There is absolutely nothing unusual about the anti-marijuana community being hypocritical, disgusting and downright pathetic, but occasionally you see something that makes you ask yourself what kind of monsters are these people.
I spend a lot of time scouring the internet looking at articles and searching for topics to write about. Sometimes, I will read the comments posted along with these articles. I have seen some pretty objectionable stuff come out of the mouth of these prohibitionists.
Over the years, I have developed a thick skin. I have seen some very grotesque comments to articles, and due to my own writings, I have been called just about every objectionable name that you can think of and none of it seemed to bother me anymore.
However, recently these attacks on the NORML section of America have become so disgusting that I have to speak out.
It is not that uncommon for someone to post the comment in a news article that all drug users should be shot. I have seen it in countless newspapers from California to Alabama, but when someone is disturbed enough to post the comment in an article that refers to a 13 year-old girl being arrested and charged with possession of marijuana… I am sorry, but that person is just sick, and the authorities should be more concerned with finding that person and putting them in a mental institution than putting someone in jail for smoking a joint.
Another trend that just seems so shocking is that many of the vilest and disgusting comments come from users with the screen name ____Christian. Now whether you believe in god or not, most people would agree that the Jesus everyone talks about would not want these comments made in his name. So, for one to profess a belief in Jesus, and then make comments that defame, defile and denigrate everything he said and taught is the worst kind of sin you can perpetrate against your own god.
In the past, it seemed that the prohibitionists were simply uniformed and ignorant, but more and more it seems that some of these individuals are truly sick.
When advocates receive death threats for trying to get a valuable medicine into the hands of patients with cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, and other chronic conditions it tells you just how deranged some prohibitionists are.
When the Federal authorities raid dispensaries, even though the citizens of the state where it was located exercised their constitutional rights and voted to ease the suffering of patients, it shows that these people have infiltrated law enforcement.
Do not make the mistake of thinking that everyone in the anti-marijuana society is evil because to do that would make us no better than they are. Most are severely misinformed and misguided by propaganda and honestly believe that they are doing the right thing. For these people, the government is to blame for their ignorance, and it is our job to show them the truth.
However, I do not know of anyone in the marijuana community who would resort to these tactics. When I, and most of the advocates that I know, see people from our community make inappropriate comments, we are not afraid to call foul on our own, and it is well past time for the prohibitionist community to exercise the same kind of responsibility.
Threats, violence and name-calling are not going to solve this or any other issue. Instead, it only goes to degrade our causes, our nation and ourselves.
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