By "Radical" Russ Belville on January 14, 2009
I love my Stash readers. Sometimes they can so perfectly crystallize a thought that it’s beautiful to behold. Ray DiPasquale not only boldly comes out of the cannabis closet by signing his full name, but he eloquently captures a hypocrisy in Florida:
Governor Crist is for a no [motorcycle] helmet law saying it is a personal decision. Now think about that, why would he not then be for decriminalization or at least medical marijuana?
If the outside of your skull and head is a personal decision then is it not a personal decision for the inside of your skull and head?
via Florida bill targeting marijuana grow houses becomes law | NORML’s Daily Audio Stash.
Posted in ACTIVISM | Tagged Charlie Crist, Florida, motorcycle helmet laws
I am the host of the NORML SHOW LIVE and The NORML Stash Blog. I'm married, live in Portland, Oregon, and I am a registered medical marijuana caregiver in this state. I've worked days as an IT geek and nights as a professional musician. Previously, I have been the host of my own political talk radio show on satellite radio. I've been the High Times "Freedom Fighter of the Month" for my work producing Oregon NORML's TV show, "A Cannabis Community Forum", and for helping to institute Portland's wildly successful medical marijuana cardholders meetings, where we help sick and disabled Oregonians acquire cannabis plant starts, learn gardening, and understand the medical marijuana law. I've dedicated my life to bringing an end to adult marijuana prohibition and re-legalizing cannabis hemp, and I'm honored to be chosen by NORML to be our daily voice.
This whole Michael Phelps thing is so over blown. As far as I see it he was just posing in the picture like he was hitting the bong. After all….. does anyone see any smoke in that bong?
I would like to add to my comment above.
The position of the Governor and the state
imposes the beliefs of the thought police at the sacrifice of the individual,that we can trust you with your body as long as we can see what you are doing but when inside your skin we cannot so therefore we can’t trust you,
we have a problem with this so this is where we must draw the line.
A surreal Orwellian scenario with an inverted twist.
Russ,
I have been out of the cannabis closet since I was a kid and when I was in the cannabis closet,you knew what I was doing there.
I did not realize you had covered the goverment patent,but I hoped you liked the quote.
Here is my letter and the response of Dr.Lyle Crakers’ of the University of MA
who is appealing a recent decision to grow & research cannabis.He is the genuine article.
Ray DiPasquale wrote:
> Dear Dr. Craker,
> I am contacting you in wishing you the best in your quest for research in cannabis.
I have had unfortunately a tussle with the federal government and the DEA in 1993 because of my horticulture interests in cannabis which I exercised for many years.
> I have found cannabis very useful during the course of my life.
> I currently use cannabis for Chronic Myofascial Pain, without the side effects of prescribed medications, the only side effect I suffer from cannabis is arrest. Over the years, I have associated with many people in the medical cannabis movement.
> I personally know Elvy Musikka and Irv Rosenfeld, two of the 4 legal cannabis patients in the U.S.
> If there is anything that I can help you with or anybody in the movement that can please feel free to contact me as we all are in this for the good of all not for fame or fortune.
> I do appreciate you time and again all the best in regards to your quest.
> Sincerely,
> Ray DiPasquale
Dear Mr. DiPasquale:
Many thanks for your words of support, I really appreciate. We must continue to keep the pressure on the DEA and other government organizations to recognize the medical benefits of this plant. I urge people to contact their congressional representatives and ask them to support our effort to legally study this plant material.
My best wishes.
Lyle Craker
I’ve met and interviewed Irv a couple of times – fantastic guy.
And we covered the government patent on cannabinoids on the NORML Blog.
Russ,
Thanks for the compliment.
I have many more and will be glad to share my thoughts and observations.
I recently spoke to Irv Rosenfeld,the oldest legal medical cannabis recipent and he is working on a book and his new website http://www.potluckrx.com please visit him
Here is one more hypocrisy that will just get your blood boiling.
The U.S. goverment under the U.S. Dept of Health & Human Services owns patent 6,630,507B1 Cannabinoids as neoruprotectant antioxidants filed 2003.
This is my feeling on this patent.
The goverment has created a monopoly on the medicinal value of cannabis while implementing the dynamics of doublespeak and the tactics of a police state to maintain the grip of legality and illegality. A true dichotomy of hypocrisy.
The rule of law has become the law of rule.
Those that rule the law will become zealots,jingoes, and hypocrites.
Russ this means getting 200 of every 30,000 smokers, Is that realy way out there to expect?
Russ I got one of my crazy ideas.
Let me know what you think.
A fundraising campain in the form of a side bar widgit. We are raising money to send voters to DC to visit with Reps. The widget would be a list of names of $5 contributers.
Say it cost $750 to send 1 person and a cheap hotel room. When the total $$$ hits $1000 every one on the list gets a sticker and goes in to the hat for a “grand PRIZE”. $5x200people=$1000 / $750 for the trip,$200 for the stickers, $50 goes to the grand prize.( are you with me :)
The powers at be decide Who,when and where.
I think this would be a hit with the active “broadband” activist. Some might donate weekly or monthly with good marketing.
This has to be in cooperation with other reform ORG’s. MPP has a major philanthropist committed to match the first $3.0 million that MPP can raise from the rest of the planet in 2009.
they could be the center of the campain.
Well do you think its doable?? I know it a long shot bit what the hell…
thanks for the shout out to us stashers Russ.
LIGHT EM’ UP 2009
http://www.myspace.com/jrshighrollers
You’re right. If one-tenth of 1% of all daily pot smokers on each wrote a letter on 4/20 to their representative, telling them to legalize marijuana, each rep would get 6 or 7 letters that week and we’d see some change.
If only one out of every 30,000 monthly pot smokers booked a flight to visit their representative on 4/20, telling them to legalize pot, every rep on Capitol Hill would have a pro-pot visitor that day and we’d see some change.
Florida residency & personal freedom are the exact opposites. No hope for MEDMJ in the near future. Get me the hell out of this bass-akwards state! Chain Gang Charlie is a dolt! Any state that produces a Katherine Harris should be looked askance at. Don’t move here. God bless FLCAN.org for hanging in therealong with State NORML chapters too! Keep the faith, I can’t afford to move:(
I know why!
Because the motercycle rights people are in washington all the time, with voters form each district. Like I said before my mom was a lobbyest in DC, well this is who she worked for.
She worked with CBA/ABATE. They put it into a presonal freedom point of view.
I wrote an e-mail asking people to visit change.gov. She had it sent to a ton of her contacts. WE should work with ORG’s like these more.