cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Advocates Play It Straight in D.C.
Marijuana Advocates Play It Straight in D.C.
Posted by CN Staff on May 04, 2005 at 22:35:07 PT
By Marc Sandalow, Washington Bureau Chief
Source: San Francisco Chronicle
Washington, D.C. -- Hundreds of suit-and-tie-clad marijuana advocates feasted on chicken Kiev and Petite Sirah on Capitol Hill on Wednesday night in what may have been the most button-down gathering of pot enthusiasts in history. The music was contemporary jazz, not reggae. The dessert was a caramel parfait with chocolate drizzle, not Oreos. And the featured Cheech and Chong video was a snippet of a documentary on actor Tommy Chong's recent imprisonment.
The event, a strictly nonsmoking affair that drew members of Congress, a prominent television talk show host, and seasoned Washington operatives, was a mainstream coming-out of sorts for the Marijuana Policy Project, the nation's pre-eminent marijuana lobbying organization. The sober organizers -- who insist the greatest danger associated with smoking pot is jail time -- are intent on being taken seriously in this serious town. "We decided from the outset, no scrungie beards. No ponytails. We'd be mainstream and professional. We'd try to look like Republicans as much as we could," said Rob Kampia, the group's executive director who got a significant haircut when he helped found the group 10 years ago. "I don't mind having short hair if it can help change the world.'' Neither Congress nor the Justice Department has shown much sympathy for the organization's agenda of legalizing the use of medicinal marijuana and reducing penalties for recreational use. A study released this week found that nearly half of all federal drug arrests were for marijuana. "We try to make it very clear that we are not pro-marijuana,'' said Steve Fox, the Marijuana Policy Project's clean-cut director of government affairs. "We are anti-jail. We are not out there celebrating marijuana use. We're just saying it's insane to send people to jail for making the personal choice of using marijuana.'' The organization has worked hard to be taken seriously on Capitol Hill, where lobbyists representing the alcohol, tobacco and pharmaceutical industries are familiar, but where the pot lobby is still making itself known. Fox recalled the start of a meeting with a member of Congress, in which a senior aide opened the member's door and announced: "The potheads are here.'' Snipped:Complete Article: http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/straight.htmSource: San Francisco Chronicle (CA)Author: Marc Sandalow, Washington Bureau ChiefPublished: Thursday, May 5, 2005 - Page A - 1Copyright: 2005 San Francisco Chronicle Contact: letters sfchronicle.comWebsite: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/ Related Articles & Web Site:Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/Medical Pot Bill Shields 10 Stateshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20628.shtmlMedical Marijuana Advocates Implore Congress http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20627.shtmlTalk Show Host Pleads Medical Pot Casehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20626.shtmlMedical Marijuana Debate Heats Up http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20624.shtml
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Comment #102 posted by FoM on May 09, 2005 at 11:31:02 PT
Jose
Very interesting link. I thought it was Samson but I just wasn't sure. Proverbs 16: 31 Grey hair is a crown of splendour; it is attained by a righteous life.I wonder if we color our hair if we aren't righteous then! LOL!
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Comment #101 posted by Jose Melendez on May 09, 2005 at 11:20:56 PT
Samson lost hair, Solomon was the wise judge.
. . . for laughs and to precipitate thought:http://www.stophairlossnow.co.uk/History.htm
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Comment #100 posted by FoM on May 09, 2005 at 11:01:26 PT
Just Thought of Something
Who was it in the Bible that lost his strength when his hair was cut? It was Samson or Solomen I believe.
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Comment #99 posted by FoM on May 09, 2005 at 10:59:10 PT
Hope
Glad you liked it! I love that song!A home for the fleas always cracks me up! LOL!
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Comment #98 posted by Hope on May 09, 2005 at 10:48:44 PT
"Hair, Hair! Glorious Hair!"
*smile*
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Comment #97 posted by FoM on May 09, 2005 at 09:37:33 PT
Hairy Pothead
As far as I'm concerned long hair is a non issue. ***Hair, hair, hair. Flow it, show it, long as God can grow it, my hair.Let it fly in the breeze and get caught in the trees, give a home to the fleas in my hair.A home for fleas (yeah) a hive for bees (yeah),a nest for birds, there ain't no words for the beauty, the splendor, the wonder of my:Hair, hair, hair, hair, hairhttp://www.lyricmall.com/lyrics/123974/Hair/Hair
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Comment #96 posted by BGreen on May 09, 2005 at 09:34:48 PT
I don't think Harry was offended
I'm a pretty hairy guy. I was just joking with the play on spelling his name. I resemble Harry so I felt a common bond.You said nothing to offend anybody, Hope, so please don't worry.I just took Harry's comment to mean that he had really long hair if it's as long as a cultivation sentence.I thought it was funny.The Reverend Bud Green
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Comment #95 posted by Hope on May 09, 2005 at 09:09:34 PT
Harry
My answer to you got away from me. I meant to say, if anything, that I love long hair. I'm so sorry I've offended you. You should understand how difficult it is for me to express my true feelings, what with both feet in my mouth so much."Oh Lord! Please don't let me be misunderstood!" is my theme verse...from a song.I think you can be a wonderful spokesman for the cause...no matter what your hair style. My only thought, which I probably should have kept to myself, was that knowing how IMPORTANT anyones long hair can be to them, that I admired the sacrifice that some guys seemed to be making...because I KNOW it's a big deal.Anyway...I'm sorry I didn't explain myself well. Hair is a wonderful thing...I know quite a few folks with alopecia...which is not a good thing...so I say, if you've got it and you think it's best, enjoy it...if you've got it...flaunt it. Be beautiful...and you can be beautiful no matter what your hair situation or choice.
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Comment #94 posted by harry on May 09, 2005 at 08:48:51 PT:
Hairy Pothead
thanks for the thoughtful replies about my hair rant. My locks remain as long as a sentence for cultivation.Peaces, H-
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Comment #93 posted by Hope on May 07, 2005 at 20:49:27 PT
Something else to ponder...
A quote from President Bush visiting in the Netherlands. "Asked about Dutch policies permitting euthanasia and tolerating possession and sale of small amounts of marijuana, he said "Holland is a free country." "It's a country where the people get to decide the policy," he told NOS news. "I have a different view. Many Americans have a different view.""http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2005/05/07/build/world/31-dutchprotest.inc
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Comment #92 posted by jose melendez on May 07, 2005 at 14:55:31 PT
think
" . . . it seems rather ironic to appeal to the fact that home-grown marijuana would reduce the interstate commerce that you don't want to occur in order to regulate it. I mean, you know, doesn't that strike you as strange?"Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia
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Comment #91 posted by FoM on May 07, 2005 at 12:28:40 PT
Toker00
I'm glad I cheered you up! It's true. Think how many people don't live near an event or maybe health reasons keep them from going to one. This is a day for everyone to at least stop and think about how universal our issue really is.
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Comment #90 posted by Toker00 on May 07, 2005 at 12:23:56 PT
LOL
Thanks, FoM. That cheered me up a bit!Hurrah for Cannabis! Celebrate the Sweet Leaf of Life!Peace. Legalize, then Revolutionize! (medicine)(energy)(nutrition)
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Comment #89 posted by FoM on May 07, 2005 at 12:16:02 PT
Toker00
We're having our own virtual Global Marijuana March so it isn't without celebration!!!
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Comment #88 posted by Toker00 on May 07, 2005 at 12:11:14 PT
MMM
Thanks, FoM, Afterburner. Guess I'll just have to sit this one out, too. If they even had one. This is so depressing.Kudos to those who make the MMM.It's days like this that make me hate my oppressors, uh I mean my "govment".Peace. Legalize, then Revolutionize! (medicine)(energy)(nutrition)
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Comment #87 posted by FoM on May 07, 2005 at 11:42:11 PT
afterburner
You always say such good things and make me think.
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Comment #86 posted by afterburner on May 07, 2005 at 11:36:14 PT
Toker00 I Found this Link, You May Already Have It
2005 Global Marijuana March http://globalmarijuanamarch.org/It mentions Houston but goes to Houston NORML with no obvious mention of the MMM. The email, you probably already have. Sorry you missed the march.We didn't have one locally, and I couldn't drive to a larger city today, due to work commitments tonight, so I missed it too, this year.
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Comment #85 posted by FoM on May 07, 2005 at 10:42:53 PT
Toker00
I looked when you said you were from Houston and couldn't find any information to give you. I have a few articles on the page I have but I don't know if it will be as wide spread as it was a few ago. We barely got any news about Montel. It's sad but media censorship is alive and well these days.
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Comment #84 posted by Toker00 on May 07, 2005 at 10:39:40 PT
MMM
I would have loved to have been able to attend the march in Houston, but I could not find any specific info about it. I even e-mailed norml and visited all the MMM sites, but found no specific info. I had some really good signs all ready to go, too. I am completely frustrated about this, but I hope everyone else has a great day! Cannabis (and strawberry fields)forever!Peace. Legalize, then Revolutionaize! (medicine)(energy)(nutrition)
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Comment #83 posted by FoM on May 07, 2005 at 09:08:48 PT
Global Marijuana March
I hope everyone has a safe and great day today!http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/million.htm
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Comment #82 posted by FoM on May 07, 2005 at 08:42:39 PT
Nicholas
I thought you might appreciate this link!http://www.michaelbutler.com/hair/holding/Hair.html
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Comment #81 posted by FoM on May 07, 2005 at 08:31:03 PT
Nicholas
Oh my where did your mother go wrong! LOL!I'm only kidding but that's why I don't concern myself with politics because we are all just ordinary people. My mom never really said what she was but she voted for Kennedy and my dad was a republican but he also voted for Kennedy. I guess my family wasn't very political and maybe that's why I'm not either.
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Comment #80 posted by Nick Thimmesch on May 07, 2005 at 08:14:10 PT:
FoM...
...you and perhaps other would be amused to know that the mother of this faux conservative is a hard core liberal Democrat (with a capital d) all her life. She still loves me, but you ought to hear us around election time. Both my folks were Iowans: my father a diehard conservative Republican, my mother a proverbial progressive Iowa Democrat...usually the first one at the polling booth election day. Go figure...
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Comment #79 posted by FoM on May 07, 2005 at 08:02:33 PT
Nicholas
Calling your mother tomorrow is a great idea. I don't want to bring any one down but my son told me when we knew his time would be limited on this earth that we needed to make memories while we could because someday that is all we will have.Tell your Mom from me she has a good son even though he is a republican! LOL!I had to add that you know!
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Comment #78 posted by Hope on May 07, 2005 at 08:02:07 PT
"influence the buying patterns of today's youth&qu
Afterburner, my daughter always insisted that Prince playing on the intercom is what influenced me to buy a pair of what she considered to be hideously wild shoes once."Mother! Prince made you buy those shoes!"
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Comment #77 posted by goneposthole on May 07, 2005 at 07:58:48 PT
I do it all of the time
I cuss and swear and stomp my feet constantly in complete disbelief of what our government has become.It is nothing less than criminal.The political 'pollution' is greater than the environmental pollution by a long ways. It stretches to the far reaches of the universe.However, I will refrain from using profanity here. I do it enough at home.I don't worry about long-haired freaky people. It's the suits that worry me.
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Comment #76 posted by Nick Thimmesch on May 07, 2005 at 07:55:09 PT:
Amen...
...FoM: good that the last one was good. Reminds me to call my mother in Des Moines tommorrow.
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Comment #75 posted by Hope on May 07, 2005 at 07:53:50 PT
Harry...Oh no, no, no...that's not the idea!
"If there is one thing that amazes me, it is the idea that it is irresponsible to be a pot user and have long hair. Where is this coming from?"We're just talking about the MPP's comments as pertains to what is probably a savvy tactic in their circumstances.I resent the grudges some people have against long hair. Jesus was always our greatest "example" as a rebuke against the bigotry, in the old days. When my son was in the eighth grade, he got some "sissy" teasing about his long hair, and it was very long. He had a gorgeous head of hair. He really was a long hair compared to most of his schoolmates. Shoulder length and blunt cut to the same length all around and he was an aspiring football player. His hair was as long as he could get away with for school and longer in summer. The tactic I suggested to him as a reply to the wise guys that teased him, as opposed to the Jesus one, and it worked amazingly well, "Ever heard of Geronimo?" Delivered with passion, it never failed to curtail their "sissy" talk.The part I hated most from having to listen to anti-long hairs was the "dirty greasy" stuff. That really made me mad. I didn't know any long hair that wasn't EXTREMELY fastidious about their hair. It was their pride and joy. They made "Kookie, Kookie, lend me your comb." and "Fonzie" look like a pale preview of what was to come.(smile...you younger people are wondering what in the world does she mean "Kookie"...lol!)P.S.: Shaved heads (on guys) are cool, too!
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Comment #74 posted by afterburner on May 07, 2005 at 07:51:40 PT
Yes, FoM, All you need is love.
Hippie vs. Yuppie. Punk vs. Disco and R&B. Punk vs. studio rock anthems. Heavy Metal vs. Surf music. "Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast, To soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak." (William Congreve. 1670-1729. The Mourning Bride. Act i. Sc. 1.) However, "When it comes to music, everyone is a bit of a fascist." (Fred Hauptman) Corporate music companies *may* have created some of this dissonance deliberately. "Divide and conquer" is still an effective control technique. An episode of the TV series Buck Rodgers showed music secretly infused with subliminal sounds that fostered aggression: suddenly leather-jacketed tough youths began to pop up like mushrooms on urban street corners. Art following life? On a similar vein, the movie Josie and the Pussycats showed music with subliminal verbal commands to influence the buying patterns of today's youth. A Hollywood fantasy or the latest court jester truth disguised as comedy?"God is love." (John in The Bible) "He ain't heavy, he's my brother [& sister]." (The Youngbloods)
The Phrase Finder
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Comment #73 posted by FoM on May 07, 2005 at 07:43:51 PT
Nicholas
No I won't get Sunday off but the last Mother's Day I had with my son was a few weeks before he passed away and it was the most memorable day I ever had. I hope that all mothers get to have a day as special as that one was for me.
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Comment #72 posted by Nick Thimmesch on May 07, 2005 at 07:38:31 PT:
Hope FoM...
...get's Sunday off.
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Comment #71 posted by FoM on May 07, 2005 at 07:36:55 PT
Nicholas
You're just so darn sweet! Thank you!
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Comment #70 posted by Nick Thimmesch on May 07, 2005 at 07:24:26 PT:
I'll...
...second that FoM:In the meantime, let's not put FoM in a position of having to monitor Cannabis News for raunchy language. Remember: we want to look our best for our pals at ONDCP who monitor the site.THIMMESCH
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Comment #69 posted by FoM on May 07, 2005 at 07:09:47 PT
All We Need is Love La La La La La!
Nicholas and everyone! We only have one really good friend. He helps us on our farm and we've known him for 30 years. He looks like Harry from Harry and the Hendersons! In the early 80s while we were raising our son we conformed to everything practically. No long hair, church 3 times a week etc. type stuff. When we returned to our senses years later I noticed how people younger then me seemed to dislike what we represented and I don't know why. The 60s and 70s were the best time in history. We discovered sharing, caring and accepting that we could be different and be ok. The younger people seem uptight and seem to resent our freedom if that makes sense.
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Comment #68 posted by Nick Thimmesch on May 07, 2005 at 06:46:51 PT:
Oh...
...my:We haven't learned how to care for one another, we're gonna save the fucking planet?I'm getting tired of that shit. Tired of that shit. I'm tired of fucking Earth Day, I'm tired of these self-righteous environmentalists, these white, bourgeois liberals who think the only thing wrong with this country is there aren't enough bicycle paths. Whatever happened to: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message]
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Comment #67 posted by BGreen on May 07, 2005 at 01:39:13 PT
Relax Hairy ... I mean Harry
Nobody means any harm here but there's a lot of truth to the fact that small-minded bigots discriminate against us "long hairs."The reaction I get, especially from cops, is the reaction all of my former bandmates got because they're black. I accept the fact that these people are idiots and, although I could cut my hair and be accepted by these idiots, my friends can't change their color, so I don't give a flying flip what these small-minded bigots think.People may care what the "suits" parading around with the slime in washington, D.C. may look like, but I guaran-freaking-tee you that the medical cannabis patients don't care what their caregiver looks like, nor does the dying patient who holds a caring person's hand as they slip away in the final stages of a horribly painful death deprived of their medicine by a barbaric president and congress.The Reverend Bud Green
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Comment #66 posted by Harry on May 07, 2005 at 00:39:29 PT:
1 more thing...
"Encourage fellow cannabis and non-cannabis users that you associate with to also present an image acceptable to the status quo"...Wow. And while you are at it, prepare to shine their jackboots too. I respectfully resist that concept. The status quo has an image of us in prison. So you better out on prison blues. I apologize for my 'tude. If there is one thing that amazes me, it is the idea that it is irresponsible to be a pot user and have long hair. Where is this coming from?We need to stay on our mission, and not begin to separate ourselves based upon superficial image issues just because some suits and ties in DC are getting good things done.Freedom also means being able to wear your hair long, doesn't it? More power to them, but leave my ponytail alone, thank you. I have 20 years in this movement.
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Comment #65 posted by Harry on May 07, 2005 at 00:31:21 PT:
"almost cuy my hair, it was getting kinda long...
"but I didn't, and I don't know why. I guess I feel like letting my freak flag fly."Yeh, thanks to Rob and all the other people who cut their hair. I refuse to. I am an activist, I have made the world a little bit better with my years of dedication to the cause, my sacrifices, my contributions.I deeply resent the implication that someone with long hair and a scraggly beard is somehow less valuable to the marijuana movement. What an insult to the thousands of us who created it.I will never cut my hair or shave my beard in an effort to gain a little simple freedom. I am glad others do it, but this long haired hippie will proudly wave his freak flag until the day he dies.I am not starry eyed and misty about this all, I have no illusions. Society is sick, illogical, irrational and very conformist. I will fight for freedom as I am.Again, no offense to Rob and all the numerous shorthairs. Why must they offend me?
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Comment #64 posted by FoM on May 06, 2005 at 19:33:03 PT
runderwo and everyone
This part of your comment is what I was trying to say and you said it very well. Thanks.***Please, please, please. Be on your best behavior especially when it becomes known that you are a cannabis user. Encourage fellow cannabis and non-cannabis users that you associate with to also present an image acceptable to the status quo.
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Comment #63 posted by global_warming on May 06, 2005 at 19:01:43 PT
Well Said RW
"We have to remember that being able to do and act as we please where it is currently within the law is not a victory, because no ground has been gained. It is only a pyrrhic victory - a symbolic one, to say that I have long hair or I wear tie dye and you can't do anything about it. A lot of people would respond to that with "hell yeah", but many would respond to it with hostility."
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Comment #62 posted by Hope on May 06, 2005 at 18:41:09 PT
Comment #57 posted by runderwo
Runderwo, and a valuable, worthy "two cents worth" it is. Thank you.
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Comment #61 posted by global_warming on May 06, 2005 at 17:27:59 PT
GOGJ
"..sparks anger in people who aren't up to date on what this is all about."What is it about?Cannabis is on that long list, that list that determines if you live or die, or have that house and farm, or some cockroach infested apartment.Black or White, Red or Yellow, Green or Red Neck Tan, its best to keep a British Stiff upper lip,,?gw
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Comment #60 posted by FoM on May 06, 2005 at 15:44:11 PT
One More Comment
When I said people that don't care I meant people who haven't been around anyone who ever used Cannabis. When a person talks with someone and this is really new to the person how we act and what we say will bring good thoughts or bad thoughts about Cannabis. We've watched the antis use information over and over that isn't true but it sparks anger in people who aren't up to date on what this is all about. I sure hope I'm making sense. I was in the sun too long today maybe.
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Comment #59 posted by GreenJoy on May 06, 2005 at 15:44:11 PT
Carlin
Funny. I'm not laughin. Sorry. His characterization of our misuse of the planet is oversimplified. It goes far beyond plastic bags and aluminum cans. He riffs with a lot of momentum which can snow one into laughin along...or buying it. No one that has lived in smog and filth their whole life, knowing only the smells that arrive from the fastfood store and that come up out of the sewers is going to care that the rainforests are 80% to 90% gone. The shame is that we ARE concieted and arrogant in our treatment of the earth. The geology and techtonics will continue. But we are responsible for the degrading diversity, abundance, and quality of life. Not volcanoes, not asteroids, not comets. US.
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Comment #58 posted by FoM on May 06, 2005 at 15:12:05 PT
runderwo
I believe we are representatives of the Cannabis Plant. People who don't care or don't like our type of reform blame us but they point their finger at Cannabis. We must show self control and act as dignified as we can or the damage done is on our shoulders I think.
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Comment #57 posted by runderwo on May 06, 2005 at 15:06:49 PT
on the dress issue
We have to remember that being able to do and act as we please where it is currently within the law is not a victory, because no ground has been gained. It is only a pyrrhic victory - a symbolic one, to say that I have long hair or I wear tie dye and you can't do anything about it. A lot of people would respond to that with "hell yeah", but many would respond to it with hostility.It is because of this that any time we deviate from the status quo, our actions, no matter how legal, will breed hostility proportional to the magnitude of deviation.This hostility is one thing that prevents us from gaining real ground, because we will be obstructed without reason in every pursuit we take. In a perfect world, we could exercise every inch of our freedom and it would not affect anyone else's opinion about us. Unfortunately, that's not the case.
We are staring down the barrel of one of the biggest cultural weapons that has ever been concocted, the war on drugs. We are the ones on the defensive. We are the ones who are considered hostile to the status quo. If we want to make progress, we have to convince the status quo that we are not a threat to them, and that the values they hold will be advanced through our ideas.It's basic public relations. We should think about our actions and the actions of the others in our company - would this action piss someone off whose vote or approval we need? If so, refrain from doing it. Yes, this may feel like "The Man" is getting you down and oppressing you and all that. But just rest assured that you have done your part to subvert "The Man" by feigning whatever is necessary to make progress towards freedom. If necessary, carry out your exercises of freedom in private or in friendly company, rather than in the face of those who would be outraged by it. Once freedom is established, tolerance follows. How sweet would it be to not have to worry about being arrested for growing and using your favorite plant?Please, please, please. Be on your best behavior especially when it becomes known that you are a cannabis user. Encourage fellow cannabis and non-cannabis users that you associate with to also present an image acceptable to the status quo. Correct, and if necessary eschew, those who refuse to conduct themselves responsibly and moderately - the "dumbass stoners" that the media and outspoken conservatives just love. Hey, once it's over, we can have all the fun and games we want. But tossing away the long term battle just for some short term fun or meaningless exercises of freedom does not advance the overall goal of freedom one bit.That's my two cents at least...
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Comment #56 posted by FoM on May 06, 2005 at 13:33:44 PT
Dankhank Here's The Whole Thing
George Carlin's "The Planet Is Fine" Thursday, April 21, 2005I heard this on XM Comedy Channel 150 on the way to work, and I absolutely loved it! Let's see what you guys think of it:We're so self-important. So self-important. Everybody's going to save something now. "Save the trees, save the bees, save the whales, save those snails." And the greatest arrogance of all: save the planet. What? Are these fucking people kidding me? Save the planet, we don't even know how to take care of ourselves yet. We haven't learned how to care for one another, we're gonna save the fucking planet?I'm getting tired of that shit. Tired of that shit. I'm tired of fucking Earth Day, I'm tired of these self-righteous environmentalists, these white, bourgeois liberals who think the only thing wrong with this country is there aren't enough bicycle paths. People trying to make the world save for their Volvos. Besides, environmentalists don't give a shit about the planet. They don't care about the planet. Not in the abstract they don't. Not in the abstract they don't. You know what they're interested in? A clean place to live. Their own habitat. They're worried that some day in the future, they might be personally inconvenienced. Narrow, unenlightened self-interest doesn't impress me.Besides, there is nothing wrong with the planet. Nothing wrong with the planet. The planet is fine. The PEOPLE are fucked. Difference. Difference. The planet is fine. Compared to the people, the planet is doing great. Been here four and a half billion years. Did you ever think about the arithmetic? The planet has been here four and a half billion years. We've been here, what, a hundred thousand? Maybe two hundred thousand? And we've only been engaged in heavy industry for a little over two hundred years. Two hundred years versus four and a half billion. And we have the CONCEIT to think that somehow we're a threat? That somehow we're gonna put in jeopardy this beautiful little blue-green ball that's just a-floatin' around the sun?The planet has been through a lot worse than us. Been through all kinds of things worse than us. Been through earthquakes, volcanoes, plate tectonics, continental drift, solar flares, sun spots, magnetic storms, the magnetic reversal of the poles...hundreds of thousands of years of bombardment by comets and asteroids and meteors, worlwide floods, tidal waves, worldwide fires, erosion, cosmic rays, recurring ice ages...And we think some plastic bags, and some aluminum cans are going to make a difference? The planet...the planet...the planet isn't going anywhere. WE ARE!We're going away. Pack your shit, folks. We're going away. And we won't leave much of a trace, either. Thank God for that. Maybe a little styrofoam. Maybe. A little styrofoam. The planet'll be here and we'll be long gone. Just another failed mutation. Just another closed-end biological mistake. An evolutionary cul-de-sac. The planet'll shake us off like a bad case of fleas. A surface nuisance.You wanna know how the planet's doing? Ask those people at Pompeii, who are frozen into position from volcanic ash, how the planet's doing. You wanna know if the planet's all right, ask those people in Mexico City or Armenia or a hundred other places buried under thousands of tons of earthquake rubble, if they feel like a threat to the planet this week. Or how about those people in Kilowaia, Hawaii, who built their homes right next to an active volcano, and then wonder why they have lava in the living room.The planet will be here for a long, long, LONG time after we're gone, and it will heal itself, it will cleanse itself, 'cause that's what it does. It's a self-correcting system. The air and the water will recover, the earth will be renewed, and if it's true that plastic is not degradable, well, the planet will simply incorporate plastic into a new pardigm: the earth plus plastic. The earth doesn't share our prejudice towards plastic. Plastic came out of the earth. The earth probably sees plastic as just another one of its children. Could be the only reason the earth allowed us to be spawned from it in the first place. It wanted plastic for itself. Didn't know how to make it. Needed us. Could be the answer to our age-old egocentric philosophical question, "Why are we here?" Plastic...asshole.So, the plastic is here, our job is done, we can be phased out now. And I think that's begun. Don't you think that's already started? I think, to be fair, the planet sees us as a mild threat. Something to be dealt with. And the planet can defend itself in an organized, collective way, the way a beehive or an ant colony can. A collective defense mechanism. The planet will think of something. What would you do if you were the planet? How would you defend yourself against this troublesome, pesky species? Let's see... Viruses. Viruses might be good. They seem vulnerable to viruses. And, uh...viruses are tricky, always mutating and forming new strains whenever a vaccine is developed. Perhaps, this first virus could be one that compromises the immune system of these creatures. Perhaps a human immunodeficiency virus, making them vulnerable to all sorts of other diseases and infections that might come along. And maybe it could be spread sexually, making them a little reluctant to engage in the act of reproduction.Well, that's a poetic note. And it's a start. And I can dream, can't I? See I don't worry about the little things: bees, trees, whales, snails. I think we're part of a greater wisdom than we will ever understand. A higher order. Call it what you want. Know what I call it? The Big Electron. The Big Electron...whoooa. Whoooa. Whoooa. It doesn't punish, it doesn't reward, it doesn't judge at all. It just is. And so are we. For a little while. http://www.chaparyan.com/2005/04/george-carlins-planet-is-fine.php
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Comment #55 posted by Dankhank on May 06, 2005 at 13:13:36 PT
George C.
Hey, weren't the next sentences about how maybe humanity was how Earth could get some plastic. I'm sure GC said it better, but that was just about what he said. He has a standup on tape on this, possibly DVD ... who knows these days but we can google it quickly... ain't life grand sometimes ...
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Comment #54 posted by afterburner on May 05, 2005 at 21:04:12 PT
I Have Twice Declined to Represent to the Media
to avoid being *used* as a poster boy for manipulative 'hippie' press fantasies. I refused to give permission to be photographed by a newspaper at the opening of a bring-your-own-pot cafe. I refused to be interviewed for a film about the Canadian cannabis scene. It is because I value the lost freedoms of the once-great nation, USA, and its satellite, Canada, and my own 'freedom of expression, assembly, speech, and privacy,' that I will support cannabis reform through research, posts, LTE's, letters to government officials, votes, discussion groups, marches, and financial support for cafes and other cannabis-oriented businesses. However, I *will not be used* as an excuse to continue the insane policies of cannabis prohibition."If I am not for myself, who will be for me. If I am for myself only, what am I. If not now, when?" --The Talmud. I dressed in a suit for work for over 20 years. I fasted from cannabis, the beloved herb, for over ten years to show the people around me that their prejudicial notions about long-haired people were lame, hollow, empty, vain imaginations. I will represent at a time of my own choosing, and I will march shoulder to shoulder with my suited brothers and sisters, if they will have me. If I have to, I will stand in the shadows and give spiritual support through my prayers for an end to the suffering and persecution. I will support the right of chicanos, blacks, aboriginals, hippies, and suits to be themselves in this fight for freedom for all the people of God's rainbow.
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Comment #53 posted by goneposthole on May 05, 2005 at 20:21:05 PT
$ $ $ how much?
Seems as though money is being spent all over the place and nobody is getting anywhere.How about Iraq? There is as much as 300 billion dollars spent on the war and winning is now out of the question. Losing will be the only option from now on.The only option is for the US government to finally come to its senses and realize that war of any kind is jeopardizing their very existence.300 billion is a grand out of the pocket of every American citizen to fight the war in Iraq plus a couple of dead American soldiers each day.How much has the US government spent on the drug war with no end in sight and no chance of winning? More drugs now than ever before in history, legal and illegal. There is absolutely no chance that the war on drugs will ever be won no matter how much money is spent.Alcohol prohibition ended with a repeal of the eighteenth amendment.It won't and it doesn't take money to end prohibition. All it takes is people finally coming to their senses. Don't count on George Bush doing that any too soon.
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Comment #52 posted by Hope on May 05, 2005 at 20:04:57 PT
Observer, Comment 50
Exactly.
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Comment #51 posted by FoM on May 05, 2005 at 19:09:06 PT
observer
I just want to thank you for helping me with my technical problem. I really appreciated your help.
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Comment #50 posted by observer on May 05, 2005 at 18:28:19 PT
On Message: JAIL
''We are anti-jail. We are not out there celebrating marijuana use. We're just saying it's insane to send people to jail for making the personal choice of using marijuana.''Exactly.This is the thing we need to keep saying.Stop jailing cannabis users.
http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pot breaking pot news
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Comment #49 posted by Toker00 on May 05, 2005 at 18:15:43 PT
Yeah, but...
when we re-legalize it, I hope to see an enormous salute of tie-dies, pony tails,(even if they are pin-on), smiley faces, and all the other hippie stereotypical paraphenalia. Why? Because we have sacrificed so much to liberate this plant. We will rejoice and be proud of our culture, finally.Something strange happened at work the other day. But very good. We had a safety meeting and somehow the subject of Cannabis came up. Well, you can imagine my excitement. Most of the guys I work with had toked in the past but gave it up to pursue careers and family life. None of them are necessarily anti-cannabis, and were very curious about the information I gave them on the safety of Cannabis. They were pissed when I explained to them about the bogus government statistics that have been inflated by "forced re-hab". I also explained about the high rate of Cannabis arrests in proportion to hard drug arrests and the racial profiling of young black men. They were sincerely interested in learning more, but I will patiently educate them by degrees. I was amazed at the acceptance of the things I told them. It was dangerous to do this, as I have a very good job and would hate to lose it. But I refuse to allow the lies about Cannabis to go unchallenged, no matter where I am. The safety co-ordinator even admitted having a injured ankle once, that he self-medicated with Cannabis. It was like we were all comrads of Cannabis there for a moment in time. Try this at your work place, if you dare. LOLPeace. Legalize, then Revolutionize! (medicine)(energy)(nutrition)
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Comment #48 posted by mayan on May 05, 2005 at 17:38:23 PT
$ $ $
The key is convincing the government that they can make more money if they end prohibition than if they maintain prohibition. Well-dressed,short haired lobbyists might have a better chance of doing that than long-haired,tie-dyed "hippies".It's all about the money. Sad but true.
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Comment #47 posted by goneposthole on May 05, 2005 at 17:08:03 PT
what will it take?
I don't expect anybody to lobby Congress dressed in sweat pants and in need of a bath straight off of a Capitol Hill parkbench.Indeed, Al Capone was well-dressed and made a lasting impression on everybody and anybody. He also died of syphylis in prison. A lot of good the clothes were. He also helped finance housing projects in Chicago and those in need. He had more compassion than anybody inside of the Bush Cabal. He had some sense and mores. I wish I could say the same for the nuts who have hijacked the US government. Easy Eddie O'Hare was Al Capone's lawyer and the father of Butch O'Hare. Now you know how O'Hare Airport became named. Butch O'Hare was an WWII ace fighter pilot and also a war hero. Easy Eddie was gunned down for being an informant for the IRS. He wanted his son to lead a decent life. His wish was fulfilled.I have more respect for Al Capone than I do for any of the Bush jokers. They revise history faster than Al Capone's speeding 16 cylinder limousine.Rob Kampia would have better luck with Al Capone than with the US government. Al Capone would have at least listened to what Mr. Kampia would have to say. They would have enjoyed a bottle of fine Canadian whiskey to boot. Anyhow, good luck to the marijuana lobbyists. They're going to need it. Al Capone was anti-jail, too. He not only sold booze, but also used furniture. He was pro-booze from the word go. In the end, he won.
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Comment #46 posted by global_warming on May 05, 2005 at 17:00:04 PT
The Cross Today
Odd as this might sound,Two different people,Made their crosses in my presence,In two different places, andCircumstances,I responded with making my cross,Peace
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Comment #45 posted by firedog on May 05, 2005 at 16:31:33 PT
Stereotypes
I think the mirroring strategy taken by the MPP is a good one. It's true that those with limited perspectives are more likely to listen to those who look like them and walk, talk, and act like them. I think it's especially true in the fraternity of politics.I love to blow people's stereotypes out of the water. Someone looking at me might think I'm just some young skater punk, but when I start talking to them, they don't know what to think. Part of it is that I look quite a few years younger than I am, but I've been around the block a few times and have associated with a lot of different people. So I can often demolish a stereotype or two, and that always makes me feel good :)People are slowly learning not to pre-judge based on appearance, especially in big cities. You never know who you might be dealing with, regardless of skin color, age, dress, or appearance. A guy who comes into your shop might look ratty at first glance but could well have 10 million in his bank account.If we keep demolishing the stereotypes, we'll eventually get everybody trained :)
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Comment #44 posted by global_warming on May 05, 2005 at 15:52:58 PT
Republicans and Democrats
Mat 9:10 And it came to pass as he was sitting at meat in the house, behold many publicans and sinners came, and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. "Did they mean ReePublicans?
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Comment #43 posted by GreenJoy on May 05, 2005 at 15:38:40 PT
The Planet
Yeah sure, the rock itself will survive. It's the wide beautiful diversity of life *we* are destroying. Its not comets or asteroids. Its us. The pretty little blue ball will be puke green and brown. Tell ya what. Go to any river in any city and have a drink. Progress. PPPPbbbb!
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Comment #42 posted by FoM on May 05, 2005 at 15:25:21 PT
Hope
Thanks Hope I do lean to the \LOL!
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Comment #41 posted by Hope on May 05, 2005 at 15:16:42 PT
"tree hugging conservative liberal"
Sounds good to me!
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Comment #40 posted by FoM on May 05, 2005 at 14:56:41 PT
Taylor
I really like George Carlin. He is funny. I believe we won't destroy the earth but we will lose many people because of disease at the rate we are going.
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Comment #39 posted by Taylor121 on May 05, 2005 at 14:54:50 PT
Potpal thanks!~
I love John Stewart, halarious guy!
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Comment #38 posted by FoM on May 05, 2005 at 14:54:34 PT
potpal
That was hysterical! Thanks!
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Comment #37 posted by potpal on May 05, 2005 at 14:43:15 PT
Truth and comedy
I feel much of the truth is first spouted by comedians. And George Carlin one of the all time best, imo. Levity bridges many pools.http://www.comedycentral.com/mp/play.jhtml?reposid=/multimedia/tds/headlines/10061.html
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Comment #36 posted by Taylor121 on May 05, 2005 at 14:33:55 PT
I couldn't resist, George Carlin quote on the plan
"Besides, there is nothing wrong with the planet. Nothing wrong with the planet. The planet is fine. The PEOPLE are f*****. Difference. Difference. The planet is fine. Compared to the people, the planet is doing great. Been here four and a half billion years. Did you ever think about the arithmetic? The planet has been here four and a half billion years. We've been here, what, a hundred thousand? Maybe two hundred thousand? And we've only been engaged in heavy industry for a little over two hundred years. Two hundred years versus four and a half billion. And we have the CONCEIT to think that somehow we're a threat? That somehow we're gonna put in jeopardy this beautiful little blue-green ball that's just a-floatin' around the sun?The planet has been through a lot worse than us. Been through all kinds of things worse than us. Been through earthquakes, volcanoes, plate tectonics, continental drift, solar flares, sun spots, magnetic storms, the magnetic reversal of the poles...hundreds of thousands of years of bombardment by comets and asteroids and meteors, worlwide floods, tidal waves, worldwide fires, erosion, cosmic rays, recurring ice ages...And we think some plastic bags, and some aluminum cans are going to make a difference? The planet...the planet...the planet isn't going anywhere. WE ARE!
"--George Carlin
It's meant to be comedy, but I think there is some truth to it.
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Comment #35 posted by FoM on May 05, 2005 at 13:40:47 PT
Taylor
Thanks again. I care more about what is happening to the earth then politics so I guess I am a tree hugging conservative liberal I suppose!PS: I hate titles! LOL!
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Comment #34 posted by Taylor121 on May 05, 2005 at 13:35:21 PT
Conserving the Earth
I don't really know the official conservative stance on conserving the Earth, but my personal stance on it is the government pollutes more than the entire private sector combined right now. If we want to start cleaning things up, start first with how the government isn't even being accountable before we put more redtape on the business.
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Comment #33 posted by FoM on May 05, 2005 at 13:30:11 PT
Taylor
I appreciate your comment. How do conservatives feel about conserving the earth?
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Comment #32 posted by FoM on May 05, 2005 at 13:28:28 PT
Nicholas
Touche!
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Comment #31 posted by Nick Thimmesch on May 05, 2005 at 13:22:01 PT:
Long...
..hairs:Ben Nighthorse Campbell, a former Democrat turned Republican Senator from Colorado (now retired) who has long hair and rides a motorcycle:http://www.ama-cycle.org/news/2004/images/nighthorse.jpgNeil Abercrombie, Democratic congressman from Hawaii wore his long hair down most the time while on the floor of Congress:http://images.ibsys.com/2001/0608/810640_200X150.jpgThen there's always THIS long hair:http://www.fightthebias.com/site_images/george_washington_portrait.jpg...and this one:http://www.its-sh.com/py-gallery/images/0_Jesus%20Christ.jpg
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Comment #30 posted by Taylor121 on May 05, 2005 at 13:03:32 PT
FoM
Conservatives are supposed to conserve public spending and maintain the moral status quo of the country. I would say that there is hardly an effort to conserve public spending and I do not like the idea of maintaining a moral fabric that is twisted.Hehe, in case you are wondering, I am not a Republican. I am not a Democrat either. I'm one of those Libertarian people, but a moderate one to be sure :PI believe that the government's sole purpose is not to protect this abstract concept of society as a whole, rather its goal should be focused on protecting the individual's freedom. I believe the role of the government should be narrowly tailored to protecting the INDIVIDUAL from harm so they can exercise their own personal choices assuming those choices do not directly interfere with other's choices, and the key word here is individual. The Republicans that I endorse are those similar to Ron Paul that believe in reducing the size of the government, restoring rights to the states, and fighting for the individual. So to get back to the original question, I think there are essentially two types of conservatives. There is this one side that has this twisted sense of christianity that they are trying to force on everyone else. Then there is the other side which I like, they are trying to reduce waste and the scope of the Federal government, which would also mean removing inefficient areas of the war on drugs.
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Comment #29 posted by Hope on May 05, 2005 at 12:46:28 PT
"A Sharp Dressed Man"...ZZ Top
Whoo hoo!
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Comment #28 posted by potpal on May 05, 2005 at 12:40:50 PT
An interesting task...
...come up with a 'slanted' poll on our side of the fence...Anyone?I didn't vote either. Only 38 voters so far.
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Comment #27 posted by FoM on May 05, 2005 at 12:29:59 PT
Taylor
I am far from a republican. I think that John Kerry looked sharp during the run for the presidency and he sure isn't a republican. I just wanted to add that! LOL!My question is what do conservatives conserve?Thanks in advance.
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Comment #26 posted by Taylor121 on May 05, 2005 at 12:24:28 PT
The game
I think I should weigh in here a bit. I think this was already explained a bit by Hope but the MPP is not trying to exclude anybody, they are trying to play the game by the rules. There hippie image that so many people think of when they hear the word marijuana does NOT help our image, and the MPP is simply playing by the rules. You want change? One of the first steps is to dress formally and nice. Psychology people, when you see someone dressed in a suit it gives an apperance of authority. Their hair is cut short and they look like they are business oriented, it gives them appearance of a go-getter goodie goodie. We need both of these images because we are trying to get people that do not smoke pot on board, and we need to be authoratative. I salute the MPP for their formal image. It's not necessarily about being like Republicans in the general population, there is a different breed of Republicans in Congress. Think about this. Do you honestly think government officials that are socially conservatives are going to listen to a guy in a t-shirt with a pony tail? Compare that with a guy in a suit that is clean cut and looks like he's an elected politician. I think the distinction is clear and the MPP is sticking their neck out there to fight the stereotype and give us a more authoratative voice. We should thank them.
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Comment #25 posted by FoM on May 05, 2005 at 11:48:30 PT
Hope
They don't want us in their playhouse.That's a good one!
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Comment #24 posted by Hope on May 05, 2005 at 11:44:06 PT
Of course, they designed it that way.
I'm sure they didn't appreciate all our votes in a recent poll they ran and didn't want that to happen again.How bout that? They don't want us in their "playhouse". No reasonable people allowed, apparently. Their taking their toys and locking the door.Let them play alone, we've got better things to do than mess with them and their exclusion of sanity and right thinking.
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Comment #23 posted by FoM on May 05, 2005 at 11:33:48 PT
Shishaldin
It sure was slanted. All the answer would be wrong so I didn't vote.
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Comment #22 posted by Shishaldin on May 05, 2005 at 11:13:45 PT
Drug Free America
Talk about slanted *thinking*!
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Comment #21 posted by FoM on May 05, 2005 at 10:52:19 PT
Drug Free America Poll
I can't answer this poll because none of the answers are right. Talk about a slanted poll!http://www.dfaf.org/index.php
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Comment #20 posted by FoM on May 05, 2005 at 10:28:59 PT
Another Thought
I just cut my hair by about 6 inches because I was sitting on it and it was getting in my way. I have a beautiful dress with a lace collar and a pretty design pattern. I would put my hair up if I went to D.C. and wear that dress because it looks proper. At home I don't concern myself with appearance. I was a Mary Kay beauty consultant for a few years and I believe in makeup being put on so it doesn't look gawdy. These are my personal preferences but standards I have lived by all my life. I think it comes from going to catholic school all my years in school. I am a hippie at heart though!
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Comment #19 posted by Hope on May 05, 2005 at 10:11:21 PT
Battle Tactics
It’s tactic…pure psychological warfare tactic.I know a little about the tactics of trying to convince someone to listen to you. One of the core elements is to reflect your adversary back at himself, in appearance as well as speaking style. I believe it’s called the “mirror” effect. They let their guard down somewhat and they hear you better.I find long beautiful hair on a man attractive. It’s SEXY, for heaven’s sake. I like attractive well groomed facial hair on some men, too. But the point here isn’t about sensual attraction and Godly beauty or even being yourself, as far as appearance is concerned. We need to make these people listen to us. It’s using a “disguise” if you will. Sure, I hate that everyone isn’t accepted on the basis of who they are and what they are saying, but it’s true that you can get behind enemy lines a lot easier if you look like one of them. It’s a skill the evil narcs (aaarggh) use against many of ours. The people we are trying to convince to change their minds are arrogant and self-centered and they have the audacity to think they, and they only, look and behave “right”. To them, it’s all about them and how “wonderful” they are and how wrong we are to be different from them. Yes, it’s stupid and wrong…but it’s the reality of the day. We know looks are superficial, but if you want behind enemy lines, it’s smart to walk the walk and talk the talk of the people you are trying to reach, even if it’s something you have to learn to do well. And…whether we like it or not. There is a BUSINESS look. Opened toed shoes for women are not that professional. T-shirts are not power dressing. It’s a ploy and it’s a tactic. It’s a weapon available to us that could help us reach her goal more quickly, and it would be crazy not to use it. Surely you don’t think we are dealing with “open minded” people in our quest. They ARE prejudiced and close minded.Yes, it’s tacky and superficial of our adversaries to be that way…but it’s a reality. Even as a woman I’ve endured “old hippie” comments about my long hair. It really irks me. But I also know that long hair, even on a woman, if it’s up and “styled” just looks more business like and it can gain you that foot in the door you need. It’s not about free spirited, poetic beauty. It’s about making someone listen to what you have to say, and not be thinking about how sexy or free or wild and untamed you look.This is business… big time.
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Comment #18 posted by kaptinemo on May 05, 2005 at 10:11:02 PT:
Cultures...and culture clashing
FoM, you won't have any argument from me. But my point is that a lot more is at stake than 'just' the right of sick people to have their meds in peace. As such, it transcends any personal inclinations, as it affects us all. The sad fact of the matter is, after a brief thaw in the 1960's and early '70's, we were plunged again into the prohib Ice Age partly because of the public's perceptions of us being manipulated by our opponents - who used every button they could push to irritate or frighten the public about reform. Needless to say, the use of stereotypes (disheveled, dirty, stringy-haired, freaked-out looking, drooling hippies chasing little kids down the street with a joint in one hand and a porno rag in the other was one cartoon I remembered from that era) was highly effective...if only because there were vanishingly few 'respectable' ('suits and ties') speaking up against that gross typecasting.But now...more and more 'mainstream' people are coming forward and speaking out. Which causes the antis to pressure the media to get ANY rare unusual behavior *even remotely* associated with reform on camera to stick in front of the public as being *the* (false) 'face' of reform. I've broken bread with many people around this planet, and am only too well aware of how much bloody history sprang from stupid prejudice and ignorance. The same kind we face daily. Lest anyone get the wrong idea, I am not trying to foster that in my own community. But the fact remains that we are indeed judged by less tolerant people by the company we keep. And if that company refuses to realize that their actions and behavior ruffle the sensibilities of that less tolerant majority and as a result, damage us all, we'll never win.And the prize we hope to win is actually a tiny part of a much, much bigger one: real freedom, not the counterfeit we have today. The kind of freedom our grandparents knew, but was surrendered along the way - always 'for our own good'. That's why I feel so strongly about this.
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Comment #17 posted by FoM on May 05, 2005 at 10:04:32 PT
One More Thing
If I went to Washington I would dress accordingly out of respect for the area. I would be very modest in my dress but I always dress modestly. If I went to Mendocino County I wouldn't be as uptight and might even wear a tie dyed t-shirt. No I wouldn't. I only wear my tie-dyed t-shirt inside my own home. I understand why some of the powers that be can make it hard on activists but we need to be careful when we point fingers at others. We shouldn't hurt each others feelings because who are we anyway?
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Comment #16 posted by runderwo on May 05, 2005 at 09:54:34 PT
Well, it's like this
Half of people out there put a lot of weight in appearances and first impressions, and half don't care. Trying to present a clean-cut image to the half that is going to be critical of you will win you points there, but not lose you any points with the other half, unless you go as far as selling yourself out.Yes, it's extremely sad that the freedom to wear long hair or outlandish clothes or to use cannabis responsibly are freedoms that some people resent and will silently oppress. But that's the reality we live in, and we have to deal with it. We are only protected from persecution by the government in the US, not from other people, so it's very important that if you want them on your side, that you get them to believe that there is as much common ground between you as possible. And that does extend to such trivial things as dress, hygiene, and mannerisms.
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Comment #15 posted by FoM on May 05, 2005 at 09:24:53 PT
My 2 Cents
When we insult a culture it's like calling a black american a nigger.
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Comment #14 posted by kaptinemo on May 05, 2005 at 09:06:37 PT:
GonePostHole, I think I didn't explain well enough
My point is that those people who went to see the Wild West show were going there to see just that. That was the intent: entertainment. What we are trying to do directly impinge on something a lot more important: *governance*. Namely, how we are governed. How we live...or in the case of medical patients, just *survive*. That is why this issue is far more important than many believe.Look at the Supreme Court being so very cagey about delivering a ruling in Raich/Monson. They *know* a favorable ruling for the two women will have earthshaking consequences for the entire country, as Federal acquisition of powers taken from the States the past 30 years (by means of financial extortion) will have to be returned. That's power that those holding onto don't want to surrender. And how did all this happen? The DrugWar in general and the cannabis prohibition in particular caused this to happen. I repeat, this issue of drug law reform has far broader implications for this country than most Americans understand. It has taken what would normally be - and for far too many Americans, is - an obscure point of law and threatens to shake the foundations of government as we know it. It threatens to roll back massively the position of the Federal government, supreme since 1914 on this issue, and force it back to at least its pre-1937 levels. And as anyone who studies this issue knows too well, those 'vested interests' who have built their legal and bureaucratic empires on that wrong turn of a Fed DrugWar have their pensions and dreams of running a 'treatment center' after they cease their (ahem!) 'public service' in jeopardy by it. You can bet the phone lines between the Supreme's court clerks and every prohib agency in the country are being incinerated with the traffic.WE prompted this. Every activist who ever sat down and emailed a letter (or did it the old fashioned way), marched in a rally, visited their Reps and Sin-a-tors, gave to reform organizations, etc. This is the logical result of organization and activism. The drug law reform community may take a pivotal role in how this nation will be governed in this century by this case. Astonishing when you sit back and think about it.
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Comment #13 posted by Max Flowers on May 05, 2005 at 08:50:02 PT
Kaptinemo
It's hard to argue with that logic, and I mostly agree. But by of reassuring you, I hasten to point out that some of our latest allies---Montel Williams in particular---have that respectable "button-down" high-visibility profile that does a lot to counter the "hippie effect." One Montel counteracts the effects of a million hippies in my opinion. Now, if we just had about 5 or 10 more Montels step forward, this would all be over in a New York Minute.Here's my own bitch: I am very annoyed that scores of other popular celebrities, KNOWN to be big stoners or advocates already, are sitting on their frickin' hands on the sidelines to protect their careers while so many people are jailed and even die, when they could step up and make a HUGE impact (maybe even delivering decisive blows).Yes, I'm talking to you Brad Pitt, Robert DeNiro, Bill Murray, Oliver Stone, Ed Harris, George Clooney, Michael Madsen, Ben Affleck, Matthew McConaughey, and many others. Paul (McCartney), we need your help NOW.
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Comment #12 posted by goneposthole on May 05, 2005 at 08:03:24 PT
Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show
... toured throughout the US and Europe. People went to see Sitting Bull, the beads, tom-toms and the unusual garb.They won't pay to see somebody dressed to the hilt unless it's beautiful French women dancing the can-can.If you try to 'put on the dog', you'll get treated like one.One thing about the US goobermint: They don't play fair anymore.Don't expect anything to change. The Bush Cabalists are incorrigible, corrupt criminal recividists. Their true colors glare and hurt your eyes.
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Comment #11 posted by FoM on May 05, 2005 at 07:53:19 PT
JustGetnBy
It sure is!http://www.fivemanelectricalband.ca/signslyrics.html
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Comment #10 posted by JustGetnBy on May 05, 2005 at 07:47:51 PT
FOM........... Comment # 6
"Long Haired Freaky People
Need not apply
So I tucked my hair up under my hatand I went in to ask him why"FOM are those song lyrics ?? If so, what song ? Thanks
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Comment #9 posted by FoM on May 05, 2005 at 07:29:31 PT
goneposthole
Good one! LOL!
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Comment #8 posted by goneposthole on May 05, 2005 at 07:19:46 PT
looks aren't everything
George Bush has a real nice suit on all of the time. It costs plenty, no doubt.It ain't the car, it's the driver.
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Comment #7 posted by kaptinemo on May 05, 2005 at 07:07:10 PT:
I'll weigh in on this
I've made no bones about this in the past 6 years I've been running my yap about it here; this just points out some very painfully obvious truths.I remember in 1992, with Klinton's inauguration, that there was a sense of hopefulness in some quarters that at last, someone from the Boomer generation, knowledgeable about cannabis (instead of being willfully, maliciously ignorant about it) would begin to move this country to a more sensible path regarding it. But I also recall the local DC area TV stations picking up on that same theme. And who did they use to illustrate who was hoping for such a sea change to rationality? A gaggle of folks who looked like they were clothed courtesy of dumpster-diving, smoking a very long bong. One individual in particular caught my eye because of his outlandish dress. I went the next day to the NORML office to renew my membership, and who should I see but this same individual...and his mental processes, judging from his conversation with the office staff, matched the (same) haphazard clothing he was still sporting.THIS is what the media sees when they see reformers. THIS is what the public is shown by the media. Stand 199 people in business suits together, talking eruditely about cannabis, and the media will focus on the one scruffy looking dude next to them with the squirrelly eyes jabbering on about 'peace 'n' luv'. So long as this stereotype remains unchallenged in the media, we don't stand a chance. And of course, the antis know this, and smile when they see it.Leave the beads and peasant dresses and tom-toms at home, kiddies; the public and the legislators are only having their bad opinions of ALL of us vindicated by the behavior I've witnessed personally (at 4th of July marches for reform in DC)...and have ground-down back molars as a result. On the whole I am very much a 'live and let live' person. I could care less what beliefs you have or how you present yourself, but when your actions negatively impinge upon the welfare of others, it's time to examine them.Some will howl about this, but dammit, I've been waiting since Tricky Dick's Shafer Commission in 1972 for there to be some sense in our laws regarding cannabis, and I'm sick of the outlandish behavior of the 'fruit loops' *partly* being used as justification for continued prohibition. Any action or behavior our opponents would use against us we should refrain from. It's that simple. You don't hand ammunition to a fool with an empty weapon. Providing displays of odd behavior and dress (from the rest of the public's eyes) while publicly favoring cannabis law reform is doing just that.
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Comment #6 posted by FoM on May 05, 2005 at 06:55:03 PT
Long Haired Freaky People
Need not applySo I tucked my hair up under my hatand I went in to ask him whyNicholas we love you. You long haired republican you! LOL!
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Comment #5 posted by Nick Thimmesch on May 05, 2005 at 05:36:01 PT:
As a citizen and consumer...
...an certainly not as a representative of any organization, I for one was both puzzled and insulted by the following from this story:"Hundreds of suit-and-tie-clad marijuana advocates feasted on chicken Kiev and Petite Sirah on Capitol Hill on Wednesday night in what may have been the most button-down gathering of pot enthusiasts in history.""pot enthusiasts"?These are "pot enthusiasts"?:"We try to make it very clear that we are not pro-marijuana,'' said Steve Fox, the Marijuana Policy Project's clean-cut director of government affairs."Hardly.And this:"We decided from the outset, no scrungie beards. No ponytails. We'd be mainstream and professional. We'd try to look like Republicans as much as we could," said Rob Kampia, the group's executive director who got a significant haircut when he helped found the group 10 years ago. "I don't mind having short hair if it can help change the world.'' This is nothing less than insulting (especially to a longtime long haired conservative Republican): why say something that seeks to EXCLUDE anyone solely because of their appearence (or for that matter, sexual orientation, race, disability, etc). Even the Republicans -- whom some seek to mimick -- tout being a "big tent" party that seeks to be inclusive, not exclusive. This is just plain stupid politics, not smart, clever targeted politics.THIMMESCH yields the floor.
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Comment #4 posted by goneposthole on May 05, 2005 at 05:18:09 PT
The Republicans that I know
smoke cannabis. "Do you believe the government when they tell you that pot is bad for you ?"That's the question that I hear from a Republican toker that has smoked the stuff since 1974.Also, the Republicans that I know do have pony tails and don't wear 1000 dollar suits.What 'Republicans' is Mr. Kampia describing? Not any that I know.The 'Republicans' that wear those kinds of clothes and don't look like the average joe on the street aren't really the real Republicans that I know. I don't think they ever were 'Republican', just fat cats who wear the label to garner votes so they can tell everybody what to do and don't really give a damn about anybody but themselves.Although, I could be wrong.If Eli Lilly had a lick of sense they would be growing cannabis and call their strain White Lily or something like that. But, they won't because... well, they don't have a lick of sense. Just like fat cat, super rich dumbbells who call themselves 'Republican', but really aren't. They're just predators who could care less about this country until it hurts them in the pocketbook and then go running to the American hoi polloi for help, as in warm bodies to die for their sins.They're wretches if there ever were wretches. Republicans? Not on your life.A word of advice to Mr. Kampia: Look like those you represent, not those who won't support you. They'll just laugh at you behind closed doors. Doors that I am glad I never walk through. Get real.
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Comment #3 posted by Taylor121 on May 05, 2005 at 00:11:19 PT
Haha, the B instead of the M
"The Marijuana Policy Project has 18 full-time staffers in Washington, one in San Francisco and another in Los Angeles. It boasts 17,000 dues-paying members and more than 150,000 e-mail subscribers and has an annual budget of more than $2.5 billion. "I wish they had 2.5 billion a year! :P
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Comment #2 posted by Hope on May 04, 2005 at 23:07:59 PT
Ron Paul, a most admirable leader.
"My position is that people ought to make their own decision on almost anything if it doesn't hurt anybody else,'' said Rep. Ron Paul, a Texas Republican who said his support for medicinal marijuana had not cost him votes in his "conservative, Bible-belt district.''
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Comment #1 posted by Hope on May 04, 2005 at 22:59:55 PT
Thank you Rob and Steve and everyone else
who cut there hair to try and save others.It means a lot to me."I don't mind having short hair if it can help change the world.'' I mean it. Thank you.
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