Political Activism Regarding MMJ... (Read 420 times)

Better I Leave


    No, beef, having an opinion different than yours is not being a dick.

     

    I typed it and I do believe the medical marijuana law is heavily abused by drug addicts.  Yes, there are people like Dave's wife who use it as the law as it was intended, but the vast majority of people with medical marijuana cards are just using the drug recreationally.  I think it is awful that Dave's wife was the victim of a home invasion robbery.  I believe using common sense would have prevented it.  You wouldn't make a public announcement in the paper that you are going on vacation and your house will be vacant for the next two weeks would you?

    Well I guess that's my point about "not rocking the boat." When the ban was imposed, the board of supervisors were considering making it permanent. Someone had to speak for the patients. Many live in fear and I mean that most seriously. As a technical professional, and an articulate public speaker, I chose to speak for the ones that cannot. Did I know it was risky? Yes. One of the senior board members even used his connections with the sheriff to get me fired. I was called into my HR dept. and they had their attorneys and the attorneys and my employer had my back as I was entitled to my constitutional rights according to the First Amendment. Nice try supervisor...heh.

     

    I understand that the law is abused. It is IMHO that it should just be either decriminalized or simply made legal as in WA and CO. The argument that if it was to be made legal would create addicts is hogwash. I have access to marijuana right now and I don't smoke it. Why would I want to start if it was legal?

     

    Here's something interesting...One of my colleagues is a volunteer firefighter/first responder. He offers up no opinion one way or the other regarding marijuana, but he does say this "I've been responding to emergency medical calls for over 10 years. I can't count how many calls I've gone out on regarding prescription drug overdoses/abuses. I've never had a call regarding marijuana." I found that to be quite interesting.

     

    Anyway, should I have kept my mouth shut? Perhaps. But if all we ever do is keep our collective mouths' shut, won't we be handing over our freedoms and liberties to those "calling the shots"? I think it'd become a rather "totalitarian" world if nobody speaks out against laws they feel are unjust.

     

    And I won't get a gun. I familiar with them and even qual'd as expert while serving in the US Army.

      Good thread!!

       

      Gun control.

      Constituational rights.

      Legalization of drugs.

      New acronyms.

      Cussing.

      Religious undertones.

      A personal comparison to MLK on MLK day.

       

      9/10

       

      I can't wait to see how it ends.

      "Good-looking people have no spine. Their art never lasts. They get the girls, but we're smarter." - Lester Bangs

      kcam


        Good thread!!

         

        Gun control.

        Constituational rights.

        Legalization of drugs.

        New acronyms.

        Cussing.

        Religious undertones.

        A personal comparison to MLK on MLK day.

         

        9/10

         

        I can't wait to see how it ends.

        This!

        Better I Leave


          Well, I wasn't comparing myself to MLK by any stretch of the imagination, I was referencing how political activism and upholding one's convictions can have consequences, but it's all good. If that's the way you all saw it, who am I to argue it, yes? I've been studying the works of MLK, Gandhi, and the Dalai Lama as of late and all these men are admirable. I admire that they chose nonviolent activism. They all were activists and have payed a price in one form or another. My apologies.

          TJoseph


            I missed the religious undertones, but now that I look back at the original post I see the martyr aspect to it.

             

            Thanks for the civil response Dave.  Marijuana may or may not be any more dangerous than alcohol as a recreational drug, but it is illegal to use it as one in California and it is still against federal law to use it in any capacity.  Many employers prohibit their employees from using it and test for it.  The argument that it is a gateway drug is true for those with addictive personalities.  The same can be said for alcohol, but I like to drink in moderation and don't want to see another prohibition era.

             

            It is my opinion, dickish as it may be, that this particular cause is not worth risking your family's lives for.  I think most people abusing the law for recreational uses don't have much respect for the law.  If you are fighting for those with a genuine medical need for the drug, then how about fighting to make it a prescription drug that is only sold through pharmacies and regulated by the FDA for safety?  If you are really fighting to legalize it for everyone including recreational users, then why not say that instead?

            Trent


            Good Bad & The Monkey

            Better I Leave


              The argument that it is a gateway drug is true for those with addictive personalities. 

               

              If you are fighting for those with a genuine medical need for the drug, then how about fighting to make it a prescription drug that is only sold through pharmacies and regulated by the FDA for safety?  If you are really fighting to legalize it for everyone including recreational users, then why not say that instead?

               

              It is my belief that folks w/ addictive personalities will use regardless. As for making it prescription, I'm hesitant and here's why...and take it for what it's worth...I have a strong mistrust of the the Federal gov't. The FDA (again, this is my opinion so take it for what it's worth), is a revolving door of appointed corporate executives making policies masked as for the "general good" but really benefits corporations. Marijuana is a plant and if a patient can be treated through the administration of marijuana (inhalation, topical, ingestion), then I feel they should be allowed to grow it with no repercussions from law enforcement or the criminal element.

               

              At this point, we achieved a minor victory and the ban was lifted but with some pretty harsh restrictions. A parcel can only grow for 2 medical patients. Many folks I know are either too sick to grow for themselves and/or they live in an apartment. That is where a "collective" comes in to play, but they quashed that by restricting it to two medical recommendations per parcel.

              Better I Leave


                 

                I don't understand.

                 

                Medical marijuana.

                  Full disclosure: Sometimes I dream that Mr. MJ is...me.

                  "If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus

                  dennrunner


                    Full disclosure: Sometimes I dream that Mr. MJ is...me.

                     

                    23 or 45?


                    Prince of Fatness

                      Good thread!!

                       

                      Gun control.

                      Constituational rights.

                      Legalization of drugs.

                      New acronyms.

                      Cussing.

                      Religious undertones.

                      A personal comparison to MLK on MLK day.

                       

                      9/10

                       

                      I can't wait to see how it ends.

                       

                      This.  And it''s been years since I have dated Mary Jane.

                      Not at it at all. 

                      JimR


                          they should be allowed to grow it with no repercussions from law enforcement or the criminal element.

                         

                        How is the highlighted part even controllable?

                        Better I Leave


                           

                          How is the highlighted part even controllable?

                           

                          If marijuana was legalized or decriminalized cartels would disappear rather quickly and the associated violence that goes with said cartels. If marijuana was decriminalized or legalized then human greed wouldn't be a motivating factor and folks like my wife and I would not fall prey to folks seeking to rob us for their own monetary gain.

                           

                          Folks like my wife and I are caught in the middle of this drug war. I know many folks who grow that have been robbed. They often go unreported because of their strong distrust of law enforcement. Folks that know this will exploit that mindset. Thusly, in some cases, the violence escalates until someone is killed...over a plant.

                            Full disclosure: Sometimes I dream that Mr. MJ is...me.

                             

                            This one?

                             

                            MJ

                            JimR


                               I know many folks who grow that have been robbed.

                               

                              So right now, it's not a good idea to reveal this type of detail to a bunch of strangers.  Right?