It’s becoming painfully obvious to anyone with at least a fifth grade education, that this president, like every president before him,and this congress, like every one prior, does not work for the majority of the people in this nation, nor do any of them give a flying fuck what we say, want, or need from them.
President Obama has, over the course of his term in office, offered us, the general public, opportunities to tell his administration what we’d like to see addressed, via Internet forums, petitions, etc.. Every time this happens, the question of cannabis legalization come up and receives widespread support, yet each time the topic is brushed aside, belittled, or simply ignored.
The most recent incident involves questions submitted via YouTube, the most popular of which were to be addressed by the president during a live online interview on January 30. NORML posted the question, “With over 850,000 Americans arrested in 2010, for marijuana charges alone, and tens of billions of tax dollars being spent locking up non-violent marijuana users, isn’t it time we regulate and tax marijuana?”
As of 7pm PST on January 24, this question had received over 4,000 votes, making it one of the most popular submissions. This would normally be good news, except for this:
NORML’s response to this blatant disregard for public sentiment and free expression?
Who are these people, President Obama? They’re not the people out here who keep making marijuana legalization the number one topic of these online forums. They’re not the millions whose lives are impacted by a marijuana arrest; the tokers and their families who lose jobs, houses, kids, freedom, assets, respect, security, and peace of mind because of marijuana prohibition.
Sadly, it seems to more and more of us that “these people” can only be found in the White House, and take orders from Barack Obama, a guy who smoked plenty of pot as a teenager and is just damned lucky he didn’t get racially profiled and side-tracked into becoming just plain Barry, another black kid with undeserved criminal record.
This is not a fluke or an oversight. The Obama administration has a well established record of side-stepping and avoiding this important issue – maybe the most important issue of our time when one considers the economic impact ending our foolish war on cannabis would have and the decades of injustice prohibition has caused.
Every time the public is offered an opportunity to ask President Obama legitimate policy questions, this isue comes up and is immediately shot down.
- We petitioned him to legalize marijuana in September 2011, the number one petition;
- We Twittered him to legalize marijuana in July 2011, making up one out of eight questions asked;
- We asked him via YouTube video in January 2011, with LEAP’s question the number one video;
- We asked him via Ideas for Change in March 2010, with legalization again the number one question;
- We lobbied him via Citizen’s Briefing Book in May 2009, with the number one idea being legalization;
- We asked him via Open for Questions II in March 2009, where he mocked the number one idea of legalization helping the economy;
- We asked him via Open for Questions I in January 2009, where legalization topped most categories of questions;
- We asked him via Change.gov in December 2008, where legalization was again number one and a dozen of the top fifty questions.
Polling data from respected public opinion surveyors now indicates that over half of all American’s now believe marijuana prohibition needs to end, either in part (medical cannabis) or in total, yet our commander-in-chief, a man elected on promises of hope, change, and a government more open and responsive to the will of the American people than ever before continues to stonewall at every turn on this issue.
Have you no shame Mr. Obama? How can you continue to turn your back on this problem, knowing that in doing so you continue to enable a racist law that destroys thousands of families every year? Knowing that the industrial uses of cannabis alone could generate tens of thousands of good, high paying jobs, reduce our dependence on foreign imports of many kinds, and increase tax revenues by a huge margin? How do you sleep at night Mr. President? How can you look in the mirror each morning and not name yourself an enormous part of the problem?
Things will be changed in this nation over the next few years (if we are to avoid disaster); from how we elect our leaders, to how we fund our government, to what we can do with our own bodies and lives. Just as with the civil rights movement of the sixties, some public figures will be remembered as heros who stood on the side of right, against the tyranny of the powerful few. Others will be viewed as fools who failed to see the error of their ways, or worse, as enablers of the tyrants who chose power and profit over freedom and peace. The only question you really need to answer, Mr. Obama, is how do you want to be remembered? Which side are you on?
I wish they would just legalize maijuana for the good of all people
I flagged Obama’s youtube poll for innaprpriate content and legal reasons. I have no idea what the consequenses will be, but I hope alot of people take notice to the injustice that has been done to the NORML question in question.
your just teaching people how to avoid a very important situation..
What “situation” would that be Tracey? Please elaborate.
Well said, couldn’t agree more. He won’t be getting my vote again!
@Larry Unfortunately, given the choices we’re being offered by the GOP, I don’t see any other viable option. The Greens can’t get on the ballot in many places, and won’t be included in any debates or otherwise offered a fair chance to present their ideas, so as usual they don’t stand a chance. I’m clinging to the hope that after November, Barack will take off the gloves and thrash the fascist monsters inhabiting both houses of our Congress.
As a proponent for Industrial Hemp and Medical Marijuana, we also need create another sector that simply regulates and taxes those who use Marijuana not for medical purposes.
Lets be real, not everyone who smokes has a medical condition, and that is OKAY!
Just like alcohol is regulated, so should marijuana. We use alcohol for more than just drinking, it is in millions of products, cleaning supplies, cosmetics, foods and more!
Industrial hemp is also an issue that gets shafted because people associate it with growing marijuana, which are two very different processes.
I hope this will change, and I believe it will in our lifetime. There is so much good that can still be done.
Oh well if Obama won’t listen, we the people can still continue to formulate proposals. Just because someone is ignoring us now, does not mean they will ignore us forever!
If you are of the opinion that Barack Obama has failed to fulfill many of his campaign promises as well as ignored that fact that truly the majority (or atleast a very large minority) of the U.S. populis thinks marijuana should be legalized and regulated, if for no other reason to help stifle that drug trafficking industry there is an alternative. Ron Paul yeah ge isn’t perfect but he is above all things for individual liberty
@Hemp Street I agree. Cannabis should be legal for any adult to use any way he or she sees fit. We regulate the distillation of alcohol and the brewing of beer for commercial purposes, but people are allowed to brew their own beer and make their own wine. As I see it, commercial cannabis for smoking – medicinal or recreational – should be tightly regulated and held to very high, scientific standards for the end product.
Sell it in controlled environments like distilled liquor is sold now, but individuals should also be allowed to grow a reasonable amount for personal use (maybe 3 -6 indoor plants, up to 15 or 20 outdoors) and just like alcohol, not be allowed to sell their homegrown produce.
@Aaron, sorry buddy. I was a card carrying Libertarian back in the day for the same reasons I suspect you support Doc Paul today, but I eventually realized that the bad ideas outweighed the good in that camp.
It’s not worth putting a creationist in the White House (or Congress) just because he’s in favor of my pet cause. It’s all rational all the time with me or you don’t get my support. Ron Paul has some nutty ideas I just can’t endorse or be associated with.
Yeah I can respect your opinion Mr. Thurman and I understand it but as a spiritual christian (not a religious one) creationism doesn’t really bother me I haven’t always had my beliefs but I do feel that it’s important to have faith in something other than humanity or onesself. I feel like I just went on a tirade and got way off point but as Kurt Vonnegut put it So it goes. I just wish people would stop calling Dr. Paul a nut or loon and I’m really not that strong supporter of his I like propably 75% of what he has to say and I believe he has a very important role to play in the future of our government but honestly I’m not sure he should be our commander-in-chief but of the other republican candidates he is probably my pick even if I can’t stand firmly behind all he espouses