Friday, July 30, 2010

I always thought I had a right to voice my opinion

I always thought I had a right to voice my opinion to elected officials without being called names, guess I was wrong...

It seems Arizona State Senator John Huppenthal thinks people who speak out in opposition to the $20 Luxury Tax on medical marijuana are all "dope peddlers". At least that's what he called me when responded to an email I sent him recently.

In a recent Arizona Republic article Senator John Huppenthal told a reporter that he supported both the medical marijuana tax and the $20 per ounce luxury tax. For some reason he said he hoped the luxury tax would be a "deterrent".

I couldn't imagine how our elected official's could not only add the state sales tax to medicine, but a $20 Luxury Tax too. Why would they think sick people should be deterred from getting the medicine they need?

Why would Senator John Huppenthal want to deter someone in constant pain, or who can't keep food down because of the nausea from getting the medicine they need.

So I sent Senator Huppenthal an email asking him why, and telling him that he must have a lot of hate in him to want Arizona citizens to live in constant pain.

The next day he fired back an email telling me to "quit trying to fool people" that I was a "dope peddler", and that "People should be very cautious about any pain medicince and potential addiction". He misspelled medicine, not my typo.

I was confused; did he really think that Arizona citizens who speak in support of medical marijuana are all dope peddlers? When it comes to addiction, I agree people should be cautious with pain medication, but actually if he checked the number of pain patients who become addicted to opioids is very low, but we were talking about marijuana. Does this senator really still believe marijuana is addictive?

The next day he sent another email with an apology. He said, "I owe you an apology and I do apologize. I interpreted your note as you to be solely a spokesperson for medical marijuana. I see that you are a sufferer of pain".

So if I suffer pain, and not solely a spokesperson for a patient's right to medical marijuana, I'm not a dope peddler? But if I'm solely a spokesperson for a patient's right to medical marijuana, I'm a dope peddler ....... I just don't understand.

I ask for a meeting with Senator Huppenthal, but haven't received a reply as of today.

5 comments:

  1. For what it's worth, the Arizona legislature's website lists his contact as jhuppenthal[at]azleg[dot]gov. I'd say the people of Arizona in particular should be contacting him.

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  2. IF you want to get his attention, write a letter to the editor of the local rag on what you've written here. That will get his attention >)

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  3. Those who want to sell marijuana and want to call it medical marijuana are dope peddlers. Dope is dope no matter what you call it.

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  4. The time is here Lavage to flush you all out! Down with the hate! The real dopes are those who spread evil lies; they damn their souls. Through your very actions you shout at God, "DAMN YOU TO HELL GOD for making these plants! Your love it no match for the malevolence in our hearts towards the people who benefit from them! We insist on driving our country past broke to the DEAth generation to pay for destroying others' lives!"

    Jay, no offense to you intended, but if your senator had any guts or the slightest hint of God's love in his soul, instead of casting the narrowest of apologies he would have instead said something like, "Wow! I owe you an apology and I do apologize. I now realize that you used to fight against drugs and drug users, but you have done the homework, albeit through tragic circumstances, and now realize that the Drug War is a ruinous evil blight on not only our society, but the whole world. And you've gone beyond just recognizing that, but are actively trying to repeal prohibition. Jesus has a saying for that; there is 'more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent,' Luke 15:7. Thank you for bringing tears to my eyes and warmth to my heart. I see now you have turned an ocean-liner around in your mind, a great feat of moral and intellectual courage, to question yourself, your beliefs, and your strongly held views. And realized how destructive this policy is and the enormous need to repeal prohibition. Please come to my office at once and fill me in on all the details." :-)

    Dear LUV_AZ, there is still hope for the prohibitionists! Y'all need not be cut down with the Drug War Tree and thrown in the fire. Trot yourself on over the the CAP website and do some reading. Tell me where the theology is wrong, send a link to your minister and have him/her scrutinize it. Please tell me what the errors are so I can correct them. Thanks! If you're not Christian, then I apologize, not trying to force my religion on you. But I must note that not all the essays over there are religious.

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  5. Dope is dope no matter what you call it.

    I assume we'll be hearing about your campaign to re-prohibit alcohol any day now, right?

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