Sorry I haven't updated in awhile, it's campaign season and everything has been crazy, both personally for me as well as in recent news. Nothing of any substance is happening, just more of the usual mudslinging, fear mongering, and horrific journalism that made our country what it is today.
I simply can't believe what I'm seeing in this general election campaign--I guess I knew it was coming all along but it just happened so fast. The average Californian voters (and Americans in general, I think) have finally proven without a doubt that they are no longer capable of making informed decisions. I know this because the percentage points in favor of every campaign have been swinging from week to week with no actual event to drive the fluctuation besides new ad campaigns. These people are not only relying on television for entertainment anymore, no--they now rely on it for all their information and personal decision-making processes. Apparently people these days have no problem succumbing to a life of sitting on the couch and letting the press and corporate America soak their mind in "opinions" (FYI: it's not your "opinion" if you heard it on TV, that's someone else's opinion). I don't watch TV (except ESPN, mind you), and I think that's what has helped me form such an objective perspective on law and politics. When debating or discussing politics with others, I can tell just by the word choice and arguing style of a person whether or not they are speaking for themselves or quoting a commercial back to me. It's very difficult to reason with these people because they usually feel compelled to stand firm on issues favored specifically by their political party--issues made known, of course, through partisan news networks and commercials. The biggest problem with this mentality is that our politicians are not making it any better...corrupt governments + braindead voters = chaos on the horizon.
First example, the governor race in California. To the educated, TV-less, moderate-minded observer, Meg Whitman is obviously an idiot. She still hasn't revealed any political skill to the voters, but she has already run the most expensive gubernatorial campaign of all time, and we're still 4 months away from the election. Too bad she has completely flip-flopped on a major issue that Republicans seem to feel very strongly about: immigration. In June, she tried to buddy up with Pete Wilson, a strong supporter of the controversial Arizona law. She promised the Reps that she'd be "tough on immigration" and even included photos of the border fence and statements about her distaste for the notion of amnesty for illegals in her 30-second TV commercials. This caused many Latino voters to shy away from her. Now, she has broken off contact with Wilson and launched a SPANISH ad campaign, complete with billboards saying "NO a la Proposicion 187 y NO a la ley de Arizona." Since the start of this particular project she has gained significant support from Latinos and is even catching up to Jerry Brown in that respect. Race issues aside (because I literally do not care what race a person is--it's what's going on inside the mind, and everyone is guilty in this case), these people believed a billboard and a few commercials rather than all the things Whitman said publicly back in June. Furthermore, even her Mexico-hating Republican supporters haven't noticed the flip-flop! The commercials they're getting on mainstream TV are making them happy enough I guess. But it just goes to show how people are making decisions these days, and it's quite scary. As far as Brown's campaign goes, I'm convinced he's going to lose simply because he hasn't represented himself solely in 30-second snippets. Which is fine by me, because I will not be voting for him either. I probably won't even vote for governor at all, as there are no qualified options. I'm almost clinging to Arnold for dear life.
The second problem I'm seeing is the press's selective distortion of facts regarding Prop 19, the marijuana initiative. As soon as the opposition came out with their lame attempt at a campaign, newspapers jumped all over it and are now publishing daily articles regarding the "dangers" of legalization, sometimes even 2 articles a day. Today they're reporting a miniscule drop in the polls that we already knew was going to happen (now 48% against, 44% for), but of course they are acting like legalization is done and the initiative will never pass now. Are you kidding me?! How do these people find any honor in that kind of speculation? As the opposition came out several months after the proponents, it's expected that their initial campaigning would slightly impact our poll results. It's common sense. It does not mean we can't bring that number back up in the next 4 months. This wouldn't be so upsetting if I didn't know that most people are going to believe everything they read and never listen to a single fact again. It's almost like the newspapers are being blackmailed by law enforcement to say these things and turn people against the initiative...I seriously wouldn't doubt it. On top of this, everyone seems to be literally ignoring the facts about marijuana. They say there are too many health risks involved (although they can't name a single health risk) and are afraid that stoned driving fatalities will come down upon us like a plague of locusts (even though millions have used the herb since cars were invented and we have never had widespread problems). I guess none of it matters because logic is dead for most Californians.
The biggest indicator of the downfall of our government system for me is the Oakland verdict yesterday regarding the BART station shooting of 22 year old Oscar Grant, an unarmed black man, by Johannes Mehserle, a white police officer. When Mehserle's "involuntary manslaughter" sentence was read yesterday at 4 PM, Oakland's worst fears were realized as protestors looted, rioted, and essentially wreaked havoc across the town. I hope no one will chide me for siding with these rioters, as I am a young and fairly revolutionary-minded individual who believes that if that many people are angry, it's something to take seriously. While many are calling the rioters out for being "unnecessarily destructive", I would suggest a bit of rhetoric on the Social Contract Theory.
We, the people, hand over some of our civil liberties in order to be protected and provided for by our government. The point here is that our governments, including their law enforcement agencies, have not held up their end of the bargain. We have paid income taxes and sales taxes into the system and helped develop California, and what have they done for us? Bankrupted their treasured "social programs" and plunged us into billions of dollars of debt that we will never be able to repay, and STILL begged us for more, while trying to control our actions in the name of "morality" and "tradition". They have prohibited, regulated, and taxed everything from businesses to bike helmets to our home appliances to the very food that we eat, and people are fed up. When a police officer can kill you simply for acting silly in the BART station and essentially get away with it in a court of law, people are going to get pissed off. And they are. And it's going to get worse. What happens when voters are literally too dumbed down to salvage what's left of the system? Maybe democracy is dying. Hopefully what comes after it is better.
If I didn't have such a compelling interest in saving this country from itself, I would give up on the whole thing. No rest for the weary...
Showing posts with label legalization. Show all posts
Showing posts with label legalization. Show all posts
Friday, July 9, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
Marijuana legalization effort subject to surprising opposition
Saw this article a couple days back but didn't think much of it until I started seeing a trend in public commentary regarding the subject: http://blogs.sacbee.com/weed-wars/2010/06/crusader-for-medical-marijuana-patients-opposes-legalization.html
The Control & Tax Cannabis 2010 campaign is getting underway, with marketing and educational materials currently being prepared, in addition to students and activists organizing and mobilizing to get out the vote and persuade California that drug policy is not a joke. Opponents of the ballot initiative have been present from the start, although their logic has been weak at best and their old-world arguments struck down by modern legal scrutiny. However, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the article above on the Sacramento Bee website...the owner of a medical dispensary, passing out anti-campaign literature and seeking the NO vote? How does that even make sense? I placed my two cents in the comment section and clicked out of the article, but since then everything I've read in the news on marijuana is supplemented by dozens of comments by "medical-only" proponents encouraging readers to vote NO in the November election. After seeing this, I knew I had to figure out exactly what was going on with the marijuana community, seemingly in the midst of a civil war about which kinds of use are permissible and which are not.
This new backlash against the movement is composed of medical marijuana growers and dispensary owners across California who believe that the recreational use of the herb is a disgrace to the integrity of the Prop 215 community and should not be made legal. It sounds very credible to a lot of people, which is why I view them as a force to be reckoned with in this campaign season. Here's why they're a viable threat: reading articles like this, the average adult is probably thinking, "see here, if the medical marijuana people don't even want it legalized, then recreational use is a bad thing". People are beginning to get the message that marijuana should be for medical use ONLY. Only problem is that their apparent motives aren't exactly as noble as they sound.
First of all, many of the opponents of the TC2010 initiative are Humboldt-area growers who have made medical marijuana farming into a family business. Their very way of life is threatened by legalization, and they are worried that their profits will disappear once others take up legal growing enterprises after November. While this is a valid concern and I pity these people for whatever financial shortfalls legalization may bring them, their opposition is fueled by selfishness. Recreational users have taken the brunt of the drug war for 70 years, suffering discrimination, incarceration, and long tours in rehab for a non-addictive substance. Now is our chance to live freely in society and use marijuana without fear of arrest, but these growers would rather keep the status quo to protect their pocketbooks. Like I said--they put up a good fight, but they are simply not looking at the big picture, which is that there are hundreds of thousands of recreational marijuana users in this country and only a small minority of medical growers.
My second argument may sound a little far-reaching, and many may think that I am promoting corruption in the Prop 215 system, but I'm only speaking from my experience both as an MMJ patient and as a previous recreational user. How do you think people even figured out that marijuana had serious potential as medicine? How did most patients figure out that marijuana treated their problems? Here's the answer: RECREATIONAL USE. Without the underground spread of recreational use across California, the herb would have never gained the popularity en masse that it enjoys now, and without thousands to testify to its therapeutic effects, neither scientific studies nor drug-related policy would have ever been considered by the government. Many dispensary owners also fail to realize that a significant chunk, if not a majority, of their patients are simply recreational users under the guise of having a medical condition (I'm NOT condoning this, but I know that it does happen, and only legalization can put a stop to widespread MMJ corruption). Let's face it--everyone has to smoke their first joint somewhere, and I think it's safe to say that until you've tried it and know that it works, you're not going to go through the trouble of going to your doctor, paying $100, etc. to get your medical card. Legalization opponents are foolish for overlooking the vast population of brave recreational users who risked everything to make marijuana what it is today: a widely used, nearly socially accepted recreational substance with legitimate potential in the medical field.
What I'm trying to say is that it's not a "one way or the other" argument--on the contrary, recreational and medical use can often go hand in hand. I had never really thought about marijuana as a medicine until my recreational use became more frequent, at which point I noticed the positive effects it was having on my pain as well as my overall mental state. Who knew? But I sincerely believe that even if your medical diagnosis doesn't qualify you for a club card, odds are you'll still probably like marijuana, and should have the right to spark up at a party if you get the urge. This is where the proponents of legalization have something working for them: that it's a substance that most people who try for the first time generally enjoy and which doesn't have any serious consequences for the user nor for society.
I guess I'm just stuck in the middle. As a previous recreational user and a current patient, I understand both sides of the argument. But I'll never forget the value set that I've gained by using marijuana and being a member of the community. Bob Marley's "One Love" comes to mind...it's long been a part of stoner lingo, but from a political aspect, I truly think the only way to win this campaign is to remind ALL marijuana users, medical or not, that it's not about money or special status--marijuana promotes feelings of relaxation and well-being, and a friendly, easygoing culture. These are things that our state really needs right now, in the midst of an economic catastrophe and a BUY!BUY!BUY! consumer mentality. Fighting on the issue of legalization should be a non-issue; instead we should be collaborating on this worthy cause and working together to get innocent people out of jail, dangerous drug cartels out of our state, and a new beginning for California.
ONE LOVE ;)
The Control & Tax Cannabis 2010 campaign is getting underway, with marketing and educational materials currently being prepared, in addition to students and activists organizing and mobilizing to get out the vote and persuade California that drug policy is not a joke. Opponents of the ballot initiative have been present from the start, although their logic has been weak at best and their old-world arguments struck down by modern legal scrutiny. However, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the article above on the Sacramento Bee website...the owner of a medical dispensary, passing out anti-campaign literature and seeking the NO vote? How does that even make sense? I placed my two cents in the comment section and clicked out of the article, but since then everything I've read in the news on marijuana is supplemented by dozens of comments by "medical-only" proponents encouraging readers to vote NO in the November election. After seeing this, I knew I had to figure out exactly what was going on with the marijuana community, seemingly in the midst of a civil war about which kinds of use are permissible and which are not.
This new backlash against the movement is composed of medical marijuana growers and dispensary owners across California who believe that the recreational use of the herb is a disgrace to the integrity of the Prop 215 community and should not be made legal. It sounds very credible to a lot of people, which is why I view them as a force to be reckoned with in this campaign season. Here's why they're a viable threat: reading articles like this, the average adult is probably thinking, "see here, if the medical marijuana people don't even want it legalized, then recreational use is a bad thing". People are beginning to get the message that marijuana should be for medical use ONLY. Only problem is that their apparent motives aren't exactly as noble as they sound.
First of all, many of the opponents of the TC2010 initiative are Humboldt-area growers who have made medical marijuana farming into a family business. Their very way of life is threatened by legalization, and they are worried that their profits will disappear once others take up legal growing enterprises after November. While this is a valid concern and I pity these people for whatever financial shortfalls legalization may bring them, their opposition is fueled by selfishness. Recreational users have taken the brunt of the drug war for 70 years, suffering discrimination, incarceration, and long tours in rehab for a non-addictive substance. Now is our chance to live freely in society and use marijuana without fear of arrest, but these growers would rather keep the status quo to protect their pocketbooks. Like I said--they put up a good fight, but they are simply not looking at the big picture, which is that there are hundreds of thousands of recreational marijuana users in this country and only a small minority of medical growers.
My second argument may sound a little far-reaching, and many may think that I am promoting corruption in the Prop 215 system, but I'm only speaking from my experience both as an MMJ patient and as a previous recreational user. How do you think people even figured out that marijuana had serious potential as medicine? How did most patients figure out that marijuana treated their problems? Here's the answer: RECREATIONAL USE. Without the underground spread of recreational use across California, the herb would have never gained the popularity en masse that it enjoys now, and without thousands to testify to its therapeutic effects, neither scientific studies nor drug-related policy would have ever been considered by the government. Many dispensary owners also fail to realize that a significant chunk, if not a majority, of their patients are simply recreational users under the guise of having a medical condition (I'm NOT condoning this, but I know that it does happen, and only legalization can put a stop to widespread MMJ corruption). Let's face it--everyone has to smoke their first joint somewhere, and I think it's safe to say that until you've tried it and know that it works, you're not going to go through the trouble of going to your doctor, paying $100, etc. to get your medical card. Legalization opponents are foolish for overlooking the vast population of brave recreational users who risked everything to make marijuana what it is today: a widely used, nearly socially accepted recreational substance with legitimate potential in the medical field.
What I'm trying to say is that it's not a "one way or the other" argument--on the contrary, recreational and medical use can often go hand in hand. I had never really thought about marijuana as a medicine until my recreational use became more frequent, at which point I noticed the positive effects it was having on my pain as well as my overall mental state. Who knew? But I sincerely believe that even if your medical diagnosis doesn't qualify you for a club card, odds are you'll still probably like marijuana, and should have the right to spark up at a party if you get the urge. This is where the proponents of legalization have something working for them: that it's a substance that most people who try for the first time generally enjoy and which doesn't have any serious consequences for the user nor for society.
I guess I'm just stuck in the middle. As a previous recreational user and a current patient, I understand both sides of the argument. But I'll never forget the value set that I've gained by using marijuana and being a member of the community. Bob Marley's "One Love" comes to mind...it's long been a part of stoner lingo, but from a political aspect, I truly think the only way to win this campaign is to remind ALL marijuana users, medical or not, that it's not about money or special status--marijuana promotes feelings of relaxation and well-being, and a friendly, easygoing culture. These are things that our state really needs right now, in the midst of an economic catastrophe and a BUY!BUY!BUY! consumer mentality. Fighting on the issue of legalization should be a non-issue; instead we should be collaborating on this worthy cause and working together to get innocent people out of jail, dangerous drug cartels out of our state, and a new beginning for California.
ONE LOVE ;)
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Legalize It!: Today California, tomorrow the world.
The Fresno Bee (6.1.10) - "Poll: California voters favor legalizing pot."
http://www.fresnobee.com/2010/06/01/1953398/poll-shows-california-voters-favor.html
"Legalize It!": Now that there is officially decriminalization legislature on the November ballot in California, this has become a serious political issue rather than a battle cry for hippies. It makes sense to legalize when you think about the facts: firstly, marijuana is California's biggest cash crop. A properly regulated and taxed business market for the plant is likely to save the state's economy and create jobs that span income brackets, from agricultural and transportation workers to lawyers and politicians. All of this without adding to the technological hierarchy that has thrown the business world off-balance for years! Second, Nixon's "drug war" has corrupted the law enforcement system. Thousands of federal prisoners are behind bars simply for marijuana charges. This leaves no room for the real criminals (sex offenders, armed robbers, etc.), and also makes it easier and more profitable for law enforcement officers to go after a pot smoker than a rapist at large. Third, the herb contains safe and therapeutic chemicals called cannabinoids which have been proven to soothe ailments from back pain to glaucoma and from anxiety to AIDS. It has also been proven that these chemicals have never caused death by toxicity (a statement that neither the tobacco industry nor the alcohol industry can make). Overall, the facts behind legalization show economic and political soundness.
Considering the possibility of legalization, proponents in California have also looked into the social effects of marijuana use. Researchers have already concluded that use of the herb does not contribute to addiction, mental disorders, long-term brain function impairment, aggressive behavior, or sexual assault. In fact, some groups such as SAFER go so far as to state that marijuana has the capacity to replace alcohol, which is known to cause many of these social and psychological problems, for people who enjoy using a "recreational substance" in their free time (http://www.saferchoice.org).
The medical marijuana movement in California has proven that thousands of people can use the herb and still contribute productively to society, including students, attorneys, and business executives, all the while managing chronic pain, anxiety, migraines, and negative side effects associated with several diseases.
The legalization movement is a culture shock in many ways. The government has manipulated the press and scientific reports on marijuana since the 1940s, and only now is all the true information being revealed to the public. Many older people who remember the "Reefer Madness" era are going to need lots of convincing by the time the election comes around, but once the facts are publicized and people realize that the herb is not a narcotic, acceptance will start to grow, and if California succeeds in legalizing it, other states will follow. The federal decriminalization of marijuana is actually a possibility for my generation, and I couldn't be more thrilled.
http://www.fresnobee.com/2010/06/01/1953398/poll-shows-california-voters-favor.html
"Legalize It!": Now that there is officially decriminalization legislature on the November ballot in California, this has become a serious political issue rather than a battle cry for hippies. It makes sense to legalize when you think about the facts: firstly, marijuana is California's biggest cash crop. A properly regulated and taxed business market for the plant is likely to save the state's economy and create jobs that span income brackets, from agricultural and transportation workers to lawyers and politicians. All of this without adding to the technological hierarchy that has thrown the business world off-balance for years! Second, Nixon's "drug war" has corrupted the law enforcement system. Thousands of federal prisoners are behind bars simply for marijuana charges. This leaves no room for the real criminals (sex offenders, armed robbers, etc.), and also makes it easier and more profitable for law enforcement officers to go after a pot smoker than a rapist at large. Third, the herb contains safe and therapeutic chemicals called cannabinoids which have been proven to soothe ailments from back pain to glaucoma and from anxiety to AIDS. It has also been proven that these chemicals have never caused death by toxicity (a statement that neither the tobacco industry nor the alcohol industry can make). Overall, the facts behind legalization show economic and political soundness.
Considering the possibility of legalization, proponents in California have also looked into the social effects of marijuana use. Researchers have already concluded that use of the herb does not contribute to addiction, mental disorders, long-term brain function impairment, aggressive behavior, or sexual assault. In fact, some groups such as SAFER go so far as to state that marijuana has the capacity to replace alcohol, which is known to cause many of these social and psychological problems, for people who enjoy using a "recreational substance" in their free time (http://www.saferchoice.org).
The medical marijuana movement in California has proven that thousands of people can use the herb and still contribute productively to society, including students, attorneys, and business executives, all the while managing chronic pain, anxiety, migraines, and negative side effects associated with several diseases.
The legalization movement is a culture shock in many ways. The government has manipulated the press and scientific reports on marijuana since the 1940s, and only now is all the true information being revealed to the public. Many older people who remember the "Reefer Madness" era are going to need lots of convincing by the time the election comes around, but once the facts are publicized and people realize that the herb is not a narcotic, acceptance will start to grow, and if California succeeds in legalizing it, other states will follow. The federal decriminalization of marijuana is actually a possibility for my generation, and I couldn't be more thrilled.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)