I have attended the last two meetings and must say that I really enjoyed them. The barbeque yesterday was a blast! Thanks to all the staff that made it turn out to be such a wonderful event. I do have a suggestion for future meetings that I think would be usefull. I know that every meeting there are usually some new faces around, and I thought that it would be cool if we could maybe have a "fact" section of the meetings. Where someone could expose all the lies about cannabis and we could discuss the positives. Ive already met some people at the meetings that just "came out of the closet" about weed, who maybe dont know as much about it as others. I think if we could help educate them, they could pass on the information. Through the school systems children our taught from an early age that pot is just as dangerous crack, etc...
We need to expose the truth so that people can recognize cannabis for what it is. I would be happy to help with any research that needs to be done. Thanks again for doing such a good job.
-Jonathan-
Suggestion?
If my kids thought I smoked pot, they'd never let me have my grand-kids alone again. I live in a small town where everybody knows everybody else, and I wouldn't want to rub law enforcement the wrong way around here. I'd be a target-an easy target since they don't bother to try to solve any crimes around here. They could just drive to my house. They know me by name and where I live, too- and I've never been in trouble with the law. It's just a very small town.
However, I have still managed to educate myself, and do my best to help others educate even more people. I appreciate your idea, but am not sure how it could be done, since dfwn doesn't print educational flyers. Cheez made some nice meeting date/location printable flyers. Perhaps he could make 3 or 4 printable educational flyers and people could print some and bring them to each meeting to share. I made a printable flyer a couple of years ago and recently revised it. It's a Word Doc with 3 columns, one-sided, and designed to drop off in places where whomever finds them will be curious enough to read them, such as in bathroom stalls, on tables where I dined, in police station rest rooms, on a table in a library, or they can be enclosed with a letter to your representative. I just can't find anywhere to upload them because I'm not computer savvy enough. I'll ask Lily if there's any way to upload them here. I could just cut and paste them here, but because of the tables and exact space used, I'm afraid they wouldn't print out right and they'd be worthless. So, if anyone knows of anyplace on the web where I can upload the flyer where anyone can download/print it, please contact me at manopeace 222 at thefreesite dot com.
In the meantime, I think that something DFWN might be able to do is what TXNORML does- host an activist day. They are having a great turn-out with these and have had to add another one due to popular demand. The two directors are friends, as Leon was a member of TXNORML before he took over DFWNORML. In these, attendees can be educated, as you suggest, and also be taught how to write letters effectively, etc.
Excellent suggestion!!!!
Oh, and please check out my last post, in "From the Field", entitled: Please forward this to all your non-activist, non-smoking friends. It is a NORML blog of a news story which makes several excellent, simply intelligent points, one of which is how rational thinking about the drug war is an effect of the war on drugs. It's something that is so simplistically written, it's great for educating the uninterested/asleep/uneducated masses, i.e., your friends and family.
Good luck. Sorry I missed the meeting. I couldn't get online to get directions. I made it over that way & asked around a lot, but still couldn't find it and had to drive back home, an hour-long trip. Sounds like it was a lot of fun. I really enjoy meeting fellow activists.
You mention coming out of the closet. I have been "out of the closet" for 41yrs. I have never tried to hide the fact that I am a responsible adult user of cannabis, and, surprising to some, I have never been arrested for using. Don't be shy about showing your preference, don't be afraid to wear your T-shirt, or your cannabis leaf pin, or button. The sky will not fall, the world will not end. Most important EDUCATE yourself so you can speak with confidence about cannabis. People fear what they don't know, let them know the truth.
4yrs USMC where I served with honor. I am almost a perfect citizine, I obey all the laws of this great country except one, change the law, make me perfect