65 Law Professors Endorse Legalization of Cannabis (Yes on Prop 19)

[RainDog]

http://yeson19.com/endorse/lawprofessors/text

The professors, from schools such as Yale, Harvard, Georgetown, New York University, UCLA, Berkeley, George Mason University, Emory and the Washington College of Law, signed an open letter published by the "Yes on 19" campaign, all calling for legalization.

"Our communities would be better served if the criminal justice resources we currently spend to investigate, arrest, and prosecute people for marijuana offenses each year were redirected toward addressing unsolved violent crimes," they opined. "In short, the present policy is causing more harm than good, and is eroding respect for the law.

"Moreover, we are deeply troubled by the consistent and dramatic reports of disproportionate enforcement of marijuana laws against young people of color. Marijuana laws were forged in racism, and have been demonstrated to be inconsistently and unfairly applied since their inception. These are independent reasons for their repeal."

[stray cat]

1. I wonder how many of them still use it on a regular basis?

My guess is most of them

[RainDog]

3. That's not really the point, since they're commenting on the legal aspects

however, no doubt hundreds of thousands of Americans smoke pot who are in the professional classes.

the stereotypes about stoners remain in the American media, however. Just another example of how out of touch the right wing remains in this nation - to the detriment of us all.

[Gold Metal Flake]

5. Potsmoking liberal elitist university professors?

Pushing RW stereotypes much?

[RainDog]

6. much? I would say all the time. n/t

[CrownPrinceBandar]

23. Its "red-baiting" for the 21st century!........

but they call it "hippie-punching" these days.

[Gold Metal Flake]

24. It's just David Horowitz tripe recycled.

Unoriginal and lazy but it seems to pay if one makes a career out of it.

[Warren DeMontague]

15. All the more reason that it's ridiculous we're turning 70 Million otherwise productive, law abiding

American Citizens into criminals over a relatively benign plant.

[Starry Messenger]

2. I just voted Yes today on my absentee ballot!

I hope it passes and all of our out-of-state DU buddies will come visit us! :D

[RainDog]

4. woohoo!! the whole nation is watching California

I certainly hope this passes - it will be a people's earthquake.

[Starry Messenger]

8. I'm crossing my fingers!

[RainDog]

9. CA in 2010

Vermont, Oregon, Washington State, Colorado, Michigan in 2012.

[Fly by night]

17. Add Rhode Island to that list.

[RainDog]

19. gladly! what do you think the prospects are for TN? n/t

I think it would be a good thing to have something on the ballot in 2012 for mmj - to draw younger voters to the polls and to start the needed changes in the law.

plus, I'd just like to see the exploding heads at the SBC. lol

[RainDog]

22. oops.

I forgot that the route for such action in TN would be thru the legislative process, not a ballot initiative. my bad.

[RainDog]

7. kickin' for YES n/t

[Swamp Rat]

10. "Marijuana laws were forged in racism"

Amen!! :applause:

[RainDog]

11. Truth be told

"Marihuana influences Negroes to look at white people in the eye, step on white men's shadows and look at a white woman twice."
(Hearst newspapers nationwide, 1934)

"There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the U.S., and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz and swing, result from marijuana use. This marijuana can cause white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes,entertainers and any others."
- Federal Bureau of Narcotics Director Harry J. Anslinger,

"...the primary reason to outlaw marijuana is its effect on the degenerate races"
- Federal Bureau of Narcotics Director Harry J. Anslinger, 1930

"Marijuana is an addictive drug which produces in its users
insanity, criminality and death."

"Marijuana is the most violence causing drug in the history of mankind."

" one cigarette might develop a
homicidal mania, probably to kill his brother."

I would LOVE to see a gathering at Hearst's castle, with thousands of Californians dancing on his nasty grave.

[TexasObserver]

12. recommend

[RainDog]

13. Democrats have led in TX but some Texas Republicans have tossed pebbles in the water

...like they're trying to get out in front of this issue.

from August 2010

by noting that the Veterans Administration has approved the use of medical marijuana in states where it is legal for the treatment for PTSD as a reason to get behind a medical mj bill in TX.

http://www.texastribune.org/texas-special-interest-groups/interest-groups/medical-marijuana-advocates-try-again-with-bill/

Betzen...is executive director of Texas Coalition for Compassionate Care, a Dallas-based nonprofit that, alongside Texas NORML and Medcan University, is lobbying legislators in hopes of reforming Texas’ marijuana laws. The organizations don't agree on strategy, however, with the TCCC pushing only for a limited law allowing medical use as a defense against criminal charges, and the others seeking broader legalization that would include permitting and regulating sales outlets.

Other politicians continue to see any legalization effort as poisonous. The recently elected chair of the Republican Party of Texas, Steve Munisteri, recently “liked” the TCCC on Facebook but promptly “unliked” it when a reporter called to ask whether he supported medical marijuana. (He never responded.) State Sen. Bob Deuell, R-Greenville, a doctor, also removed his Facebook association with the group; an aide says it was all a mistake.

Betzen points to New Mexico to bolster his argument for legalization. There, he says, about a quarter of medical marijuana users suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. “Roughly 25 percent of the patients in New Mexico are on the program for PTSD, and I would be willing to bet that most of those patients are veterans coming home from war,” he says. “This definitely represents a large constituency.”

[RainDog]

14. Legalization is a movement "whose time has come"

That California would be the first state to entertain pot legalization was inevitable, said Elaine Leeder, a Sonoma State University sociology professor.

Marijuana and same-sex marriage are social movements "whose time has come," Leeder said. Both are in the third phase of movements, known to academics as institutionalization.

Abolition of slavery, woman suffrage and civil rights are movements that migrated over time from society's margins to mainstream acceptance, she said.

(from page 4 in this long article with a variety of opinions about this issue)

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20101017/ARTICLES/10171035/1349?p=5&tc=pg

[OneGrassRoot]

16. K&R n/t

[pintobean]

18. Oh, good. 64 wouldn't have convinced me.

[NightWatcher]

20. did ya check out the rest of the lists? professors, politicians, law enforcement officials....

it just makes sense

[RainDog]

21. yes. LEAP - Law Enforcement

the lawyer who prosecuted Marc Emery thinks it should be legal

the NAACP in CA

Hispanic organizations

Former President of Mexico...

and, hopefully, a majority of voters in California.