Maybe people will now realize that shit like online petitions dont advance our cause.

[Freedom is Gone]

Hopefully this is a wake up call that for something to happen, we need to be more vocal about the situation. Online petitions and cookie cutter letters to your congress folk are useless.

[Car Junkie]

Writing to congressmen are ways to get your voices heard.

Online petitions are to let people know what the vast majority think.

They might not have done anything yet, if you have any better ideas then please share them

[Guest]

I think what we need is many more grass-roots rallies. Visually, this would be the best way to show the support, IMO. If there's power in numbers, then let's SHOW our fuckin' numbers!!!

[Guest]

Hopefully this is a wake up call that for something to happen, we need to be more vocal about the situation. Online petitions and cookie cutter letters to your congress folk are useless.

They do work!

There just are not enough of them being sent and distributed .

[suzycremecheese]

What gives you that idea?

[Freedom is Gone]

Yes, a bunch of high school kids signing online petitions where all they have to do is put their email address with a header that says legalize marijuana is real progress...

[Nikijad4210]

Freedom, would you rather eveyone keep quiet regarding legalization/decriminilization and not do a damn thing like the government wants?


The entire point of petitions and letters and so forth is to make some fuckin' noise, gather attention, make more noise, and albeit slower than we want, put a fuckload of a lot of pressure on government officials to make the changes the people WANT.




Nice to know you're sitting around with your thumb up your ass doing nada while massive numbers of us are finally figuring out doing nothing does nothing, and trying to make a differance.

People like you are the ones who stall progress.

[Freedom is Gone]

Freedom, would you rather eveyone keep quiet regarding legalization/decriminilization and not do a damn thing like the government wants?


The entire point of petitions and letters and so forth is to make some fuckin' noise, gather attention, make more noise, and albeit slower than we want, put a fuckload of a lot of pressure on government officials to make the changes the people WANT.




Nice to know you're sitting around with your thumb up your ass doing nada while massive numbers of us are finally figuring out doing nothing does nothing, and trying to make a differance.

People like you are the ones who stall progress.

Thats the point, it doesnt make any noise. Its gives people false hope. People will only "fight" for the cause, if they can do it from the comfort of their computer chair.

[rsteeb]

Hopefully this is a wake up call that for something to happen, we need to be more vocal about the situation. Online petitions and cookie cutter letters to your congress folk are useless.

I agree that online petitions and "cookie-cutter" letters are less effective than a physical visit to a congress-critter, but they are hardly "useless". A fax or carefully hand-written letter is most likely tallied the same way by staff. It's all about the numbers; out of sight-- out of mind.

A large part of the "use" is getting an issue into the public consciousness, and stimulating motivation to carry the issue onward. Once you've signed or sent one of these to your legislator, you're more likely to follow up with further action.

The longest journey begins with a single step. It's up to the pilgrim to keep moving forward!

[FormerOGer]

I don't understand your point. From what I gather you have come to grips with the fact that online petitions alone will not legalize marijuana across the world; congrads.


Neither will showing up at rallies. Neither will growing your own crop. Neither will "outing" yourself publicly if you're a celeb, as did Jennifer Aniston recently.

Together, however, all these things can and WILL.

Whats your point/suggestion, etc?

[JJScorpio]

For a petition to carry any real weight, it needs to have names, addresses and signatures. It should also then be taken to your local representatives and they need to be told that if they do not present the said petition to people, they will lose the votes of the undersigned. Naturally, the petition should have a few hundred signatures to hold a little weight.......

[Guest]

How about a march similiar to what the ones we had during Viet Nam? That'll turn headz.

[Guest]

i agree ..its all bullshit in the end!!! online petitions,writing your congressmens secratary.LOL,ect. only way to get PRO-MJ messages out is thru EQUAL ADVERTISING!!!!! BILLBOARDS,TV! wake up.

[Guest]

The only polls that mean a damn thing are polls which increase the probability of complete random, yet equal representation of the people.

Online polls use voluntary response, which means the people choose themselves as samples for the poll. This highly increases bias.

Bias is the enemy of any good poll. And those polls have bias comin' out the hoo-ha!

[Sauce]

I agree, there is only one thing that can actually change laws for the better, and that's the court system; whether that be city, state, or federal court.

Petitions and letters to state reps don't do shit in the long run but give the secretaries more to do.

[naga_sadu]

Cannabis criminalization in the US is not a pure public sector issue- it's kept illegal due to immense corporate pressure through the years. And...in today's scenario the government there pays way more heed to corporations than public opinion. I mean, let's cut the BS. Even the Federal Reserve in the US is run by corporations. To top it all off, there isin't a populist leader who has a realistic chances of winning a forthcoming election.

That's a sticky situation alright, but people have seen worse, I'm sure...like Russia under the Czar. Good luck guys, don't shoot at empty barrels....

[Guest]

Your right on the money there naga. The pharmacutical lobbyist devils have been yanking Washingtons chain for years.

[naga_sadu]

Arrrrrg, corporate capitalism. Good luck guys, we're with you. I'd advise the ppl. esp. the community there (in US) to change their consumption patterns and encourage others to do so but I'm not too familiar with the local conditions in precise detail.

North America is a very tricky case because it's one of the few areas in the world where the MNC is not at odds with the people. But again, good luck in your efforts guys, just place them in the right areas.

[fat jesus]

no...what we NEED to do is convince mainstream america (i'm assuming the majority of people in this thread are american since they mentioned writing to CONGRESS) that we stoners are not a bunch of radical nutjobs who hate our country. that is how mainstream america views heavy weed smokers, as nutty liberals who don't give a damn about anything except their next bag. we need to show society we are informed, normal, productive, otherwise law abiding americans who are an important part of everyday society and don't deserve to be prosecuted under draconian drug laws. we need to show america that just because we smoke weed, that doesn't mean we don't care about our children, our families, our future, our success, our country, our jobs, our health, etc..

wake up people, don't become more and more radicalized every time you, a friend, or someone you loosely associate with gets busted. we have to work within the system and society to achieve our dream of seeing herb legalized, or at least decriminalized on a massive scale. writing to our congressman and signing online pettitions won't do shit unless we can show america we too have the common values that most americans share. :smoweed: