I wrote an essay this week in response to an email
I got from a student named Jerri. She wrote:
"I am in a grade twelve law class and
I am using you for an assignment. We are discussing unjust laws
in society and I came across your story about you fighting to
legalize marijuana use. A couple questions I have are: What sacrifices
did you have to make for this fight if any? And how
were the results? Thank you and please get back to me soon as
this is an assignment."
Since I found these to be interesting questions,
I wrote a pretty long response; and when I heard back from Jerri
that her teacher had loved my e-mail so much she'd had Jerri read
it to the class, I decided I should slap it up here on my website.
So, here it is.
On the whole, I would have to say we've been
pretty lucky so far. We've had webpages stating our views on this
up for over 5 years, and I'm actually rather surprised at how
little we have been harassed about it. I do get the occasional
bit of hatemail, but even that has been rare. In fact, I can't
think of the last time we got one. However, there have been some
costs:
- Lost Friendships:
When we came out on this issue, a few of our most stridently
anti-drug friends felt they couldn't be around us anymore. With
other friends, some coolness developed, but we've been able to
overcome in time. I've also had some tensions with my parents.
But most of our friends stood by us, and in retrospect, the main
friendship we lost was with someone who was a jerk anyway. (It's
his charming wife I really regret losing touch with...) On the
other hand, while I've lost friendships because of my activism,
I have gained many more because of it, so perhaps this balances
out.
- Time: I spend
a lot of time just staying on top of the issue, reading sites
like MAPinc.org, writing essays,
letters to the editors, etc, even attending conferences, which
also cost...
- Money: Groups
like NORML receive our biggest
charitable donations.
- Business Risks:
Since we own our own company,
we don't have to worry about being fired or even facing drug
tests (which I consider humiliating); however, we do risk the
possibility of our business being boycotted or attacked in other
ways by disagreeing politicos and citizens.
- Other Risks:
We're probably on some FBI lists... who knows if we're being
watched?
As for the results, I may just be an optimist,
but I think our movement is making outstanding progress. I see
it even in setbacks, like the recent attempt to legalize in Nevada,
where 40% of the voters said yes. The drug warriors called that
a victory for them, but looking at the way support for our side
has grown from nothing to 40% gives me great hope. Next time,
it'll be 44%, then 47%, and finally, 51%. And that's all we need...
we don't have to convince everyone (which is good, since some
people will never be convinced).
While the Bush administration may think it necessary
and wise to arrest sick and dying cancer patients in states like
California where the voters approved medical marijuana, I think
those actions are increasingly sending voters over to our side.
Here in Maryland, we're particularly pleased about the fact that
our state legislature moved to ease the penalties for the medical
use of marijuana in advance of voter initiatives, with the bill
being signed in law by a Republican governor! As an Independent,
I see increased recognition of this issue in both parties, though
Dennis Kucinich is the only major Presidential candidate with
sensible views on this issue, and really only the third parties
(like the Greens and in particular the Libertarians) have the
guts to say what needs to be said: that the drug war is a disaster
and must end.
I see wonderful progress unfolding up in Canada,
which is proving to be the real Land of the Free. I think it's
gonna be a major kick in the pants for the US government when
Canada reforms their laws, as they are currently talking about
doing. I believe it's just a matter of time before they fully
legalize, and I think when it happens it will be a watershed event
down here.
I see progress too in the way the issue is
treated by popular culture. Where it was once taboo to have any
sort of even remotely pro-drug message in a movie or TV show,
such references are now common-place. They may still bleep the
words and blur the pot leaves on some channels, but the truth
is becoming harder and harder to conceal, said truth being that
many, many Americans see nothing wrong with marijuana use. "That
70s Show", now in daily syndication, routinely features characters
smoking pot, usually with no ill consequences whatsoever. Have
they been boycotted, harassed, censored, or shut down? No, they've
become a big hit.
Most of all, I see progress simply in the fact
that people are finally asking the questions, having the discussions,
and bringing up the fact that drug prohibition is just as bad,
if not worse, than alcohol prohibition. Only by talking about
it honestly can we ever hope to change things, and the more we
talk about it, the more obvious it is to everyone that the Emperor
has no clothes.
OK, that's enough ranting. I hope this was
helpful!
Andrew Looney
www.wunderland.com/Andy
