My Marijuana Legalization Case

[medmj<3er]

I'm telling you this as someone who has written policy briefs and as someone who's worked in a publishing press, hon, you gotta get yourself an editor, or at least a proofreader. Make somebody else read it. Print it out and go over it with a red pen. Because it's "straight-forward", right off the bat, and although I really do agree with your position (I wrote a 25 page paper on exactly the same topic last year) and I admire your enthusiasm (and I don't think you should give up!) I'm very concerned that you're going to get yourself in over your head in some murky, expensive legal waters. People don't get to just jump right to the Supreme Court. It will be years and years of expensive litigation. You will need lawyers. You might make it all the way up through the appellate courts and then the Supreme Court decides they don't even want to hear your case.

[timedrifter]

I'm telling you this as someone who has written policy briefs and as someone who's worked in a publishing press, hon, you gotta get yourself an editor, or at least a proofreader. Make somebody else read it. Print it out and go over it with a red pen. Because it's "straight-forward", right off the bat, and although I really do agree with your position (I wrote a 25 page paper on exactly the same topic last year) and I admire your enthusiasm (and I don't think you should give up!) I'm very concerned that you're going to get yourself in over your head in some murky, expensive legal waters. People don't get to just jump right to the Supreme Court. It will be years and years of expensive litigation. You will need lawyers. You might make it all the way up through the appellate courts and then the Supreme Court decides they don't even want to hear your case.

OK butter cup, sounds good, I was hoping you would be that editor, I was looking for you and now I found you, awesome!

I really think I can file the formal complaint myself without a lawyer and start out pro se and perhaps from there some lawyers will offer their free services to me cause I am not spending more than the travel expenses and I plan on documenting everything from start to finish as soon as you edit the book!!

Thanks in advance, we all thank you! you rock!

cant wait to version 2.0 from you and the coming essay from oh my high

you people rock!!

[Tea Party]

What exactly is the case you are bringing? Are you suing the government, and what is the charge?

Your enthusiasm is great, however, I agree with the observation that you need a great deal of editing. To be honest, I wanted to stop reading as soon as you said that marijuana and alcohol have been used for hundreds of years. Of course they have, but it has been much longer than that! Also your statement that plants cannot be patented gave me the indication that you need to do some more homework in that area.

There is way too much use of the pronoun I, and by too much, I mean any. You have to be more scientific in your writing, and reserve the first person for infrequent anecdotal evidence that would support the experts you site. Arguments are logic battles, and anything that draws attention to yourself, takes it away from the argument.

If you must go after the state alone, why not save yourself some work and just use Jack Herer's, The Emperor Wears No Clothes as your court document? I am not sure the case could be better presented than he has been presenting it since 1985.

Additionally, disparaging Norml seems counterproductive to me. Even if Norml did nothing else, their website is a great resource for the movement...the state law maps alone.

No non-profit in any field has the time to sit down with every person that writes them a letter. (And to the person who donated $4.20 and wanted a home-cooked meal from a Norml chairman?...come on. It cost $4.20 just to print up a bumper sticker and send it to somebody once administrative fees are figured).

Timedrifter, you need to keep this wonderful energy and enthusiasm you have and channel it into local groups. One person usually has a difficult time accomplishing anything on their own. Even poets, a solitary lot, would have nothing to write about without outside help.

It is my personal opinion that the future of the decriminalization movement, and activism in general, is in the media as much as, if not more so, than in the courts. Juries and judges take baggage with them into the courthouse--media baggage. Hit up the airwaves. People are not worried about climate change because of lawsuits. They are worried because Al Gore made a movie about it. Public opinion is always swayed by public opinion.

Again, your enthusiasm is great, and most people would not put out the effort that you are putting out. I feel for you. I am having the same problem on my thread here: http://boards.cannabis.com/activism/...ml#post1598368

Keep fighting the good fight!:thumbsup:

[timedrifter]

What exactly is the case you are bringing? Are you suing the government, and what is the charge?

Your enthusiasm is great, however, I agree with the observation that you need a great deal of editing. To be honest, I wanted to stop reading as soon as you said that marijuana and alcohol have been used for hundreds of years. Of course they have, but it has been much longer than that! Also your statement that plants cannot be patented gave me the indication that you need to do some more homework in that area.

There is way too much use of the pronoun I, and by too much, I mean any. You have to be more scientific in your writing, and reserve the first person for infrequent anecdotal evidence that would support the experts you site. Arguments are logic battles, and anything that draws attention to yourself, takes it away from the argument.

If you must go after the state alone, why not save yourself some work and just use Jack Herer's, The Emperor Wears No Clothes as your court document? I am not sure the case could be better presented than he has been presenting it since 1985.

Additionally, disparaging Norml seems counterproductive to me. Even if Norml did nothing else, their website is a great resource for the movement...the state law maps alone.

No non-profit in any field has the time to sit down with every person that writes them a letter. (And to the person who donated $4.20 and wanted a home-cooked meal from a Norml chairman?...come on. It cost $4.20 just to print up a bumper sticker and send it to somebody once administrative fees are figured).

Timedrifter, you need to keep this wonderful energy and enthusiasm you have and channel it into local groups. One person usually has a difficult time accomplishing anything on their own. Even poets, a solitary lot, would have nothing to write about without outside help.

It is my personal opinion that the future of the decriminalization movement, and activism in general, is in the media as much as, if not more so, than in the courts. Juries and judges take baggage with them into the courthouse--media baggage. Hit up the airwaves. People are not worried about climate change because of lawsuits. They are worried because Al Gore made a movie about it. Public opinion is always swayed by public opinion.

Again, your enthusiasm is great, and most people would not put out the effort that you are putting out. I feel for you. I am having the same problem on my thread here: http://boards.cannabis.com/activism/...ml#post1598368

Keep fighting the good fight!:thumbsup:

Yes I plan on suing the government, I was hoping someone would edit for me, but I really dont think an english teacher is going to mark my paper and if I was harrassed by the court system over my grammer I would be pretty upset and it would prove once again how fucked up the system is.

I am not trying to slam NORML, but it certainly was a let down from them and I hope they got my message this time.

I thought about one state at a time but this issue is a federal issue because it is or are federal law(s), not just a local or state laws, starting small doesnt do shit and moves to slow, I want to start at the top of the pyramid, I will be old and gray if I approach it the other ways.

I will look up Jack Herer's book and see what he has to say.

In my opinion, In this case, in the words of the rap group public enemy, we need to fight the power, and not be a bunch of side liners, take this shit head on already, I am here asking for help but still feels like I may have to go it alone but I have no fear in doing so.

Thanks for your input!!!

[Tea Party]

I thought about one state at a time but this issue is a federal issue because it is or are federal law(s), not just a local or state laws, starting small doesnt do shit and moves to slow, I want to start at the top of the pyramid, I will be old and gray if I approach it the other ways.

Patience, grasshopper! Tell Rosa Parks about small not doing shit!...and I must agree with the poster above: there is nothing slower than climbing Supreme Court Peak. I would guess, unfortunately, that we will have decriminalization before you get there. Also, the cost was brought up. About the only thing you want to go into pro se is a personal bankruptcy court. Taking a knife to a gunfight will get you slaughtered. How about climb up a poll and do a hunger strike or something for local press? The top of the pyramid is for people who are born there or who take it by force with adequate resources. I really don't want to discourage you, but meditate on what your limitations are and work within them for the change you want. In fact, talk to a lawyer, a pot lawyer, about your idea. See what they have to say. There is a list of them on the NORML website.

I will look up Jack Herer's book and see what he has to say.

Very good idea, in fact buy a copy. (He is old and gray by the way). Read that book before you go any further. The pro-hemp argument cannot be presented much better than he has done.

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[timedrifter]

Patience, grasshopper! Tell Rosa Parks about small not doing shit!...and I must agree with the poster above: there is nothing slower than climbing Supreme Court Peak. I would guess, unfortunately, that we will have decriminalization before you get there. Also, the cost was brought up. About the only thing you want to go into pro se is a personal bankruptcy court. Taking a knife to a gunfight will get you slaughtered. How about climb up a poll and do a hunger strike or something for local press? The top of the pyramid is for people who are born there or who take it by force with adequate resources. I really don't want to discourage you, but meditate on what your limitations are and work within them for the change you want. In fact, talk to a lawyer, a pot lawyer, about your idea. See what they have to say. There is a list of them on the NORML website.


Very good idea, in fact buy a copy. (He is old and gray by the way). Read that book before you go any further. The pro-hemp argument cannot be presented much better than he has done.

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I understand many of your points and your right about rosa parks, but the thing is, in going pro se, it is dangerous because they try to speak the language of law, a language only few are privilaged to know that have the money for, but with the internet, that may not still be the case but my intention is to request the court and lawyers speak only in laymens terms, as I understand any ambiguous language must be in the peoples favor, so i have no fear of going pro se, if lawyers try to dazzle me with their BS language, I will simply have them break it all down for me as well as question the jury if they can define every word the lawyers bring out, bet most jurors would not be able to define every word in the law books which would tarnish their decisions unless they are clear which the lawyers must do.

I joined NORML NJ, who is a lawyer, I sent him my doc and followed up several times, no response, should I take them seriously?? perhaps I am the joke, but i am willing to find out the hard way instead of assuming the worst.

I will get that book, hopefully free, and use it as evidence just like all the testimony from the history channel, which according to them, teddy roosevelt made it illegal to keep immagrants out of the country, so to me that is racism or seperatism as well as deformation of character.

also,
would you be willing to edit the doc since the first commenter did not take the job??

[mfqr]

One argument that cannot be used as an argument for legalization is the fact that cannabis is natural. Nobody cares about that, because as far as they're concerned, there are natural plants that can be very harmful - not just man-made things. I see that this argument is being made in your book.

In the section titled "Current status, Laws and cited laws and non-represented laws," I noticed that you put up a chart that compares the different effects of cannabis and alcohol. Sorry to say this, but I have seen this chart on a website, and I don't see that cited in the text (as far as I know).

Cannabis and alcohol have actually been used for thousands of years, not hundreds. The statement that they have been in use for "hundreds" of years, rather than "thousands," definitely takes away the credibility of you and your writing. Therefore, not many people are going to take what you say seriously.

I see that you have cited texts from the Bible. But why? In reality, an argument for legalization based on religion, and how cannabis was used in Biblical times, is far from any good argument for legalization.

What I think really needs to be argued about is not how cannabis is not very harmful in comparison to legal drugs, but rather how the illegalization of cannabis, and all drugs, has only proliferated the drugs, and even the use of drugs. This would also include the crime escalation between gangs and drug businesses that will defend their bottom line with guns and violence. Another argument that needs to be seen more is that the constitution supports drug use, given that one is not hurting or violating anybody else's freedoms (stated in the ninth and tenth amendments). These amendments are, however, disregarded, as the DEA would then be deemed unconstitutional, as well as the laws themselves. Really, and I'm sure everyone here knows this, the laws are not based on the "bad" effects of cannabis. They're based on a political agenda that does not necessarily care about the freedoms of the people, but more-so the ruling elite class.

[JD1stTimer]

Hey, I said I liked what I got!! I wasn't knocking it at all!! It just happened that I as really looking forward to having the freedom card to put in my wallet, LOL. But then at the fundraiser I went to (And donated $45 thank you very much) I got my freedom card AND a few stickers. Just to clear it up, I liked what I got very much.

[Tea Party]

also,
would you be willing to edit the doc since the first commenter did not take the job??

I totally admire your passion. I hope you take Goliath down.:thumbsup: However, I must turn down the job as your editor. While I do fancy myself a reasonably talented wielder of the Socratic method, I know when I am beat, and I do not think I could do any better at presenting the case than Grandaddy Herer has already done. Argue from his book as a Christian would argue from the good book. There is no reason why you have to write your own data in order to bring a lawsuit. Good luck on your journey, my friend.
...and please do not consider yourself a joke, as you said in your last post. I firmly believe that doing anything is better than doing nothing. Your enthusiasm will lead you to where you need to be as long as you do not give up. As long as your goal is to help others, you cannot fail, no matter what...and do not forget to smoke a little...

[Storm Crow]

Hi hon, Good luck. - Granny:hippy: