Another Stasher C.C. from Lowndes County emailed Georgia Rep. Tommy Benton to protest his stance that marijuana users should be tortured by the brutal act of caning, as is the standard in Singapore.
GA Rep. Benton: "I am opposed to the legalization of marijuana. I think we should go to caning for people caught using and maybe execute dealers."
Before we get to Rep. Benton’s response (sadly, this one is not a Hall & Oates cover), I’d like to explain a bit what “caning” is, courtesy of research by Georgia NORML’s David Clark and the website of World Corporal Punishment (placed below the “Read more” link in case you’re sensitive to pictures and descriptions of brutality). This isn’t some schoolhouse rap on the knuckles from the teacher; this is a form of torture.
Rep. Benton's proposed punishment for marijuana users
(World Corporal Punishment) The Singapore Prisons Regulations require that caning be inflicted on the buttocks (Regulation 132(2)).
In practice the prisoner is required to strip completely naked for the administration of the punishment.
Once he has removed his clothes, the inmate is made to stand facing the trestle so that he can be tied to it.
Rep. Benton doesn't think this is "cruel and unusual punishment"
In Singapore, he is made to bend over a pad between the front legs. His feet are secured to the front base with his hands secured to the back legs, so that he is bent over at about right angles at the hip.
Once the prisoner is secured, the caning officer will take up position, standing about five feet away, and adjusting his position with the aid of the cane. Correct positioning is critical. If he is too near the prisoner, the tip of the cane will fall beyond the buttocks and thus reduce the effect of the stroke. If he is too far, the stroke will only cover part of the buttocks.
Rep. Benton doesn't think people who oppose caning hold true "conservative values".
A senior officer stands by, with the doctor.
The cane is soaked overnight in water, so it is supple. The Prisons Department says this is to prevent it from splitting and shearing the skin. They denied earlier claims that the cane is soaked in brine. However, it is treated with antiseptic before use.
TO ADMINISTER A CRIMINAL WHIPPING, the officer first twists his body to the left. The aim is to get as much force as possible behind the stroke. The offender is whipped on the buttocks. After each stroke, the rotan is immediately pulled back.
Irrespective of the age of the offender or the type of crime committed, every stroke is inflicted with the full strength of the warder: “Canings are administered with maximum force” (South China Morning Post, Hong Kong, 2 April 1994).
Twelve months after caning, the scars are still visible.
“… when caning, the warder uses the whole of his body weight, and not just the strength of his arms, to strike. He holds the cane rigidly at arm’s length and pivots on his feet to deliver the stroke”. (Singapore Director of Prisons, September 1974)
A 25-year-old caning officer in Malaysian prisons, Iskandar Radz, said that he underwent a two-week training course during which he was taught how to swing the 1.09-metre cane at a minimum speed of 160kph and produce a force upon impact of at least 90kg.
Which brings us to Rep. Tommy Benton’s latest response to one of our sincere and polite emails asking him to reconsider recanting his unconstitutional and inhumane statement “I am opposed to the legalization of marijuana. I think we should go to caning for people caught using and maybe execute dealers. That would solve the problem as well. That is what they do in Singapore and they don’t have a drug problem, but then they have less liberty than we do here.”
You don’t want to legalize weed because of your conservative values. Pardon my French but that is a big old pile of bull crap. You and your cronies want it legalized so you can get a hit anytime without having to worry about getting arrested. I have forwarded your email to the Lowndes County sheriffs office so that they can be on the lookout for you. Consider this my last correspondence on the the subject to you or anyone else who shares your similar “conservative views’.
Tommy Benton
HD31
So now Rep. Benton has taken another unconstitutional step of threatening his constituency with harassment by law enforcement for politely and reasonably petitioning their government for a redress of grievances. It’s no surprise that someone who doesn’t understand the Eighth Amendment would have trouble understanding the First.
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In the United States 40% of adult males tested positive for marijuana at the time of their arrest for charges other than marijuana possession.
yikes! way to get a point across. altho i dont condone harsh punishments such as this, it goes to show how strongly their government feels about the issue of marijuana.
Does your morality apply to alcoholic beverages, sir?
First, let me say I think using marijuana, cocaine, or any other drug not used for medicinal purposes to get high is wrong. That said, I believe that on a MORAL basis. There is no language I can see in the Constitution that gives the government (local state or federal) to determine what you are and are not allowed to put into your own body. The government has no authority or right to persecute people for imbibing. My belief is that the government should treat these items no differently than they do alcohol and cigarettes. This would eliminate the criminal market for these items, allow the government to raise tax revenues that could allow it to ease the tax burdens it places on middle class and lower class families. Also, since there would be no “war on drugs” because it was legal and regulated, massive amounts of wasted monetary and personnel resources could be better used for more productive purposes. Crime would decrease, because a major inflow of cash for organized crime and street gangs would be effectively eliminated. Should you get your license yanked because you drove baked? Absolutely! You are endangering others by driving with impaired judgment. Should you go to prison because toy were baked in your bedroom watching reruns of “Ren and Stimpy”? Absolutely not! Doesn’t change the fact that I think it’s stupid to get high, but I’m fat because I overeat. It’s stupid to overeat, I know that. However, it is something I choose with my free will to do. How long is it before McDonalds double cheeseburgers become a “controlled substance” and “illegal to posses” because big brother decided they were “bad for me”?
So, in other words, you are not liberal, but intolerant. The sword indeed, we do not owe the state obediance, thats some Orwellian business right there.
Fuck Tommy. I hope somebody raids his home and off’s everybody in the place.
Piece of shit.
Shoot me , Big Boy
I think the guy who wants to cane should be caned within an inch of his crummy,corrupted life while we get to watch before they send somemore 18 yr olds to some sandbag country to fight for more oil for their big lobbyists.
Good job Harris,
Lets apply your reasoning to another type of social situation to see if it fits.
Currently there are many countries (and the state of virginia according to sodomylaws.org) worldwide that have declared sodomy illegal. Now, your support of gay marriage also implies that you are ok with the idea of sodomy (at least for homosexual males). Would you put these people to your “sword” for expressing themselves before going through the process of changing the laws in their land?
If your answer is still yes, consider this: Could you be the one to personally take this “sword” to them for violating the laws of their land?
If the answer to that question is yes, then you, sir, are a monster with no regard for human rights in this country or anywhere in the world.
I am a New York City agnostic Jew, and generally an extreme social liberal. I support same-sex marriage, women in all branches of the military and in the church, et cetera. That said, I like this idea. I’m tired of marijuana smokers defying the law rather than merely protesting. The precedent of Martin Luther King, Jr., is not an excuse, in my opinion. Put them to the sword.
I wonder if Mr. Benton also advocates the same caning punishment for women who commit the same offense as men? personally and I say this from a feminine perspective, caning may be wrong but countries like Singapore that do it should punish the females equally the same as men complete with the full nudity the full force lashing of bare skin etc. I dont think pot smokers should be caned but this sisnt a marjuana issue for me its an equality feminist issue. I’m from the southern states where they spank unruly school children with wooden paddles and I was given no priveledged treatment based on my gender and my ass got paddled as hard as any boy’s. The same standard should apply in all cases of corporal punishment.
I know Georgia. And the kops are korrupt. It seems like every year kops get kaught committing crimes against US Citizens.
In GA, it is expected that any kop you meet is korrupt. It’s due to inbreeding, I fear. The people even look different, as from another country.
I would encourage every citizen to install hidden cameras in their vehicles… to catch these evil people and expose them on youtube. GA kops are krimals hiding behind their uncanny ability to destroy as many human being as possible.
When these monsters from hell present their ugly faces to you, be polite, but press Play. Cameras are the only way to stop these evil people.
Well, lets see. Now let me know if I’m wrong, but the pictures I’m looking, wouldn’t this be considering torture? So this asshole thinks that “canning” is legal? We are oppose to torturing terrorists and yet he thinks this is a solution? Is he a quack? Benton, your head is not screwed on tight and you need to be out of office and out of a job…
This guy is a total nutjob! I live in georgia and there has been nothing at all said about this in the news. I have and urge all to do this, emailed all the local news stations through norml, telling of how he spouts evil communistic views and the voters in the state dont know what he is saying. Norml is the only site I can find anything about this. Urge the media, cnn, fox news, A/C 360 anything to get this story out there and lt georgians and the nation know what kind of evil fanatic they voted in office and make sure it doesnt happen again.
“I don’t think people like him should be allowed to speak this trash”
Although I COMPLETELY disagree with the gentleman from Georgia and his views on this subject, he has the right to say whatever he wants.
Freedom of speech is for every American citizen, not just the ones who agree with us.
As Voltaire said, “I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”
Several things:
Benton is a product of his environment and means well wantingsto be ‘tough on crime’. Unfortunately he does not see the big picture or relize that he appears to be ‘foolish on crime’. He needs to do research and instead he refuses to deal with it and that is most disturbing.
Radical Russ should (as we should) check our letterfor whether or it seems personal or not. When we say you or your it can be conceived as confrontational and invites a negative response. We can say the same thing and have the same effect by saying it in a less personal way. For example Russ’ first paragraph could be done as so (sugested deletions between quotation marks) INSERTIONS CAPTALIZED.
As a voter and proud citizen of these United States, I am very disappointed to read that (you and your constituents are continuing to waste more and) more taxpayer dollars (as you continue) WILL BE WASTED IN the impossible effort to eradicate marijuana from this country through (your) THE failed “War on
Drugs”. (effort.)
I have been an activist for 37 years and I notice that anything perceived as confrontation or blame almost always invites a negative response. I have learned this the hard way. I wish I wrote letters as well as Radiacl Russ as it is well done and hits the nails on the head.
Wow, that congressman’s opinions are EXTREMELY unconstitutional. Horrible that such people are allowed into office. I hope his area sees that, and votes him out.
IMO, This ignorant moron clearly doesn’t understand the issue, let alone our own country’s laws. -_-
Here you go, the original email TO Rep. Benton:
July 28, 2009
The Honorable Tommy Benton
Georgia House of Representatives
Coverdell Legislative Office Building
Atlanta, GA 30334
Dear Representative Benton:
As a voter and proud citizen of these United States, I am very disappointed to read that you and your constituents are continuing to waste more and more taxpayer dollars as you continue the impossible effort to eradicate marijuana from this country through your failed “War on
Drugs” effort.
You are spending untold amounts of OUR money virtually using a bucket to empty an ocean. America sees through the lies of the War on Drugs and America wants marijuana without persecution. We already know that it is safer than alcohol, tobacco, and pharmaceutical drugs and with the fact that it is the largest cash crop in the USA it baffles many who realize that legalization, taxation and regulation is the best solution to the problem. The War on Drugs is a paramount failure and will never work and is, in fact, the direct cause for most, if not all, marijuana-related problems in this country.
Are you aware that our children can get illicit drugs more easily than they can get alcohol or tobacco? That’s because people like you fight to keep the control in the hands of the cartels, the gangs, and the unregistered, untaxed, street dealers, none of whom ask a buyer for ID.
Please stop throwing away our tax dollars and please help put a damper in the Mexican Drug Cartels’ business by legalizing and controlling cannabis. It is time to think wisely.
We must end this insane “war on drugs” and we must use logic and common sense to deal with America’s drug problem. A fast-growing majority of American voters agree.
One on behalf of many
Sincerely,
D____ J. T_____
[...] Presumably after another heaping helping of crazy, Benton followed up his remarks in a separate e-mail on August 11 (also forwarded to NORML) in which he threatened to turn over the names of citizens who disagreed [...]
yea he needs to be fired for he is not representing the people but his own self interest. If he ever shows up in my church I will make a scene. come on down to barnesville, ga. The rock and I will see you there there are many christians that smoke weed and dont drink you.
I am ashamed that this guy is from my state, but also not very surprised at all. If legalization happens state-by-state I’m positive Georgia will be one of the last states to do it, maybe after they see all the money other states are making.
I don’t think people like him should be allowed to speak this trash
No, I hope you don’t hope that. This guys has only written something cruel and unconstitutional; it was an off-the-cuff remark. Please don’t foment violence on the Stash; it only gives them ammunition.
Harsh punishments will lead to DEA (Dead Enforcement Agents.
This legislation was attempted in NYC during the 70′s and was bitterly opposed by the Police Benevolent Assn and the F.O.P as wellas the unions who said that these harsh punishments (death penalty for heroin users)would result in people who have nothing to lose killing police officers who try to arrest them to face a death penalty.
Eh, not saying that he has any standpoint near hitler so to speak… the ideaology of his words proves the american idiot is still thriving and needs to be stamped the fuck out. We are in need of desperate change and need to crumble up our old ways and move forward, not backward.
Legalize, Regulate, Educate, Medicate.
and most of all, peace to all people.
Murderers and rapists on death row are put to death as quickly and as painlessly as possible and this asshole wants to torture Americans for smoking a harmless substance. You must be on crack you scumbag. I hope the drug cartel has this scumbag kidnapped, cained and tortured as a crowd of pot smoking hippies watch and enjoy the show. Now that would be poetic justice for such a clueless tyrant. Please get Tommy Benton’s comments out to the national media.
First: Drug testing is backward. ALL politicians should be drug tested randomly by it’s state citizens before any employee of any company should. Second: Mr. Benton should apply to become a citizen of Singapore since he so strongly believes in individual lack of freedom. I spent 8 years in the US Navy, sworn to defend the Constitution from enemies both domestic and foreign. Tom Benton is a domestic terrorist. Though I disagree with what’s rolling around in his head, sadly, I will defend his right to say it.
People should contact the Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives to demand an investigation into the ethics violations of Tommy Benton.
Speaker Glenn Richardson
Room 332 State Capitol
Atlanta, Georgia 30334
404.656.5020
404.656.5644 fax
PO Box 1750
Hiram, Georgia 30141
770.445.4438 – Office
Rep Benton is a disgrace to all of humanity.
you werent too clear on what the emails that you sent him said… can you guys put it up? if it was a ‘kind, polite email’ i dont beleive he would have said that. this article seems a little biased. i completely disagree with what he was saying, though…
what a fool,this benton
running his own ship of fools
his ship has a leak
he says,help me,help me
I do,as I throw him a chunk of lead
go to the bottum
as you are fish food
davy jones says,cane him
till he dies fiftynine times
but that might be to good!!!
my sick wife and I will smoke a biggy
in his ignorance,stupid politicians
must be taken away,maybe to gismo
and live with their new found friends!
enough,burn em,if you got em!!
When using analogies you can expect some differences in perception depending on the ears they fall on.
Sure, “expressing a cruel and unconstitutional opinion”
is not on the same level as
“presiding over the aggressive takeover of 20th century Europe and the slaughter of six million Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals, and handicapped.”
But that is not the fist thing that comes to mind when referencing Hitler in this context.
“Being like Hitler” doesn’t necessarily mean were talking about genocide or “pure race building”. In this case it references the fascist style of government control Germany had over its citizens at the time. (that’s how I took it) A society that is not free to think but is told what to think. A police state.
You pointed out that I have been guilty of using the same type of analogy when poisoning my pen. Maybe your right. However, I find Benton’s position to be so offensive, and disgusting, that I can honestly think of no other comparison that comes close. The guy is a fascist scumbag.
I’ll try not to over use the hitler reference but it is going to be hard to find a better one.
Godwin Alert! Sorry, expressing a cruel and unconstitutional opinion is nowhere near presiding over the aggressive takeover of 20th century Europe and the slaughter of six million Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals, and handicapped.
People who have the ignorance enough to inflict pain upon others… simply the matter of the being that they have different beliefs than this one person, should take in consideration about HOW MUCH MONEY WE SPEND EACH YEAR to “cane” people or murder people who thrive of the natural resources our earth provides. Let me ask you a question Rep. Benton… What should we do about people who commit actual crimes such as rape, theft and murder?
a slap on a wrist?
This man is the new age Hitler
Rep. Benton is indeed a violent and clueless man. I don’t agree with his viewpoints politically, which means he will turn my name in to local law enforcement. Good, because I m respected in this community and they would laugh in his fascist face. What an idiot. what a complete fruitcake——”take a whiff, take a whiff, take a whiff on me” Benton, you clueless SOB
He claims that caning would solve the problem.
I agree. IF this kind of law were to be passed in the United States It would surely lead to the people taking serious action. The problem of scumbag leaders and tyrannical laws would come to an end real quick. Riots in the streets would be putting it mildly.
You can write a law and keep arrests off the publics radar, so to speak, but start public caning and these sick disgusting “leaders” would get a reality check that the people do NOT agree with their depraved leadership. They do NOT want it anymore. No way the media sweeps that under the rug like they do with all the lives destroyed by the police over marijuana.
I hope this guy never lives this down. He is the kind of person that society needs to be protected from.
It’s on the voters in that district. Will this Communist run unopposed? That is the issue in my county out here in Mass. We have a rengade lawmaker out here and he will run unopposed next elections.
This kind of language should be political suicide. Are the voters out there really on board with this sick idology?
[...] Caning is a form of corporal punishment consisting of up to 24 violent lashes with a long rattan cane that has been soaked in water. The procedure inflicts intense pain and deep, bloody lacerations that can take several months to heal. [...]
[...] give you an idea of how brutal this punishment is, we have some pictures, courtesy of NORML and CORPUN. (Warning: Pictures are located after the jump due to their extremely graphic [...]
we need to impeach this fool!
It is actions like this that keep more people from getting publicly involved. Rep. Benton needs to be fired. Not removed from office through a long drawn out argument or court battle, but just voted out of a job.
To every action there is always opposed an equal reaction – Sir Isaac Newton
(Tommy Benton)He is getting older and none the wiser – We are are getting stronger. As lawyers, builders architects, doctors, judges, senators, electricians, creators, enforcers, mayors, detectives,farmers, the people that keep buisness going and surviving.
Threating us with such nonsense… I pity him for thinking in such ways. I’ve helped my local sheriff’s family, he is aware of my moderate cannabis use, he’s smart enough to realize I am a good person for my actions, when I could have turned away, that is why he thanked me without blinking an eye. So your threats.. Tommy Benton, keep them.
I thank you for your ignorance, you have only shed light to the weak and blind ways of the majority of your generation.
This is a true sign that those that support cannabis prohibitionist policies are totally responsible not only for all the black market driven violence but are truly murderous at heart! They want to kill non-violent cannabis consumers? WTF! They are obviously scared of the progress cannabis regulation and taxation is making over ideology and fear driven propaganda. They will go as far as the sheeple will let them in order to protect the slave base incarcerated in privatized prisons, the profits in the tobacco industry (like in Georgia), the alcohol industry and Big Pharma that support their corrupt political agenda.
I think I am going to throw up!
I’m not a fan of John English. John English has his facts wrong.
But there’s a world of difference between thinking that marijuana is a harmful substance (which is mistaken) and wanting to use the force of law to beat people for the crime of smoking a different type of cigarette or eating a different type of brownie (that reaction is bigoted, cruel, harsh, and uncivilized).
Honestly, I think one exception to free speech ought to be for people who want to use the law to infringe on the right of others.
I, for one, would not feel the least bit illiberal for putting Tommy Benton in jail. Separating him from any place where he can make laws is a useful step in making all of us safer.
I believe John English and this guy would be best of friends!
I am currently working on draft letter to send to the major media outlets and one for Rep Benton. I believe he is creating his own demise on this issue, and like John English – doesn’t know when to shut up. I hope for a response, but Im not holding my breath! (not without a good puff at least)
This guy has gone off the deep end, maybe broken some laws himself with that last email he forwarded to the sheriff with a BOLO for a concerned citizen asking reasonable questions of his state representative. If he’s convicted, I have the perfect punishment, since he’s all for the cruel and unusual: knock a big ole bud of Nebraska’s finest ditchweed up his butt, then drop him off in Singapore. Of course, gotta tip off the local cops he’s smuggling some bud in his butt…see how he likes caning then.
I am in Lowndes. Lowndes is Dist 1. Jefferson is in Dist 31 in north GA. I believe above Atlanta.
I don’t know if anyone is local to his district in Jefferson, Georgia. It’s in Lowdnes County.
District Address
177 Martin Street
Jefferson, GA 30549
Phone: 706-335-5519 (Office)
Phone: 706-367-5891 (Home)
It would be great to get together a bunch of people simply to “petition our our government,” as guaranteed by the 1st Amendment to the United States Constitution, and harass the living shit out of this guy.
If I lived down there, I would start “Conservatives for Cannabis.” We’d picket a lot. We might call press conferences featuring an MMJ patient in a wheelchair publicly smoking a joint. We might make the occasional phone call to the good representative’s home during dinner time. We’d hold weekly meetings where we ate barbecue, drank cold tea and colder beer, told dirty jokes, played some bluegrass, smoked a nice local strain from the Peach State and we’d raise money for a candidate who would oppose this representative.
And on Election Day, we’d can his ass–at the ballot box.
Dude, thanks for mentioning his office number…he delivers lumber for a living by the way, I called, and talked to him, they had to get him from the yard, I told him that I’m a 5th generation Georgian and I am shocked at him wanting to beat people for marijuana, all he could say was to keep repeating, “are you for the legalization of marijuana”…to which I replied marijuana is one of the safest medicines known to man and I’M NOT FOR BEATING PEOPLE FOR MARIJUANA USE!….he hung up the phone…at the lumber yard…I hope other people will also call.
caned with hemp reeds. lol
Here is Tommy Benton’s contact information:
706.335.5519 – Office
706.367.5891 – Home
tommy.benton@house.ga.gov
This asshole should be kicked out of office. Impeach him. If the people of Georgia are willing to put up with this shit, I’m going to make damn certain I never step foot in that state. In fact, after he’s kicked out of office, he should be caned with a copy of our constitution! Maybe that would make an ‘impression’ on him.
Oh, look, there’s even MORE contact information (e.g., district office Phone number) at vote-smart.
Use it wisely!
http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=31470
i have a sick feeling in my stomach
those pics are disturbing
Here’s some information on Tommy Benton from freedomspeaks.
It includes the address of his district office.
Why not give him a visit? Why not let him know what an asshole he is?
http://www.freedomspeaks.com/official/20685/georgia-(ga)-state-representative-thomas-tommy-benton-%5Bga-house-of-representatives%5D
Oh and I wrote the Gov. Perdue of GA also and asked him if he feels the same way or if he relizes how horrible this is? I asked him to get Rep. Benton to apologize, to take back his threats and to ensure these email writers dont get in trouble for asking a question.
Hope it helps, dont let this go till justice is done!
I cant believe this Guy represents Georgia. That fella should show up at one off his Town Halls and Let everyone hear that letter out loud. I cant see anyone who says that winning an election in future. I wonder if he reported Barny Frank and Ron Paul to the sheriff as well.
Looks like our various calls for mass emails to the good assemblyman have gotten under his skin. So to speak.
Maybe we need to stage a mock caning in front of his office in Jefferson.
I have emailed CNN, MSNBC and FOX about this.
Had this been any other group of discriminated against citizens there would be hell to pay. Its like he said to Kill gays or Hang blacks or Gas jews or Beat women, but where is the outrage? I wonder when or if this story will see the light of day, it better!
Perhaps someone should send a copy of his letters to law enforcement. He’s the one that is a danger to society. The ironic thing is that this jackass probably subscribes to Rush Limbaugh’s (the oxycotton addict) school of thought.
“You and your cronies want it legalized so you can get a hit anytime without having to worry about getting arrested.”
This is such a silly statement, I assure you we “get hits” all the time, and I assure you “getting arrested” doesn’t even factor into the process.
Indeed this kind of outrageous behavior in an elected official should not be tolerated and be brought to light to the constituancy!
It’s a 4 hour drive for me, but that’s worth it!
That peach has gone bad.
I’m in shock and disbelief. This has to be sent to the national media. This kind of response is disgusting behavior by an elected representative. We need to establish a mass protest outside of his district office. PLEASE Let’s do SOMETHING to make this Son of a Bitch Pay!
I will not be terrorized!-Margaret Cho