Letter I Submitted on the "Vote No on Prop 19" Web Site

VWFringe

Active Member
I'm so mad, thanks for letting me post this rant...I visited the oppositions website and - how should i distill this question down to its essense? What are they suggesting is going to happen if it's not legalized, and why aren't they talking about it?
The way I see it, all these people who are paying their mortgages through being members of LEA, or any organization who's bread and butter comes at least in part from that tax money...they have a vested interest, and so no one's talking about where it's headed...

here's the letter i sent in on the Vote No web site...
==================================================

You should add to your website, in big print, something about your stand, not just against the vote, but where you think this is going.
Like the cost...10 billion, or about $33 for every man woman and child in the USA by 2006 sensus population, where will that number be five years from now?
where will private prisons be in five years? we pay for that, and by the way...
where in five years time will the statistics be, if white people smoke it more than blacks, but blacks are who are filling the private prisons (sounds like a scam to make money, based on public lack of information, and petty bias based on bad experiences).
to my way of thinking, if you're against 19, it's almost like you're OKAY with the Mexican Drug Cartels, or else you believe the percentage of our population who have chosen to use pot instead of alcohol really belong in prison, instead of being productive members of society, and are willing to chase us to the ends of the earth.
The healing should begin, i'm a husband of 19 years, a father of 13 years, a home owner in sough orange county, and IT Professional, who is tired of being branded a criminal by society.
If they found pot in the tomb of someone rich, buried 2500 years ago, who probably didn't die from it, and if President George Washington liked to smoke it, as well as all of our founding fathers, then you are certainly saying you believe Society cannot be trusted to keep busy, keep doing our jobs, keep paying our taxes, and are willing to chase us until we stop, do you think in five or ten years everone will stop? So where is this going? huh? I'd like a public answer, in big print, because all I hear from you is you don't want things to change one way or another, but you gotta know the hole is getting bigger because more and more people are being born, and the same percentage of us will choose it, like clock work. Because it's better than wine, and most adults use about the same about I think. Two drinks is where I like to get to in the evening - do you really think things are going to change so much? We'll all just become hippies and drop out to turn on? and the mortgage? be real - it makes me mad enough to spit!
 

VWFringe

Active Member
i just submitted a story idea through the KTLA website:

"I am tired of hearing the lies about Marijuana on TV, the Prohibitionists keep putting spin on the issue, but what about the hidden costs to Society of having children forced into the Foster Care system only because Marijuana is illegal. Or the Costs to the Minorities in America, or who used to be the Minorities, beause they are arrested (and later denied for Federal benefits like Student Loans) more often than Whites even though Whites use it more. If the System is broken in those two ways, and you can illustrate it maybe people can shift their thinking to a more compassionate stance, because at the base of it, these laws serve to continually harrass the small percentage of us who choose to use it instead of Alcohol. Will I make more money for America sitting in a private prison, or owning my home, paying my taxes.

Speaking as a white middle-class home owner in South Orange County, if you asked me why blacks are arrested more often than whites, it's because white people ask black men to get them. When i was a crack addict (years ago) I'd ask a black guy. We just don't even understand the ways these drugs have undermined our Society by creating this under-class of people who do different things with their lives than they would if it was legal.

I believe most adults who want to smoke it already do, and that they even have their perscription, and for the most part are using the rules of moderation we learned by seeing people lose their homes to Cocaine in the eighties and a younger generation way-laid by Meth. The pot smokers I know have Nothing to do with other drugs - none. We have a great disdain for those drugs and stay away. I believe I speak for a great many adults. Please help expose the hidden costs and stop the spin everyone wants to give the issue."
 

smokeymcpotz

Well-Known Member
i just submitted a story idea through the KTLA website:

"I am tired of hearing the lies about Marijuana on TV, the Prohibitionists keep putting spin on the issue, but what about the hidden costs to Society of having children forced into the Foster Care system only because Marijuana is illegal. Or the Costs to the Minorities in America, or who used to be the Minorities, beause they are arrested (and later denied for Federal benefits like Student Loans) more often than Whites even though Whites use it more. If the System is broken in those two ways, and you can illustrate it maybe people can shift their thinking to a more compassionate stance, because at the base of it, these laws serve to continually harrass the small percentage of us who choose to use it instead of Alcohol. Will I make more money for America sitting in a private prison, or owning my home, paying my taxes.

Speaking as a white middle-class home owner in South Orange County, if you asked me why blacks are arrested more often than whites, it's because white people ask black men to get them. When i was a crack addict (years ago) I'd ask a black guy. We just don't even understand the ways these drugs have undermined our Society by creating this under-class of people who do different things with their lives than they would if it was legal.

I believe most adults who want to smoke it already do, and that they even have their perscription, and for the most part are using the rules of moderation we learned by seeing people lose their homes to Cocaine in the eighties and a younger generation way-laid by Meth. The pot smokers I know have Nothing to do with other drugs - none. We have a great disdain for those drugs and stay away. I believe I speak for a great many adults. Please help expose the hidden costs and stop the spin everyone wants to give the issue."

+claps+ The way some ppl act u would think if cannabis is legal we'll all turn to pot zombies drop outta skool and rob and steal to get our next fix until we destroy our economy and go to war! O yea were already in a recession and at war never mind... And i was born in the 80's so i didnt c wut u saw but i know im not sellin my TV for bud definatley wouldnt loose my house...hell naw lol
 

VWFringe

Active Member
+claps+ The way some ppl act u would think if cannabis is legal we'll all turn to pot zombies drop outta skool and rob and steal to get our next fix until we destroy our economy and go to war! O yea were already in a recession and at war never mind... And i was born in the 80's so i didnt c wut u saw but i know im not sellin my TV for bud definatley wouldnt loose my house...hell naw lol
I like that "definitely not selling my television for bud"
-----------------------------
had a friend who stole microwave ovens from other friends to buy crack back in the day, then he hung himself. It was a bad time, a lot of people lost their life savings, their houses, because they got sucked into freebasing cocaine. The adults i know who smoke pot have a great disdain for other drugs - they won't go there again. I think the younger generation knows all too well the damage caused by Meth just a few years ago (is that still going on?), so again, i think society has some good recent experience with why moderation must be learned (and re-learned sometimes).
 
Well, hope you don't mind me getting on my soapbox and ranting for a bit, either.

Over here, on the east coast, with my smoking circle, we always talk about how great if MJ where treated like alcohol. But, it was always said it was because "the gov't can't control and tax it". I never understood that because farms can grow it and tax it and sell it like anything else.

I agree with the 21 age limit. Even when I was 18, I believed that. I also believe in taxing it if sold in stores. Everything is taxed. Don't like it, hell grow your own (which the bill allows you to do).

I'm a blue collar worker who just wants to smoke after a day at work. I don't need to hide under the guise of 'medicating'. Some people are drinkers, some are smokers. I think legally distributing MJ would help the working class relax after a day at work.

I only see two type of people on this site who disapprove of this prop.

1. The drug dealers who rely on their sales to stay afloat. Of course, you better believe once big companies jump on this new legal market, you're gonna be phased out. Like it or not. You might want to start working on your resume now, cause once this passes (hopefully), you're gonna have to get off the couch and get a real job.

2. The peeps in Cali who have their card. They have their card, growing pounds, cheefing the hell out not a care in the world (and prob making some side money as well *see #1). Not everyone has an mmj card or lives in an mmj state. I still don't fully understand why these types don't approve, but please enlighten me. But, I'm guessing the real reason has to do with those pounds their growing and #1 from above.

People like me, in other states, are looking at this prop to start the domino effect across the US. This is bigger than you or Cali.

Either way, I really think this is going to pass. At least I have high hopes. I understand money is a big issue for a lot of people on here, but I'm willing to guess that the amount of "customer" votes will outnumber the "supplier" votes.

Think about how many people the dealers are supplying. Do they think their vote outweighs all their customers? Will the customers give a damn if this bill causes their supplier to lose money? I'm thinking no and no.
 

Dan Kone

Well-Known Member
I agree with the 21 age limit. Even when I was 18, I believed that.
In my opinion the legal limit should be 19. The only problem with allowing 18 year olds have it is that some 18 year olds are still in highschool. A lot of them are likely to bring it to school and resell it there.
 

GanjaAL

Active Member
Fact: prop 19 gives control to prohibitionist to regulate, tax and control as they see fit.

Fact: Prop19 opens the new assualt on rec users to take their kids away for growing. They are doing on the mmj side as well.

Fact: prop19 gives prohibitionists the power to ban any and all sales in a city or county.

Fact: by the above fact... it will serve to make a few rich off the the pharse that is taxation which is not and never will be legalization. How is it legalization when cities and counties can ban it and call it child endangerment for growing your own?

Fact: people will still cary more than an oz on their person which will keep the incarceration rate going as it is now. Current incarceration rates are from carrying more than an oz.

Fact: Prop19 is not the right bill for cali as it will not open doors at the Federal level. The VA on the mmj side will soon give us a defense at the federal level and hopefull soon have marijuana rescheduled.

VOTE NO on Prop19!
 

Dan Kone

Well-Known Member
Fact: prop 19 gives control to prohibitionist to regulate, tax and control as they see fit.
Says someone who wants to continue prohibition.

Fact: prop19 gives prohibitionists the power to ban any and all sales in a city or county.
As they do now.

Fact: people will still cary more than an oz on their person which will keep the incarceration rate going as it is now. Current incarceration rates are from carrying more than an oz.
If you're driving/walking around with more than an ounce 99.99% of the time, you're selling. Want to sell pot legally? Under prop19 you can start a corporation and do it legally.
 

klmmicro

Well-Known Member
I am still yet to hear any compelling argument for voting no on Prop 19. I am a medical patient, but rarely have any more than a half an ounce in my possession. I can (and do) grow for my own consumption. The rest I give to other patients for their use. I cannot see any of this changing. I do not make money from it and I think that is what sets me at odds with the growers that do it for money. They could very well lose their easy living because of this. It seems like there are only three groups truly opposed to this becoming law: the older generation who bought the lie that cannabis is the scurge of the Earth. The second group is the illicit growers and distributors that make their livings from it. The third is law enforcement who will lose money in grants, fines and such. I have heard radio hosts babbling about how bad it will be. I have seen news anchors regurgitating the age old stories of society instantly blowing apart. I have heard "upper management" law enforcement afraid that every person they come across will be ready to commit murder because they smoked some evil weed. I have witnessed politicians offering their speals against it. The most interesting group though has to be the dealers that are about to lose an easy stream of cash. All of the "evidence" as to why 19 will be so devastating mean nothing to the person who simply wants to kick back in the evening, pop in a movie with a couple of friends and light up a joint. They will be able to do so without fear of being arrested, which is as it should have been anyway.
 

Dan Kone

Well-Known Member
I do not make money from it and I think that is what sets me at odds with the growers that do it for money. They could very well lose their easy living because of this.
The thing about it is, there won't be any less cannabis grown if prop 19 passes, more likely there will be more grown. So there won't be any less growers, probably there will have to be more professional growers. All the talk about northern Californian counties economies falling apart is utter bullshit. There will be more jobs, not less. The only difference being as you mentioned, the profits might not be as insanely high as they are now.

It seems like there are only three groups truly opposed to this becoming law: the older generation who bought the lie that cannabis is the scurge of the Earth. The second group is the illicit growers and distributors that make their livings from it. The third is law enforcement who will lose money in grants, fines and such.
Correct. There is also a much smaller group of people who are cannabis smokers who oppose it, but their reasons for opposing it are largely based on misinformation.

The most interesting group though has to be the dealers that are about to lose an easy stream of cash. All of the "evidence" as to why 19 will be so devastating mean nothing to the person who simply wants to kick back in the evening, pop in a movie with a couple of friends and light up a joint. They will be able to do so without fear of being arrested, which is as it should have been anyway.
Exactly
 
Top