FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 3, 2009
CONTACT: Tom Angell -- (202) 557-4979 or media //at// leap.cc
U.S. SENATE TO VOTE ON CENSORING DRUG LEGALIZATION DEBATE
Cops and Judges Urge Judiciary Committee to Allow Decriminalization Discussion
WASHINGTON, DC -- A group of police and judges who support legalizing drugs after witnessing the failure of the "war on drugs" is urging the U.S. Senate to reject an amendment that would prohibit government policy advisers from even discussing legalization or decriminalization.
The censorship amendment, authored by Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA), could be voted on as soon as this Thursday, Nov. 5. If adopted during the Judiciary Committee markup for Sen. Jim Webb's National Criminal Justice Commission Act (S. 714), the rider would ban the commission from conducting any activities that "involve, support, or otherwise discuss the decriminalization of any offense under the Controlled Substances Act or the legalization of any controlled substance listed under the Controlled Substances Act."
"Senator Grassley’s censorship amendment would block what Senator Webb is trying to achieve with this bill," said Jack Cole, a retired undercover narcotics detective who now heads the group Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP). "All along, Senator Webb has said that in the effort to fix our broken criminal justice system 'nothing should be off the table.' That should include the obvious solution of ending the 'drug war' as a way to solve the unintended problems caused by that failed policy."
LEAP is urging people to visit http://www.CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com/censorship and take action by sending a letter to their senators urging them to oppose the censorship amendment.
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) is a 15,000-member organization representing cops, judges, prosecutors, prison wardens and others who now want to legalize and regulate all drugs after witnessing horrors and injustices fighting on the front lines of the "war on drugs." More info online at http://www.CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com.
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Update: For this press release we also have a Digg submission that links directly to the form letter. Please visit this link and Digg the story (this is in addition to the Digg button below... it's sort of a two for one deal this time around.)
We've also added a Facebook button so you can share this with friends & family.
http://digg.com/politics/Senator_Grassley_s_Attempt_To_Ban_Free_Speech
ReplyDeleteAdded this on Digg.
Thx Bear... I think for this press release we also have a Digg entry that links directly to the form letter. Normally I love driving traffic to the blog but I think in this case it makes sense to send people directly to the form. Anyway, there is no harm in digging both entries!
ReplyDeleteBtw, I've added a Facebook button along with Digg and Reddit buttons to all the blog posts... not happy with the formatting (they seem crooked) but I will toy with that later!
Is there any way for LEAP to know how many people actually sent this to their Senators from here?
ReplyDeleteIncreasingly, and perhaps wrongfully so, I am disappointed in the lack of activism towards ending Prohibition. It certainly would happen a great deal faster if supporters would lose their fear and be intrepid for once.
Feeling better David?
@ Lea, "…if supporters would lose their fear and be intrepid for once."
ReplyDeleteIn religious circles, they call that "Despise the Shame." But I'm having a tough time reaching them (in all definitions of the word). I need to update my Drug War Tree flyer and create a professional looking 3-fold flyer, something that targets Christians specifically.
I signed and sent letters. It's pretty easy and you'd think most people would do it. But eh.
ReplyDeleteYour response "But I'm having a tough time reaching them (in all definitions of the word)" ChristiansAgainstProhibition doesn't surprise me, sad to say. Would love to have that single moment of recognition, that ah ha! that would put this movement over the top.
ReplyDeleteWhat I'm able to do is pound away one person at a time in the town that is nearest where we live. Not sure of the results however, it feels right to keep doing it.
Had a friend tell me once, "if you want to get the word out you find the biggest gossip out there and fill their head with the facts".
In turn that person is going to spread the word.
I think gossips tend to not be so attracted to me since I don't have a lot of dirt, and the dirt I have I try not to spread (that Golden Rule thing).
ReplyDeletePerhaps instead of locating a gossip, who may or may not be trusted due to, I'm sure, the reputation of being a gossip and most likely embellishing stories to make them seem more interesting, it's probably a better strategy to locate people who are in tight with a specific cause. Then show them how the evil drug war affects their focus:
• bankers, corruption and laundering money.
• Law Enforcement and how it's caused a serious lack of respect for cops
• sick people, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's patients, who could be benefitting from cannabis
• parents, how prohibition means drugs are going to be dealt by kids with adult distributors looking to avoid harsh sentences
• parents, since other kids are dealers it's easier for their kids to be offered drugs by other kids
• and so forth.
Like you, for now, I am tackling this one at a time. I use these handouts, and pass them out to people as I'm on errands.