Comments on: Rallying for a cause? http://cuindependent.com/2010/04/20/rallying-for-a-cause/ University of Colorado Daily Student Newspaper Site in Boulder: Breaking News, Sports, Entertainment, Opinion Mon, 13 Dec 2010 13:57:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3 By: dusty http://cuindependent.com/2010/04/20/rallying-for-a-cause/comment-page-1/#comment-5705 dusty Tue, 20 Apr 2010 19:24:47 +0000 http://cuindependent.com/?p=16124#comment-5705 10,000 people gathering together in support of alcohol use would result in a booze-fueled festival of property destruction and physical violence. 10,000 tea party protesters, were they ever to gather in one place, would represent a real threat to the safety of those with whom they disagree. 10,000 anti-globalization protestors? Riot. 10,000 environmental protestors? Riot. Ten thousand marijuana smokers? Peaceful, if a bit smelly. Aside from the cloud of smoke, there is remarkably little public disturbance. It's important to remember that reality as we're deluged with stereotypes of marijuana smokers as thoughtless murderers of children and friends. It's important to show that the story you hear from the prohibitionists has no basis in reality. It is most important to remember that marijuana prohibition turns otherwise peaceful, law-abiding citizens into criminals, wasting the state's time and money processing, incarcerating, and rehabilitating people who should never have been arrested in the first place. We have it pretty easy here in Colorado. If you need medical marijuana, you can get it. If you are a recreational smoker, you don't have to worry about the rest of your life being ruined by felony drug charges. It's not like that in most states, and to stand as an example of what really happens when everybody gets high is perhaps the most important role we can play. 10,000 people gathering together in support of alcohol use would result in a booze-fueled festival of property destruction and physical violence. 10,000 tea party protesters, were they ever to gather in one place, would represent a real threat to the safety of those with whom they disagree. 10,000 anti-globalization protestors? Riot. 10,000 environmental protestors? Riot.

Ten thousand marijuana smokers? Peaceful, if a bit smelly. Aside from the cloud of smoke, there is remarkably little public disturbance. It’s important to remember that reality as we’re deluged with stereotypes of marijuana smokers as thoughtless murderers of children and friends.

It’s important to show that the story you hear from the prohibitionists has no basis in reality. It is most important to remember that marijuana prohibition turns otherwise peaceful, law-abiding citizens into criminals, wasting the state’s time and money processing, incarcerating, and rehabilitating people who should never have been arrested in the first place.

We have it pretty easy here in Colorado. If you need medical marijuana, you can get it. If you are a recreational smoker, you don’t have to worry about the rest of your life being ruined by felony drug charges. It’s not like that in most states, and to stand as an example of what really happens when everybody gets high is perhaps the most important role we can play.

]]> By: KW http://cuindependent.com/2010/04/20/rallying-for-a-cause/comment-page-1/#comment-5704 KW Tue, 20 Apr 2010 19:21:51 +0000 http://cuindependent.com/?p=16124#comment-5704 Well written. Football games are on weekends, basketball at night. That doesn't disrupt midtime weekday traffic and buses. If people cared about truly protesting they'd go to Civic Center park in Denver. How is selling 20 dollar tshirts protesting? I write this standing, having waited over 20 min for my bus trying to go home and get ready for work. Behind me a guy is essentially trying to sell med marijuana scripts to anyone walking by. I used to smoke and don't care, but no wonder no one takes people who legitly need med marijuana seriously. Well written. Football games are on weekends, basketball at night. That doesn’t disrupt midtime weekday traffic and buses. If people cared about truly protesting they’d go to Civic Center park in Denver. How is selling 20 dollar tshirts protesting? I write this standing, having waited over 20 min for my bus trying to go home and get ready for work. Behind me a guy is essentially trying to sell med marijuana scripts to anyone walking by. I used to smoke and don’t care, but no wonder no one takes people who legitly need med marijuana seriously.

]]> By: Eric http://cuindependent.com/2010/04/20/rallying-for-a-cause/comment-page-1/#comment-5703 Eric Tue, 20 Apr 2010 19:11:15 +0000 http://cuindependent.com/?p=16124#comment-5703 How is this any more disruptive than football and basketball games? On the day of a football game, there's nowhere to park, there are typically a few fights, people get belligerently drunk, and the hill is completely impassable. I realize that few people have classes or labs on Saturdays, but that still affects all the transportation and accessibility of the hill. I do, however, wish there was some alternative to taking Buff Bus. It'd be awesome if we were endowed from birth with method of transportation. If you hate 4/20, like many people do, you should just say it, but hiding behind this pragmatic logic is foolish. There are easy ways around every problem you mentioned, and it's one hour, one day a year. How is this any more disruptive than football and basketball games? On the day of a football game, there’s nowhere to park, there are typically a few fights, people get belligerently drunk, and the hill is completely impassable. I realize that few people have classes or labs on Saturdays, but that still affects all the transportation and accessibility of the hill. I do, however, wish there was some alternative to taking Buff Bus. It’d be awesome if we were endowed from birth with method of transportation.

If you hate 4/20, like many people do, you should just say it, but hiding behind this pragmatic logic is foolish. There are easy ways around every problem you mentioned, and it’s one hour, one day a year.

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