afghooey
05-08-2007, 06:37 PM
After recently getting involved in activism for the first time, I've gotten a small taste of the views and attitudes out there of the people that are fighting for the legalization movement. I've heard convincing arguments and also admittedly not so convincing ones. I've heard heartfelt speeches and angry tirades... and it hasn't taken me long to form my own opinions on the matter of activism.
To put it simply, I think there is too much anger. Now, don't get me wrong here. I think that horrible injustices are being done. People are being illegitimately incarcerated and others are being denied useful medicine. These things justify anger towards the authorities who inflict them, in my opinion. But at the same time, angry tirades about how evil the government is and how much capitalism sucks aren't going to gain us an inch of ground with the opposition. There is a place for appropriately directed anger, but I don't think this outright hostility that I've seen is going to get us anywhere at all.
Why should we waste our time and energy on trying to aggressively destroy prohibition? The best way of destroying prohibition isn't to focus your energy destroying it. The best way to abolish prohibition is to ignore it, to work around it.
We can express our anger to the authorities and perhaps gain some like-minded support on our side; or we can focus more of our energy on ignoring the authorities and instead celebrating cannabis and showing the world all of its awesome uses. Show the people around you that cannabis can be used peacefully, respectfully and responsibly. We can show the world that cannabis is a gift, one which they too are welcome to share with us.
Remember, it is those who are most lacking in knowledge, patience, tolerance and compassion that need to be shown these things more than anyone else.
So which will we let lead the way forward: Our anger towards prohibition, or our love for cannabis?
To put it simply, I think there is too much anger. Now, don't get me wrong here. I think that horrible injustices are being done. People are being illegitimately incarcerated and others are being denied useful medicine. These things justify anger towards the authorities who inflict them, in my opinion. But at the same time, angry tirades about how evil the government is and how much capitalism sucks aren't going to gain us an inch of ground with the opposition. There is a place for appropriately directed anger, but I don't think this outright hostility that I've seen is going to get us anywhere at all.
Why should we waste our time and energy on trying to aggressively destroy prohibition? The best way of destroying prohibition isn't to focus your energy destroying it. The best way to abolish prohibition is to ignore it, to work around it.
We can express our anger to the authorities and perhaps gain some like-minded support on our side; or we can focus more of our energy on ignoring the authorities and instead celebrating cannabis and showing the world all of its awesome uses. Show the people around you that cannabis can be used peacefully, respectfully and responsibly. We can show the world that cannabis is a gift, one which they too are welcome to share with us.
Remember, it is those who are most lacking in knowledge, patience, tolerance and compassion that need to be shown these things more than anyone else.
So which will we let lead the way forward: Our anger towards prohibition, or our love for cannabis?