make possession of press releases, books, newspapers, magazines, and websites about drugs a crime," he said. "If this bill passes, the War on Drugs will have escalated into a full fledged War on the First Amendment." Washington, DC Published: May 25, 2000Copyright © 1994-2000, the Libertarian Party Related Articles:Drug-Crazy http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread5850.shtmlThe Anti-Meth Billhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread5844.shtmlObscure Anti-Drug Provision Could Expand Searcheshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread5831.shtmlLatest Drug War Tactic An Attack on All Americans http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread5830.shtmlBill is a Sneak Attack on Our Digital Libertieshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread5821.shtmlBill Criminalizes Drug Links http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread5674.shtml The ACLU's Testimony is Available At:http://www.aclu.org/congress/l052300a.htmlNewsHawk: DdChttp://homepages.go.com/homepages/m/a/r/marthag1/ddc.htm Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #23 posted by FoM on May 31, 2000 at 11:11:01 PT Here We Go Lurker Hi Again Lurker,The news is really busy and I have things to do around home but I was able to add a new board but if you try to post and it gives you trouble it will be more then likely because I am working within the board. I have a lot of news to transfer today! I might delete this and try again later so if you do find this post and post something know it might be deleted because I might find I need to change things.Peace, FoM!I guess I mean this is only experimental.CannabisNews General Discussion Forumhttp://pub3.ezboard.com/fdrugpolicytalkcannabisnewsgeneraldiscussionforum Drug Policy Talk News Board [ Post Comment ] Comment #22 posted by FoM on May 30, 2000 at 17:44:28 PT It isn't a problem at all! Hi Lurker,I thought of that too. I would need to write something and I'm not good at writing. It needs to cover what this will be used for. I'll think of how I could go about it and then I would need Ron or Matt to put it in the discussion forum. The only problem I could see is that the thread would get too long and then I would need to bother them again and I don't like doing that. They are busy and things just don't get done. I do need help with learning how to do these things myself but no one to teach me. I don't like asking for people to do things for me. I've always done things myself or try really hard to and just don't usually ask more then once or twice. We can use my ezboard though. It isn't a bother to me but my hands are tied as far as C News.We'll get it figured out it but it might just take a little time.Peace, FoM! [ Post Comment ] Comment #21 posted by Lurker on May 30, 2000 at 16:08:30 PT .06 Well, I didn't want to create a lot of work for anyone. I guess I was just looking for an easy static access area independent of news posts. It could be something as simple as creating a dummy news story entry like "This place is for off-topic discussions independent of news posts" and letting the normal software take care of posts - just a link to the "story" would be permanently maintained in the Discussion area. You could even sub-categorize it with multiple entries such as "Feedback/Comments", "Religion and Cannabis":), etc. Now, if there's no desire for this kind of dialog, then o.k. But this is the second tangental discussion thread to emerge lately that's scrolling off the home page. Still, it's not worth putting a lot of work into it. I just thought maybe there was easy flexibility in the base software.Lurker [ Post Comment ] Comment #20 posted by FoM on May 30, 2000 at 13:03:39 PT Thanks dddd Thanks dddd,I decided to wait and think a little about what we could do. I know Ron is very busy and so is shabang. Before I go off the deep end I guess I really want to know what you all want. I could decide to do something and it might not be what all you here want. I get so busy sometimes that I don't have time to slow down enough to think it seems. Back when I first got on line I loved Legalize.com's social chat. It was nice but it didn't have any edit ability or ignore features. I think those are features that should be included. I know when I went to MSNBC and CNN News Chat we had an ignore feature and it solved many problems. These threads on C News could probably go on forever which is nice until you want to make a comment on a thread that could be very long. These are the things I'm trying to figure out. Before you can ask someone to do something for you you better know what you want and I'm just not sure. Any ideas are appreciated.Thanks and Peace, FoM!PS: I can make a board very easily on my EZBoard but the print is small like typewriter print and I'm getting as blind as a bat! Well not that bad yet! LOL! [ Post Comment ] Comment #19 posted by dddd on May 30, 2000 at 12:09:32 PT nickel FoM... The "EZboard" site is nice. I"m sure someone out there can help you with the web hoodoo secrets.I would be happy to help you with graphics,but I am not that hep to website intricacies....dddd [ Post Comment ] Comment #18 posted by FoM on May 30, 2000 at 09:01:00 PT More Questions Hi Everyone,I went to Slash.dot and don't know how to do coding like it needs. Does anyone know a good programmer that could figure out how to make one as an extra for us? It does look like CannabisNews. I haven't learned how to ftp. I need someone to teach me but I don't know anyone to ask. I don't mind using threads to just talk about news and other things but it would be much better if we could have it separated. I am willing to pay for this to be done so let me know about anyone if you know! The news is slow so I might go study more about the things that go over the top of my head.Peace, FoM! [ Post Comment ] Comment #17 posted by FoM on May 30, 2000 at 05:48:12 PT oops And I can edit my ezboard! I meant drug not druug! Duh I'm not awake yet! [ Post Comment ] Comment #16 posted by FoM on May 30, 2000 at 05:46:08 PT My 4 cents Hi Everyone,If I knew how to download and figure out how to do slashcode I sure would. I could make a discussion thread on my free EZBoard. That isn't hard to figure out. I can change the colors etc. Here it is and let me know if you want me to make a board for discussions. EZBoard is a little fancier that what is called a UBB board I think. I can make the background look like CannabisNews. I might just give it a try sometime today and if it isn't ok I'll just delete it! Let me know and if you all say yes what should I name the discussion board? I have emailed Ron with the request and if he has time I won't try since C News's program is much better then a message board system. It is much more stable and not lots of ugly advertizing.Peace, FoM! Druug Policy News EZBoard [ Post Comment ] Comment #15 posted by dddd on May 30, 2000 at 04:07:17 PT My Three cents Greetings to all! Yes,it's true that perhaps a more specific forum that was topic specific would be nice..but I dont consider these somewhat freeform and unstructured discussions that are formed here,bad at all.Even though they may stray far from being relavent to the original article,,it's the articles that plant the seed that makes for brisk commentary,and rambling dicussions.....I like the way it is here........It's nice...I say;dont be shy...ramble away....The way things are going,,,we may soon look back on now as "the good old days. CongressmanSuet,,I'm glad to hear you explain your "devils advocate" tendency.I was thinkin' I might have mildly offended you with some of my own contrary tendencies.JC-M.The ancient wisdom from Lao Tzu was great.It makes it seem rather clear, that although the world is a different place today,,,the nature of man is basically unchanged.JAH shine on you all.....dddd [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by Lurker on May 30, 2000 at 02:57:06 PT Last off-topic post (really, I promise) CongressmanSuet,Sorry, I should have elaborated. The software used on this news service is eerily similar to that used by another news service, Slashdot at http://www.slashdot.org. That software is called "slashcode" and it is open-sourced (which means that others can download it and use it.) [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by J Christen-Mitchell on May 29, 2000 at 21:05:00 PT: Libertarianism in an Ancient Nutshell "Law after law breeds A multitude of thieves. Therefore a sensible man says: If I keep from meddling with people, they take care of themselves; If I keep from commanding people, they behave themselves; If I keep from preaching at people, they improve themselves; If I keep from imposing on people, they become themselves." - Lao-Tzu (founder of Taoism), 6th century B. Ted Brown Libertarian California Congressional Candidate [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by CongressmanSuet on May 29, 2000 at 20:36:46 PT: Thats a good... idea. That way we wont tie up the current news items with unrelated, off-topic ramblings, as has occured, just a little bit, [hehe] at times, here and there. And Hi Lurker, but please, you are boggling my mind with all this rash code, slash code, alpha centauri, computer jargon. How about just put up a message board? I get that. 5 years online and I never heard of a slash code, is it just me? [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by FoM on May 29, 2000 at 16:36:02 PT I'll see what I can do! Hi A Lurker,I have been wracking my brain just today about that same issue! I will find out now that I know I am not the only one that would enjoy a discussion like this one that we could keep going but not necessarily about a news article. I'll see if anyone can help me. I make my own little web pages but I didn't design this. CannabisNews is way out of my league. I'll email Ron. Thank you for the compliment and suggestion. If it is possible maybe it could be linked on CannabisNews under Discussions. I'll let you know somehow when I find out.http://cannabisnews.com/discussions/Peace, FoM! [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by A Lurker on May 29, 2000 at 16:12:54 PT Off topic but related :) Say FOM,You do a fantastic job providing a really great service here regarding cannabis-related news. I am very appreciative of your efforts and the thought-provoking interactions among the diverse community here (hi CongressmanSuet!)One thing - is there a message board area on CNews independent of story postings? This would allow discussions to florish without being tied to a temporal piece of news. The software you're running looks like slashcode - I don't know how easy it is to modify....can a threaded message area be strung off the main menu somewhere?Just curious [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by FoM on May 28, 2000 at 22:47:44 PT Hi CongressmanSuet Hi CongressmanSuet,I was worried that because of my beliefs that I upset you.I would love to talk about relgious beliefs some more sometime. That has always been a subject of importance to me. Take care and I am glad you aren't angry because I just hate to get people upset. I never mean to but I know I do. I appear to have a happy go lucky attitude and I mostly do but alot of it is just I have lowered expectations of life in general.I'm done for the day! I'll talk to you again soon!Thanks and Peace, FoM! [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by CongressmanSuet on May 28, 2000 at 22:30:39 PT: Hi FoM.... and I appreciate the civility. I was pretty nasty in my condemnation of religion, perhaps too harsh, ...nah, but any way, I think I would like to clarify a few things about my postings. Im not an atheist, but I do have my OWN ideas on the whole thing. I love playing "Devil's Advocate" so much so that I will argue with you about if the weather is really good or bad. Its just something I picked up thru the years. I love to make people think, or at least to make them stare, Im happy with both results. Hey, that thread brought out 2 new posters, as the Three Stooges would say "Too success, too success, too SUCCESS"! [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by FoM on May 28, 2000 at 18:30:44 PT Hi CongressmanSuet Hi CongressmanSuet,Just checked in and saw you made a comment! Hope you are having a nice weekend! We're watching tv and taking a bit of a mental break. Talk to you again soon!Peace, FoM! [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by CongressmanSuet on May 28, 2000 at 17:59:23 PT: Ive read a few myriad pieces on Reich,... but, now I know the full story, Thanks Kap. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by FoM on May 28, 2000 at 15:51:06 PT Thanks Once Again Kaptinemo! Thank You Kaptinemo!I really appreciate links like this one you just posted. I have no idea where to find them and am very glad you do! I don't know where this bill is headed but for the last year I have done everything in my power to be able to keep C News going. It is 100 % non profit. No links to any growing information or sites that sell bongs etc. I even post their side of the story so I feel I am being fair. I hope I have done enough to keep this site going. Keeping my fingers crossed.Peace, FoM! [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by kaptinemo on May 28, 2000 at 14:40:14 PT: So, it can't happen here, huh? There already exists an ugly precedent for what the Congress, in its' infinite stupidity, may well pass.Despite what many of you reading this might think, the most recent of the demonstrations of this kind of mentality DID NOT occur in Nazi Germany. Nope, it happened right here in the Good Ol' US of A. It involved a (some might say crackpot, others might say visionary) psychologist name Wilhelm Reich. The FDA hated his work so much IT COLLECTED AS MANY OF HIS BOOKS AND PAPERS IN PRINT THAT IT COULD AND BURNED THEM!!!.That's right, folks. Burned them. So much for the Freedom of Speech, eh?It's been said again and again, ad nauseum: America will be free or Drug Free, but it won't be both. Unfortunately, most Americans simply have not come to that conclusion, yet. Pray that our fellow citizens don't have to learn this lesson the hard way. Wilhelm Reich and the FDA bookburning [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by FoM on May 28, 2000 at 14:33:12 PT Richard Lake's Comment Hi Bob and steve1,Richard Lake posted his comment on the article below and this is about all I know but will let everyone know when we hear more. I wonder the same things.Peace, FoM!Posted by Richard Lake on May 10, 2000 at 07:13:24 PT: Senate has already passed the book burning bill The senate has already passed the bill, and the house is likely to also. A similar law already exists that has forced publishers to burn books about making bombs, and websites to come down.Why should our congresscritters not pass this one? The congresscritters who carry the constitution with them and read it are not the majority.Of course this site, cannabisnews, is not under a direct threat, being one of the family of MAP/DrugSense websites located on a server beyond the reach of the U.S. thought police.But sites that are in the US are at risk, including sites that simply link to this site. The majority of the top 40 referring sites (sites from which folks click a link to reach our sites) for the MAP/DrugSense family of websites are search sites - and they will likely block the listing of the prohibited websites.I am sure that many, myself included, will fight this if it becomes law in every way they can. Lists of links to banned sites (that can not be linked to from U.S. sites) will be created and posted to mailing lists and usenet groups. Without even talking about court action, I expect the reaction if this bill becomes law to be significant.RichardMAP/DrugSense/PDFA site mapsBill Criminalizes Drug Links http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread5674.shtml [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by steve1 on May 28, 2000 at 13:52:57 PT militia groups The "Safety valve" theory relating to the first amendment basically states that it is better to give people freedom of speech than to have them throwing bombs. I wonder what will happen once they take our freedom of speech away. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Bob on May 28, 2000 at 13:51:33 PT: one question How would this affect people in different countries? If the site being linked is in the the Netherlands or the content is held off-shore, can they do anything? [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: