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BoneyDragon

I recently had a pro legalization letter published in the Calgary Herald. My dad saw it. My teachers saw it. I don't seem to have caught any flack as a result. Then again, in my country half the population supports at least decriminalization.

~BD

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KWhite

I must disagree with a few of your points.
I not only believe, but am certain all data available can show the successful propaganda used by the Governments, various and sundry anti-drug associations, churches etc. to paintthe marijuana in a bad light. Why did they engage in this propaganda? Because public opinion helps their cause, as it can help ours.
Think about the average non smoker. Will he or she follow the rules as they have always known them?
You are durned tootin' they will, unless they begin to see us in a different light than previously.
It is good to hold political beliefs, I have a few of my own, but the system in place is the one we are FORCED to deal with, and that means political lobbying.
Lobbying without money is a time honored tradition, it is called a grassroots campaign.
This is where we move into the public eye, and attempt to change the base of support opinions for all of our politicians.
It takes time, but is of the utmost importance.
As it stands, and it is better today than even 5 years ago, most folks will shake their paper, or click off the news and mutter "lazy flipping potheads" and that is the end to it, as far as a ballot box victory, forget it.
But show that same person, "Look at me! I am a human, I do not live in the gutter, I do not waste my days in apathetic dreaming, I do well in school, I am courteous, I am a good citizen, and looking at new research, I am healthier!" and we will win.
It is simple political certainty, once we get the voters on our side, we have won, politicians follow a vote like a dog a bone.
If one disagrees with the present political set-up, well, lets get this fixed, then you can work on that.

*Grins*
Without a felony possession charge on your record.
Kelly

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"Your mind is your own, your body as well, from the soul we need not speak, tend it well, making those decisions you deem worthy, aware all responsibility is in your hands when the smoke clears" Kelly L. White

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huh?

Kelly, thank you for your response, I offer you this:

1."If one disagrees with the present political set-up, well, lets get this fixed, then you can work on that. "
-did you really say this, no offense, but how are we going to change the present political set-up, that requires changing a lot more peoples minds than legalizing it.

2."But show that same person, "Look at me! I am a human, I do not live in the gutter, I do not waste my days in apathetic dreaming, I do well in school, I am courteous, I am a good citizen, and looking at new research, I am healthier!" and we will win"
-as I said I'd like to see this viewpoint expressed during the 2nd half of a commercial that first compares weed to alcohol, tobaccao, and nicotine. If it is on tv a lot of people will change it, but say I am sitting there with my parents, I will be making a lot of noise if they change that commercial. And what about airing them in with previews and commercials before movies at theatres. You can't change that channel. Plus if you start it by stating facts on alcohol, nicotine, and caffeiene before mentioning weed, people won't change right away, and some would stay out of curiousity.

3."and that means political lobbying. Lobbying without money is a time honored tradition, it is called a grassroots campaign."
-I can only think of one instance of lobbying in the recent future that actually won that affects me. There was a guy killed in a truck box, riding there without a seatbelt of course, when his drunk driver rolled the truck going through a red light. His mom joined MADD (mothers against drunk driving), lobbied hard, and it took her 3-4 years to get the government to pass a law amking it illegal to ride in the box of a truck - and it only applied to our province!. Now, isn't this common sense?? Shouldn't it have only taken 3-4 days (not years) to pass such a law? I don't have faith in that method, the MJ issue is common sense to a lot less people than the making riding in a truck box illegal was, and that was an unbelievably painstaking process for that poor woman who's son died, plus she wasn't grassroots, she did everything she could to make this law exist. Worse yet, it doesn't apply to rural areas because I guess farmers need to have this right, blech, like farmers don't drink and drive! And like it's not easier to roll trucks in the country!

4."I not only believe, but am certain all data available can show the successful propaganda used by the Governments, various and sundry anti-drug associations, churches etc. to paintthe marijuana in a bad light. Why did they engage in this propaganda? Because public opinion helps their cause, as it can help ours. "
-Yes, we know what is responsible for the views of the general public regarding MJ, it cost heaps and heaps of money to do it too. Yes public opinion helps our cause but how are we going to compete with that government propaganda machine with grassroots, I thought that was what we were doing for the last 5 years at the minimum. Here it is a tradition at 4:20, april 20 every year to go to city hall across from the main cop shop and have a session. They have let us do this peacefully for more than 3 years now that I know of, and the turnout is always great, but who else cares other than us? It gets no press, ever. Every year it is missed by the papers, the radios, the news shows on tv. hmm

Don't get me wrong, if there actually is a lobby group doing something in my area, I'd join and try to contribute, it is something. But I honestly don't think we have a chance that way. How many people lobbied to tobacco companies regarding their scandulous workings, yet not until the truth group started up on tv had anything made as much of an impact on people who didn't already share their opinion. I do not think lobbying, or grassroots campains, will change anything. Not even here in Canada. In fact I think the scientists are dong more in Canada for marijuana than the activists. Remember around the same time the US Supreme Court dubbed marijuana as having no medical use, the leading Canadian medical journal wrote a piece to our government saying, "look at this stuff to legalize, not just medicinally, we've found that health-wise it is fit to be legal." That combined with politicians debating it is what I think will get it legalized here in Canada, and that will take a while as well as luck in the politicians having no crisis to deal with - so they can debate MJ. That is, unless we come up with an innovative new way to change the public's (mostly wrong) opinion. Until then we play the waiting game in my eyes.

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KWhite

Did I say you should wait and work on that problem?
yep, I should have said we.
The point remains this is what we have, and we must work wiothin the framework of it.

Waiting games are what the fellows on the defensive play, they usually because they are losing, having lost the initiative, or never taken it, for an offense.

I agree with you on the commercial thing, good idea, but lets face it, until a groundswell of opinion is out there, heard by the makers of those commercials, among others, it is not going to happen.
It would be great to see all television watchers finally geting real, true, at times life saving information about all drugs, including those licit.
I refer you to your lobbying statement.

Grassroots, madd, I remember when they started out, they had little more than general sympathy. They should be an example to us. They convinced people in small groups, those groups became a voting power, and they achieved their goals.
Take a look at the A.A.R.P (Association of aged and retired people)
It was a fact of life, not too long ago, that seniors had little voice.
Then they found out they were strong en bloc, and few politicians make a move without seeing which way the older folks are gonna go.
*Hmm lightbulb flash...these people are politically STRONG....and use medications increasingly as their age moves up, perhaps we should send out some feelers*
They also started out as a bunch of like minded folks getting together. The monies they now spend to lobby for their virews came AFTER the fact, not before.

I guess I am trying to be pragmatic, we have got to
1. Start somewhere
a. use the tools we have
2. develop as many other tools as we can, to include, an association of recreational and medicinal marijuana users *Cool, just thought that up, "A.R.M.U." anybody want to run with it?*

In the forminmg of our grass roots movements, public opinion of us will change inevitably. It is our work to insure it changes to our favor, and then we have won.

see ya about, thanks for giving me something to think about
Kelly

Anarchy101

you are talking about all these options but what are you actualy doing?? have you put any time into A.R.M.M? You need to start thinking about getting this movement up and running.. start putting up flyers.. I think i remimber this guy talking about how a flyer he saw on the street cought his eye... You don't even have to spend that much money on it... All you need is a printer.. And for your movie theator thing you can use a home camera.. things like that interest people.. grab your audiance by the balls.. come on... This post has really got me motivated to actualy do something.. I am ready to fight them here and now.. We have the FACTS we have the PROF... DON'T LET THEM TELL YOU YOUR WAY OF LIFE IS WRONG!!! even at 15 i know one person isn't going to change anything.. So we must organize this group and fast.. Things arn't going to change unless we act apon the problem at hand.. I know my underage vote doesn't count but i know a lot of older people out there who's votes do... get it together and we will win!!

 

KWhite

Is a staate of controllessness.
Right now, as I am replying to you, the A.R.M.U. has been in my mind a total of seven hours, from first warped thought to the budding discussion you see over in legalization.
That is about the only part I think was aimed at me.
I realize this is a fun site, but it is DOING SOMETHING.
If you do not believe me, think back a few years to when you were ......10.
I DO quite a bit here locally, and I/we do quite a bit here at marijuana.com.
The evidence,
*Grins*
you are all fired up.
So, print some flyers, *I suggest a mail to nessaVedder, she seems to like the idea of flyers and may have some creative thoughts for you* and start hanging them
In the case of the armu...which is what I belive you were referring to.
It might be a great idea, but if it gets done badly,. it canonly hurt us.
see you around
Kelly

Ganjx

absolutely. only it would be more like "i smoke weed, legalize it now, or i will be forced to rally a crusade against this feudal and unconstitutional institution."

as overdrive so eloquently put it:

"Sometimes, direct confrontation is the only way to get your point across."

you name the time and place and ill be there. however, this harmonious stoner persona doesnt take the cake anymore. protests are being silenced, innocent lives are being jeopardized and even neutralized over this petty debate. i dont think the innocent 'law abiding marijuana user' approach is gonna work. we need to unveil to the public that our rights are being infringed left and right. we must act as a disenfranchised minority group always does...PISSED OFF! and rightly so.

so to answer your question, yes i will boldly stand by my convictions and let them be known...only i wont be so polite.

dedbr

Did it take guts to stand up for what I beleive in?Did it take guts to go to jail all the times I've been.Did it take guts to refuse the urine screens that have cost me my job and my livelyhood?Did it take guts to live with the scorn of my fellows because of a felony drug possesion charge?
KWhite,there is more to standing up than is in this post.The opposition is waiting for us to speak out.They hate us for being what we are and especially for speaking our minds like we do.I have had people tell their children to leave the room when I start speaking the truth because they don't want them to see the truth and they especially don't want them to hear it.
I could say more,but I think that you get the message.I thank my lucky stars for giving me parents that beleived not only the truth but speaking the truth as well.

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KWhite

Yes, you are correct.
I know well the stubbornness which made me, turn down a good job, one that could have done a lot of good for my kids, because I would have to do a drug screen, working two, rather than submit.
I know it too well!
And I was not even smoking at the time.
*It is true, I am really fundamentalist here*
But my friend, somany that come here, are young, or have not had these challenges yet.
One can lead a mind to knowledge, and one CAN make them think.
It is my cherished notion, that my presence, and my small questions, will help ONE person say.
"You know, I never thought of it that way"
This is my hope in any case.
My father, when all is said and done, taught me to believe in the sanctity of my personal rights, to love the flag and ALL it stands for.
And I do.
And because of that, I ask my questions, and write my essays, cuz at the end.
It's lonely out here.
Kelly

dedbr

"Tis better to die a free man than live as a slave"

I hope that the old timers can keep speaking the truth for the young people to hear.