Marijuana Legalization May Be Unstoppable

[wsansewjs]

HERE COMES THE RUNAWAY FREIGHT TRAIN!

On Tuesday, US Attorney General Eric Holder told America to expect a decision "soon" on how he'll respond to the recent legalization of pot by Colorado and Washington state. To which the rest of the country has basically said, "Whatever, dude." The same day, legislative committees in New Mexico and Hawaii approved bills to decriminalize marijuana possession and Oregon lawmakers introduced a legalization bill. Yesterday, Rhode Island legislators held a hearing on a bill toâ€"surprise!â€"legalize and tax marijuana.

In California, where Holder's Justice Department has spent months trying to shut down respected medical-pot dispensaries, a Field Poll (pdf) released yesterday showed that 67 percent of state voters oppose the move. A 54 to 43 percent majority now backs fully legalizing the sale of cannabis and regulating and taxing it like alcohol.

Rolling Stone's Tim Dickinson predicts that California, Oregon, and five other states will soon follow Washington and Colorado's lead and embrace the right to smoke up. And most American voters believe that the feds should let them. Even in the relatively conservative states of Florida, Iowa, and Kentucky, polls released in the past week have shown majority support for recently proposed medical marijuana laws.

What's more, national polls are increasingly showing most Americans supporting legalization on the federal scale. So maybe Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) and Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) weren't just pipe dreaming earlier this month when they introduced bills to remove cannabis from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act and impose a federal excise tax on pot sales.

All of which is to say, pity poor Eric Holder. If he caves, the GOP will call for his hide. But if he cracks down, he'll face the wrath of the mellow masses.

Source: http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/02/new-polls-and-votes-suggest-marijuana-legalization-unstoppable

[Ocklawaha]

They're adding a new express toll lane to I-95 between WGV and downtown, if Marijuana is legalized will they add a 10 mph lane?

[ronchamblin]

It seems that this is just one more move toward sensible solutions.  Drugs are us !!  I can’t wait for legalization so that I can enjoy not using Marijuana ….  or perhaps using is sparingly, as I do beer and wine now. 

Things are looking up….  non-believers in angels and gods is a growing segment of the population.  The abortion thing Surely the rational people will reign there too.. eventually.  The comfortable and rather dumb (most, that is) conservatives and their talking heads, have taken a hit thank goodness, as their continued ascendency would have brought further ruin to what is left of our economy and our country.

In the end, even if it takes centuries, the truth shall emerge…. common sense and rational thinking will overcome the tendency to ignorance and idiocy.  Why is this… because man’s (and woman’s) brain, if free and healthy, strives for order and truth.   

“Switzerland isn’t really neutral.  They just haven’t figured out what side Chuck Norris is on yet.”

[bill]

It seems that this is just one more move toward sensible solutions.  Drugs are us !!  I can’t wait for legalization so that I can enjoy not using Marijuana ….  or perhaps using is sparingly, as I do beer and wine now. 

Things are looking up….  non-believers in angels and gods is a growing segment of the population.  The abortion thing Surely the rational people will reign there too.. eventually.  The comfortable and rather dumb (most, that is) conservatives and their talking heads, have taken a hit thank goodness, as their continued ascendency would have brought further ruin to what is left of our economy and our country.

In the end, even if it takes centuries, the truth shall emerge…. common sense and rational thinking will overcome the tendency to ignorance and idiocy.  Why is this… because man’s (and woman’s) brain, if free and healthy, strives for order and truth.   

“Switzerland isn’t really neutral.  They just haven’t figured out what side Chuck Norris is on yet.”

How did that turn out for Rome, England, Greece....?

[ronchamblin]

I don't understand.  How did what turn out?

[NotNow]

Ron, I would be interested in hearing your justification for abortion.   I have found that "common sense and rational thinking" are not the sole province of liberals.  Or progressives.  Or socialists.   While I have found those attributes in persons of differing political views, they are extremely rare.

[ronchamblin]

NotNow, I’m suggesting that the attributes of common sense and rational thinking can be found in greater percentages in the liberal or less religious populations, and less in the conservative or more religious populations, as the former are less likely to believe in angels, fairies, gods, unicorns, prayer, and immortality, while the latter is more likely to. 

I love the “Pro-Life” bumper stickers.  That means the rest of us are “Pro-Death”.  Rational?   

But…. “My justification for abortion?”  How best to say it.  Ending a biological process before it produces an unwanted and unnecessary human life.  Ending a biological process before it produces a condition wherein suffering can exist.  Preventing the existence of an unwanted and unnecessary human life before it emerges from an unintended biological process.  Population control.  We really need to get our population down to about 250 million or so.  If we don’t, it might drop to zero by itself.  The animals need the earth back in any case.  They are much better caretakers.

But of course, the question, which has I’m sure been argued over and over, concerns the exact time of the achievement of life, which occurs surely at some point between the sperm and egg union and the birth of the living child. 

We know without a doubt that a human life emerges at some point within this period of time.  Does a human life exist one minute after conception?  Does it exist one minute before birth? 

Besides the idea of life, the idea of suffering is an important issue.  An animal can suffer only within life.  Can suffering exist one minute after conception?  Surely not.  Can suffering exist one minute before birth?  Surely.

Give the problem to an irrational religious person, and the answer is simple.  The kind of thinking which stems from their ability to believe in gods and angels, and that the words in a book written many centuries ago was inspired by a god, is the same kind of thinking which will allow them to hang bumper stickers such as “Pro-Life”, and persecute and kill abortion doctors because they believe that life, and therefore suffering, begins at conception.

Suffering is an ability which emerges from the central nervous system, which has a brain within.  It is impossible to be substantially alive, and therefore able to suffer, if no central nervous system exists.  From the beginning, from conception to the birth of the child, the central nervous system develops.

What is the central nervous system’s condition or development at one minute after conception?  What is its condition at one week?  At three weeks?  At eight months?  At birth?   Surely the early days and weeks will not find a central nervous system of adequate development which would allow suffering, or that consciousness has developed to the degree that suffering can occur. 

Surely an abortion can be safely performed one minute after conception, after one day, after one week, after three weeks, and up to two months; and the process would cause absolutely no suffering, simply because no central nervous system will have developed sufficiently to allow the suffering process.

And some, arguing against sensible abortions, as encouraged by their almost insane religious convictions, want to bring more human lives into the world to endure real suffering.  Just look around at the real suffering which irrational man has forced upon so many of their fellow men, women, and children.  The fighting, killing, maiming, torturing, the ignoring of the needs of others -- much of it caused by ridiculous religious beliefs â€" which has occurred as long as man has existed, and still exists today in our “informed” and “educated” world, is the cause of degrees of suffering almost impossible to imagine.  And compare this suffering to the arguments which the ridiculous religious arrive at during their church gatherings concerning sensible people’s efforts to avoid bringing more unwanted individuals into the world so that they will not have to endure real suffering too.

Look at the real suffering, as individuals endure the cancers and illnesses which cause suffering for months or even years as they suffer before death.  Real and terrible suffering is all around us.  Ending the biological process which would lead eventually to a life, and doing so at a very early stage in the process, is not causing anything to suffer.       
 
"Contrary to popular belief, Chuck Norris was dropped at Hiroshima and Nagasaki."
                   

[buckethead]

I don't wish to be aborted.

Back on topic:

Paco Banton keeps his head about him... http://youtu.be/cln4UTA5wzA

[Dog Walker]

Abortion and drug use are alike in one respect; they will happen legal or not.  Making abortion illegal is as effective (and has many of the same side effects) as making drugs illegal.  That's worked at really well, hasn't it?

[Ocklawaha]

Suffering is an ability which emerges from the central nervous system, which has a brain within.  It is impossible to be substantially alive, and therefore able to suffer, if no central nervous system exists.  From the beginning, from conception to the birth of the child, the central nervous system develops.

What is the central nervous system’s condition or development at one minute after conception?  What is its condition at one week?  At three weeks?  At eight months?  At birth?   Surely the early days and weeks will not find a central nervous system of adequate development which would allow suffering, or that consciousness has developed to the degree that suffering can occur. 

Surely an abortion can be safely performed one minute after conception, after one day, after one week, after three weeks, and up to two months; and the process would cause absolutely no suffering, simply because no central nervous system will have developed sufficiently to allow the suffering process.

Jellyfish have no brain, no heart and no central nervous system, yet they hunt and are very much alive. Plants are in the same situation, and we know they 'feel' pain.

And some, arguing against sensible abortions, as encouraged by their almost insane religious convictions, want to bring more human lives into the world to endure real suffering.  Just look around at the real suffering which irrational man has forced upon so many of their fellow men, women, and children.  The fighting, killing, maiming, torturing, the ignoring of the needs of others -- much of it caused by ridiculous religious beliefs â€" which has occurred as long as man has existed, and still exists today in our “informed” and “educated” world, is the cause of degrees of suffering almost impossible to imagine.  And compare this suffering to the arguments which the ridiculous religious arrive at during their church gatherings concerning sensible people’s efforts to avoid bringing more unwanted individuals into the world so that they will not have to endure real suffering too.

While I agree with many of your points with regards to human suffering, I find it key that the nations where the majority of this suffering takes place have no means for safe large scale abortions. In the richest nations in the world, where actions have little consequence, and birth control is available everywhere, abortions are largely used to erase reckless mistakes... a situation which hardly seems moral.

Marijuana Legalization might lead to less lethal reaction to our situations.       
 

"Contrary to popular belief, Chuck Norris was dropped at Hiroshima and Nagasaki."

I think warfare is a bit different then abortion or murder. Just as a quick aside, we are now nearly certain that Japan exploded their own atomic weapon in Korea shortly before their research facility was overran by the Russians. Our plan to invade the 'home islands' was based on our 'intelligence' that the Japanese had no more then 6-10 divisions on Kyushu, and could not muster more then 14 (about 900,000) men in any event. We also knew their navy was eliminated and they had no more then 2,000 aircraft of all types.

REALITY CHECK - WHAT THE JAPANESE KNEW â€" And what was REALLY waiting for us.

1,928,571 men in 30 equipped divisions (including tank divisions) with man power for 60 divisions.

Between 10,000 and 15,000 aircraft, including jets and missiles (which we didn’t have).

Naval strength, six aircraft carriers, four cruisers, and one battleship, twenty operational destroyers, forty fleet submarines, 100 Koryu-class midget submarines, 250 smaller Kairyu-class midget submarines, 400 Kaiten manned torpedoes and 800 Shin’vo suicide boats.
                   
World wide Marijuana Legalization and distribution would have probably prevented the whole war!

[BridgeTroll]

NotNow, I’m suggesting that the attributes of common sense and rational thinking can be found in greater percentages in the liberal or less religious populations, and less in the conservative or more religious populations, as the former are less likely to believe in angels, fairies, gods, unicorns, prayer, and immortality, while the latter is more likely to. 

I love the “Pro-Life” bumper stickers.  That means the rest of us are “Pro-Death”.  Rational?   

But…. “My justification for abortion?”  How best to say it.  Ending a biological process before it produces an unwanted and unnecessary human life.  Ending a biological process before it produces a condition wherein suffering can exist.  Preventing the existence of an unwanted and unnecessary human life before it emerges from an unintended biological process.  Population control.  We really need to get our population down to about 250 million or so.  If we don’t, it might drop to zero by itself.  The animals need the earth back in any case.  They are much better caretakers.

But of course, the question, which has I’m sure been argued over and over, concerns the exact time of the achievement of life, which occurs surely at some point between the sperm and egg union and the birth of the living child. 

We know without a doubt that a human life emerges at some point within this period of time.  Does a human life exist one minute after conception?  Does it exist one minute before birth? 

Besides the idea of life, the idea of suffering is an important issue.  An animal can suffer only within life.  Can suffering exist one minute after conception?  Surely not.  Can suffering exist one minute before birth?  Surely.

Give the problem to an irrational religious person, and the answer is simple.  The kind of thinking which stems from their ability to believe in gods and angels, and that the words in a book written many centuries ago was inspired by a god, is the same kind of thinking which will allow them to hang bumper stickers such as “Pro-Life”, and persecute and kill abortion doctors because they believe that life, and therefore suffering, begins at conception.

Suffering is an ability which emerges from the central nervous system, which has a brain within.  It is impossible to be substantially alive, and therefore able to suffer, if no central nervous system exists.  From the beginning, from conception to the birth of the child, the central nervous system develops.

What is the central nervous system’s condition or development at one minute after conception?  What is its condition at one week?  At three weeks?  At eight months?  At birth?   Surely the early days and weeks will not find a central nervous system of adequate development which would allow suffering, or that consciousness has developed to the degree that suffering can occur. 

Surely an abortion can be safely performed one minute after conception, after one day, after one week, after three weeks, and up to two months; and the process would cause absolutely no suffering, simply because no central nervous system will have developed sufficiently to allow the suffering process.

And some, arguing against sensible abortions, as encouraged by their almost insane religious convictions, want to bring more human lives into the world to endure real suffering.  Just look around at the real suffering which irrational man has forced upon so many of their fellow men, women, and children.  The fighting, killing, maiming, torturing, the ignoring of the needs of others -- much of it caused by ridiculous religious beliefs â€" which has occurred as long as man has existed, and still exists today in our “informed” and “educated” world, is the cause of degrees of suffering almost impossible to imagine.  And compare this suffering to the arguments which the ridiculous religious arrive at during their church gatherings concerning sensible people’s efforts to avoid bringing more unwanted individuals into the world so that they will not have to endure real suffering too.

Look at the real suffering, as individuals endure the cancers and illnesses which cause suffering for months or even years as they suffer before death.  Real and terrible suffering is all around us.  Ending the biological process which would lead eventually to a life, and doing so at a very early stage in the process, is not causing anything to suffer.       
 
"Contrary to popular belief, Chuck Norris was dropped at Hiroshima and Nagasaki."
                   

The idea that life begins with the ability to suffer... is a new one for me Ron.  Thanks for something to ponder this weekend! 

[ben says]

Ron, our minds seem to always be in sync. Couldn't agree more.

[If_I_Loved_you]

Ron, our minds seem to always be in sync. Couldn't agree more.

The self-conceited are taught with more difficulty than the stupid.

[If_I_Loved_you]

“We don't seem to be able to check crime, so why not legalize it and then tax it out of business”

Will Rogers quote

[Ocklawaha]

“We don't seem to be able to check crime, so why not legalize it and then tax it out of business”

Will Rogers quote

That's about par for the course, Will Rogers was a Democrat!