You rock for writing to politicians!
It very easy to submit a letter online to several politicians from your state gov. site. You tend to get responses each time. Even if you get a form letter response, your opinion does matter and it gets counted for tracking statistics. If you don't like to write or know somebody that says it better, use someone else's letter with their permission - cut-n-paste. Takes 5 minutes.
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Seems to be a pre-written response to the idea of legalization. There is a separate bill concerning Medical Marijuana use. Your letter refers specifically to the bill on responsible recreational use. So, she responded to you in a way that suggests pre-programmed thinking and/or a form letter. She brought up in several paragraphs issues concerning medical marijuana and technically, medical use is off-topic. She is attempting to use her medical position to defend a civil rights issue - a big red flag that she isn't paying attention/isn't an analytical thinker/has poor reading comprehension. Vote her out. That is not what your letter was about. It's as if she was responding primarily to a medicinal argument. Write back cordially and ask why she responded regarding Medical Marijuana when you were inquiring about a completely separate bill solely concerned with civil liberties and responsible use by adults. She didn’t address the issue. You were sand-bagged.
Comments in-line brackets: OR When Politicians Have Poor Literacy
Entertainment compliments of Marsha Blackburn:
“It is often suggested that even if all controlled substances are not made available to the general public, some of them, particularly marijuana, could be used to relieve suffering. [This sentence makes no sense. The sentence says if drugs are illegal, instead of legal, then they could relieve suffering.] Because the medicinal use of marijuana has not been endorsed by the American Medical Association and other health associations, I have difficulty supporting the proposal.” [What does Medical Marijuana have to do with a bill regarding the recreational use of marijuana by responsible adults? The AMA doesn’t endorse alcohol for recreational use as well. But that too has nothing to do with Mr. Mason’s letter – pay attention!]
Drugs are the number one cause for crime and violence in our nation and have done much to destroy the American family. [I think we can all agree that MONEY is actually the cause of this crime and violence she’s talking about. When you deflate the value of black market items like drugs via decriminalization, you greatly reduce the negative consequences to society. It’s sociology but also economic theory. By devaluing soft drugs in a capitalist society, you promote a safer natural environment. One major problem with her response is that she has suddenly jumped to a broader pool of arguments, all drugs in general, to try to force an overshadowing tone. Again, she’s avoiding the direct issue; she’s avoiding what the letter addresses.]I feel legislation to legalize marijuana would reduce the perception of the risks and costs of drug abuse and instead lead to increased usage of marijuana and a gateway to other illegal drugs. [Run-on sentence. She is sharing her feelings, which means they trump her constituency and your voice. Her point about reduced risk-perception and gateway-theory was equally valid when alcohol was prohibited. They said alcohol would lead to marijuana use, and it does. Gateway-theory is simple-minded, flawed, but partially valid. Sugar, caffeine, exercise and adventure are gateway-agents as well, chemically speaking.] Furthermore, on June 6, 2005, the Supreme Court ruled that the federal government can now ban the medical use of marijuana even in states that had eliminated sanctions for its use. [Why is she going on about MMJ? She might as well mention Roe v. Wade… She doesn’t understand the difference; she hasn’t read the bills yet. Will she ever? And cannabis users get a bad rap?]
Although we do not see eye to eye on this issue [umm, she has yet to acknowledge the issue], I assure you that your opinion is valuable and I hope to hear from you regarding any future concerns you may have [thus you should point out some of these thing to her and ask for a response that addresses the issue.] We all agree that protecting American communities from violent crime is of paramount importance, and I look forward to working with you to achieve that goal. [Apparently she associates crime with your view, the bill that simply says you have civil liberties and the right to have a little personal pot inside your house for your own private, responsible use.]
Please know that I appreciate both your interest and time in contacting us on this issue. [ Us? Who’s us? Didn’t you write to a single person that possesses sole privilege on deciding how the vote is cast?] As the discussion moves forward on this and other issues, please feel free to visit our website at U.S. Congressman Marsha Blackburn where you can sign-up for our email update, learn about constituent services, and find the latest legislative news and critical information that affects and concerns the people of Tennessee. [Can this really be called a discussion? Ms. Blackburn never acknowledged that she understood the letter.]
[And this folks is an American politician that you & me & your neighbors selected for her abilities. Regardless of penmanship, reading and understanding are very critical parts of a politician’s job, as well as a cannabis activist’s. If a middle-school equivalent of reading-comprehension is the best a Tennessee Congresswoman can do in response to a single paragraph, then we have some fucking problems.]
It very easy to submit a letter online to several politicians from your state gov. site. You tend to get responses each time. Even if you get a form letter response, your opinion does matter and it gets counted for tracking statistics. If you don't like to write or know somebody that says it better, use someone else's letter with their permission - cut-n-paste. Takes 5 minutes.______________________________________________________________
Seems to be a pre-written response to the idea of legalization. There is a separate bill concerning Medical Marijuana use. Your letter refers specifically to the bill on responsible recreational use. So, she responded to you in a way that suggests pre-programmed thinking and/or a form letter. She brought up in several paragraphs issues concerning medical marijuana and technically, medical use is off-topic. She is attempting to use her medical position to defend a civil rights issue - a big red flag that she isn't paying attention/isn't an analytical thinker/has poor reading comprehension. Vote her out. That is not what your letter was about. It's as if she was responding primarily to a medicinal argument. Write back cordially and ask why she responded regarding Medical Marijuana when you were inquiring about a completely separate bill solely concerned with civil liberties and responsible use by adults. She didn’t address the issue. You were sand-bagged.
Comments in-line brackets: OR When Politicians Have Poor Literacy
Entertainment compliments of Marsha Blackburn:
“It is often suggested that even if all controlled substances are not made available to the general public, some of them, particularly marijuana, could be used to relieve suffering. [This sentence makes no sense. The sentence says if drugs are illegal, instead of legal, then they could relieve suffering.] Because the medicinal use of marijuana has not been endorsed by the American Medical Association and other health associations, I have difficulty supporting the proposal.” [What does Medical Marijuana have to do with a bill regarding the recreational use of marijuana by responsible adults? The AMA doesn’t endorse alcohol for recreational use as well. But that too has nothing to do with Mr. Mason’s letter – pay attention!]
Drugs are the number one cause for crime and violence in our nation and have done much to destroy the American family. [I think we can all agree that MONEY is actually the cause of this crime and violence she’s talking about. When you deflate the value of black market items like drugs via decriminalization, you greatly reduce the negative consequences to society. It’s sociology but also economic theory. By devaluing soft drugs in a capitalist society, you promote a safer natural environment. One major problem with her response is that she has suddenly jumped to a broader pool of arguments, all drugs in general, to try to force an overshadowing tone. Again, she’s avoiding the direct issue; she’s avoiding what the letter addresses.]I feel legislation to legalize marijuana would reduce the perception of the risks and costs of drug abuse and instead lead to increased usage of marijuana and a gateway to other illegal drugs. [Run-on sentence. She is sharing her feelings, which means they trump her constituency and your voice. Her point about reduced risk-perception and gateway-theory was equally valid when alcohol was prohibited. They said alcohol would lead to marijuana use, and it does. Gateway-theory is simple-minded, flawed, but partially valid. Sugar, caffeine, exercise and adventure are gateway-agents as well, chemically speaking.] Furthermore, on June 6, 2005, the Supreme Court ruled that the federal government can now ban the medical use of marijuana even in states that had eliminated sanctions for its use. [Why is she going on about MMJ? She might as well mention Roe v. Wade… She doesn’t understand the difference; she hasn’t read the bills yet. Will she ever? And cannabis users get a bad rap?]
Although we do not see eye to eye on this issue [umm, she has yet to acknowledge the issue], I assure you that your opinion is valuable and I hope to hear from you regarding any future concerns you may have [thus you should point out some of these thing to her and ask for a response that addresses the issue.] We all agree that protecting American communities from violent crime is of paramount importance, and I look forward to working with you to achieve that goal. [Apparently she associates crime with your view, the bill that simply says you have civil liberties and the right to have a little personal pot inside your house for your own private, responsible use.]
Please know that I appreciate both your interest and time in contacting us on this issue. [ Us? Who’s us? Didn’t you write to a single person that possesses sole privilege on deciding how the vote is cast?] As the discussion moves forward on this and other issues, please feel free to visit our website at U.S. Congressman Marsha Blackburn where you can sign-up for our email update, learn about constituent services, and find the latest legislative news and critical information that affects and concerns the people of Tennessee. [Can this really be called a discussion? Ms. Blackburn never acknowledged that she understood the letter.]
[And this folks is an American politician that you & me & your neighbors selected for her abilities. Regardless of penmanship, reading and understanding are very critical parts of a politician’s job, as well as a cannabis activist’s. If a middle-school equivalent of reading-comprehension is the best a Tennessee Congresswoman can do in response to a single paragraph, then we have some fucking problems.]
