cannabisnews.com: Up in Smoke










  Up in Smoke

Posted by CN Staff on March 28, 2007 at 14:08:33 PT
By Tory Newmyer and Kate Ackley, Roll Call Staff 
Source: Roll Call  

Washington, DC -- Former Rep. Bob Barr (R-Ga.) was a major buzz kill when he was in Congress. Termed "the worst drug warrior" on Capitol Hill by the Libertarian Party, he led the charge among conservative Republicans against the drug legalization movement.Advocates for medical marijuana once blocked the door to his Congressional office in protest, and when he lost a primary race in 2001, the executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project called it "glorious news."
So you might think you've smoked something to hear the latest: Barr just signed up to work for the marijuana lobby."You reach the point where you realize the federal government has become so big and so intrusive that it really forces you to take a look at a range of issues in a new light," Barr said in an interview.As of this month, Barr has signed a contract to lobby for the Marijuana Policy Project. That's the same group that once sued the government over the "Barr Amendment," a law that forbids D.C. residents from legalizing pot for medicinal purposes. Now, Barr said, he may be working to overturn it.The turn is the latest in Barr’s dramatic political evolution since leaving Congress. In the wake of disagreements with the GOP over privacy and spending issues, he quit the party and officially became a Libertarian in 2006. He has since built a platform as a political commentator, ringing the alarm about what he calls the "curtailment of personal liberties," and he founded an Atlanta-based lobbying and consulting firm called Liberty Strategies.Nobody seems more surprised about the new arrangement than the folks at the project. Aaron Houston, the group's top lobbyist, said Joe Seehusen, a former Libertarian Party director who once worked at the group, made the introduction. "He said, 'I've got a friend you should talk to, and you won't believe who it is,'" Houston said. "Obviously we're happy to have him with us, and we hope he'll set an example for some of his conservative colleagues."So far, Barr is working with the group to pare back spending on an anti-drug advertising campaign he said "is not a wise use of federal money," and to forbid federal agents from conducting raids to enforce state drug laws.Newshawk: HopeSource: Roll Call (DC) Author: Tory Newmyer and Kate Ackley, Roll Call StaffPublished: March 28, 2007Copyright: 2007 Roll Call Inc. Contact: letters rollcall.com Website: http://www.rollcall.com/ Related Article & Web SiteMarijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/ Bob Barr Flip-Flops on Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22816.shtmlCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml

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Comment #65 posted by FoM on March 31, 2007 at 07:54:04 PT
John Tyler
That is exactly what I want to know. I don't need a politician who doesn't understand the heart and soul of cannabis prohibition.Did he have some kind of an “Apostle Paul conversion on the road to Damascus” revelation or something, or is this just a job he got?
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Comment #64 posted by John Tyler on March 31, 2007 at 07:26:49 PT
what caused the change
I’m glad Bob Barr has seen the correct path, but I’m still wary. What is or was his true position? You know, for so long he was a staunch supporter of the Prohibition, and now he is working for the reformers. Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad for that, if true, but it leaves me wondering though, what happened? Did he have some kind of an “Apostle Paul conversion on the road to Damascus” revelation or something, or is this just a job he got? If the people that know him and work with him trust him, then OK. I just wouldn’t want anyone to get “burned”. 
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Comment #63 posted by Toker00 on March 30, 2007 at 02:36:51 PT
And if they do, mayan,
we better hope enough people have downloaded and made plenty copies to DVDs and CDs of everything we will need to keep not just the 9-11 Truth movement going, but OUR movement going, too. The Entire Truth Movement. Do everything you can to alert the police and military people in YOUR FAMILIES to the Truth about our Criminal Tyrannical Leaders. TELL THEM WE WON'T BACK DOWN! Even Trillions of dollars will become worthless when we all stand United to defeat the Illusion of Lies and instill the Reality of Truth. It will render all weapons unfirable, as well. I suggest everyone talk to people not only about 9-11, but about Truth in ALL matters. Make them mad. Piss them off! Force them to think for themselves! I do. Almost everyday I have to hold myself back from appearing insane in my quest for Truth. In my quest to destroy Lies, I may appear to some as insane. But I see others who wave and smile and KNOW what I am doing but are too afraid to join me. There are a few people at my work who know the Truth, but why am I the only one putting it (MY ASS) on the line and PUBIICLY announcing 9-11 is a Fraud? Do me a favor, guys. Since I don't have any help here, please help me where you stand. Turn to the person next to you and ask them: Do you know the Truth about 9-11? Do You Want To Know The Truth? If just one of you help me today, you have helped us all.Toke. 
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Comment #62 posted by whig on March 30, 2007 at 00:18:58 PT
mayan
If they had the ability to take out the internet, they would have done so. It's too late for them. Citing some "classified method" is hokum as far as I'm concerned. The internet is resilient. They could take out part of it, but not all of it, and there is simply no way to take out enough of it now with any method they might possess.I'm totally with you on keeping a focus on investigating 9/11.I don't think they can pull off another one in the next year.
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Comment #61 posted by FoM on March 29, 2007 at 21:37:23 PT
Barr Shifts in Support of Medical Marijuana
By Gerry Smith, Cox News Service Published: March 30, 2007Washington — Bob Barr, a former Georgia Republican congressman and anti-drug crusader, has become a lobbyist for the Marijuana Policy Project.The switch marks the latest chapter in the surprising evolution of the four-term lawmaker from Georgia's 7th District since he lost his seat in 2002.Once termed "the worst drug warrior" on Capitol Hill by the Libertarian Party, Barr joined the Libertarians last year because, he said, of the GOP's move "toward big government and disregard toward privacy and civil liberties."Barr's move puts him in the unusual position of lobbying to overturn a law he sponsored.In 1999, Congress passed a spending bill for the District of Columbia that included the so-called "Barr Amendment," which blocked the District from allowing medical marijuana use even though 69 percent of voters had approved a measure to legalize it.Complete Article: http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/03/30/0330natbarr.html
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Comment #60 posted by mayan on March 29, 2007 at 18:11:16 PT
And more...
Conspiracy theorists: Feds, web hosts conspire against us: 
http://prisonplanet.com/articles/march2007/280307theorists.htm
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Comment #59 posted by Taylor121 on March 29, 2007 at 17:58:00 PT
Celaya
Don't worry about being argumentative, this is a friendly discussion and I assure you we are both on the exact same page on changing these laws. The last two polls that NORML has released were both polls that asked about the Federal level. 
http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6838You will notice similar results between their latest poll and this poll that asked if states should be able to tax and regulate marijuana. But notice this poll comes only 1 year after the poll that asked about blanket legalization. There wasn't a 10 point swing in one year. Nevada's support was 44% which indicates there wasn't a huge shift in attitude, although there was some. My point is merely that support for ending Federal penalties is higher than ending state penalties since when you ask about Federal penalties you are likely to get some conservatives that are fans of states' rights in the mix. Asking those same people about legalizing marijuana on the state level and you get a different result. Anyways it doesn't really matter. Support has risen no doubt in my mind, the question is by how much. We need the Federal laws to change, but don't expect it to happen anytime soon. 
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Comment #58 posted by mayan on March 29, 2007 at 17:35:10 PT
More
Bush Paves Way for Martial Law:
http://www.rwor.org/a/083/martial-en.htmlAll of the pieces are certainly in place.
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Comment #57 posted by mayan on March 29, 2007 at 17:24:45 PT
whig
This could easily be used against the truth movement...Military beefs up Internet arsenal:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-03-28-cyber-war_N.htmIf there is another attack, taking down the internet wouldn't be much of a problem for the fasists. The military will control almost everything. 
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Comment #56 posted by Celaya on March 29, 2007 at 11:13:58 PT
Taylor121
I don't want to be argumentative, but the poll you linked to was made in 2005. NORML says that opinion has changed significantly, even since then.If the public wants an end to ALL penalties for possession, it's only a matter of time before they realize that if it's okay to have it, then it must be okay for someone to get it to them. The whole problem of marijuana prohibition is on the Federal level. If it weren't for the Federal laws, the states would be free to enact the laws they want, and we would be on the same path as alcohol was after the repeal of its prohibition.
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Comment #55 posted by Hope on March 29, 2007 at 10:39:36 PT
Thank you, Gary.
I sure wanted to hear from you guys what you thought of this. Thank you all, (Hey, Jacki!)
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Comment #54 posted by Taylor121 on March 29, 2007 at 10:13:19 PT
Response
"Actually, that's not true. For a few years now, a majority of the public has wanted an end to marijuana arrests, and just recently, NORML announced the results of a new Zogby poll show that opinion has just grown over the halfway mark for ending ALL penalties."There is a difference in ending penalties on the Federal level (which attract states' rights advocates) and legalizing the sale of the drug on the state level as polls show that legalization for adults on the state level polls from 36-40%. http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle-old/410/gallup.shtml
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Comment #53 posted by FoM on March 29, 2007 at 09:07:26 PT
Gary
I will never forget that day either. You went to the library and sent an e-mail out how it was going. That was the most interactive I ever saw us at that time in the movement. As far as Barr goes I don't trust his motives. They are political and that has always turned me off. I want people to understand why putting people in jail over marijuana is wrong.
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Comment #52 posted by Gary Storck on March 29, 2007 at 08:58:55 PT
FoM
I forgot to add a little smiley-face...I was being a bit facetious. I'll never forget that day on the Hill, and I believe that Bob Barr's change of heart goes directly to the courage and perseverance of my late friend and hero, Cheryl Miller.We miss you Cheryl!
http://cherylheart.org
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Comment #51 posted by FoM on March 29, 2007 at 08:55:38 PT
Gary
You're link confirmed what I thought. Thank you.
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Comment #50 posted by Gary Storck on March 29, 2007 at 08:42:15 PT
"Advocates for medical marijuana once blocked...&q
I seem to recall something about a little Commando Squad outing that went something like Jim laying his wife Cheryl, paralyzed with MS, in Barr's doorway as Jacki Rickert and I flanked the door. Even made the cover of Roll Call. Jim was arrested. Bob Barr lost the election because of Cheryl Miller's tv commercial, produced by the Libertarian Party's late great Ron Crickenberger. I last saw Ron alive at Cheryl's memorial at the US Supreme Court in 2003. He died shortly after....Bob Barr to Jim Miller: The Commando Squad was right!
http://www.madisonnorml.org/blog/archives/000126.php#moreStay tuned for more exciting news about Jim Miller!
Is My Medicine Legal YET?
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Comment #49 posted by FoM on March 29, 2007 at 08:33:51 PT
nuevo mexican
I haven't been watching the news so far today so I am missing what is happening. I saw this on the Tonight Show last night. It is really funny. It's called What We Call The News on Jib Jab.http://www.jibjab.com/what_we_call_the_news
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Comment #48 posted by nuevo mexican on March 29, 2007 at 08:22:43 PT
Watch the hearings at C-Span 3!
Good Day FOM and all!It is actually a GREAT day, watch the truth emerge here!Rove is next to fall from grace, then President Cheney and the boy king!http://www.c-span.org/watch/cs_cspan3_rm.asp?Cat=TV&Code=CS3And the Senate Dems just voted 51-47 to seal the deal, and now bush has to VETO it, PERFECT!
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Comment #47 posted by Toker00 on March 29, 2007 at 03:42:39 PT
SSDP. Children are awakening. So refreshing.
To read the full text of articles online, or to download and print the PDF version of the newsletter, go to http://www.ssdp.org/newsletter/200704/• SSDP files brief, leads rally in Supreme Court case
http://www.ssdp.org/newsletter/200704/article1.shtml
"Bong Hits 4 Jesus." It started out as a silly phrase taped to a banner and unfurled by pranksters as the Olympic Torch passed by their high school. But now, it has led to a Supreme Court case that could severely limit the ability of students to speak freely about drug policy in public schools. SSDP is working to ensure that student free speech rights are upheld.• 175 organizations denounce HEA penalty
http://www.ssdp.org/newsletter/200704/article2.shtml
SSDP continues to push forward, with the support of a broad-based coalition, in our fight to repeal the law that has denied financial aid to nearly 200,000 students with drug convictions.• News from the Campus Change Campaign
http://www.ssdp.org/newsletter/200704/article3.shtmlThe fight to make drug policies more sensible starts at home. That's why many SSDP chapters are waging campaigns to change drug policy on our own campuses. And we are winning.• Just Say Know unites, educates, inspires
http://www.ssdp.org/newsletter/200704/article4.shtmlIn November, SSDP had its largest conference ever, with over 300 attendees converging on Washington, DC for a weekend of lobbying, discussion, learning, and networking.• Berkeley HEA reform
http://www.ssdp.org/newsletter/200704/article5.shtmlThe University of California, Berkeley SSDP chapter has taken a bold step in challenging the Higher Education Act Aid Elimination Penalty by creating a scholarship that grants aid to students with drug convictions.• Maryland House HEA bill dies in committee, Senate bill to come
http://www.ssdp.org/newsletter/200704/article6.shtmlThe Maryland state legislature is taking steps to reinstate financial aid to students with drug convictions. The House bill, which would allow students to receive state aid despite the federal financial aid ban, has died in committee, but SSDP is working to ensure that it is revived in the Senate.• Beyond Prohibition: First ever Canadian SSDP conference
http://www.ssdp.org/newsletter/200704/article7.shtmlEarlier this month, SSDP chapters across Canada met at McGill University for the first national CSSDP conference. A national board of directors was chosen, and plans have been made to establish the organization as a non-profit.• New SSDP chapters starting off strong
http://www.ssdp.org/newsletter/200704/article8.shtmlNew SSDP chapters are springing up across North America, and the student movement to end the War on Drugs is spreading like wildfire. We spotlight three of our newest chapters.• SSDP welcomes new outreach director
http://www.ssdp.org/newsletter/200704/article9.shtmlSSDP's chapter outreach department is expanding! Jacob Roland has joined the national headquarters, serving as the primary contact person for students wishing to start new SSDP chapters.• Surreal Drug War: Military takes drug offenders that can't afford college costs
http://www.ssdp.org/newsletter/200704/article10.shtmlGot a drug conviction? The government says you can't have financial aid for college, but is more than happy to enlist you into the military.To support our work on these and other important projects, please visit http://www.ssdp.org/donateTo help SSDP grow our supporter network, please join our facebook group. Check us out at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2204718067Toke.
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Comment #46 posted by whig on March 29, 2007 at 00:05:15 PT
mayan
In regards to your continuing predictions of another 9/11 or something worse....Timing is everything, and it isn't on their side now.Those who would perpetrate an act of this kind would have to be prepared to take advantage of it. They aren't. Even if they might think they are, they aren't.The only attack they could make that would have any chance of helping them would be to take out the internet.They might imagine they had a chance, once upon a time. But they never did, in reality. This is 2,000 years+ in the making, and they were always going to lose. We just didn't know how it was going to unfold, and many of the details are still unknown, the future is uncertain that way, but the outcome can hardly be doubted.
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Comment #45 posted by The GCW on March 28, 2007 at 23:09:31 PT
Exposing filth.
CN ON: Decade Of Legalized Industrial Hemp CelebratedPubdate: Mon, 26 Mar 2007
Source: Sentinel Review (CN ON)http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n393/a07.html?7052-0-0-0-0-0-Response:Hemp cultivation prohibited in U.S.(coming soon to MAP)Congratulations and how did you do it (Decade of legalized industrial hemp celebrated, March 26, 2007, Sentinel-Review)?
I live in the land of the free, with free American farmers, yet the U.S. government doesn’t allow cultivation of hemp. No, that would lead to meth and heroin and be a bad message for children and all; just ask the “drug czar.“ Canada must think different than America; rationally, credibly and reasonably come to mind.Wednesday March 28, 2007Newshawk: herbhttp://www.woodstocksentinelreview.com/Letters/296779.html
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Comment #44 posted by The GCW on March 28, 2007 at 22:53:22 PT
Police, DARE, prohibitionists, the Feds...
Police, DARE, prohibitionists, the Feds...are today's wicked witches of the west.They should know and fear, We are approaching their curtin.-0-We have a bandwagon with time to fill a few more seats, miss it and fear / risk going to the proverbial slaughter house.Slay lies.Shine the brightest light known to man on lies.
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Comment #43 posted by The GCW on March 28, 2007 at 22:40:44 PT
Negative FEAR gives way.
I sense and feel as though negative fear as used by prohibitionists has run its course and may be ready to back fire to the extent it will serve Us now.Example:We may now use fear on Our side.*DARE has taught cannabis is more addictive than cigarettes.*The Feds have taught cannabis is more dangerous than meth, by way of the Scheduling system.-We may now use fear as a weapon to help persuade prohibitionists to back off the false claim of Schedule I, or else get sued, or teach children the feds and police are the enemy, with little room for denial.-We may use fear to help parents wanting to protect their children from honest hard drugs to finally speak up and defend cannabis or face a higher risk of their children getting involved in meth, since it is only a Schedule II substance, or cocaine, since Souder teaches that todays cannabis is like cocaine...Using this concept of positive fear may be helpful to writers of letters to newspapers.-0-Police may be made / put into the position to fear being exposed as messengers, knowingly sending dishonest lies to children as representatives more as union members than good citizens; the enemy to Our children. =Police are bad people. =DARE is bad people. Police don't care about My children...Police should get straight with citizens NOW, fearing that the truth will come out...We are armed with the truth; Let's kill the lies!
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Comment #42 posted by Hope on March 28, 2007 at 22:16:04 PT
We all woke up to the truth such a long time ago.
It's so hard to believe that so many are so slow in awakening. We can't quit, though...ever. No matter how slow it goes. There are other Cheryls out there and so many Jerrys. God knows we can't give up.I tried to check out the NYT Forums. But they don't seem to have me on their cookie list anymore.
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Comment #41 posted by FoM on March 28, 2007 at 21:33:46 PT
Hope
Thank you for the links. It seems just like it was yesterday. 
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Comment #40 posted by FoM on March 28, 2007 at 21:29:06 PT
Celaya
Good night to you.
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Comment #39 posted by Hope on March 28, 2007 at 21:20:37 PT
Goodnight, Celaya.
Thanks for sharing your views.
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Comment #38 posted by Celaya on March 28, 2007 at 21:18:26 PT
'Night folks.
"May you live in interesting times." - ancient Chinese curse
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Comment #37 posted by Hope on March 28, 2007 at 21:08:48 PT
October 1999
http://www.cherylheart.org/bob_barr.html
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Comment #36 posted by Hope on March 28, 2007 at 21:01:23 PT
About that visit to Barr's office in 1999
http://immly.org/immly_dc.htm
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Comment #35 posted by Celaya on March 28, 2007 at 20:56:49 PT
Hope
Because of its great visibility, it attracted all kinds of folks. Perhaps even paid disrupters. At the Drug Policy Forum, we have had some incredible attacks, but have managed to throw them all off.
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Comment #34 posted by Celaya on March 28, 2007 at 20:54:10 PT
Hope
No problem. It's left me a little dazed too. 
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Comment #33 posted by Hope on March 28, 2007 at 20:54:08 PT
The NYT Forums
I used to check them regularly. Years ago, I probably even posted. I kind of got shook back there when someone on there was really espousing violence to fight this prohibition...and the forums were shut down then for a while. I just never got interested in going back after that.(There was talk of hangings and burning buildings and body bags. It's been quite a few years ago now, but, I didn't like it.)
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Comment #32 posted by Hope on March 28, 2007 at 20:49:55 PT
Celaya
Thanks. I had a case of the "duhs" there. Sorry.
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Comment #31 posted by Celaya on March 28, 2007 at 20:49:44 PT
Hope
Right. If you have ever visited there, you know there is an incredible variety of forums on almost every conceivable issue, and they are, (except for the inevitable flamers) largely comprised of very knowledgable posters. It has been a tremendous world of debate and information exchange for a decade. If you haven't seen it yet, it would be worth your while exploring before it is gone.
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Comment #30 posted by Hope on March 28, 2007 at 20:44:23 PT
Celaya
I think I understand. You mean the date when the forums at the NYT will close.
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Comment #29 posted by Celaya on March 28, 2007 at 20:44:07 PT
Hope
The end of the forums. On that date, the forums will be "read only" for a week, and then they will disappear all together.FoMThanks again! You demonstrate what credibility is all about.
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Comment #28 posted by FoM on March 28, 2007 at 20:41:02 PT
Celaya
You're welcome. Character is very important to me. Character can't be bought or sold. It isn't wishy washy. It can stand the test of time. 
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Comment #27 posted by Hope on March 28, 2007 at 20:39:14 PT
Celaya
The date of the end of what?
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Comment #26 posted by Celaya on March 28, 2007 at 20:36:14 PT
The End Of The NYT Forums
Some of you know I have been a frequent poster (about 10 years now) at the New York Times Drug Policy Forum, where I post as "John Thomas."I'm sad to report the NYT announced today that they are terminating ALL forums except for: Crosswords forums, Opera, Books Reading Groups, Classical Music and Human Origins. In other words, any forum that might possibly contain any serious controversy is gone. Some of us believe the termination of these forums is too conveniently near a possible (probable?) imminent U.S. invasion of Iran.Perhaps everyone here and in other such forums should be concerned as well. We have been given April 9 as the date of the end. 
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Comment #25 posted by Celaya on March 28, 2007 at 20:34:48 PT
Taylor 121
"let's face the facts, the majority in this country oppose legalizing marijuana."Actually, that's not true. For a few years now, a majority of the public has wanted an end to marijuana arrests, and just recently, NORML announced the results of a new Zogby poll show that opinion has just grown over the halfway mark for ending ALL penalties.It is not difficult for me to imagine that Barr, with his great familiarity with marijuana reform and his desperate need for a new venue, is cashing in the only way he can - with the rising tide of public support - now a majority - for marijuana reform 
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Comment #24 posted by Hope on March 28, 2007 at 20:33:17 PT
"I think this is a selfless act."
I certainly hope it is.
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Comment #23 posted by Taylor121 on March 28, 2007 at 20:22:51 PT
Political motivations?
I have a hard time believing that Barr isn't sincerely converted to wanting to change this law. People say it's for political motivations, but let's face the facts, the majority in this country oppose legalizing marijuana. Barr is now working for the largest marijuana law lobby in the U.S. If he ever runs for office again, this is going to be brought up.I think this is a selfless act. If I was forced at gunpoint to explain Barr's actions I would say that he realized in the past he was completely wrong for being such an enemy of drug law reform that he is trying to make up for past mistakes and actually change things.I could be wrong, but that's how I see it. I see no political gain to be had from his actions.
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Comment #22 posted by Celaya on March 28, 2007 at 20:22:29 PT
FoM
"Character matters."Thanks. I was beginning to feel lost in a Machiavellian sea.
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Comment #21 posted by The GCW on March 28, 2007 at 20:21:50 PT
PRESSURE & VACUUM
The opposite of pressure is vacuum; prohibitionists have one foot in each.The poop hits the fan; the fan has many blades. Imagine how the Feds have built a lot of stilts to hold up mounds of poop on top of them… One of those mounds is to make a substance Schedule system and put cannabis on top and meth beneath it. They can not hold that poop up as it gains more weight.Cannabis is a Schedule I substance and meth is only a Schedule substance; After teaching that message to children for a long period of time, they may start hating themselves or get paranoid.They may want to jump ship; but with only one foot.There are more fan blades; and between one foot and the other, it cuts them.May The Ecologician have Mercy on Us all.The Green Collar Worker
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Comment #20 posted by Hope on March 28, 2007 at 20:20:55 PT
It is possible
that his "diselection" may have been like a blow to the head that brought him to his senses.
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Comment #19 posted by Hope on March 28, 2007 at 20:18:34 PT
Barr
While I was very happy to hear this news... he's still got to prove himself. He's got a whole lot of 'splainin to do.This is a big deal, but he hasn't proven himself yet. This will be interesting. 
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Comment #18 posted by FoM on March 28, 2007 at 20:14:16 PT

Celaya
I think like you do. I decided long ago when Bob Barr treated Cheryl and Jim that way that I had no respect for him. How we treat people matters to me. It's says a lot about a person's character. Character matters. 
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Comment #17 posted by Celaya on March 28, 2007 at 20:07:04 PT

Credibility?
Sorry if I'm too incredulous here.I think equating Barr to police officers does a great disservice to police officers. We know, especially because of LEAP, that many police don't believe in the drug war, but must wait for retirement or a change of carreer before they can let it be known. Barr was a major drug war cheerleader. It's people like him that have turned the great institution of law enforcement into Inquisition henchmen. Credibility? To who? Other prohibitionists? That's about it, if even then. Prohibitionists aren't interested in abandoning their ideology.  Credibility is something that HONORABLE people have.
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Comment #16 posted by freewillks on March 28, 2007 at 20:01:51 PT

B Barr
I think his actions have political motive, not a change in heart. And yes sukoi, Barr is a nice feather in the reform hat.
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Comment #15 posted by Sukoi on March 28, 2007 at 18:59:53 PT

Mayan
I posted this in another thread but I hope that you can understand where I'm coming from:Many people hold Barr in contempt for his past actions and rightly so but keep in mind that he is not alone. A perfect example of that is the good people at LEAP. These people were once our sworn enemies and now they speak out on our behalf (with credibility beyond reproach). They help us and we help them; we are now allies with the same goal. As much as I hate what he has done, I welcome Mr. Barr, just as I would welcome Howard Wooldridge or Jack Cole were they not already on our side. I think that Mr. Barr is an absolutely wonderful person to have on our side BECAUSE of the dreadful things that he has done in the past as like those with LEAP, that makes his credibility beyond reproach. 

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Comment #14 posted by mayan on March 28, 2007 at 18:23:48 PT

Misc.
I have a hard time believing that such a rabid prohibitionist like Bob Barr can just have a sudden change of heart like this. Maybe he knows that the sh*t is about to hit the fan in this country and he doesn't want angry mobs chasing him down the street. Make no mistake about it, the sh*t will soon hit the fan...Iran planning to stop using U.S. dollar to price oil, central bank governor says:
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/28/business/AS-FIN-Malaysia-Iran-Oil-Dollars.phpRemember what happened when Iraq made a similar announcement? When the next 9/11 happens, all of our progress of the last 11 years will have been in vain. The stage is now set. The next inside job will likely be so catastrophic that even 9/11 Truthers will have a hard time believing that the government could be capable of such murder and destruction. That's the mind-set that they are counting on us to have. They are going to turn back the clock to the 1950's and eliminate those who threaten the globalist agenda once and for all!!!Easter Surprise: Attack on Iran, New 9/11… or Worse:
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/03/28/150/Richardson: 'Nuclear 9-11' Is Possible: 
http://prisonplanet.com/articles/march2007/280307nuclear911.htmBill Maher Discusses Bush's 9/11 Non-Reaction On Olbermann (video):
http://prisonplanet.com/articles/march2007/280307maher.htm911: Can You Handle The Truth?
http://www.lwilliamlosapio.com/?p=177STRANGER THAN FICTION: AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION OF 9-11 AND THE WAR ON TERRORISM:
http://www.apfn.org/apfn/WTC_STF.htm"MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT" 9/11 WAS AN "INSIDE JOB":
http://www.voxfux.com/archives/00000076.htm
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Comment #13 posted by FoM on March 28, 2007 at 17:49:35 PT

OT: Friendly Reminder: Boomer Century on PBS 
http://www.pbs.org/boomercentury/'Boomers' Still Inventing Themselves By Linell Smith, The Baltimore SunMarch 28, 2007PBS is inviting you to meet the baby boomers - or perhaps reconsider them.Like the generation it depicts, the documentary "The Baby Boom Century: 1946-2046," which airs at 9 tonight, is unpredictable, multi-layered, inspiring and often overwhelming - a testament to the heft of 78 million aging Americans.Born from 1946-1964, boomers have lived through stunning social transformations while contributing to many of them. The two-hour film shows how the children of the 1950s, molded by the parenting philosophy of Dr. Benjamin Spock and the early days of television, morphed into the young adults of the 1960s - a time enlivened by pop culture but shadowed by the Vietnam War and the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.By the '70s and '80s, the boomers were busy redefining America's notions of work and family. Throw in civil rights, the birth control pill, feminism, Roe v. Wade, President Nixon's resignation, personal computers, AIDS, gay rights, minivans, the Internet, the Persian Gulf war, Sept. 11, Botox, Viagra and long-term care insurance - and you grasp the complexity of forces still shaping this group.Now imagine constructing a narrative from such stuff. Gerontologist and psychologist Ken Dychtwald, who is an authority on the generation, rose to the challenge. He enlisted the help of award-winning filmmakers and a variety of commentators to create the first film of such scope to consider both the boomers and their long-term future."One of the challenges was finding a way to present something different about a generation that has been covered so often," says Dychtwald, 56. "The media still brands the boomers as the youth generation, but I'm convinced that the more interesting decades will be the ones after 50. It's who we're starting to become - not who we used to be - that's so fascinating."Commentators, many of whom are boomers, include "Emotional Intelligence" psychologist Dan Goleman, futurist Alvin Toffler, human genome scientist J. Craig Venter, Monster.com founder Jeff Taylor, Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, aging expert Fernando Torres-Gil, civil rights pioneer Julian Bond, filmmaker Oliver Stone, "Daily Show" comedian Lewis Black, feminist playwright Eve Ensler and White House Press Secretary and Cincinnati native Tony Snow.Interspersing their observations with archival footage and present-day interviews, "The Boomer Century" also explores people who are reinventing themselves in middle age, a time Dychtwald calls "middlescence." He says boomers remain anti-authoritarian, idealistic, open to change and self-empowered."They still have that strange combination of intelligence, of questioning authority and of deep-rooted distrust of the status quo that has caused the generation to be enormously innovative, from music and fashion to relationships, work and technology."Dychtwald spends a lot of time poking holes in popular misconceptions. While his film points out that as much as a third of the boomer generation may never have enough money for retirement, it also shows boomers deserve more credit for their good works.Such perspective might erode what he calls the country's youth obsession and "gerontophobia." Instead, the future could see older Americans taking courses, re-inventing careers, moving back into cities and building intergenerational families from their networks of friends. It also could bring an unparalleled opportunity to create a "living legacy" through volunteering."Boomer men and women have the greatest concentration of education, skills and work experience of any generation in history," Dychtwald says. "I believe there are tens of millions in this generation who can become an elder corps, an army of high-energy, contributing men and women.Copyright: 2007 The Cincinnati Posthttp://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070328/LIFE/703280343/1005
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Comment #12 posted by Toker00 on March 28, 2007 at 17:35:09 PT

Sukoi
Way - to - go! If only they would air it. Good job!Toke. 
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Comment #11 posted by Sukoi on March 28, 2007 at 17:14:24 PT

Dank (comment #2)
I just sent this but I doubt that it will be read on the air: Lou,Why is it that you keep saying things like "problems with alcohol AND drugs" or "addicted to alcohol AND drugs"? You DO realize that alcohol IS a "drug" don't you? In fact, it's actually far more of a "drug" than cannabis as cannabis is a natural PLANT and alcohol is a MANMADE "DRUG". Also, please get off of this "abuse" thing that you keep harping on; USE and ABUSE are two completely different things; would you say that a beer after work is "alcohol abuse"? If not, then you certainly shouldn't say that smoking a joint after work is "drug abuse". Get your facts straight and quit being a government parrot. "Drug USE" is not the problem and "drug ABUSE" is not the actual problem; the actual problem is the PROHIBITION of "drugs" which causes 95% of the problems that are "considered" to be "caused" by drugs. You really ought to do your audience a service and have a LEAP speaker (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, www.leap.cc) on your show for more than five seconds to explain the issue and the ONLY solution. Sukoi
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Comment #10 posted by E_Johnson on March 28, 2007 at 17:09:09 PT

These people have such limited intelligence
Why would it be any healthier to swallow a medicine than it would be to smoke it?The stomach isn't designed to digest pills. It's meant to digest food and extract nutrients so that we can live. And swallowing pills happens to interfere with that process. 
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Comment #9 posted by E_Johnson on March 28, 2007 at 17:06:04 PT

This man should bite his tongue for saying such BS
"Miller said legal drugs are administered by pill, injection, spray or under the tongue -- not by smoking them, which is unhealthy."Right -- now show me the stomach lining of someone who takes apsirin.
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Comment #8 posted by Taylor121 on March 28, 2007 at 16:08:56 PT

From what I recall
From what I remember, the last time New Hampshire voted on medical marijuana it only had like 120 votes or so. I think this is a huge upswing so I think it's progress for new year for sure.
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Comment #7 posted by Hope on March 28, 2007 at 15:51:52 PT

Barr has a web site
Nary a peep there about this, that I could see.I'm so sad for New Hampshire patients and everyone that testified. What a bunch of miscreants those are who voted against it.
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Comment #6 posted by FoM on March 28, 2007 at 15:41:46 PT

Taylor121
Thank you for the sad news.
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on March 28, 2007 at 15:40:22 PT

Dankhank
We tried to watch it but we turned on Tucker. I can't watch Lou Dobbs very long anymore.
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Comment #4 posted by Hope on March 28, 2007 at 15:40:08 PT

Comment 3
That's so very sad.It's certainly been up and down today, hasn't it?
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Comment #3 posted by Taylor121 on March 28, 2007 at 15:37:31 PT

New Hampshire vote close but failed
CONCORD, N.H. -- The House voted narrowly Wednesday to reject legalizing marijuana use for medicinal purposes.The House voted 186-177 to kill a bill that would have allowed the illegal drug's use for treatment of debilitating medical conditions.Supporters argued that marijuana is the only drug that helps people with some illnesses.Lancaster Democrat Evelyn Merrick, a cancer survivor, said her treatment often was worse than the disease."How many others must we allow to suffer needlessly?" she said.Westmoreland Democrat William Chase, who treated cancer patients as a surgeon, said effective therapy is elusive.But opponents said the bill had too many problems, especially on controlling who could grow marijuana."We have ample therapeutic equivalents legally available," said Durham Democrat Joseph Miller, a retired doctor.Miller said legal drugs are administered by pill, injection, spray or under the tongue -- not by smoking them, which is unhealthy.Hinsdale Democrat William Butynski said the bill would allow people and their caregivers to grow marijuana."There is no such thing as medical marijuana," he said.http://www.wmur.com/news/11422802/detail.html
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Comment #2 posted by Dankhank on March 28, 2007 at 15:35:53 PT

Lou dobbs ...
is blathering about the drug war and kids this hour ... really sick ...He found a kid who says" I got into the drug world basically with marijuana and then got addicted to LSD and did it for four years ...wow ... the strangest things ....
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on March 28, 2007 at 14:31:19 PT

Off Topic: Boomer Century
Tonight this will air on our PBS channel and I thought some might want to check it out too.“The Boomer Century: 1946-2046” is a two-hour documentary that looks to the baby boomers’ past for clues to how this generation of 78 million Americans will shape the future. Hosted by gerontologist and psychologist Dr. Ken Dychtwald, the program focuses on the boomers’ formative years to reveal the personality traits of a generation that has since rewritten the rules for work, marriage and parenthood, and is now redefining retirement and aging. The final question the program poses, is what kind of future will the baby boomers lead and leave for succeeding generations?Produced by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Joel Westbrook and Neil Steinberg and written by two-time Academy Award winner Mark Harris, the program “attempts to show viewers what really makes this generation tick and how its unique personality will help determine how boomers will shape society over the coming decades,” says Dychtwald.In addition to stock footage, staged sets and a fast-paced format, the program incorporates candid and insightful interviews with renowned boomers, academics and authors including Oliver Stone, Rob Reiner, Julian Bond, Erica Jong, Eve Ensler, Lester Thurow and Alvin Toffler.http://www.pbs.org/boomercentury/
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