cannabisnews.com: Medpot Advocates Plan Powerful Protests Medpot Advocates Plan Powerful Protests Posted by CN Staff on September 14, 2002 at 13:28:07 PT By Pete Brady Source: Cannabis Culture As George W. Bush shoves a unilateral lust for war and death down the throat of the United Nations, America, and the world, his DEA chief Asa Hutchinson is similarly shoving the deadly drug war down the throats of sick and dying people in California.Since 1996, federal prosecutors and judges have closed down, raided, infiltrated or otherwise massacred individuals and organizations trying to implement Prop. 215, the nation's first voter-approved medpot law. The Los Angeles Cannabis Resource Center, Dennis Peron's five-story famous Market Street Cannabis Club, CHAMPS, the Oakland Cannabis Resource Center, Mike Foley, Santa Rosa's Aiko Compassion Club, Pot-TV's Steve and Michele Kubby, Dale and Molly Fry, Tod Mikuriya, Renee Boje, Ryan Landers, Valerie Corral's WAMM medpot cooperative, Jeff Jones, Ed Rosenthal, Robert Schmidt, Ken Hayes, Lynn and Judy Osburn, and hundreds of other compassionate individuals and cooperatives have been brutally attacked by federal, state and local authorities.After 9/11/01, the pace of persecution and resistance has accelerated. When Valerie Corral's WAMM club was raided recently, Santa Cruz officials condemned the DEA and vowed to distribute medical marijuana.California district attorneys, even those who oppose marijuana, have stood down DEA agents, as did Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey when DEA invaders recently came into his county to pillage what Ramsey said was a legal six-plant medpot garden.California Attorney General Bill Lockyer has publicly challenged the federal government, telling federal goon sqauds, in effect, to stay out of California.And in the climate of creeping fascism that is infecting the USA on so many fronts, with constitutional rights being stolen away under the guise of fighting terrorism and the majority of Americans remaining passive like lambs being led to slaughter, leaders of the American marijuana reform movement are heralding this as a crucial time in marijuana law reform history.Calling it a "key moment in the medical marijuana battle," marijuana movement attorney-activist Kevin Zeese is working harder than ever to rally reform leaders and regular citizens."The Bush Administration is trying to roll over the reform movement with DEA raids and Ashcroft-led federal prosecutions on medical marijuana dispensaries," says Zeese, who is founder and director of Common Sense for Drug Policy. "They see us as a hollow movement of a few billionaires with nothing behind us. If we fail to react to current federal enforcement efforts not only is the progress we made on medical marijuana in jeopardy-but the progress we have made on other issues is as well. They will see that they can attack us at our strongest points, the medical marijuana issue, in California, especially San Francisco and Los Angeles, against some of our most cautious, locally supported and legitimate dispensaries. If we fail to defend against this onslaught a great deal is at stake. We can expect an escalation of federal aggression on other fronts - initiatives and sentencing reform - perhaps even on our basic ability to function as a political movement."Zeese says reform leaders are planning a concerted response to the recent increase in DEA aggression, and that individuals across the nation need to do more in the fight for freedom."Patients need to peacefully, but aggressively demand that their elected representatives stand up for their rights," Zeese counsels. "They should be at a minimum contacting their elected representatives regularly and demanding that they do their job, represent them, protect them from Ashcroft led abuse. For elected officials that do not respond, patients and advocates need to be more aggressive. They need to show up at their office and refuse to leave until the official agrees to protect them from federal abuse. They need to hound them wherever they go, so the politicians begin to realize these are issues people feel very strongly about. Further, California politicians who side with the federal government in their abuse of California citizens need to be removed from office. This requires political activity, attending community forums wherever they appear and publicly embarrassing them for their failure to represent the seriously ill. It also requires working for their opponents and putting money into campaigns against them."Zeese has put himself on the front lines in this battle. This summer, he was arrested during civil disobedience in Washington, DC, and he is planning to co-lead a cross-country "Journey for Justice" caravan this fall and winter."The federal government shows no respect for state law or the needs of seriously ill patients," Zeese says. "Extremists are in control of the government. Ardent drug warriors are in charge. They believe medical marijuana is a lie. They also believe that the medical marijuana movement is a hollow one: a few billionaires and nothing more. It is time to show them they have misjudged the movement. Everyone who cares about this issue must increase their advocacy and activism. They must step up their efforts and show that this is THE issue they care most about. We must never vote for a candidate that opposes our reform views."Zeese is joined in his sense of urgency by highly-respected professional advocacy organizations like Americans for Safe Access (ASA).ASA is known for media-savvy lobbying and powerful public events. The group has organized protests at DEA offices, courthouses and other government sites across California, and is now calling for a major rally at the capitol in Sacramento on Monday, 9/23/02.Zeese says that the current crisis is a turning point in the fight for marijuana liberty, but he remains committed to non-violent civil disobedience and peaceful participation in the political process. He rejects calls from some medpot patients and growers to start fighting fire with fire."Armed struggle will immediately turn public support against us," Zeese says. "Right now the public sympathizes with us; armed struggle will undermine that. Further, unlike King George who was an ocean away, at a time when it took over a month to cross the ocean and who had weapons much weaker than today, the current US government is well armed and too willing to use violence to get its way. We will lose an armed conflict. We have not tried the political process. We have not made this our most important political issue. We have not challenged drug warriors at the voting booth. We have not put forward candidates who support us. There is a way to change law - to create a revolution in a democracy - but we do not need violence to prevail, and if we resort to violence we will not prevail."Note: Marijuana movement leaders call for massive mobilization.For further information about how you can help fight for freedom, visit: http://www.safeaccessnow.org or http://www.csdp.org Source: Cannabis Culture Author: Pete BradyPublished: September 13, 2002Copyright: 2002 Cannabis CultureContact: ccmag cannabisculture.com Website: http://www.cannabisculture.com/ DL: http://cannabisculture.com/articles/2616.htmlRelated Articles & Web Sites:WAMMhttp://www.wamm.org/Americans for Safe Access http://www.safeaccessnow.orgNews Articles on WAMM Raidhttp://freedomtoexhale.com/valc.htmSanta Cruz Officials to Defy Feds, Hand Out Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14094.shtmlMarijuana Showdown Looms in Santa Cruz http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14091.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #20 posted by FoM on September 15, 2002 at 13:18:57 PT Patrick You're welcome and I sure understand. I need to update my page I'm putting together on WAMM. I'll add this link later on today. Check it out! Valeries words help me keep going. Valerie was able talk to some of these young DEA agents while they had her handcuffed on the floor, and she told them about her experiences with marijuana as medicine. Before she was done, there were eyes glazed with tears in that room. She's so quietly powerful. They don't know what they're facing here.http://www.marijuana-art.com/ARaid2.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #19 posted by Patrick on September 15, 2002 at 13:13:05 PT Wow FoM!!! You posted that fast! And now if Walter's article would just dissapear off my newspaper the same way that MSNBC article dissapeared from my screen I would feel like the $1.00 I paid for the Union Tribune at the local unionized food store wouldn't fund & support the pro Bush Empire Puppets in the media. [ Post Comment ] Comment #18 posted by Cannabis Crusader on September 15, 2002 at 11:19:09 PT revolting, simply revolting I have never been so disgusted. My question is does the guy really believe this what he is saying, or is he saying these things to promote some hidden agenda? If he really believes this load of lies, then we have much, much bigger problems than I thought.He says This is a market that cannot say the business it's in, because it's in the business of seducing children and promoting the slavery of free individuals through the substance they sell. It's in the market because the market is dominated by addiction. It's in the market of taking people's dignity. It's in the market of taking their futures and of those around them. And because it's in that market, it must use violence, terror and intimidation.This can be refuted with one word, Tobacco. The real reason for the violence, terror, and intimidation is clearly prohibition. Otherwise, the tobacco companies would be going around violently terrorizing and killing people.Did this guy ever get pass the 6th grade with his education? Come on Mr. Walters, just because you dropped out in 6th grade doesn't mean we did. This guy is simply a moron or a puppet, and most likey both! [ Post Comment ] Comment #17 posted by FoM on September 15, 2002 at 11:16:02 PT Thanks Everyone! Here it is!http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread14118.shtml [ Post Comment ] Comment #16 posted by Cannabis Crusader on September 15, 2002 at 10:54:26 PT is this the article? http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/uniontrib/sun/opinion/news_mz1ed15walter.html http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/uniontrib/sun/opinion/news_mz1ed15walter.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #15 posted by FoM on September 15, 2002 at 10:50:06 PT p4me I sure see what you mean. I see someone sent it into Map so I'll try to get it if they post it in a newsgroup. [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by p4me on September 15, 2002 at 10:46:28 PT San Diego Union Tribune A search at the newspaper website will have reference to the article in Number3 of the search results seen here: http://signonsandiego.master.com/texis/master/search/?q=John+WaltersThe link will not bring up the article. It is like Walters knows that the people that have not learned to distrust the newspapers might believe his lies, but if the people of the web catch his words more people will find him to be a liar. And who exactly calls the Fourth Estate a liberal press? Answer: the conservatives that run the press.I hope if you read this you do not subscribe to any newspaper or have decided you can no longer support the propaganda press when your subscription ends.With Walters and without reading what was said by the liar I am going to make a not so bold statement about another not so noble mouthpiece of the fascist. I call lies and obsufucation.1,21,2 [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by FoM on September 15, 2002 at 10:31:34 PT Patrick I can't find the article that you are talking about. I think I covered the whole paper but will check again. If you find the article please post the link and I'll get it posted. I'm dodging thunder storms today so that's why I didn't respond quicker. [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by Patrick on September 15, 2002 at 09:55:38 PT Disappearing articles online & John Walters BS... ...appearing 3/4 full page in the San Diego Union Tribune this Sunday morning?. FoM, I don't know anything about newshawking articles but the propoganda I just read in today's paper blames our drug experimenting youth as the single largest funder of anti-democratic forces and terror in the hemisphere and it needs to find it's way on here so John Walters twisted view can be exposed and disected. Thanks as always for your work on this site. [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by Nuevo Mexican on September 15, 2002 at 09:30:32 PT Let's roll! Before we get rolled! I am announcing for your benefit, the war on Iraq will be STEPPED UP as it has been going on for 12 years already, and the war on cannabis has been STEPPED up, and is waiting for word on high for the signal to arrest and incarcerate ALL cannabis users, as it is harvest time and this is the most POPULAR time of the year for cannabis. A thousand times more popular than a drunken Octoberfest, or a oozo-spree at the Greek Festival! But when the hammer comes down, the anvil resists, and the hammer ricochets back to the forehead of the blacksmith! How to prepare? The truth and your faith is your only protection, so stock up now, as we are headed for the winter of our lives, only to be followed by the spring of mass awakening! But only after thousands of Iraqi lives are sacrificed and the freedoms of Earthlings everywhere are trampled, and Americans in denial see their murderous government gleefully executing those of non-white skin hanging from the cherry trees in Washington, and those of lighter skin, suffer from a slow death, a death from within, due to an unbearable level of guilt from knowing that when they were able to stop the slaughter, all they could do is idly stand by and wave their China-made American flags. Monday is our day to speak out, so get out there, one man picket sign and all, and hit the busiest intersection with your George Bush mask! This Works! Peace! NM [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by Jose Melendez on September 15, 2002 at 05:00:41 PT link to expunged article http://216.239.53.100/search?q=cache:LTCrMfLbSBUJ:www.msnbc.com/news/804289.asp%3F0cl%3DcR+%22DeNeen+L.+Brown%22+marijuana&hl=en&ie=UTF-8 MSNBC article: you can still vote! [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by Jose Melendez on September 15, 2002 at 04:59:41 PT here is the msnbc page, cached by google.com here is the article, cached by google, but stripped from msnbc...NPR just did a story on google.com and China, apparently, the state there has stopped blocking the site. The cache function of google is not the only way to find old net postings. There are also archiving services, sites that take a snapshot of the web. They should be helpful when trying to demonstrate that "certain" articles were expunged from the record. Arrest Prohibition. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by qqqq on September 15, 2002 at 03:44:27 PT ..Indeed...It Did Disappear!!!... ....Hmmmm........I wonder why???????....is this not actual,,stone cold,,undoubtable PROOF,,of federal influence on the media?????.... C'mon..think about it,,how does something like the abrupt ommission of this story on MSNBC happen??.. ......???.........AND..... The scaryiest part,,is that it occured on the internet,,,so obviously!!...So blatantly!!!........It's the kinda stuff I think is excruciatingly disturbing!!!!.. I cant think of anything that is more scandalous,or questionable,,than the inexplicable disappearance of a mainstream item like this?????......... this is a prime example of what I think is a:.."time to crap your pants!"..alert!!!..I mean,, think about it for a moment.....We got MSNBC,,and apparently,,its' strings are being pulled by the federal gov/empire!!!!! Is it just me???,,or is this something that should concern anyone who wants to be "American"..???????.This is no minor matter!...NO...this is where some questions need to be asked!... ..How the hell does anyone expect to continue to be American,,if they dont know what the fuck is going on!!??? . . . .well,,..to answer that question,,,we must ask ourselves:",WHY dont they know what's really going on?"...,,,BECAUSE the bloody media is owned and controlled by entities that are in a collusive relationship with the FREAKIN' empire!!! [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by FoM on September 14, 2002 at 18:37:50 PT mayan and DdC mayan, I searched around MSNBC and can't find the article either. It should be in an archive. I'm sorry I didn't bookmark the article. It was reprinted from the Washington Post and the author's names was DeNeen L. Brown, WP Foreign Service. Canadian Panel Backs Legalizing Marijuana http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread14010.shtmlDdC, I'm hoping good comes from all this. I want to retire from doing news instead of dying of old age first. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by The GCW on September 14, 2002 at 18:23:56 PT mayan that is an interesting note.I saw it... before... [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by mayan on September 14, 2002 at 18:12:06 PT It's Disappeared The MSNBC.com story that was ranked #1 has mysteriously disappeared & it's not even listed on their top 10 list now! How mysterious! Actually, yesterday it was at #2. I challenge anyone to find it!Panel Backs Legalizing Pot: http://stacks.msnbc.com/news/804289.asp [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by DdC on September 14, 2002 at 18:00:02 PT Hi FoM! Back in the Cruz for a while...Glad to hear some reality from artical writers finally using the "f" word...the fascist bushtards!I'm not too surprized they raided WAMM, its not like its about citizens rights or something. Its about profits maintaining the WoD and keeping cannabis competition off the markets. Even non-profits are a threat to the cowards of D.E.A.th...DdC JC or DC? [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by FoM on September 14, 2002 at 17:10:59 PT Hi DdC! Are you back now or just visiting? It's sure is good to see you. Are you going to the protests? I never thought they'd hassle Valerie. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by mayan on September 14, 2002 at 17:10:32 PT STAND After 9/11/01, the pace of persecution and resistance has accelerated. When Valerie Corral's WAMM club was raided recently, Santa Cruz officials condemned the DEA and vowed to distribute medical marijuana.The fact that this fascist administration has accelerated it's persecution of mmj users & providers is evidence itself that they not only had foreknowledge of, but were complicit in the attacks of 09/11/01. Why would you attack your own peaceful citizens & not focus all of your energies towards the "terrorists"? This has all been in the works for decades, as a defense mechanism for when the power-elite felt their power start to slip. 9/11 was a desperation move & now there is no turning back for them. These fascists feel they have no other choice but to keep pushing ahead full throttle with their agenda of war,oppression & death. It is do or die for them, as it is for us. This is the most critical moment in the world's history. the fate of our future, if we are to have a future, depends on all of us. It is imperative that we ALL rise & oppose the forces of war & aggression with every ounce of our energy. We can stand up now, or lay down later. It is our choice. If we fail...freedom is forever lost. White House Drags Its Feet on Testifying at 9/11 Panel: http://www.truthout.org/docs_02/09.15A.wh.stall.911.htmThe Truth About 9-11? Uncomfortable Questions for Blair, Bush and The Media: http://www.thisistherealtruth.net/wtcupdated/truth.htmBush's 9/11 Reichstag Fire: http://www.commondreams.org/views02/0913-03.htm"Oh Lucy, You Gotta Lotta '‘Splainin to Do!" - FTW's infamous timeline now has 16 new additions. Expanded and Revised - Evidence of Bush Administration Foreknowledge and complicity is now overwhelming!!! http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/ww3/02_11_02_lucy.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by DdC on September 14, 2002 at 17:07:54 PT We Say We Want a Revolution? Well You Know! DATE: Tuesday, September 17, 2002 TIME: 3:00pmADDRESS: Santa Cruz City Hall 809 Center Street Santa Cruz, CA California Attorney General Bill Lockyer "This is targeting people who consistent with California voters direction are trying to provide medicine to people that are terminally ill and in need of help. For the federal government to step on that it just strikes me that they're a bunch of big bullies," Santa Cruz County Supervisor Mardi Wormhoudt Called the DEA’s actions “absolutely appalling” and praised WAMM as an “extremely responsible collective; they have operated in a way that has been exemplary. It is not reassuring to me to know that federal agents, instead of concentrating on issues of national security, are running around the mountains of Santa Cruz County disrupting the work of people who provide a valuable medical resource to the community," she added. U.S. Representative Sam Farr Said the DEA should focus on more pressing woes, calling Thursday’s action "outrageous." "With all the difficult problems the world faces, I find it hard to believe the DEA should further punish sick people, most of whom are terminally ill, by arresting them and carting them off to jail," Farr said in a statement. "This is truly outrageous." "The DEA under the Bush administration has made it perfectly clear that they don't care about the will of California voters, who think medical marijuana should be available for people whose doctors believe they would benefit from it," Attorney General Bill Lockyer's spokeswoman Hallye Jordan said Thursday. Santa Cruz Mayor Christopher Krohn "We want to call attention to this issue. There was an injustice here being done, and I think it's incumbent of the elected representatives to stand up for their constituents and make a statement." Santa Cruz City Attorney John Barisone "The thought is, do they want to come and confront a 70-year-old woman in a wheelchair?" He said. "The comments that council members are getting from people on the street are along the line of, 'With all of the things the DEA is responsible for, how did this get to No. 1 on the 'to do' list?' " Deputy Kim Allyn of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Department Said the DEA never told his department about the raid. Deputies went there after the fact only to keep the peace between protesters and DEA agents, he said: "Our concern is to make sure nobody gets hurt." The department has a marijuana enforcement team targeting illegal trafficking, Allen said, but meets regularly with the Corrals and had deemed WAMM in compliance with -- and protected by -- state law. Santa Cruz City Councilman Mark Primack "we are expressing what we feel to be the entire community's outrage and our support for those who are struggling to make this program work. " Vice Mayor of Santa Cruz, Emily Reilly "It’s just absolutely loathsome to me that federal money, energy and staff time would be used to harass people like this," "I hold it, that a little rebellion, now and then, is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical." -- Thomas Jefferson, Letter to James Madison, January 30, 1787" The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it always to be kept alive. It will often be exercised when wrong, but better so than not to be exercised at all. I like a little rebellion now and then. It is like a storm in the Atmosphere. -- Thomas Jefferson, letter to Abigail Adams, 1787 Sometimes the law defends plunder and participates in it. Sometimes the law places the whole apparatus of judges, police, prisons and gendarmes at the service of the plunderers, and treats the victim -- when he defends himself -- as a criminal. -- Frederic Bastiat, "The Law" Peace, Love and Liberty or the Merchants of D.E.A.th! DdC Stop Maintaining Dysfunction! [ Post Comment ] Post Comment