For all the Americans on the board

[TheMetal1]

Jefferson wrote in his diary that his favorite activity was "sitting on [his] porch smoking hemp and watching the sunrise."

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that is an excerpt from Abraham Lincoln's journal. Again, these could just be fabricated to support the concept of historical Americans using marijuana, but again... pretty sure that was Lincoln. Either way, if cannabis was available and people knew about it's effects, I refuse to believe that even the most prominent members of society did not partake in a sweet embrace with Mary Jane. I mean, isn't that the message we are trying to portray when discussing the responsible use of marijuana? Everyone from young adults to world leaders could be closet smokers... there is no stereotypical consumer. If our current President can admittedly have once used (insert well known narcotic) then it is completely reasonable that men like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln smoked marijuana at some point in their lives.

[Fencewalker]

Jefferson wrote in his diary that his favorite activity was "sitting on [his] porch smoking hemp and watching the sunrise."

Prove it.

Washington: August 7, 1765 diary entry, "began to separate the male from the female plants,"

Again, if you don't know enough about hemp it doesn't matter how many times somebody uses this quote to try and "prove" he smoked cannabis. See post #17 as to why this is not "proof".

These are pretty well known facts, all over google... and the quotes check out at the lib of congress as well.

I keep seeing this said...Well known fact...So it shouldn't be that damn tough to prove, I would think.

[GeddaLiddleHI]

"Some of my finest hours have been spent on my back veranda, smoking hemp and observing as far as my eye can see" -Thomas Jefferson, 1781

and the difference between male and female fibers doesn't necessarily disprove anything either. While seperating them in order to differentiate between what the fibers could be used for, this wouldn't need to be done by a certain time (ragarding the quote of Washington having separated the sexes "a little too late") in order to do this, regardless of whether or not the females get pollinated...they're still female, and the fibers don't suddenly become identical to the males. The only real reason, as i understand it, to need to separate male and female hemp before a certain point is for the purposes of bud production for consumption.

Also, cannabis was not made illegal until 1937, long after these founding fathers lived, so there's no reason for them not to be smoking it, especially if they are already growing the plant. The term marijuana didn't even come into play until this point in order to make the plant illegal more easily, as the public would have a hard time accepting something that had been legal for so long being suddenly illegal, so they gave the "drug" a new name and it was made illegal. (That last part is courtesy of the Attack of the Show 2008 4/20 special from Jamaica, more specifically the section: "The History of Pot")

didn't realize THAT was going to become an issue when i posted this. apologies.

[epilepticme]

I know that even in the harshest of times, one must rejoice in the positives... and I believe that we live in one of the greatest countries on Earth. There are landscapes that rival the best in the world, great food, and a huge variety of culture. However, it is on days like today that I often think of things we are NOT free to do. This being a cannabis website, the major one I'm referring to is our countries policy on marijuana. I know there are people suffering all around the world from all sorts of oppressive forces, so I'm not complaining that we "have it that bad" relatively speaking. It's just that I see everyone having such a great time at cookouts and enjoying the public festivities, and find it hard to have the same enthusiasm. The majority of neighborhood barbeque's will have a generous amount of alcohol and nobody will think less of you if you happen to throw up at 4pm because you've been drinking since 10am. It IS our nations holiday that represents our claims of Freedom from an unjust and tyrannical government. So that kind of behavior is encouraged. By comparison, many block party attendees would not be able to dial the police fast enough if they even smelled a hint of marijuana. Or imagine trying to nonchalantly ask an officer where your blanket is set up for watching the fireworks by saying "Excuse me sir, did you see where I was sittting? I smoked some really nice Kush earlier and seem to have misplaced my group (insert casual elbow nudge)." It used to be annoying, but now it is depressing.
Either way, we do enjoy MANY freedoms that much of the world is denied and for that I can raise my pipe to the men who founded the concept of America.

All men ARE created equal... it's how we improve on that creation that will define us.

Stay and Keep :jointsmile:
Happy 232nd America :thumbsup:
May this year be better than the last.

I just caught this, great post TheMetal1 :hippy:

[Coelho]

I know its a bit off topic, but this threads title prompted me to ask this... i always wonder why since long ago the inhabitants of u.s.a. call themselves americans, and call the u.s.a. "america"?
From what i know, America is the name of this entire continent, from the northernest parts of Canada to the southernest parts of Argentina/Chile... and all inhabitants of this entire continent could be rightfully be called "americans"... (even if most of them wouldnt like this... )

[GeddaLiddleHI]

yep, brought this up in a french class long ago (high school). we're really just that arrogant, and United Statesians sounds...retardulous. but at least we extend that field of arrogance to teh Native Americans...although now that i've said that i realize the term is probably more appropriate for them, since the native americans did occupy the entire continent; you know, before that whole murder and pillage thing we did