Rick Steves & ACLU Launch Marijuana Campaign

[AnnInLa]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2004181467_marijuana14m.html



Travel writer Rick Steves and the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington have formed a partnership to tackle a topic they call the equivalent of the prohibition of alcohol in the 1920s: the criminalization of marijuana.

Steves, the Edmonds-based travel guru who five years ago openly acknowledged that he uses marijuana while visiting Europe, says he's not "pro-marijuana," but in favor of discussing the laws that affect the 830,000 Americans who are arrested annually under existing marijuana laws. About 90 percent of the arrests are for possession.

Saying the laws disproportionately affect minorities and can impose severe consequences for possessing as little as 40 grams (roughly the equivalent of two packs of cigarettes), the state ACLU received funding from the national organization to create an informational program it hopes will air on television stations and the Internet. Steves appears in the program.

snip



"Marijuana use should be treated primarily as a health issue, not a criminal one. In Europe I've seen how more thoughtful approaches to social issues can really work. Our government's war on drugs sounds very tough and results-driven, but all it really succeeds at is being enormously expensive, tearing families apart and treating nonconformists as criminals," Steves said. He said as a society we've made the same mistake as was made when lawmakers banned alcohol during Prohibition.

more at link above

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. "Travel" with Rick Steves.

[panader0]

4. Stop, you are giving me a flashback!

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

2. How many lifetime criminals do we manufactur each year?

How many of that 830,000 end up turning to crime after being sent off to jail? That's the number I would like to see. The "war on drugs" is worse than a failure - it actually makes things worse.

[Bluenorthwest]

3. europe through the back door

I love Rick Steves!

[LibertyLover]

5. Cool - another reason

for me to like Rick Steves.

[tanyev]

6. Kick for Rick.

:applause:

[Tesha]

7. Risk Steves spoke at the ACLU Biennial Convention in 2007 in Seattle; he was great!

And it's great to see the ACLU moving forward on this issue.

Tesha

[tridim]

8. Saw his show when he was in Amsterdam..

And when he came upon a coffee shop I could tell he wanted to say more than PBS allowed him to say. He should have just gone in and said, "Be back in 4 hours". :smoke:

It feels like something's going to pop in the WOD soon. My guess would be two years into the Obama administration.

[Cant trust em]

9. Rick Steves is a dork, but he knows his shit, nt

[donsu]

10. kick

nt

[supernova]

11. Very cool

thanks for the good news on Friday. :-)

Could Rick Steves get any more adorable. ;-)

Liberal men make me hot. :loveya:

[jgraz]

12. hahaha -- When I read the headline I thought "No, it can't be THAT Rick Steves!"

But yes! Mr. "Europe through the Back Door" himself!



Way to go, Travel Dork! :applause:

[AlCzervik]

13. travel guy Rick Steves? I love that guy, his shows are really helpful.

[Uncle Joe]

14. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, AnnInLa

[WinkyDink]

15. Rick Steves is DA MAN! Love his shows!

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

16. A few months back...

There was a thread where the OP accused Steves of being a Freeper.

Wrong! On multiple counts, as if his support of the ACLU and marijuana use wasn't enough! Steves is a bleeding heart liberal (and I mean that in the most complimentary sense) and is definitely "one of us."

[Touchdown]

17. You know, he does do a LOT of munching on his shows.

He knows where every bakery, winery, confectionary, and gyros stand in Europe are. Now I know why.:rofl: