cannabisnews.com: Anti-20 Arguments Make You Wonder 





Anti-20 Arguments Make You Wonder 
Posted by FoM on October 21, 2000 at 08:09:24 PT
By Ed Quillen, Denver Post Columnist 
Source: Denver Post
After dutifully watching all three presidential debates, as well as the vice-presidential debate, the main conclusion I reached is that I'm still an undecided voter. For sensible voters, the choice is between Ralph Nader of the Green Party and Harry Browne of the Libertarian Party, and I'm leaning toward Nader.For one thing, he actually ventured into the remote interior of Colorado this fall, and I'm partial to candidates who think we're worth the trouble.
For another, he seems to answer the reservations that many people have about the major-party nominees. Those who worry about Al Gore's possible ethical lapses can be solaced by Nader's consistency and integrity during the 35 years since he became a national figure with his campaign for improved auto safety.Those who are concerned about Bush's ties to the oil industry and his genial attitude toward big business can rest assured that Nader is not a corporate lackey.And there's the simple fact that Nader has had more effect on American life than Gore, Lieberman, Bush and Cheney combined, and most of that effect has been toward improving public safety, health and involvement.Sure, there are people who say that this is "just throwing your vote away," but it's my vote, isn't it? And if I can't deploy it for the best candidate on the ballot - the one with the record of integrity and pubic service - what's the point?The hypocrisy of the two major parties may be most evident in Amendment 20 on the Colorado ballot.It's the medical marijuana amendment, and it would make possession and use legal for people with certain medical conditions or whose physicians believe they might benefit.When it comes to abortion, another medical matter, the Democratic Party is pro-choice, that it's solely a matter for the woman, her physician and her conscience.Abortion is a serious issue, certainly more serious than growing a few plants and burning their dried leaves. So why aren't the Democrats out in front on this issue, which also involves medical choice?As for the Republicans, on Tuesday night Bush kept saying he was for empowering the people, not the government - as if the people and the government were entities that had no connection with each other, which is an odd attitude for someone who seeks to lead what Abraham Lincoln called a "government of the people, by the people, and for the people." If Bush really believed that, wouldn't he also be telling Colorado Republicans to support Amendment 20, since it allows "the people," rather than "the government," to determine which medication best assuages their afflictions? Then there are the congressional Republicans, the ones who think the states know best when it comes to education or environmental laws. But they didn't vote to cut off funds for anti-pot programs in California after that state passed a medical marijuana law.The silly arguments against Amendment 20 make you wonder who's been smoking the pot.One such argument is that it will send the wrong message to children, who might think marijuana is OK if doctors can prescribe it.Physicians can prescribe morphine and cocaine now, as well as a host of other potent and addictive substances, and somehow society survives. If the anti-20 people were truly worried about this, they would be trying to ban all prescription drugs that have the potential for abuse, on the grounds that the first duty of physicians is not to treat their patients, but rather to send the politically correct message to children.Another frivolous argument is that Amendment 20, just like the campaign to legalize industrial hemp, is just a first step toward re-legalizing marijuana for any and all purposes.And so what? I keep trying to imagine what horrors lurk if marijuana were legal. It's not going to kill anybody - in all of history, there isn't one recorded death from an overdose of marijuana.Corporate agriculture and real-estate developers might suffer if small farms had a decent cash crop, and that prospect doesn't exactly frighten me. Edgy people might grow and roll their own, rather than go through the expensive drill to get a Prozac prescription, but it's something that society should be able to survive.Bush was right the other night when he said we should trust the people rather than the government. It's too bad that he doesn't believe it, though, or he'd be supporting any and all campaigns to "keep the government out of our medicine cabinets." Ed Quillen of Salida is a former newspaper editor whose column appears Tuesdays and Sundays. E-mail Ed about this column: cozine chaffee.netComplete Title: Anti-20 Arguments Make You Wonder Who's Smoking WhatSource: Denver Post (CO)Author: Ed Quillen, Denver Post ColumnistCopyright: 2000 The Denver PostContact: letters denverpost.com Address: 1560 Broadway, Denver, CO 80202Fax: (303) 820.1502Website: http://www.denverpost.com/Forum: http://www.denverpost.com/voice/voice.htmRelated Articles & Web Sites:Vote Naderhttp://www.votenader.org/Harry Browne For Presidenthttp://www.harrybrowne2000.org/Coloradans For Medical Rights http://www.medicalmarijuana.com/Flawed, But Not Fatallyhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7307.shtmlVoters Favoring Medical Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7257.shtmlEndorsement: No on Medical Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7217.shtmlMedical Marijuana Amendment Flawed http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread6993.shtml
END SNIP -->
Snipped
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Comment #1 posted by freedom fighter on October 22, 2000 at 00:16:49 PT
Glad Ed is back!
Always have admire his work...It is tough to get anything printed if you a pro..This man have done alot for this state!
[ Post Comment ]

Post Comment


Name: Optional Password: 
E-Mail: 
Subject: 
Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message]
Link URL: 
Link Title: