Pro War Arguments

Tommy Chong Debates Federal Marijuana Legalization Bill On CNN

This debate was interesting not for the regurgitated arguments of the pro-War on Drugs mouthpiece, with his ridiculous comparisons of medical marijuana dispensaries to drug cartels and scare tactics like “Marijuana leads to Testicular Cancer,” but for Tommy Chong’s general attitude toward the new federal bill that would end marijuana prohibition.

While many would agree that the bill is a long shot our the current political climate, Tommy’s assertion that “we already have legal marijuana” and that everything would be fine if we just moved cannabis to Schedule II – meaning you could get it only with a prescription – are things many cannabis users would take issue with.

Just because some states have medical marijuana doesn’t make it “legal.” If that were the case, why would dispensaries in California ever get raided? The answer of course is that the feds can do what they want since they could care less about Prop 215. And making cannabis legal only for those with a prescription really misses the entire point. It’s an issue of freedom, and preventing the government from telling us what we can and cannot do in our own home as long as we are not hurting anyone else.

Tommy Chong is a legend, and has done much for the marijuana law reform movement, but I have a simple question: If marijuana is legal in California, why are their people in jail on marijuana charges?

Be that as it may, this debate proved once again what lengths the “Drug Warriors” will go to so they can prop up their failed policies. They could care less if millions of people writhe in pain without the option of medical marijuana, as long as one recreational user isn’t able to smoke legal weed.

That’s why these people won’t be defeated with medical marijuana. Only full legalization nationwide will give cannabis users confidence that they won’t go to jail for choosing a safer, non-toxic form of recreation and medicine.

It is not only the sick who deserve freedom, but all people.

The joining of forces across the political spectrum, Ron Paul joining with Barney Frank, is the “handwriting on the wall” for drug war troglodytes like your former drug policy mucky-muck. You’ve lost the war on Cannabis. Give up. All you are doing now is attacking the civil rights of citizens and needlessly punishing people who are not criminals. You should be ashamed of yourselves. Reschedule it — or better yet, unschedule it. Its a plant.

The manipulative pro-war argument in Libya

But my real question for Judis (and those who voice the same accusations against Libya intervention opponents) is this: do you support military intervention to protect protesters in Yemen, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and other U.S. allies from suppression, or to stop the still-horrendous suffering in the Sudan, or to prevent the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Ivory Coast ? Did you advocate military intervention to protect protesters in Iran and Egypt, or to stop the Israeli slaughter of hundreds of trapped innocent civilians in Gaza and Lebanon or its brutal and growing occupation of the West Bank?" Gaddafi is crazy and evil; obviously, he wasn’t going to listen to our advice about democracy. The world would be fortunate to be rid of him. But war in Libya is justifiable only if we are going to hold compliant dictators to the same standard we set for defiant ones. If not, then please spare us all the homilies about universal rights and freedoms. We'll know this isn’t about justice, it's about power." MORTALITY: Lakotah men have a life expectancy of less than 44 years, lowest of any country in the World (excluding AIDS) including Haiti. Lakotah death rate is the highest in the United States. The Lakotah infant mortality rate is 300% more than the U.S. Average. One out of every four Lakotah children born are fostered or adopted out to non-Indian homes. Diseases such as tuberculosis, polio, etc. are present. Cancer is now at epidemic proportions! Teenage suicide rate is 150% higher than the U.S national average for this group. DISEASE: The Tuberculosis rate on Lakotah reservations is approx. 800% higher than the U.S national average. Cervical cancer is 500% higher than the U.S national average. The rate of diabetes is 800% higher than the U.S national average. Federal Commodity Food Program provides high sugar foods that kill Native people through diabetes and heart disease. POVERTY: Median income is approximately $2,600 to $3,500 per year. 97% of our Lakotah people live below the poverty line. Many families cannot afford heating oil, wood or propane and many residents use ovens to heat their homes. UNEMPLOYMENT: Unemployment rates on our reservations are 80% or higher. Government ******* for job creation is lost through cronyism and corruption. HOUSING: Elderly die each winter from hypothermia (freezing). 1/3 of the homes lack basic clean water and sewage while 40% lack electricity.

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