CRY FREEDOM!

Prohibition is ending. One can feel it in the air. The elections in Colorado and Washington show that "the cork is starting to move." In the metaphor from the ending of our earlier Prohibition of alcohol, the champagne bottle's cork is slowly but steadily getting ready to pop. Soon we will be looking back at our current policies with the same level of disbelief, as we do with the witch hunts of the Middle Ages.
  This breath of fresh air, so long in coming, gives hope that our society can rise above the desire for scapegoats, the need for politicians who pander to our most hateful instincts, and our urge to use force and violence against those we disagree with -- for that is what we authorize when we make something a matter of criminal law. Richard Nixon's "War on Drugs," which began as a thinly-veiled assault on political adversaries, has now resulted in over 30,000,000 arrests for marijuana, over 40,000,000 arrests if you include all "controlled substances." At any given time, as many black men are -- largely for marijuana -- under the control of the Criminal Justice Industry -- prison, parole, and probation -- as were slaves at the time of the Civil War.

  Our federal government is in the same position vis-a-vis the states as it was with the Fugitive Slave Act. Colorado, Washington, and the 18 medical marijuana states are in direct confrontation with the Feds over fundamental principles of Liberty.

  How repressive will the Feds be in this? What is Mr. Obama planning to do? His record last year was terrible, an acquiescence in policies designed to create enormous human misery. But he is faced with a unique opportunity to change his ways. It's a new day, and the leadership role on this issue is sitting there, open for his use.

  The most hopeful thing he could do, would be to expend some political capital, and work with Congress to bring a complete end to Prohibition. Short of that however, there is one thing he can do today with a stroke of his pen. Mr. Obama can issue pardons to those in federal prison, and to those previously convicted whose lives have been so negatively impacted by their criminal record.

  It is true that his clemency powers cover only the federal system, while many of this War's victims suffer at the state level. Here too though, his leadership can be effective, setting an example for governors, encouraging them to follow the right path. On January 1st, 1863, President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. January 1st, this year, marked the sesquicentennial. What finer tribute, and show of decency could there be, than to act now?

  Free the drug prisoners, Mr. President.

~Thanks Terry Franklin, for this timely meme and article. I'm feelin' it. Aren't you feeling it?!

Okay, If No One Else is Willing, I’ll Address the Elephant in the Room

By: normanb Friday January 14, 2011 9:37 am

Okay, If No One Else is Willing, I’ll Address the Elephant in the Room — by NormanB (“Deviations from the Norm”)
Tucson is a scant 50 miles away from a country in which President Obama started a Civil War. Civility strikes again.
In early December 2008, after election, before inauguration, someone asked Barack Obama an honest legitimate question about legalizing Marijuana to end the violence of its underground economy, and to curtail profits of organized crime. But the President-elect offered no honest answer. Instead, he made a joke about it. Ha ha. Immediately Marijuana-related murders in Mexico shot through the roof. More than one thousand Mexicans were murdered over Marijuana in the following month, and in every month since then. By the time President Obama took office, the situation was declared a Civil War.
Once in office, President Obama appointed Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske as his Drug Czar. An ABC documentary around that time reported that sentencing guidelines in Washington state called for no jail term whatsoever for people convicted three times of possessing 99 live Marijuana plants. Given the likely profit for such an operation, that policy is tantamount to encouraging cultivation. Kerlikowske was able to severely lower the crime rate by not prosecuting Medical Marijuana “crimes.” But as Czar, “Old 3 Ks” has consistently lied about Medical Marijuana, claiming it has no medical use. The fact is: Marijuana has been used medicinally for thousands of years. Such a civil lie, to perpetuate a Civil War.
But because the War’s victims are mainly Mexicans instead of norteamericanos, civility doesn’t call for ending Prohibition to help end the Civil War. You see, there is so much profit money for corporations in keeping Marijuana illegal, and those very corporations give so much money to President Obama’s election efforts, what do you expect him to do? Just how honest do you think this guy is? The victims are only Mexicans. What’s a thousand deaths a month, more or less? Let’s be civil about this.
Meanwhile, propaganda reports resurrecting the Reefer Madness specter tell us repeatedly that the assassin is a pot-smoking loner, recalling the old claims that Marijuana causes violence and murder. In fact, the opposite is true. But there is a grain of truth behind this myth: People with violent tempers often smoke Marijuana — I smoke it a lot, but my friends with violent temper problems smoke many times as much as I do. Marijuana can stop a temper tantrum or a depressive episode quickly. Arizona voted to legalize it.
The assassinated judge frequently criticized the Obama Administration’s requiring the state(s) to pay costs of fallout from the US Government’s efforts to destabilize Mexico, including paying for the policing of illegal immigration and the Drug War. That judge is much more civil, now that he has stopped criticizing the President, the same President who so civilly claims that as President he is allowed to order assassinations of Americans.
Representative Giffords was named Sierra Club’s most valuable player. President Obama’s environmental record is abysmal. And now the same media voices that called Pres. Obama’s December 2010 series of sellouts “victories” are praising his great civility speech, and passing on the President’s civility message to all Americans. And that message is: “‘Do as I say, not as I do."

Responses to Okay, If No One Else is Willing, I’ll Address the Elephant in the Room

1. Kathryn in MA January 14th, 2011 at 10:16 am «

   Thanks, Norm. You are right, President Obama’s signal to the cartels was just like April Glaspie’s unwitting encouragement of Saddam Hussein’s visions of grandeur.
   Legalize for civility’s sake, already.
   See my latest post – the DEA could join the army. (can’t just disband armed and dangerous people, you know.)
   
   
• transparait January 14th, 2011 at 4:59 pm «

  “President Obama’s signal to the cartels was just like April Glaspie’s unwitting encouragement of Saddam Hussein’s visions of grandeur.”
  Not unwitting, she knew what he was saying.
  
  
2. captjjyossarian January 14th, 2011 at 10:28 am «

   Yes, legalize.
   The Obama admin is part of the reason for the continuing disaster in Mexico. And it’s not just about drugs and drug profits.
   
   
3. doremus35 January 14th, 2011 at 10:34 am «

   If you would like to read a cogent and coherent discourse on America’s historic inability to notice a room stuffed with pachyderms,Barbara W. Tuchman’s chapter on Vietnam in her book ‘The March of Folly’ Ballantine 1984, would be invaluable. America can always afford to lose everything but face and credibility.
   
   
4. Ironcomments January 14th, 2011 at 10:37 am «

   As of today, two major cruise lines are pulling out of L.A. due to low revenues for cruises to Mexico citing the violence.http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-1014-mexico-cruise-ships-20110114,0,3995368.story
   
   
• missling January 14th, 2011 at 11:52 am «

  I see you are referencing the LA Times. Do you trust the citation, or can you see your way to another reason for the tanking of leisure takers?
  
  
• Ironcomments January 14th, 2011 at 12:25 pm «

  The cruise ship companies mention the violence specifically, if there are other reasons,like high price for fuel sure that can play a factor as well. However if the demand is just not there then why continue to operate?
  
  
5. lordgoogoo January 14th, 2011 at 3:46 pm «

   I’ve stated it before and I repeat – I blame Obama for the failure of the CA proposition to legalize due to Holder’s statement prior to the election that they would contineu to aggressively prosecute “offenders” regardless of the outcome of the election. Where are the republicans who always scream “states rights” on this one?
   
   
6. letsgetitdone January 14th, 2011 at 5:25 pm «

   Well, when are we going to start civilly calling for Obama’s resignation; and civilly joining with the crazy right-wing to impeach him?
   
   
7. Kassandra January 14th, 2011 at 6:09 pm «

   Taking Mexico down is all part of the plan. Canada will follow. I still see a North American Union somewhere on the horizon.
   Besides, I really don’t think our government gives a sh*t how many of “the lesser people” starve or die…. As long as the bankers are happy.
   This global society is getting so top heavy, it’s going to come crashing down here pretty soon. Unfortunately we’ll be underneath when it does.
   for your Friday night viewing entertainment:
   An Irishman abroad tells it like it is !! :-)
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koY6kXhQDQo
   Enjoy!!!!!!
   
   
• Kassandra January 14th, 2011 at 6:12 pm «

  Oh, Remember once when it only cost 100 million for the presidency? Now they’re saying the next president will require a billion to buy the office.
  Ain’t that Amerika for you and me?
  
  
8. Mason January 14th, 2011 at 6:44 pm «

   I ignored Obama’s speech because I learned long ago that he lies all the time. I do watch what he does, however, and I haven’t seen him do very much.
   I was horrified and disgusted when I read that he used the nine-year-old dead girl’s eyes as a stage prop around which he organized his speech. That’s obscene, but I wasn’t surprised because he continues to lower the bar.
   He should have the common decency to resign or announce that he will not seek a second term and spend the rest of his first term hiding out in the White House and keeping his mouth shut.
   That would be the civil thing to do.