Legalization: Yes We Can

Marijuana Ramble: 25 Million Strong

25 Million people in our country smoke Marijuana and that is a underestimate. I guarantee many of you reading this do not realize how many people you know smoke, but don’t tell. Even individuals you thought you knew well. The stereotype of lazy pot smoker is hand in hand with drunken maniac. Its a select few that ruin the image of the whole.

If American government wants to sheepishly take the easy way out and continue to be PC then they are the ones with pie on their face, the 25 Million + Americans will continue to smoke no matter the rulings. But we could easily eleviate the issues if our country would grow a pair.

Simply because something is illegal does not mean people will stop doing it. Its a dead kicked horse but the alcohol prohibition subject comes to mind. The repercussions on a baseless law are what is so very detrimental. It’s not dangerous to smoke that is fact, its not addictive that is fact, its medically beneficial that is fact, its economically boosting that is fact….

And as long as its illegal and the only ones to profit are the underground black market sellers, then as people keep doing it, cartels continue to grow. As cartels continue to grow then crime continues to rise. And as crime continues to rise our already faltering, shorthanded legal officials will continue to fight a winless war, spending 10s of Billions of dollars in doing it, all while taking away the necessary force to investigate and bring to justice those that actually deserve it. If most people could see the endless hallways of unsolved crimes. You would realize how shorthanded our “justice officials” are. It really isn’t hard to “get away with [fill in the blank here].”

CSI and Law & Order are fake, they are Hollywood farcities. There aren’t enough cops and “detectives” to go around. Like any television show, you see the highlights. For every crime solved, hundreds go unsolved. And even if they are solved, where do you put them? In an over crowded prison system that is full of twenty somethings on their third strike for possession. Not for coke or heroine but more than 60-70% of the time its for simply MARIJUANA only. All the while our government spends more on each one of these prisoners annually, than the majority of Americas make that same year.

Its sickening to me that there are those out there that still believe the parody that is Reefer Madness. Its similar to that older couple at a comedy show that sit silently because they just do not “get it.” I must say it truly is amazing that individuals think its ok to keep cigarettes and alcohol legal while criminalizing marijuana. But I guess just like most brainwashed individuals they lap up mis-information and stereotypes like sponges. I love the fact that when some one brings up the notion of a marijuana smoker to one of these people, the first thing they think of is a lazy pot head melting into the coach like one of those propaganda riddled “Above the Influence” commercials. Whats even more hilarious is the moments in which you catch them saying this while you watch them polish off there 4th cup of wine. Hypocracy has run amuke in this country and even ignorant statements recently by President Obama fall on deaf ears. By the way I support Obama, but a sane man must never follow blindly. No matter how supportive you are of the leader. Governments should always be questioned.

America for once has “began” to wake up or at least one eye has cracked. Let’s bring our senses back in front of us. The Constitution and Declaration of Independence is written on Hemp (Marijuana) and large percentages of crops were required by law to be hemp/marijuana. How about we quit calling our founding fathers criminals and help our country flourish.

Cure for Cancer? Maybe not, but it is a cure for National Woes.

Could it be? Could this be the day our best foot is now FINALLY being put forward. Well maybe not our best foot. But hell, at least it’s not a hammer toe stumbling over the leg of the big gorilla in the room.

For any of you staring blankly, let me get to it. In California, Assemblyman, Tom Ammiano of San Francisco has introduced a bill to legalize Marijuana for recreational use. The key points of the bill are to introduce taxation on the nation’s obviously largest and most profitable cash crop. It will be treated similarly to alcohol. Marijuana will be restricted to those over the age of 21 to purchase, grow or sell the extremely advantageous plant.

More information on the bill can be found at the following sites:

• SFWeekly-The Snitch
  
• CBS13
• Mercury News
  

Now obviously the plan is out of desperation for a state that is on the verge of complete and utter collapse. Hey mom I may see the first state in my lifetime to turn over like an over stocked fished pond. But that said, it’s quite unfortunate that it has to come to this for our government to actually acknowledge the obvious gorilla in the room. Same gorilla California is no longer tripping over. Or really never actually tripped over. California took more to an inching around, hopping over method. But they definitely were the most acknowledging of the US states when it comes to Marijuana. So it is quite fitting for them to be the ones to step up.

Now I have stated time and again that doing things out of desperation, such as these current times are quite sad moments and must be taken very seriously. I must say, these are times when mistakes can happen, and this is why I stress care to be taken in these proceedings. We need to pass this bill, this is a huge moment for the cause… but we cannot push it through as California is grasping for that last blade of grass as they tumble over the mountain. Make sure you got a foot hold and let us not take the kind bud over the edge with you. This is the best time in recent history to really push the envelope on Marijuana Prohibition.

With Michael Phelps martyrdom waking up the general public. [Sorry Phelps but it is how it goes in today’s western world.]

With congressman and representatives now expressing their concerns over the lost cause that is “the war on drugs.”

With this economic strife of epic proportions looming over this grief stricken and feed up country.

We are in dire need of taking a chance. We are in need of really laying the shit out on the table and saying “Hey, no more bureaucratic bullshit, no more lies, no more… This is how it is, this is what we are to do and this needs to be done Today… Now!”

But what are the negatives of such a situation. Well I have one example that comes to mind. I believe this following reason is one of the primary points that sway the 60% of Republicans that are against the legalization of Marijuana, which is actually quite the substantial figure taking in consideration that in that regard there are 40% are in favor. 40% of Republicans. Compare that to TOTAL 12% of all the population in the 30s/40s. This during a time when Americans pretty much associated Marijuana with the breath of Satan himself. Democrats are more split but in favor by 5 points according to Rasmussen, leaving a majority favoring the decriminalization of the Major American Cash Crop.

Anyway, I believe that the simple reason that our government finds themselves absolutely terrified to speak out in favor of legalizing this sinful little touch of paradise is this. Once our government admits to and fesses up to the failed effort that is the “war on drugs” credibility falls. Also once they admit the fact that they have withheld needful information and have focused on distributing propaganda against Marijuana all these years then many, many of their faults will submerge their hands in the red waters of corruption. Now corruption is by no means new to our US government, I do ask keep this in mind. If they admit that Marijuana is an extremely useful item in our society and that we truly severely need it. Then all I can say is “Ouch!” I mean really “God Damn that is really fucked up.” My own outspoken words which I found myself drawn to express in a readable format. So deal with it.

Unfortunately I find myself needing to be a bit more serious than usual. So for the seriousness of this situation I must detract from my usual satirical nature and press on more bluntly. For anyone apt to being offending by a serious, bold comparison please halt reading from this point any further. I do believe however, since you’re reading posts on my blog I am going to assume you have at least developed a fairly thick skin.

Let us think about this for a second. If tomorrow we wake up and across your favorite newspaper headline you read:

“CURE FOR CANCER*”

Now this sounds amazing upon first look doesn’t it, this will surely save our world. At least a mass percentage of the biggest killer known to man

Now I ask you, do you notice the asterisk. Well there is more to this article than meets the eye. Push on and we are then told that our leaders have purposely kept quite on the fact that there has been a cure for cancer for many. For the sake of this article let us say 7 decades.

Sorry grandma, grandpa, mom, dad… whomever you know that passed away to this not so silent killer. Our government purposely held out on a cure for you to keep on trucking. Ok, now do I have your attention? That pissed you off pretty good didn’t it? Now let’s take this a step further, we also learn than only due to the pharmaceutical companies going bankrupt do they actually now divulge this information. How would you feel? That would be a fairly blunt force blow to the stomach wouldn’t it? “Ouch!” I say again. Welcome to the United States of Disgust.

Ok now that your fairly red in the face by the sheer thought of that horrible situation, I now want you to use that comparison with the admittance that Marijuana is now okay, that it never really was a bad thing. Hell they even admit that its uses in medicine are and have always been highly successful. This will surely leave a pretty disgusting taste in your mouth wouldn’t it? What, that didn’t supply you with enough sour candy to raw your mouth. Now you’re thinking, how in the hell is that the same as holding out on a cure for cancer? Well, I forgot to bring to light the blood that will be on their hands due to this, how bout we think of the 70+ years of persecution. That’s 4 generations through American History.

Now think of the Hundreds of Thousands of lives RUINED because they had a joint in their pocket or a pipe in their car. Or how about simply because they had a god damn headache and Advil just fucking didn’t do the trick.

Similar to a death in the family it’s not just the individual in question that is affected. At one point individuals received upwards of 10-15 years of Prison time for possession. This was not for many Pounds or Kilos of marijuana; no it was for merely having an ounce or two. Even today we have two or three time repeat offenders filling our prisons because they had marijuana in their pocket when they were pulled over for a random K9 Interstate Drug checks. They didn’t kill any body, they didn’t steal your car, they did not even cause a single other person once second of grief. Yet there they are sitting in an 8’ x 8’ prison cell. Many of which are now institutionalized and the only thing they now know is crime and only crime. I would say that affects families just as much: severed ties, broken marriages, fatherless or motherless children. Does that give a new perspective on the true nature of what they consider this gateway drug to be? It’s a gateway alright, because our government made it so.

Now think about all of those people that did nothing to hurt a single other human being. So now I bring it back to reality, how would you like to be the person that says, “Hey, you are now free, we are sorry, we were wrong. Marijuana was not really that bad of a drug.” Giggle giggle, laugh laugh, sorry bout that, here is a free pass. We only took your life away.

Do you now understand the grasp of this issue our government must now face? This will not be an easy decision because they are damned if they do and severely damned if they don’t. This will truly be a rocky road for them to climb.

Now to bring some levity to this discussion I must stress the following:

This needs to be legalized

The of silver lining that can come of this is the fact even though we cannot save the lives which our government has RUINED over the past 70+ years of Marijuana Prohibition, at least we can save those individuals today and in the coming future that would otherwise end up criminals. Well, at least in the definition of today’s legal system, by way of our government’s choice to deem them into such.

I understand I went a bit off track in the aspect of this posts initial point, but the fact is there. This is a much needed bill to be passed, and I only hope that it flips the switch of many other states and eventually the nation. I hope, I truly hope that it follows with the stepping up of our United States Government to accept the responsibility for the diabolical and horrendous mud field they have pulled the American people through, kicking and screaming.

I raise a glass to you Assemblyman, Tom Ammiano of San Francisco. I only hope there are enough individuals in our government with the mentality and common sense you possess so we can pull our great country from the depths of this abyss in which we currently reside.

[image taken from http://blogs.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2009/02/legalize_it_ammiano_to_introdu.php]

What would you do?

Ah, its time again for another quick blamble, bramble or ramblog depending on how you want to put my constant rambling blogs.

In a recent discussion some interesting points were brought up. First if your driving down the road, which inebriated individual would you like to confront, if the two options were the only options on the table?

1. A driver weaving through the lanes on their way home following a long night of tequila induced Cinco Demio celebration.

1. A driver making a reluctant trip to the convenience store after a 4:20 celebration. .

So there you have the choices. I ask you which would you rather coast behind, pass, or have to speed away after you realize the unnatural style used to stay within the lines? I must admit its one of those questions that upon first reading, it seems a lose lose situation. Even still after ya think about it, only a sane man (or woman) would choose #2. Even though #2 is the far more less statistically likely situation This being for one primary reason, its safer. That said there are a couple more reasons I feel are relevant to this point.

1. A pot head behind the wheel will avoid fast jerking motions. So a marijuana fueled car will take those weaves very slowly, leaving them easy to navigate around and easy to anticipate the drivers intentions. However an individual all hyped up on grandpas firewater enjoy and cannot avoid abrupt motion and fast yet horrible reactive movements. This unfortunate mixture leaves you guessing and usually incorrectly where they will be in the next 2-5 seconds. Will they stay in their lane or would they magically materialize in front of you inches from your bumper before you realize there was even someone passing you.

2. Now for the more in depth and wordy of the two. If a wreck was to unfortunately occur two separate scenarios will present themselves. First the drunk will hit you, come to an impossible to accomplish stop, leap from their seat (as well as a drunk can “leap”), get in your face and ask why YOU were driving on THEIR road. Second he will then threaten you and now you realize even though you survived this crash you still have another damage to face. Now the second scenario, take the stone cold stoner. In the rare circumstance that He hits you and you don’t rear end him for going 10mph in a 35mph zone you are now faced with a completely opposite reaction. He leaps from his seat and then asked you if you happen to see the leprechaun cross the street and you enjoy a bit of a chuckle to subside the stress of the situation. You then proceed to speak to the docile individual who admits full fault almost annoyingly. He may even admit many reminiscent stories that are now streaming through his head. This leads to an even more easing portion of the altercation, eventually you must now call the cops. Here-in lies yet another advantage and more desirable position for a third party. A cop would much rather deal with the pot head for this reason. A drunk will argue and pot head will agree. Leading to an ever easy Q & A, a softer accusation and the pot head will more graciously explain the parts he remembers, these being the relevant points that gives a better summarized and shorter documenting for the cop once he gets back to the office.

Now let that sink in. I leave you again with this question, which would you now choose, if the situation were to present itself?

Choose wisely and thereafter remember the choice you make is, more than likely NOT the individual under the influence of the legal drug. Well at least prior to the operation of a car. The point you should take away from my severely tangent filled ramble is this… take note that the verbiage “legal” is still in association to the anger inducing, more violent drug of choice. Obviously driving under either should always be an illegal action. Leaving yet another question.

Why is alcohol the drug society accepts and not marijuana? This one however is not multiple choice.

Rumble goes the Mountain

Oh, now that a famous swimmer is busted for smoking pot, the country all of a sudden says, “Hey we should look into this, Marijuana Prohibition is real and its hurting the nation.” What’s wrong with this picture?

Its the usual occurrence, the flock sways with the wind.

I mean don’t get me wrong this is a great thing and I will be the last to complain about the nation standing up and taking notice and the first if allowed to praise it, but did it really have to come to this? It has been an obvious issue for decades. More so in the most recent… this bullshit war on drugs. Which I must state like a broken record has been officially, OFFICIALLY, debunked time and time again. That’s more than once for those not reading closely. Anyway, thank you Phelps for being the unfortunate martyr of sorts for the cause. Unfortunately it took something of this epic scale for the nation to go … “Hmm.”

I will apologize for the rest of the country by saying, thank you but I am sorry it had to happen to you.

Anyway, here we are, the pundits the reporters and all the people that make the headlines are now preaching their opinion.  Obama are you listening, Washington are you ever listening. The volume has been turned. Phelps, even if it was on accident, fell on the party stereo and turned the knob.

I love watching the ground rumble before the top of the mountain goes Boom.

Everyone hold on to your seats because the top of this vibrating tower is about to blow its top.

Bring on new age revolution, bring on modern day thought. Or should I say bring BACK the good old days when common sense mattered. And bureaucratic bullshit was ignored and bypassed. Or at least statistically more so than recent days…

By the way, Fuck you Kellogg’s!

General Mills is better.