FROM LETITIA PEPPER - MARIJUANA CAUSE LAWYER: So here are NORMLs excuses for never supporting a decriminalization initiative, as relayed by Buddy Duzy, friend of Jack Herer and a proponent of the Jack Herer initiative: Theres no doubt that Dale [Gierenger, head of Cal NORML] is aware of CCHI. Heres the history of Dales position on CCHi. Jack [Herer] reached out to him in 2007, as did I [Buddy Duzy]. His response then was that it was too early for a comprehensive hemp initiative and that we should concentrate on legalizing weed first. So he wouldnt endorse us then. In 2009, Jack and I reached out again. This time his excuse was that doing an initiative in a non presidential election was a bad idea and so he wouldnt endorse us. He said we should wait until 2012. After Jack passed away [in 2010], at the NORML next steps convention in Berkeley, I reminded him that he said he would support us in 2012 and I asked him to take the lead and adopt jacks initiative. His response then was to say that we wanted to do too much and the consensus was that we should take baby steps i.e. just legalize pot again. This time around [in 2013] he joined up with the 2016 coalition and as a whole, they wouldnt officially endorse CCHI for 2014. We did ask the 2016 coalition to support CCHI in 2014 and once again, the response we got was that its a bad idea to try to legalize in a non presidential year. Given that they consistently switch between the 2 excuses, doing too much and non presidential election, I too am inclined to take the cynical view that these national organizations are more concerned about keeping their jobs and relevancy than they are about ending hemp prohibition. If its going to get done right, the common people of California are going to have to do it themselves. Unfortunately, these organizations have the ear of both the mainstream media and of the major funders of reform and they consistently describe us as being a bunch of dreamers with no chance of qualifying an initiative and so we should be ignored and they will handle reform themselves. Of course, their record of zero wins doesnt give me much hope that California will legalize hemp under their direction! Buddy Duzy Roll up your sleeves, signature collectors. WE will have to be the REAL heroes of this so-called movement, because NORML, ASA, and the DPA want us all taxed, regulated and controlled via legalization, which is just the flip side of criminalization. as long as there are rules and laws that you can break, they will always be in business. But if cannabis is treated like the plant it is, like a grapevine, the paradigm shifts. Lets shift it!
Posted on: Wed, 13 Nov 2013 12:51:50 +0000
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