Support the U.S Marijuana Party

[Dez]

Change starts with US. We need to tell them NO MORE WAR!
http://usmjparty.blogspot.com/

[YOY]

1. As much as I like an occasional dabble

NO. There are other priorities that should attract your attention that should far exceed mary jane.

[Dez]

2. Why put all your eggs in one basket?

There are many injustices happening now in our world. I think we need to address more than one of those issues with our representatives. And this issue is very important since it's changed our country into a Police State. Colleges are strapped for money, and the prisons keep being built! Remember, you pay taxes which pay for these prisons, and by not protesting this to your reps, you you agree with the state of affairs.

[Diddy_Wa_Diddy]

14. all drugs

should be legal

[Dez]

3. How do you feel about being sent to jail

for smoking that joint? The laws wont change until we all stand up and tell the politicians we are not going to tolerate their draconian laws any longer.

[YOY]

5. One thing at a time

As much as I believe that anti-marijuana laws are BS and that prisons are cluttered with petty dealers and users who are a waste of taxpayers dollars , the RWers (despite overwhelming evidence contrary to their belief that pot is:

a. A gateway drug, I'm evidence that it is not.
b. Dangerous No one has EVER died from a pot overdose and it does not make people violent...on the contrary is either mellows you or makes you paranoid. Alcohol is more dangerous by far.
c. Addictive (it can be psychologically...but so can reality TV)
d. Wasteful...I've met some pretty lazy potheads. Sorry man, I gotta agree that too much of a good thing can be bad. It makes me lazy too. That's why I dabble once every blue moon.

On a positive note, pot could be big business. Imagine big tobacco and alcohol being given a run for their money. There is profits to be made here...and poor West Virginian farmers could make out like bandits (legally.) Then there are the medicinal purposes.

My arguments against a "Marijuana Party" is this: YOU MUST PUT YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET IN THIS COUNTRY!

Regretfully and most importantly, this is a two party presidential system and not a highly democratic parliamentary system. The general publics voice is regretfully split into two and only two effective parties.

A "marijuana party" splinters leftists and progressives even more...just as the green party does (although I respect and agree with many of their and your points-of-view.)

Human rights and social medical care as well as a society that truly embraces open-minded free speech are my priorities. Someone getting discriminated against or tortured in the name of 'freedom' gets first dibs in my world. I can hold off on pot smoking until we can get to that point. When I do actually and occasionally have a joint I make sure I know the state laws and make sure that when I'm doing it, I'm not carrying anything more than a misdemeanor.

Beyond those facts and on a humorous note, 'marijuana party' just sounds kinda...stoned. Sorry man, it's just bad marketing. Then again I always though 'Khmer Rouge' sounded like a Cambodian Cosmetic firm.

[K-W]

4. The drug war is alot bigger than a little pot smoking.

The overall issue is one of the biggest issues we have in this country.

I dont know about the political viability of this party though.

[Dez]

Go to

http://www.cannabisculture.com and Loretta Nall will happily answer any questions you may have about it. Her nick is voodoodol. You will learn how Marc Emery has donated millions of dollars to fight prohibition in Canada AND in the U.S ... every pot smoker ought to send their donations into B.C Marijuana Party in Vancouver.

[YOY]

6. First things first...

and striking down the useless 'War on Drugs' (Struggle against Illegal Pharmaceuticals in shrubspeak) is just not a good 'first.'

and I agree about the viability part.

[Dez]

7. You can learn lots about U.S MJ Party

here http://www.cannabisculture.com/forums/ubbthreads.php
Go to Pot TV and there is tons of information. Every American pot smoker should have this web site bookmarked.

[K-W]

8. It is bigger than even that, much bigger,

It effects almost every aspect of our society and is deeply intertwined with US militarism and domestic exploitation.

This is an extremely important issue and should be dealt with now along with other important issues. The prisons are full of people who shoudldnt be in them, which is not only an affront to human rights, but is costing taxpayers a fortune. Meanwhile the war on drugs is the justification for much of our criminal and expensive foriegn policy in places like Latin America.

[Dez]

9. The DEA are in about 56 countries!

They have more than one office in some locations, such as Vancouver, B.C. IMHO, the DEA are nazis, die neu nazis! They have so much power, and so much money, and no one to answer to, for their criminal actions. Something needs to be done!

[YOY]

10. I'm not willing to ignore it

I just think it should be put to the back-burner as it would take a lot of education to the American mainstream as to the actual effects/benefits of such legislation.

The faster change happens, the greater the likelihood of abuse and damage caused by the change. It is not analyzed or scrutinized (patriot act anyone?) but simply thrown out as new legislature that has public support. Sadly we are so behind the times in many aspects we need change or will shrivel up into some twisted corporate theocracy before then. Much change is needed. IMHO, we need to change our medical system first. (Within a medical change could be the seeds of acceptance in care for addiction to far more dangerous drugs as well as honest admittance that cannabis is not a dangerous drug.)

If such a change would and could be affected upon one state (say Washington State for example) in the simple legalization of ONLY marijuana and the effects that it has over a year or two on the public. Then and only then could it be legally and reasonably legalized country wide.

Kristianstaad (sp?) in Denmark was a failed experiment (IMO) of letting 'anything go'. I've been there...scary place. It was not like the cafes of Amsterdam.

And as I have pointed out earlier I am well aware of the useless and needless cluttering of prisons. I am also well aware of our meddling (pun intended) in Latin America that has caused more pain and suffering than what it is worth.

[Dez]

11. People are DYING in this war too!

and this is what we have to educate Americans about! Our government is responsible for thousands of deaths in this war. And people keep dying, whether in a U.S prison, or in South America.. The drugs themselves are not the real problem, the real problem is the prohibition against them. It affects every single American.. and they ALL should be learning more about the evils of the drug war.

[ktlyon]

19. yes and families are being split up when parents go to jail

children are suffering because of our stupid drug laws

[druidity33]

20. Denmark...

the experiment there failed for MANY reasons, not the least of which was a growing drug culture within the "city". It's a wonder that thousands of "residents" without any infrastructure or resources whatsoever managed to survive as long as they did. As i understand it about the only thing they were supplied was state water, otherwise they were left to their own devices. Beyond the expected sicknesses however, the violent crime rate was much lower than the Naional average and way lower than US avg... at least until near the end there.

As for the cafes in Amsterdam... yeah they're laid back, but they're mostly for tourists and people who aren't JOBLESS and HOMELESS. The riots in France (have they ended yet?) are a powerful example of the evolution of despair within the masses. Drugs and drug culture is a symptom. I'm not saying people shouldn't be able to in essence do what they want to do... just that a well thought out plan is better. Yeah, so i agree with you about trying one state and making the case for legalization "airtight" and fair. Anyway, gotta go to work...
peace out.

[Ih8dashrub]

18. needs to change

how many brothers and sisters have the evil republicans put in jail as part of their war on african americans

the drug laws are a direct assault on democratic ideals where a religious minority attempts to impose its rules on every one

we stand for freedom
free the prisoners in jail on drug charges
and get them back in the voting booth

[newyawker99]

21. Hi Ih8dashrub!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[joey93turbo]

12. I don't think so :(

I just don't see anyone taking a political party seriously with a name like the "US Marijuana Party". Many people won't even give the party members a chance to explain themselves before making up their mind against it.

[Dez]

13. People need to be educated.

they are blinded by the propaganda that has been shoved down their throats for so many generations. The U.S Marijuana Party is a start to become politically active, and to let the world know that we are tired of this horrendous war on drug users. We are tired of losing our civil rights, and we want change, NOW. A lot of people who support it are mj med patients, whose rights are violated every time cops seize their medicine, or put them in jail. Change begins with each and every one of us.. to pass it on, letting people know of the safeness of cannabis, and it's many medicinal qualities.

[K-W]

15. All the more reason to push the issue out there.

The stigmatization of marijuana is directly tied to the marginalization of marijuana users.

You don't change peoples minds about something by accepting their biases as inevitable.

[Asgaya Dihi]

16. yes and no...

On one hand Joey kinda has a point, I'm not sure the Marijuana Party is the vehicle to get us anywhere either. That's more a matter of style than of thinking it's the right time for the fight though, the time doesn't get any better.

Marijuana seems to be the one most people care about, and unfortunately if/when we ever get anywhere on that the rest of the drug war is likely to be abandoned and that's where most of the real damage is. Since the 1970's our population has grown some, but not nearly the 6 times the prison and jail systems have grown. That growth has taken place mostly at the expense of the poor, minorities, and others who are poorly positioned to defend themselves. If the same tactics were tried in middle class neighborhoods we wouldn't put up with it at all, and we know it.

http://www.prisonsucks.com/

The average rate of incarceration for nations comparable to the US runs about 100 per 100,000 to 150 per 100,000 (http://www.sentencingproject.org/pdfs/pub9036.pdf). US stats at the moment are 726 per 100,000 residents which is up from the sentencing project document just a year or so before

As if that wasn't bad enough look at the racial distribution.

* Whites: 393 per 100,000
* Latinos: 957 per 100,000
* Blacks: 2,531 per 100,000

How about the way we're hitting our male population, explains a bit of that broken home and children growing up without a family bit you think?

* Females: 123 per 100,000
* Males: 1,348 per 100,000

Let's see what we're doing to the young men in particular.

* For White males ages 25-29: 1,666 per 100,000.
* For Latino males ages 25-29: 3,606 per 100,000.
* For Black males ages 25-29: 12,603 per 100,000. (That's 12.6% of Black men in their late 20s.)

Remember apartheid? The old system of segregated South Africa? Let's compare the US at the moment to them.

* South Africa under apartheid (1993), Black males: 851 per 100,000
* U.S. under George Bush (2004), Black males: 4,919 per 100,000

When the hurricane hit the city of New Orleans people were aghast, they couldn't believe that we had left a huge portion of the poor and minority population to suffer and be neglected like that. But when it's slow, day by day, month by month, year by year, the back burner is just fine.

We might want to consider what we're doing and our own moral footing. If we know we're doing this and we continue, we're no better than anyone. We can debate the vehicle and methods to get the message across maybe, but this has already gone on for over 30 years and gets nothing but worse all the time. It's about time to take it off the back burner.

[Dez]

17. The Marijuana Party

in Canada supported political parties which were helpful in combating this insane war, and this is what can happen in the states as well.

Having a Marijuana Party gives us a platform for change. I don't know how many people donate to it, or how large it is, but it couldn't hurt the cause, IMHO.

We all need to become politically active, and write our Senators and tell them we are sick of this war on drug users. If we have any democracy left in this country, then it will make a difference.

[bionaut111]

22. Legalize drugs — all of them

Now a 34 year veteran police officer has come forward and advocates legalizing ALL drugs.


Sometimes people in law enforcement will hear it whispered that I'm a former cop who favors decriminalization of marijuana laws, and they'll approach me the way they might a traitor or snitch. So let me set the record straight.

Yes, I was a cop for 34 years, the last six of which I spent as chief of Seattle's police department.

But no, I don't favor decriminalization. I favor legalization, and not just of pot but of all drugs, including heroin, cocaine, meth, psychotropics, mushrooms and LSD.

http://www.lookingglassnews.org/viewstory.php?storyid=3904

[newyawker99]

23. Hi bionaut111!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast: