"Marijuana gardens are a terrorist threat"

[The Midnight Rambler]

Posted by CN Staff on July 13, 2007 at 06:22:43 PT
By Dylan Darling
Source: Record Searchlight

ONDCP California -- The nation's top anti-drug official said people need to overcome their "reefer blindness" and see that illicit marijuana gardens are a terrorist threat to the public's health and safety, as well as to the environment.

John P. Walters, President Bush's drug czar, said the people who plant and tend the gardens are terrorists who wouldn't hesitate to help other terrorists get into the country with the aim of causing mass casualties. Walters made the comments at a Thursday press conference that provided an update on the "Operation Alesia" marijuana-eradication effort.

"Don't buy drugs. They fund violence and terror," he said.

After touring gardens raided this week in Shasta County, Walters said the officers who are destroying the gardens are performing hard, dangerous work in rough terrain. He said growers have been known to have weapons, including assault rifles.

"These people are armed; they're dangerous," he said. He called them "violent criminal terrorists."

Walters, whose official title is director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, said too many people write off marijuana as harmless. "We have kind of a reefer blindness,' " he said.

No arrests have been made so far in the four days of raids, the opening leg of what Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko has promised will be at least two straight weeks of daily raids.

He said suspects have been hard to find because their familiarity with their terrain makes it easy for them to flee quickly.

Although crews doing the raids are using Black Hawk and other helicopters to drop in on some of the gardens, Bosenko said they don't want to give the growers any warning of a raid.

"We try to move in under stealth," he said.

As of Thursday morning, Operation Alesia raids had resulted in the yanking of 68,237 young marijuana plants from public lands in Shasta County. Raids already have been conducted in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, as well as on land managed by the U.S. Forest Service north of Lake Shasta and other public land near Manton.

The operation is being led by the sheriff's office and has involved 17 agencies, including the California National Guard and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. It's believed to be the largest campaign of its kind in the state, Bosenko said.

The operation is named after the last major battle between the Roman Empire and the Gauls in 52 B.C. That battle was won by the Romans.

With the blitz of marijuana gardens around Shasta County, Bosenko said officials hope to not only get rid of the pot, but also win back the land for the public that owns it.

"These organizations are destroying our lands and wildlife," he said.

Bernie Weingardt, regional forester for the Forest Service's Pacific Southwest Region, said the 28,000 acres believed to house illegal marijuana grows on national forest land throughout the state would cost more than $300 million to revive.

"These lands must be cleaned and restored," he said.

His estimate is based on a National Park Service study that found it costs $11,000 per acre to pull the plants, clear irrigation systems, reshape any terracing and replant native vegetation, said Mike Odle, Forest Service spokesman.

While Walters didn't give specific goals for Operation Alesia, he said anti-drug agencies aim to cripple the organized crime groups that he said are behind the marijuana cultivation.

"This business we intend to put into recession, depression and put its leaders into jail," Walters said.

Note: Federal official calls marijuana growers dangerous terrorists.

Source: Redding Record Searchlight (CA)
Author: Dylan Darling
Published: July 13, 2007
Copyright: 2007 Record Searchlight
Contact: [email protected]
Website: Redding.com : Redding, California, News, Business, Homes, Jobs, Cars & Information (http://www.redding.com/)

[Corn.breaD]

That guy is crazy.

[Oh My High]

Of course, the guy does have a point, the black market attracts thugs with guns, but, of course, legalize it and the thugs go away.

[LuckyG]

I was going to point out the ridiculous parts of this article but then I realized that A) you're all smart people and can see it for yourself and B) I'd have to quote the whole thing, and I don't have time for that this morning.

[AR15]

Already in the Current Events section (http://boards.cannabis.com/current-events/124150-weed-growers-terrorists.html). LoL and it's kind of funny because this is where that thread began too, then it got moved.

[onequestion]

The whole terrorism thing is there to control us. Look at the patriot act and you will see. And under the pariot act, we are all terrorists and can be arrested for no reason.

[BeatlesRGod]

Lets think ridiculously like them...
Douche P. Bag, aka John P. Walters, is actually the terrorist, or terrorist supporter. How? Well, we all know (by listening to the government) that buying weed supports terrorism, right? Well growing our own would stop us from buying "terrorist weed," therefore not supporting terrorism. He wants us not to grow our own, forcing us to buy others' and support terrorism. Asshole...

[BoilerUp]

"Destroying our lands and wildlife"

Cannabis is wild, and it is living, so stop being hypocritical!

Funny considering this came from California. I think the Govenator should toke this guy up and let him chill for a bit.

[cannabis=freedom]

Fuck that prick!!

Anyone else find it very frightening that no one knows less about drugs than the Drug Czar?

I think anyone on cannabis.com (within reason) would make a far better candidate for the job.

[Nation_1ne]

The BS that these people think up is outrageous. It's almost like the whole piracy thing, "Buying illegal DVD fund's terrorism.". I tell you what, my tax money probably funds more terrorism than buying weed.

[onequestion]

I'm sure that the drug czar know as much as us about weed, hes just corrupt as a motherfucker.

[dejayou30]

This made me a little sick. Think about all the salaries we are paying so that a bunch of jackasses can run around with big guns and rip a bunch of plants out of the ground.

Also, I'm pretty sure growing plants in dirt doesn't damage anything. Sure, the natural vegetation isn't there, but its replaced by another green, oxygen producing, God given plant. Sure, some large growers of marijuana may have guns, but not every grower is growing a thousand acres for world wide sale. And, like someone said before me, if it were legalized, violent people like this would be put out of business. Funny that all the money made from marijuana, which is the number one cash crop in the US right now, is prossibly going into the hands of terrorists because its NOT legalized. This shit is just ridiculous!

[cannabis=freedom]

I'm sure that the drug czar know as much as us about weed, hes just corrupt as a motherfucker.

If he had any idea of the beauty, power, majesty, tranquility and mysticism of the cannabis plant, and the beautiful new levels it can take the mind to, NO amount of money or power could get him to persecute it.

That's what I think, anyway...I think whoever truly understands weed could never go against it.

[onequestion]

Trust me, this guys just an asshat that has his hand in the pharmaceutical pocket and he doesnt care about anybody else.

[Thepossumdance]

fucking phizer

[Gen. Johnson Jameson]

Scare tactics my friends. Scare tactics is all it boils down to. Anything people can throw in there to make you pause and think for just a half a second longer. Its a shame thats the kind of country alot of people have to live in.

[A328519]

So stupid.

[rebgirl420]

It makes me so sad. I feel so helpless. Like even if I did do rallies and demostrations and write letters and all of that it wouldnt matter. This is nothing but pure garbage.

[tootsie roll]

Lets think ridiculously like them...
Douche P. Bag, aka John P. Walters, is actually the terrorist, or terrorist supporter. How? Well, we all know (by listening to the government) that buying weed supports terrorism, right? Well growing our own would stop us from buying "terrorist weed," therefore not supporting terrorism. He wants us not to grow our own, forcing us to buy others' and support terrorism. Asshole...

That guy is a stupid ahole in so many ways. Number one is being employeed by gw.
So, he'd rather have drugs imported and with that importation comes trouble.
Way to go.
Damn, outsource all the jobs and now our weed too.:mad:

[Humboldt215]

This is not very far from the truth, there is validity in the above article. But what is NOT mentioned here is the type of grows that are destroying the land and are armed by criminals.

As far as 'terrorists' I dont believe that they are guarded by Taliban or the typical muslim image that gets brought into mind, but by criminals who will kill you to protect theirs.

I live in Humboldt county, not far from Shasta and the problem in the mountains around the national forest areas is rampant, large drug cartels usually illegal mexicans are sent up here to grow large scale marijuana operations, I am talking thousands of plants outdoors, its not uncommon for 20,000 plants to be found and with that all the fertilizers, food debris, human waste, garbage, etc is all dumped into the streams and surrounding areas, they also set booby traps and divert water from streams which endangers fish and other wildlife.

Alot of these outdoor drug cartel grows also manufacture methamphetamine on site and just dump the chemicals wherever they see fit and the entire time these grows are being guarded by illegal criminals with guns, whose only job is to guard the plants for their bosses and get a payoff at end of the year.

The above article did not mention the 'type' of grows that are the question here.

[hydrocannabis]

This is not very far from the truth, there is validity in the above article. But what is NOT mentioned here is the type of grows that are destroying the land and are armed by criminals.

As far as 'terrorists' I dont believe that they are guarded by Taliban or the typical muslim image that gets brought into mind, but by criminals who will kill you to protect theirs.

I live in Humboldt county, not far from Shasta and the problem in the mountains around the national forest areas is rampant, large drug cartels usually illegal mexicans are sent up here to grow large scale marijuana operations, I am talking thousands of plants outdoors, its not uncommon for 20,000 plants to be found and with that all the fertilizers, food debris, human waste, garbage, etc is all dumped into the streams and surrounding areas, they also set booby traps and divert water from streams which endangers fish and other wildlife.

Alot of these outdoor drug cartel grows also manufacture methamphetamine on site and just dump the chemicals wherever they see fit and the entire time these grows are being guarded by illegal criminals with guns, whose only job is to guard the plants for their bosses and get a payoff at end of the year

The above article did not mention the 'type' of grows that are the question here.





I agree with U there. but the GOV and the police still has no business bothering a home grower thats just growing for there selfs.
I mean am I right or am I right.

cuz then the home grower wouldn't have to buy weed off the streets.
thus keeping the drug crime rate down.

well thats my opinion on this.

[Perp]

Ya, he's not talking about home grows here. He's talking large, organized gangs, who do indeed clear vast areas for their huge grows. I've seen the terracing and it does do a lot of damage. Also, I wouldn't want to be the hiker that stumbles onto one these types of grows.

[bongmacgyver420]

haha bush and his terrorism well i think tobacco companys are terrorists then i mean they actually kill over time whata jackass

[Markass]

terrorists my motherfucking ass, fuck john walters

[Markass]

Ya, he's not talking about home grows here. He's talking large, organized gangs, who do indeed clear vast areas for their huge grows. I've seen the terracing and it does do a lot of damage. Also, I wouldn't want to be the hiker that stumbles onto one these types of grows.

that still doesn't make them terrorists...clear vast areas..indeed, how hard should those be to pick through?

[cybersmoke]

john P. walters, is an idiot......
just like george bush

[rebgirl420]

JOHN WALTERS IS A DOUCHE

[cybersmoke]

at first i thought they was talking about tobacco.

i was like wow!!! looks like there pockets are stuffed enough and

they want not a penny more from the sleeze tobacco company.

[Markass]

at first i thought they was talking about tobacco.

i was like wow!!! looks like there pockets are stuffed enough and

they want not a penny more from the sleeze tobacco company.

that's the united states government you're talking about...they'll never not want a penny more from big tobacco, big pharm, big oil...any of those very useful industries just have too much money to offer to our government...they use up our tax monies for other dumb purposes, like bushes war, so they have to make up somewhere, "hey, let's kill nearly half a million people every year by selling cigarettes...at least we get money out of it"

[Spoken Word]

I tell you what, my tax money probably funds more terrorism than buying weed.
My hat off to that comment... :thumbsup:

[aardvark]

I'm going to put on a vest, pack it full of MJ plants, walk into a crowded mall, and detonate...my Bic.

Seriously, some drugs do support terrorism. Poppy and MJ in Afghanistan help fund the hypocritical Taliban and al-Quada. These large grows in California are certainly some sort of organized crime, and not recreational users.

It would just be, well, truthful, if Walters differentiated between recreational, medicinal users and organized or terrorist grow ops. I doubt that many of us really want or even think about supporting terrorism when we pick up a quarter.

[Markass]

Didn't we go into afghanistan looking for that stupid fucker that ordered the 9/11 attacks? oh, that's right...we're in iraq now instead..

Most marijuana sold here in the states is canadian, mexican or domestic..I only scoff at marijuana and terrorism being in the same sentence...

if our stupid motherfucking government would legalize it they would solve the problems they've created by making it illegal..Like people wiping out vast areas of forest to grow pot..if the government's growing killer and selling it in bags in the store for a cheap price..then the fuckers wouldn't be able to finance their grows because it's already being sold in stores for cheaper than they can sell it for..problem solved, no more 'terrorist gardens' destroying valuable farmland or whatever the fuck the say it's doing

[RyanTheCaveman]

Poor little baby marijuana girls...they didn't even have a chance to grow and smoke! 68,237 plants...its a mass bud murder!

='(. sad where our goverments headed though. America was a great place. but all these new laws, and other shit has turned america upside down.


Remember why your here in america...our "forefathers" were patriots...wanting freedom. They were rebels in a sense.

[BallTillufall]

I don't really think planting something instead of cutting something down is hurting the land

[txbuddz]

its amazing looking at all the bigots that we elected.

we need to solve this by doing away with the electoral college and going to a straight tally.

[Chronisseur]

its amazing looking at all the bigots that we elected.

we need to solve this by doing away with the electoral college and going to a straight tally.

That WOULD be a hell of a start!

[txbuddz]

That WOULD be a hell of a start!

anyone one who paid attention in history class is familiar with the term "gerrymandering"

its when people from a certain party... not naming any names here... redistrict areas with an abundant population of part A members are mixed in with an area with a stronger abundance of party B. basically making party A's vote not matter at all. we need to quit that shit

[mfqr]

This is exactly the kind of fear-mongering that was used after 9/11. Terrorists? Pfft.
Now our government can say anything they have an agenda against supports terrorism, since now so many people are afraid of supposed terrorists. Suddenly so many people are so willing to give up their freedom for security. Conspiracy theory? I think not. Conspiracy, yes.

"Terrorism" is often used by governments as a form of propaganda to support a particular cause (usually in the government's/elite class' favor). It's to instill fear in whoever reads it, so that support of the cause becomes "apparent," through deception. Markass is right, too. We were originally supposed to go to Afghanistan. Yes, we're still there, in small forces. However, 95% of our attention is in Iraq. Why? Because we already owned Afghanistan to fuck, and we are not after any "terrorists." Osama Bin Laden? As far as I know, and our government knows, Osama Bin Laden is not a terrorist as much as he is/was a CIA operative (fought the soviets in Afghanistan, and it is a known fact that he was a CIA operative at the time).

So, what is my point? This propagandist, Walters, is only a "drug czar" because it gives him credibility to the masses; thus, anything he says about drugs is supposed to be correct. Of course, most of what he says is a lie. This is because he has to gain support for the War on Drugs, which we all know is totally and utterly stupid. So, he says buying drugs supports terrorists/terrorism. I would have to say that it supports drug dealers, and organized crime. But like everyone has already said here: if you take away the criminal aspect, the 'criminals' cannot make a profit.

Who are the real criminals, though? We go into other countries and kill thousands of people. We divert attention from Afghanistan to Iraq, to secure natural resources, set up a puppet government, and allow the international bankers and ruling elite class to get even richer... through death and destruction! Our government is the real problem, not cannabis, or any drug.

The War on Drugs is a total scam, and it also serves a purpose to divert attention from our real problems!

[Staurm]

"Don't buy drugs. They fund violence and terror," he said.
[/url]

He has got a point. I'd estimate that around 1 pound in every packet of cigarrettes goes towards funding the Iraq invasion.

[HighTillIDie]

well it has all been said by now, but damn...

syndicate involved marijuana sucks anyways... it is almost always cheap shit...

legalize the shit and what's the problem???? it will work itself out...

i really really really hate the fact that our government keeps misinforming, or misguiding the US about marijuana. i mean, yes i don't think it is harmless, but yall know what i mean.

[Gatekeeper777]

i have2 plants in the wild. I have one for myself and one for a sick friend. Am i a terrorist? YOU BETCHA!

I am taking my friends money that he would normally spend on a prscription and letting him save it. So in effect i am an ecconomy terrorist.
Do i supportthe taliban? no
Do i want to blow something up? Yes
IGNORANCE!

[Maggz]

I'd be more worried of the "terrorists" contaminating my water supply rather than my drugs lol

[Narf!]

I see a propaganda commercial in my minds eye. This is how it goes "My name is John Smith and I'm a terrorist". "My choice is to overgrow the dealers and big pharma". "Every plant I grow takes food from mouths of doctors children". "Every plant I grow contributes one less day to a pharmacutical executive's golf vacation in Bermuda"."I am a real piece of shit". "P.S. I am a bad person and a worthless human being." Video fades to two plants growing in the guy's basement.

[Mr_Green]

The only people that help and fund terrorist is our fuckin government... i mean shyt they give terrorist millions of guns and in return they just use it right at our army... aint that some shyt... and with marijuana they should sell it in stores cuz remember back in the day when they stopped drinking and people started to make moon shine and shyt and then they brought it back in the store and no more killing and violence so why not do the same with marijuana...fuck our government and the whole 9/11 thing... our government did that shyt... just to put fear in our people but i see past that and i know our government is scared of the people that really run this fucking country... we are the ones that pay the taxes that are used for nothing but to make the rich richer...The Revolution is coming...

[IForgot]

We cant leagalize MJ. It would put all those National Guard soldiers out of work. And what would we do with the millions CA pays to fund the N.G. counter drug program every year, Help the poor?

Yes, Folks, there's a full time National Guard Counter Drug Entity complete with helicopters, equipment, personnell etc. Oh, and what are the helicopters used for? Can't pick out meth labs in suburbia. They're used for spotting pot gardens and transporting the brainwashed to pull them out of the ground.

[D Rock]

What a bunch of shit. This is just a pure example of ignorance at its best. Makes me sick.:S4:

[D Rock]

fuck our government and the whole 9/11 thing...

calm down there big guy. Might be taping on a touchy subject there.

[Unknownfigure]

I am appalled at this mans comments regarding marijuana. The only violence that comes are from organized, commercial grows run by GANGS. And gangs are known to be bad, and unlike the war on drugs, the war on gangs is actually justified. Gangsters are the ones with the guns. They are the ones that do large-scale commercial grows. They are the ones that have something to "protect". However, they should not taint a good name such as Cannabis, especially not more than the government already has. They have their own thing going on about prevention. The Government is just trying to put more fear into the people on marijuana, that focusing on the actual problem here. Legalizing it would solve a world of problems, and now, I'm actually getting motivated to become an activist, and atleast try to get things done in my county (hey, it'd be a start)

[mfqr]

I am appalled at this mans comments regarding marijuana. The only violence that comes are from organized, commercial grows run by GANGS. And gangs are known to be bad, and unlike the war on drugs, the war on gangs is actually justified. Gangsters are the ones with the guns. They are the ones that do large-scale commercial grows. They are the ones that have something to "protect". However, they should not taint a good name such as Cannabis, especially not more than the government already has. They have their own thing going on about prevention. The Government is just trying to put more fear into the people on marijuana, that focusing on the actual problem here. Legalizing it would solve a world of problems, and now, I'm actually getting motivated to become an activist, and atleast try to get things done in my county (hey, it'd be a start)

Legalizing cannabis is a good start. However, the war on drugs as a whole needs to be ended to really put the gangs out of business. Legalize cannabis, and all the gangs move to a different drug. Legalize all the drugs, and they are put out of business...