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Prosecutors are urged to fight against legalizing drugs like marijuana
Standard Democrat(Mississippi) | 12/29/02 | Scott Welton

Posted on 01/02/2003 5:17:17 AM PST by Sparta

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To: Hemingway's Ghost
I imagine that in most locales, the answer is yes.
221 posted on 01/03/2003 6:34:06 AM PST by Cultural Jihad
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To: Mudboy Slim
Do you think Jesus Christ wouldda been pro-WOSD?!

I think not, although I'm sure he wouldn't have been pro-StoniesEverywhere, either.

That's a good question and not that easy to answer. If you really cared what He thinks then consider that His first miracle was to turn water into wine, not grape juice as Baptists would have you believe. But that doesn't mean weed is ok with Him anymore than "Let him without sin cast the first stone" means that all sin is just fine with Him either.

222 posted on 01/03/2003 6:43:41 AM PST by biblewonk
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To: Hemingway's Ghost; Roscoe
Using California as an example, where possession has been a misdemeanor for decades...

Possession of 28.5 grams or less of marijuana is not an arrestable offense. As long as the offender can provide sufficient identification and promises to appear in court, the officer will not arrest the offender. Upon conviction of the misdemeanor charge the offender is subject to a fine of $100. Possession of greater than 28.5 grams is punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $500.

Decriminalization: The state has decriminalized marijuana to some degree. Typically, decriminalization means no prison time or criminal record for first-time possession of a small amount for personal consumption. The conduct is treated like a minor traffic violation.

http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?wtm_view=&Group_ID=4525

If indeed 99 out of 100 who are arrested are done so at the state level, then 99 out of 100 who are bothered at all are given either a ticket or a verbal warning only. Even so, probably 99 out of 100 users never have any dealings with the justice system anyway.
223 posted on 01/03/2003 6:44:47 AM PST by Cultural Jihad
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To: buffyt
"I would still smoke it if it became legal. Instead of a Friday night martini I might smoke a joint. Oh no! Oh my!"

And what does God think of you getting high? Oh, my bad. Forget you don't give a rip what God thinks. Or do you?

224 posted on 01/03/2003 6:48:57 AM PST by Windsong
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To: Cultural Jihad
I imagine that in most locales, the answer is yes.

Using California as an example, where possession has been a misdemeanor for decades...

I believe people that do data analysis refer to this as "cherry picking".

225 posted on 01/03/2003 6:53:41 AM PST by tacticalogic
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To: biblewonk
But that doesn't mean weed is ok with Him

That's not the question---the question is whether caging adults for using weed is OK with Him. I think that "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and render unto God the things that are God's" and "Put away your sword" strongly suggest otherwise.

226 posted on 01/03/2003 7:06:15 AM PST by MrLeRoy
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To: Windsong
And what does God think of you getting high?

Is there any reason to think God wants her caged for getting high?

227 posted on 01/03/2003 7:07:35 AM PST by MrLeRoy
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To: tacticalogic; Roscoe
And how many of those arrests were made by state leo's assigned to, directed by, and is some cases paid for through one of the more than 200 DEA State and Local Task Force programs?

I'd love to know---but I won't hold my breath waiting for an answer from Roscoe.

228 posted on 01/03/2003 7:11:38 AM PST by MrLeRoy
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To: MrLeRoy
That's not the question---the question is whether caging adults for using weed is OK with Him. I think that "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and render unto God the things that are God's" and "Put away your sword" strongly suggest otherwise.

It's still not quite that simple. The verses about the government being God's ministers for your own good and they don't carry the sword in vain implies that IF it really is ultimately worse for man that drugs be more legal then some control is a good thing. But we agree that there is an analog function between a pot plant grown along a tomato plant in your garden vs being a major crack dealer. The two can not be discussed in the same conversation.

229 posted on 01/03/2003 7:19:22 AM PST by biblewonk
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To: MrLeRoy
I'd love to know---but I won't hold my breath waiting for an answer from Roscoe.

Roscoe likes to stick to the facts - very carefully selected ones.

230 posted on 01/03/2003 7:21:13 AM PST by tacticalogic
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To: Cultural Jihad; Roscoe
If indeed 99 out of 100 who are arrested are done so at the state level, then 99 out of 100 who are bothered at all are given either a ticket or a verbal warning only. Even so, probably 99 out of 100 users never have any dealings with the justice system anyway.

Interesting---thank you very much for the information. But I wonder, and maybe this is more of a question for Roscoe, if MJ possession is already being treated in many US jurisdictions as a slap on the wrist, on a policy level, why maintain such a strict federal prohibition on marijuana possession? Why all the angst from the top, especially now?

231 posted on 01/03/2003 7:37:58 AM PST by Hemingway's Ghost
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To: Windsong
And what does God think of you getting high? Oh, my bad. Forget you don't give a rip what God thinks. Or do you?

I give a crap what God "thinks." But why do you assume God's a tongue-clucking nosy neighbor? After all, he created both alcohol and marijuana and everything else under the sun. Are you assuming God effed up in this regard?

232 posted on 01/03/2003 7:40:52 AM PST by Hemingway's Ghost
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To: biblewonk
The verses about the government being God's ministers for your own good and they don't carry the sword in vain implies that IF it really is ultimately worse for man that drugs be more legal then some control is a good thing.

No they don't; they do say that government power MAY be legitimate, but that's a far cry from "IF it really is ultimately worse for man that drugs be more legal then some control is a good thing."

233 posted on 01/03/2003 7:52:29 AM PST by MrLeRoy
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To: biblewonk
"there is an analog function between a pot plant grown along a tomato plant in your garden vs being a major crack dealer. The two can not be discussed in the same conversation."

Problem is--for the pro-WOSD folks--a pot plant and crack or heroin are one and the same. To many folks, this is the height of hypocrisy and undercuts the entire concept of a morally-defensible WarOnSomeDrugs. Seems to me that the pro-WOSD folks have drawn the line in the sand are unwilling to admit that they drew it in the wrong place.

IMHO, a WOSD that had a chance to succeed would de-criminalize the WhackyWeed and focus on voluntary testing efforts to weed out abusers of other substances, but this article proves that sorta thinking is beyond the Federales' imagination. That's sorta why I feel the Feds secretly want this WOSD to fail so that they can simply ratchet up the level of Civil Liberties the Fascists can deprive the American citizenry.

FReegards...MUD

234 posted on 01/03/2003 8:30:04 AM PST by Mudboy Slim
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To: Sparta
Keep lying Feds, keep lying. Our children have such respect for liars. Soon, our department of propoganda will outshine the nazi's.
235 posted on 01/03/2003 8:35:28 AM PST by 68 grunt
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To: Cultural Jihad
Using California as an example

And according to the Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics--1996, Bureau of Justice Statistics; Albany, NY: Hindelang Criminal Justice Research Center, 1997; p. 413, table 4.38, the DEA made 5,835 marijuana arrests in 1996.

A couple of arrests per state per week. The typical pothead is about as likely to hit a state lottery as to be arrested by the DEA.

236 posted on 01/03/2003 8:38:57 AM PST by Roscoe
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To: Mudboy Slim
IMHO, a WOSD that had a chance to succeed would de-criminalize the WhackyWeed and focus on voluntary testing efforts to weed out abusers of other substances, but this article proves that sorta thinking is beyond the Federales' imagination. That's sorta why I feel the Feds secretly want this WOSD to fail so that they can simply ratchet up the level of Civil Liberties the Fascists can deprive the American citizenry.

Well we probably agree that the gmt doesn't need to be empowered to try and prevent weed from being smoked anymmore than it needs to be empowered to overtly control prostitution. Prostitution is not a good thing and should not be promoted, but it is not something that can be stopped with a few billion dollars worth of cops either.

Weed is not really a good thing though it smells great at concerts. I don't want to see it promoted on TV commercials but I don't want to see billions spent to try and micro-manage everyone's weekend hours either. I could probably ax my neighbor for a j tonight and get one without much worry about repercussion. Ditto if I wanted a ho. We are not really that without liberty, and maybe the very slight risk makes it a little more fun.

237 posted on 01/03/2003 9:04:20 AM PST by biblewonk
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To: Roscoe
I notice you still haven't answered tacticalogic's question: "And how many of those arrests [by local authorities] were made by state leo's assigned to, directed by, and is some cases paid for through one of the more than 200 DEA State and Local Task Force programs?"

I wonder why you're not answering this question.

238 posted on 01/03/2003 9:04:23 AM PST by MrLeRoy
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To: biblewonk
maybe the very slight risk makes it a little more fun.

You want risk, marry a woman who opposes your activities---don't impose your need for risk on the rest of us.

239 posted on 01/03/2003 9:07:01 AM PST by MrLeRoy
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To: MrLeRoy
It's not a problem for me since I don't do either. If you are having a problem getting cheap drugs and hos forgive the millions in this country who really don't care and aren't going to march to your paranoid drum beat that Big Government is on the take.
240 posted on 01/03/2003 9:13:06 AM PST by biblewonk
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