cannabisnews.com: ‘Big Brother’ Doesn’t Want Us Thinking





‘Big Brother’ Doesn’t Want Us Thinking
Posted by CN Staff on July 01, 2005 at 07:48:35 PT
By Greg Basey
Source: Herald Bulletin
Indiana -- Sometimes you just have to have a good laugh over some of the dumb things “Big Brother” does. I really wonder why the government has flipped its position on the medical use of marijuana for terminally ill people.Why? Is it because of supposed side effects it might have? Do you really think a cancer patient who uses this to ease pain and settle their stomachs so they can hold down food are going to be worried about a possible headache or other side effect that can also be found in over-the-counter prescriptions?
If it isn’t hurting anyone else, and it relieves their pain and discomfort, where is the evil in this? I am fed up over the attitude surrounding marijuana. Most people don’t have an inkling as to its history, why it is illegal or what its effects are. Let me tell you that marijuana has followed us through history and the attitude toward it has only changed in 60 years.Marijuana was one of the cash crops we used to gain our independence from England. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and even old Bill Clinton smoked it. For those who don’t know, marijuana has two uses. The plant can be smoked for medicinal and recreational purposes. The stalk it grows on is where hemp comes from. Hemp is one of the strongest natural fibers on Earth and has many uses. Paper can be made from it. (You can make 4 times as much paper from one acre of hemp as you can from an acre of trees! Hemp grows relatively fast, whereas trees take many years to grow) Clothing can be made from hemp. The first recorded Holy Bible was made from hemp. George Bush’s parachute in World War II was made from hemp, as well as tents, rope and other things. (During World War II, the government had farmers in America grow marijuana through the duration of the war.)It wasn’t until 1934 when Dupont Plastics developed the nylon fiber that marijuana was seen as a threat. Dupont paid for research into marijuana to prove it to be dangerous so marijuana could then be made illegal, thus eliminating a cheaper natural competitor. This way, Dupont could make money. Then came bogus educational films like “Reefer Madness” and more propaganda to misinform the public. Do you want to know what marijuana does? It relaxes you, makes you laugh, and might increase your appetite. The worse threat we hear is that it might impair judgment or destroy brain cells. This is the same thing that alcohol does.Here is another interesting thought. The only time you see or hear about marijuana on the news is when someone gets caught with it. I never hear of anything that gives us a good argument to explain why it’s so deadly. I rarely hear of smoking and driving accidents where pot is the sole factor, although I’m sure there are some. I’ve never read an article that says “Man dies from overdose on pot.” If there were these deadly side-effects from marijuana and marijuana only, it would be smeared all over TV and newspapers. Big Brother would love nothing more than to say, “See! We told you so!”For as long as marijuana has been around, we’re supposed to believe that “they don’t know the effects.” Give me a break! The government knows alcohol is far worse and it doesn’t really have justifications behind its actions. Ask a cop if he or she would rather deal with a drunk, someone cranked up on meth, coke, crack, PCP, LSD, or someone on marijuana. I bet you can guess their response. You see, Big Brother needs us drinking, distracted, violent, etc., because they make money from it. They certainly don’t want people smoking marijuana, sitting around coffee shops reading poetry and thinking. Thinking is dangerous because it might lead to change. So I ask you to investigate for yourself the big differences between alcohol and marijuana, look at the statistics and the news, then see if you can figure out the logic behind their decisions.Greg Basey is a Frankton resident.Source: Herald Bulletin (IN)Author: Greg BaseyPublished: July 01, 2005Copyright: 2005 The Herald BulletinContact: letters heraldbulletin.comWebsite: http://www.theheraldbulletin.com/CannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml
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Comment #12 posted by Hope on July 04, 2005 at 10:40:17 PT
Max
That was the thing that was happening to me a few weeks back. Go to tools and options and clear as much stuff as you can and it should return to normal. Close all but one window, first. I've got to where I pretty much ignore it when it happens...but cleaning it up should cause it to cease for a while.
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Comment #11 posted by FoM on July 04, 2005 at 10:25:22 PT
Max Flowers 
Happy Fourth of July to you too! I use IE so I haven't seen the problem. Maybe mentioning it to observer or Matt they might be able to figure out why that is happening. 
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Comment #10 posted by Max Flowers on July 04, 2005 at 10:19:44 PT
Quotes become ? marks
Hi FoM! Happy fourth!Hey are you aware that on Mozilla browsers, for some reason the quotes and apostrophes have all turned into question marks in this article? Driving me crazy... I checked it out on IE and it is normal.
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Comment #9 posted by observer on July 02, 2005 at 09:27:38 PT
what Big Brother wants of you
They certainly don’t want people smoking marijuana, sitting around coffee shops reading poetry and thinking. Thinking is dangerous because it might lead to change.''
The first lesson I teach is confusion. Everything I teach is out of context.... The second lesson I teach is class position. I teach that students must stay in the class where they belong. ... The third lesson I teach kids is indifference. I teach children not to care about anything too much, even though they want to make it appear that they do. ... The fourth lesson I teach is emotional dependency. By stars and red checks, smiles and frowns, prizes, honors and disgraces I teach kids to surrender their will to the predestined chain of command. ... The fifth lesson I teach is intellectual dependency. Good people wait for [officials/authorities/experts] to tell them what to do. ... The sixth lesson I teach is provisional self-esteem. ... I teach that your self-respect should depend on expert opinion. ... The seventh lesson I teach is that one can't hide. I teach children they are always watched, that each is under constant surveillance by myself and my colleagues.
''The Seven-Lesson Schoolteacherby John Taylor Gatto - 1991 New York State Teacher of the Yearhttp://members.aol.com/_ht_a/tma68/7lesson.htm
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Comment #8 posted by ekim on July 01, 2005 at 20:52:36 PT
racially biased aspect of America's failed war 
Jul 7 05 Cedar Rapids Sunrise Rotary 07:00 AM Howard Wooldridge Cedar Rapids Iowa USA 
 Stopping in the midwest during his cross country tour, Board Member Howard Wooldridge visits with the Cedar Rapids Sunrise Rotary to discuss issues related to the failure of drug prohibition. Howard will be discussing issues such as methamphetamine production and its financial and environmental impact on rural communities. Howard will also focus on harm reduction and prevention efforts rather than absolute prohibition. Follow Howard on his cross country journey at www.LEAP.cc/howard Jul 9 05 NAACP Annual Convention 08:00 AM Peter Christ Milwaukee Wisconsin USA 
 Members of the NAACP welcome LEAP Speakers Peter Christ and Garry Jones with LEAP volunteer Cliff Thornton (Director www.Efficacy-online.org) to this year's NAACP Annual Convention. Peter Christ a nationally recognized expert on America's drug policies, will be discussing the relationship of drug prohibition to crime, the impact of America's drug policies and the resulting devastation to the inner cities, mandatory minimums and the racially biased aspect of America's failed war on drugs. Location: Milwaukee Convention Center. Jul 13 05 WRPI Radio interviews Jack Cole 07:45 AM Jack Cole Troy NY USA 
 Executive Director Jack Cole will discuss the unintended consequences of the war on drugs with Judith Brink on her Indy Media Radio Call-in Talk show on WRPI 91.5 FM, in Troy, New York at 7:45 a.m. Listen live at www.wrpi.org. Jul 17 05 National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice 07:00 AM Jack Cole Dallas Texas USA 
 Members of the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice welcome Executive Director Jack Cole and other LEAP members to this year's convention. LEAP will be hosting an exhibit booth and discussing LEAP's mission and why America should end the failed war on drugs. Location: Adam's Mark Hotel Jul 22 05 "Seminars at Steamboat: Dialogues on Public Policy" 05:00 PM John Kane Steamboat Springs Colorado USA 
 Speaker Judge John Kane will participate in "Seminars at Steamboat: Dialogues on Public Policy" to discuss the the war on drugs and its effects on the criminal justice system. Judge Kane, one of LEAP's newest speakers, is a senior judge of the U.S. District Court in Denver. In its third year and growing in popularity each year, the event will be held at Centennial Hall. As the date gets closer, visit http://www.steamboatpilot.com/ for more information. Jul 24 05 National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) 29th Annual Tr 09:30 AM Jason Fisher Atlanta Georgia USA 
 Speakers Jason Fisher and Garry Jones are welcomed guests to the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) 29th Annual Training Conference and Exhibition. This year's event is expected to draw approximately 3,000 visitors, giving LEAP some good exposure and the opportunity to explain LEAP's mission and why America's war on drugs is a complete failure. Location: Marriott Marquis International. 
http://www.leap.cc/events
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Comment #7 posted by SoberStoner on July 01, 2005 at 20:43:12 PT
Souder just popped a vein
Intelligent discussion about marijuana!?!?! NEVER!!!Kudos to Mr. Basey for standing up for intelligence.
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Comment #6 posted by ekim on July 01, 2005 at 19:47:45 PT
see if you can figure out the logic 
tonight on Democracy Now 6pm est dir tv 375 was a story about a LEO that was shot by his own gun in his leg in a struggle with a guy that the officer stopped because he was smoking marijuana.
 This was in Queens NYC, well the Force busted 180 black guys looking for this guy. 
Democracy Now had on a black retired detective from NYC that said he question the 180 figure and though it a low number that it was possible quite higher. Many of the arrested were held for 24 hours only to be let off when appearing before a judge. But the retired detective was concerned about those that now have a arrest on their records for issues that should have been given tickets and fines. 
http://www.leap.cc/events
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on July 01, 2005 at 12:23:53 PT
Off Topic: Live 8
This is a cool web site and if you are interested you can add your name to the list.http://www.live8list.com/en/live8list.html
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Comment #4 posted by jose melendez on July 01, 2005 at 12:13:52 PT
Re: comment #3
See: "Beer Is Not an Illegal Drug"http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread1762.shtml
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Comment #3 posted by runruff on July 01, 2005 at 11:34:38 PT:
I would like to point out............
that the prohib industry, related industries and and all of the products that are flurishing under prohibition
are making a billion dollars plus per day. They will fight tooth and nail for each and every day they can maintain the status Quo. I say they [the affore named] will go down knashing and clawing for every last buck they can scratch out of this. No drug on earth is more addictive than greed.Keep up the good fight and God bless us all.
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on July 01, 2005 at 08:55:45 PT
Off Topic: Now an Alcohol Czar
First Alcohol Czar TappedRyan M. Travis arrives from Dartmouth to combat drug and alcohol abuse. 
 Published on Friday, July 01, 2005 
Ryan M. Travia, the former coordinator of alcohol and drug education at Dartmouth College, will become Harvard’s first alcohol “czar,” the University announced last month.http://www.thecrimson.com/today/article508187.html
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Comment #1 posted by Sam Adams on July 01, 2005 at 08:12:18 PT
Indiana
wow! Watch your back Greg, Big Brother doesn't want you thinking & He definitely doesn't want to read about The Truth in his morning paper! There's so much raw, unadulterated Truth in this short essay that it could short-circuit the pre-programmed brains of the enslaved consumer masses.Be careful out there buddy - they might take you to Room 101 and fly in Bobby Knight to choke you or something.....
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