cannabisnews.com: Barr, Boortz Square Off Barr, Boortz Square Off Posted by CN Staff on May 14, 2002 at 09:02:29 PT David Burch, Marietta Daily Journal Staff Writer Source: Marietta Daily Journal An outspoken crusader for America’s “War on Drugs,” Barr has repeatedly made clear his feelings about legalizing drugs like marijuana, even for medicinal purposes like pain relief.On the other hand, radio talk show host Neal Boortz — an equally outspoken advocate for personal freedoms and libertarian values — said Monday he sees nothing wrong with the responsible use of marijuana for medical reasons or even for personal recreation behind closed doors. The congressman and the radio personality went head-to-head Monday night in a debate over the issue of marijuana should it be legalized or should it remain off limits in order to protect the health and safety of our society?“Just say no to drugs. Just say no to Neal Boortz,” Barr said to the more than 300 people who packed into the McEachern High School auditorium in Powder Springs.The audience ranged in age from teenage high school students to those in their 70s. While the debate was held in conservative west Cobb, the most outspoken members of the audience were those in favor of drug legalization, many of whom shouted boos and catcalls when Barr spoke.Monday’s debate comes on the heals of Barr’s recent efforts to prevent a voter referendum in the District of Columbia to legalize medicinal marijuana. Although his effort to stop the referendum, known as the “Barr Amendment,” was overturned by a U.S. District Court on March 28, the congressman is now in the process of appealing the court ruling with the support of the Bush Administration and Attorney General John Ashcroft.“There is no legitimate medical use what so ever for marijuana,” Barr said, describing the drug culture as contrary to American values like “self reliance, hard work and control over one’s senses.”“This is not medicine,” he said. “This is bogus witchcraft. It has no place in medicine, no place in pain relief and it has no place around our children.”Boortz said he agrees that drugs like marijuana offer no cures for diseases like cancer. What they do offer, he said, is relief from side effects like nausea and debilitating pain, side effects that now can only be treated with powerful medication that leave patients in a drugged up stupor.“If my father has only a few weeks to live, I would rather have him continuous and able to share old memories than have him in a drug-induced coma because that is the only way to relieve the pain,” Boortz said.Boortz, the nationally syndicated talk-show host who has broadcast from Atlanta for more than 30 years, is a self-proclaimed Libertarian — a philosophy that has led him to advocate limited government involvement in social issues and individual rights.“How do I define freedom? That I have the right to life, liberty and happiness without harming others,” Boortz said.But by legalizing marijuana, which Barr described as a “gateway drug,” the congressman argued that the door will be opened to higher levels of drug abuse in the U.S. and the anarchy that comes from the “scourge of mind altering drugs.”But Boortz argued that mind alteration comes in many legal forms such as alcohol, morphine and codine — or even through less tangible products like political speech.“Education alters your mind. Why not make that illegal?” Boortz asked.But to Barr, arguing that substances like alcohol and tobacco are similar to drugs like marijuana is like “comparing apples to oranges.”“The difference is that people can take alcohol in modest amounts without it hindering their abilities,” he said.The issue of drug legalization, Boortz said, has little to do with protecting society from hindered abilities, or even about relieving the pain of the sick. The debate is over personal freedom, and what citizens are allowed to in their own homes and with their own bodies.“I own my mind, the government does not. I control how I use it,” Boortz said. “If I want to use it to do nothing but put Armor All on the wheels of my house trailer all day, that’s my decision.”“I think we have too many members of congress fighting too long to deny people their First Amendment right to political speech,” he said. “The message is clear, butt out.”Powder Springs — Congressman Bob Barr -- R-Canton -- worries the United States is going to pot literally.Newshawk: Nicholas Thimmesch II -- http://www.norml.org/Source: Marietta Daily Journal (GA)Author: David Burch, Marietta Daily Journal Staff WriterPublished: May 14, 2002Copyright: 2002 The Marietta Daily JournalContact: letters mdjonline.comWebsite: http://www.mdjonline.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/Medical Marijuana Ban Overturned in D.C. http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12422.shtmlRuling May Put Marijuana Measure on Ballothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12398.shtmlLaw Overturned Barring Marijuana Vote in D.C. http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12387.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #10 posted by Doc-Hawk on May 16, 2002 at 12:59:41 PT: Bob Bar-ella Those fine folks at ACT-UP DC have a real bone to pick with this jerk. They have a dated Bob Barr American Tyrrant page at: http://www.actupdc.org/bobbarr/index.html .The best part is the poster at: http://www.actupdc.org/bobbarr/bobbarrposter.html .In 1999, I marched in the May-Day is Jay-Day in Atlanta with a huge anti-Bob Barr poster. On each side at the top was his picture and something to encourage voters to vote him out. At the bottom were two assholes who had just lost their offices, Lauch Faircloth from my home turf (one of the top 5 anti-marijuana zealots in Congress) and Dan Lungren, former attorney general of California who enjoyed busting cannabis clubs AFTER voters made it legal. I was sweating bullets walking to the march until locals started gathering around and thanking me and having their pictures taken with the sign.Unfortunately, Barr is not from Atlanta, but a far more rural area northwest of Atlanta and got re-elected. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by Hope on May 15, 2002 at 05:28:32 PT War on Drugs is a witch hunt. Many of us have recognized that the War on Drugs can easily be compared to and described as a witch hunt, but to see Barr actually use the term "Witchcraft" in his accusations is stunning. He actually said, "Witchcraft". I have doubted, for a long time, that Barr had a good grip on sanity. Now I'm certain that the man has lost touch with reality. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by Tigress58 on May 14, 2002 at 17:39:20 PT OH REALLY!!! Mister Barf "There is no legitimate medical use what so ever for MJ," [Barf] said ...1. Most prescription DRUGS are derivatives of plants that have been chemically altered into dangerous chemical substances.2. The FDA wanted to outlaw all herbals [so the DRUG companies could make a profit].3. MJ controls my Type A personality, and fibromyalgia, and people who know me prefer me high becuse I'm easier to get along with, easier going, and make better decisions.... [Barf] said, describing the drug culture as contrary to American values like self-reliance, hard work, and control over one's senses."1. Self-reliance: How many MJ smokers are self-employed? How many MJ smokers are creative, productive members of society? How many MJ smokers are employers? I'm self-employed, productive, a tax payer, and single parent.2. Hard work: I've worked 3 jobs at one time, routinely may have 2, put in up to 80 hours per week, and pull a full time college schedule on and off (3.3 GPA). I haven't had a vacation in over 12 years. Worked so hard, I don't know what it is like to relax except when I smoke one to wind down, my only vacation is a fat one (I've smoked 25 years).3. Control over one's senses: What senses? Emotional, physical, mental, or common sense? Mister Barf, where did your senses go to?"The difference is that people can take alcohol in modest amounts without it hindering their abilities," [Barf] said.1. What is a modest amount? 5 drinks, 3 drinks, 2 gulps.2. 1/2 a beer and I'm not safe to drive, get a hangover, get a migraine headache, and get real mean. Speak for yourself Mister Barf! I DON'T DRINK!!! I SMOKE, and do no harm to others, and mind my own business. You have no business PRESCRIBING to others how they should live their lives and that they should drink alcohol, that is unethical conduct!!!Mister barf, do you know how to use a hand tool called a screw driver (bet you know how to make the lickher kind)? If you do, can you figure out which is the proper alimentary canal to insert it into? Maybe those terms are beyond your intellectual abilities. No callouses on your hands, just your mind. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by Jose Melendez on May 14, 2002 at 15:25:58 PT: Barr wrong, again. The difference is that people can take alcohol in modest amounts without it hindering their abilities...from:http://www.netaxs.com/~sparky/policy/cannabis-alcohol-1.htmAlcohol present in blood concentrations around the legal limit (0.10 g/dl) in most American States is more impairing than anything subjects have shown after THC alone in our studies. As mentioned, medicinal drugs have had worse effects on psychiatric patients' driving performance in other studies employing the same test procedures. U.S. Department of Transportation National Traffic Safety Administration DOT HS 808 939 Marijuana, Alcohol and Actual Driving Performance July 1999 Arrest Prohibition [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by Patrick on May 14, 2002 at 15:21:30 PT Barr is a pompous ass "The difference is that people can take alcohol in modest amounts without it hindering their abilities," he said.I will smoke a bong load for every shot of your favorite alcohol Bob. Head on, one on one, and let's see who has hindered abilities in a public forum. Of course you would never take the challenge because you know you would loose your pompous ass unless it was a contest to spout bullshit. No one can beat you at that sir. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by SpaceCat on May 14, 2002 at 12:35:51 PT Doesn't even realize That he's contradicting himself.'the drug culture (is) contrary to American values like “self reliance, hard work and control over one’s senses.”'Which he cites in support of his position against self-reliance, and in favor of state control of our senses! Oh well, From the audience reaction it looks like this is becoming "hard work". [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by redman on May 14, 2002 at 12:22:29 PT: Congressman Barr What a joke...this idiot Barr is really an elected official of anything? [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by idbsne1 on May 14, 2002 at 10:50:24 PT Now you're talking..... "...god this guy needs to be shot...quick...before he f*cks up everything"Now you're talking....lets line up all of Congress...I CAN'T believe the statements he made... how ludicrous they were...'“There is no legitimate medical use what so ever for marijuana,” Barr said, describing the drug culture as contrary to American values like “self reliance, hard work and control over one’s senses.”'These are only "American" values? God... the US is GOING DOWN!!!! The Rest of the world is gonna put us in our place....HEY BOB!!!!...how about letting ME RELY on mySELF to have the CONTROL over MY SENSES? BIGOT.Well, another sign that Congress is out of touch with The People.....idbsne1 [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Darwin on May 14, 2002 at 10:37:31 PT Barred from intelligence Bob has really raised the Barr on how to be a lying politician. Its the old Nixon qoute again. Something about drinking to have fun, while smokers smoke to get f***ed up. Totally backwards to reality.I bet Barr has a liver the size of a watermelon. Who the hell keeps electing this guy? Oh yeah, Pfizer, Annhueser-Busch, the prison industry, Dupont, .....and etc. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by project419 on May 14, 2002 at 09:58:07 PT never heard this one before “The difference is that people can take alcohol in modest amounts without it hindering their abilities,” he said.huh?...so he's saying if you smoke a little weed it's going to hinder all your abilities?...but I can take a few shots of whiskey and it's not going to hinder my abilities at all?...god this guy needs to be shot...quick...before he f*cks up everything [ Post Comment ] Post Comment