Mary Lou Seymour is a long-time libertarian activist and author. She lives in South Carolina. CLICK HERE FOR RATIONAL REVIEW NEWS DIGEST SUPPORT OUR
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of the Week War, war, and rumors of war. There's Bush's War of Aggression against Iraq (and who knows who else in the future), the War on Civil Liberties at home, and the War on Medical Marijuana patients. The governmentt line is always "we're doing this for your safety, to protect you from 'the enemy' (terrorists, third world countries with WMD, drug dealers), we're doing this for your OWN GOOD and if you don't agree you're unpatriotic and un American and probably an enemy sympathizer (or drug user) or a 'useful idiot' being used by the forces of evil."
When the governmentt goes to war abroad, of course, the stakes get higher (citizens and their sons and daughters are actually going to be openly killed, not just imprisoned or deprived of medicine); and to appease those who find it hard to believe that the Mongol hordes (communist hordes, Islamic hordes) are really much of a threat as long as we mind our own business, they'll throw in the "we're doing this to liberate Poland (Iraq, South Vietnam, South Korea) and spread democracy" meme. Every aggressive imperialist state has used this exact same justification, throughout history. Some in the freedom movement just don't get the connection between our government's actions at home and abroad. Some of us have lost good friends over differences of opinion on Bush's War of Aggression ("Lost Friend"). Not only is it an individual tragedy to lose a friend, but to lose a fellow freedom fighter, well, there aren't that many of us to begin with and we can't afford to lose a single foot soldier. I can't offer any words of wisdom on how to not alienate friends and fellow freedom fighters, except this ... if you find yourself "talking to a brick wall" when you're doing outreach on ANY issue, back off that issue and try another. That's simply good organizing. But never forget the common thread that runs through all these issues and other issues that ultimately affect our freedom as individuals, and realize that anything you can do to educate people of that commonality will pay off in the long run. Get into the habit of framing every issue in the context of the non-aggression principle, the cornerstone of the culture of freedom. Maybe today they are too blind to see, but maybe tomorrow, or the next day or hell, even a year from now they'll suddenly remember what YOU said, and "see the light." The strength of the NAP is that most people understand it, and AGREE with it (at least the people we're trying to reach), and once they grasp the concept of seeing EVERY issue in light of the NAP, well, you've got a convert for the cause of individual freedom. I've talked about the War of Aggression abroad for several columns, and last week we talked about the War on Civil Liberties on the home front. This week, let's revisit the War on Medical Marijuana Patients. This is an excellent issue from several perspectives. Who, after all, (except the terminally fascist) can be against sick and dying people obtaining the medicine they need? And the WoMM is also a war on states' rights: even though 8 states have passed medical marijuana laws, the feds are still prosecuting folks under federal law, in direct defiance of the state legislatures, and preventing jurors from hearing evidence concerning why medical marijuana is used. Several U.S. Representatives (Representatives Sam Farr, Lynn Woolsey and Dana Rohrabacher) are seeking to end this unjust use of government power to crush individual (and states') rights by introducing FEDERAL legislation to protect states' rights to medical marijuana and to remove the "gag" that the federal government is placing on medical marijuana defendants in court. The Marijuana Policy Project has an easy to use action plan to select a pre-written letter to fax to your U.S. representative, urging him or her to cosponsor the Patients' and Providers' Truth in Trials Act, which would not only ensure that defendants could introduce evidence about the medical nature of their marijuana-related activity, but would also keep them from being sent to federal prison if it is determined that they were acting in compliance with state medical marijuana laws. You can choose between several pre written letters:
Or write your own, and, with a single click of the mouse, FAX your representative. (These letters are also excellent for use as letters to the editor which can be send via the Net using the Media Guide.) On the state level, MPP also has a state by state listing with prewritten letters to your state legislators, tailored to the status of medical marijuana legislation in that state. For example, for my state of SC, which has no pending legislation, the prewritten letter asks my state representative and senator to introduce medical marijuana legislation this session; while in Massachusetts, which has pending legislation and upcoming committee hearings, the letter goes to the members of the Joint Committee on Health Care urging them to support H.B. 2965. Again MPP offers several choices of pre written letters, and, a list of all bills pending, with links to the bill text, for every state. If you're interested in more direct action, Americans for Safe Access has a huge library of resources on organizing, outreach activities, state contacts and an excellent guide to organizing, as well as links to resources on direct action. Common Sense for Drug Policy, a great resource for camera ready "anti-drug-war" PSAs in the form of glossy ads which you can download and print, has a wonderful new poster "Will you Act," on how Federal prosecutors won't permit the jurors to hear testimony concerning why medical marijuana was used. Post your posters wherever you see a public bulletin board ... in the supermarket, laundromat, or, even in the Post Office, or, if you're especially flush with money this month, run as ads in your local newspaper! It's overwhelming, at times, thinking about all the "fronts" in the War on Freedom. We all have lives "outside" the Freedom Movement, even those who are fortunate enough to have landed a paying gig as a staffer for one of the Pro Freedom organizations. And for the rest of us, who work an 8 to 12 hour "shift" at a day job, and have families to care for, time is limited. That's the purpose of this weekly column, to keep you all informed of the different "war fronts" and provide a "quick and easy" action for you to do your part, every week, to build a network of thousands of activists sharing their vision with others changing "their world" to embrace a culture of freedom. Til next week Mary Lou PS: Once again, a big "thank you" for those who have sent in donations to keep this column on the Net, I appreciate every penny. And I also appreciate the emails of support and especially ideas for actions (can't ever get enough of those!). When I come home and find an email in my in box saying I've received a donation, or an email with a new action idea, it's like getting a hug from a friend. Thanks again to all of you wonderful friends and compadres! |
