Thank You

[mizerman]

During last night's Planet Green Trees Webisode, I sent via PM a question to Herbert Reyes and to Michael Komorn with the hope that they would answer it on the air - they did. I know they didn't have to. Just wanted to say thank-you.

 

This is what I sent them.

 

"What is so weird in hearing Michael's opening statement is this: About a year ago when I walked away from the MMMA one of the reasons I did so was because Joe Cain made every other group in the state out to be the anti-Christ. I said back then that was a big mistake and that the MMMA should work "WITH" others vs. what Joe was doing. Guess what? Even Michael adopted Joe's attitude and told me those other groups were out to destroy my rights as a patient and that I didn't know what in the hell I was talking about. Really? I don't think so now...and, I obviously didn't then. Now, Rick Thompson and Jamie Lowell are on the show each week. Wouldn't it have been something if this decision was made ONE YEAR AGO vs. this week? So, my question to Michael is this: What took you so long to finally realize the direction you were leading the MMMA in (at the direction of Joe Cain - the face & voice of your organization) was wrong and that you needed to rid yourself of someone with a "Jim Jones cult-like personality"?

 

Thank you very much to Herbert Reyes for reading my question on the air.

 

Thank you very much to Michael Komorn for answering it.

 

I'm not the most religious guy on the planet, but I know it is Easter Weekend and Hash Bash all rolled into one. So, no matter your religious persuasion...I hope that everyone can unite and rally behind the entire medical marijuana community...especially the patients whom this law was supposed to be all about in the first place.

 

Time will tell.

 

This is a great first step!

 

Mizerman

 

p.s. Baby Steps...

[+Silverblue]

(Deep Sigh). I just want this mess to settle down. The big vote is coming up, we must focus on that, our future is in the balance, even for me. It will determin whether or not I re-apply. Whatever I decide, I'm still beside all of you.

 

Sb

[cristinew]

Thanks Mizerman very well said, and thank you Herb and Michael

[+kurt klaas]

To all who read the MMMA forums:

 

Those who have been involved with and have been watching the fortunes of the MMMA over its short lifetime know that this is not the first time there has been serious MMMA leadership conflict, although this bout is probably the most serious episode to date.

 

I want to offer my two cents about the current leadership upheaval.

 

1. It only holds the healing process back if people spend time digging into the distant or recent past and bringing it up to try and understand how it all could have happened and how it could have come to this mess. Try to forget about that as much as possible. LOOK TOWARD THE FUTURE AND WHAT CONTRIBUTIONS CAN BE MADE TO MAKE THAT MORE EFFECTIVE.

 

(If you want to know the essence of it, it is this. Any person in the kind of key leadership position that Blueberry filled, voluntarily, is caught up in trying to manage high pressures coming from different factions advancing their agendas that all come together in a cauldron of high conflict that generates tremendous stress on the key leader who must deal with it all. The pressure is such that it will cause serious damage on any person who has weaknesses in their leadership abilities or has personality deficits. One response to the growing feeling of not being able to control the flow of events and conflict is to become more desperate in trying to manage it all. If anything, Blueberry is a casualty of the intense pressures on the MMJ community that come from many sides. The person who will be brave or crazy enough to replace him will be faced with the same exact difficult problems and power contests and will be attacked from all sides too.)

 

2. I have said it before, and I repeat it again: the moderators must exercise good judgment and use their authority, when they need to, to censure any post in which the poster is generating self-interested chaos and unhealthy conflict. This happens all the time, people posting stuff that simply contributes to the chaos rather than moving the community forward. Despite the fact that some people complain about censorship of any kind, that no one should ever be banned, this is completely naive. At some point there needs to be lines drawn. I am not saying those lines have been drawn correctly in the recent past, but people do regularly cross a line that must never be compromised, for the sake of the health of the MMMA and the forums and the cause. Lots of stuff is being posted in this time of chaos that only makes the chaos worse, and I encourage the moderators to manage the conflict better by deleting posts that do so.

 

3. The MMJ cause is far bigger than any one particular person. NO ONE IS INDISPENSABLE. Do not get hung up on which personality to support or is wrong or right. Support the cause and determine loyalties from the point of view of what is best for the overall cause, not what is best or right or just as it regards a particular person.

 

4. It ought to be OK to disagree about even fundamental principles and policy views and not be banned from the MMMA or be attacked personally, which happens all the time, as people attribute bad motives to others with whom they disagree, when no one can know the inner motives of another person to begin with. Quit smearing the character of those you disagree with. Keep the debates centered on above-the-belt arguments. Forget about describing some person as good or bad, attack their viewpoints only.

 

5. Speak the truth, even when the truth is embarrassing or damages the image of the MMJ. Outsiders can easily see when insiders are playing games. It only makes the insiders look disingenuous and easy to ignore. For instance, speak the truth about abuse of government officials as it regards restricting the rights of persons to get access to medical care that is efficacious. But also speak the truth about abuse that plagues the MMJ cause. Speak all the truth, not just that which promotes the cause.

 

Kurt

[+Silverblue]

To all who read the MMMA forums:

 

Those who have been involved with and have been watching the fortunes of the MMMA over its short lifetime know that this is not the first time there has been serious MMMA leadership conflict, although this bout is probably the most serious episode to date.

 

I want to offer my two cents about the current leadership upheaval.

 

1. It only holds the healing process back if people spend time digging into the distant or recent past and bringing it up to try and understand how it all could have happened and how it could have come to this mess. Try to forget about that as much as possible. LOOK TOWARD THE FUTURE AND WHAT CONTRIBUTIONS CAN BE MADE TO MAKE THAT MORE EFFECTIVE.

 

(If you want to know the essence of it, it is this. Any person in the kind of key leadership position that Blueberry filled, voluntarily, is caught up in trying to manage high pressures coming from different factions advancing their agendas that all come together in a cauldron of high conflict that generates tremendous stress on the key leader who must deal with it all. The pressure is such that it will cause serious damage on any person who has weaknesses in their leadership abilities or has personality deficits. One response to the growing feeling of not being able to control the flow of events and conflict is to become more desperate in trying to manage it all. If anything, Blueberry is a casualty of the intense pressures on the MMJ community that come from many sides. The person who will be brave or crazy enough to replace him will be faced with the same exact difficult problems and power contests and will be attacked from all sides too.)

 

2. I have said it before, and I repeat it again: the moderators must exercise good judgment and use their authority, when they need to, to censure any post in which the poster is generating self-interested chaos and unhealthy conflict. This happens all the time, people posting stuff that simply contributes to the chaos rather than moving the community forward. Despite the fact that some people complain about censorship of any kind, that no one should ever be banned, this is completely naive. At some point there needs to be lines drawn. I am not saying those lines have been drawn correctly in the recent past, but people do regularly cross a line that must never be compromised, for the sake of the health of the MMMA and the forums and the cause. Lots of stuff is being posted in this time of chaos that only makes the chaos worse, and I encourage the moderators to manage the conflict better by deleting posts that do so.

 

3. The MMJ cause is far bigger than any one particular person. NO ONE IS INDISPENSABLE. Do not get hung up on which personality to support or is wrong or right. Support the cause and determine loyalties from the point of view of what is best for the overall cause, not what is best or right or just as it regards a particular person.

 

4. It ought to be OK to disagree about even fundamental principles and policy views and not be banned from the MMMA or be attacked personally, which happens all the time, as people attribute bad motives to others with whom they disagree, when no one can know the inner motives of another person to begin with. Quit smearing the character of those you disagree with. Keep the debates centered on above-the-belt arguments. Forget about describing some person as good or bad, attack their viewpoints only.

 

5. Speak the truth, even when the truth is embarrassing or damages the image of the MMJ. Outsiders can easily see when insiders are playing games. It only makes the insiders look disingenuous and easy to ignore. For instance, speak the truth about abuse of government officials as it regards restricting the rights of persons to get access to medical care that is efficacious. But also speak the truth about abuse that plagues the MMJ cause. Speak all the truth, not just that which promotes the cause.

 

Kurt

Very Well Said.

 

We are all casualties of this insane war. I feel sorry for anyone who gets stuck with Bb's job. My heart aches for him and everyone who's affected by this mess. It's so uneccesary. Had Our Law been Properly Implemented, this disaster would've been avoided.

 

The big vote is coming, let's all stay focused on writing more letters, and, for those who can, please call the reps and senators.

 

End the distractions, stay focused on helping each other. The victims of this war need us to stay strong and united. They need to know we are here for them. We're fighting for Our Law and for it to be Implemented as intended by We, the People.

 

It's OUR Law, Our Community, and OUR Rights.

 

Sincerely, sb

[Croppled1]

Who will stand up for the poor and individual caregivers now ? .There were so many positive accomplishments the past year like the letter writing campaign , the email o matic , the largest gathering ( protest ) in Lansing of medical cannabis proponents . People for the most part were civil and respectful .

 

I understand how Mr Cains viewpoints did not fit for those of a parent organization representing the whole state . However they were very much accepted by the poor and individual caregivers whose best alternative for distribution is a Farmers Market system of low overhead and thus costs . Many people now and before this needed more protections not rules that can violate them . Joe brought forth some great facts he did allot of good things . Being fired is very emotional under any circumstances let alone with a terminal health issue and people then negating all your good accomplishments . People have been saying he should be arrested thats cruel from anyone in our community . I don't think it is right to do to Joe what everyone felt was wrong for him to do to others . I don't think he meant to hurt others as much as he was obsessed with protecting those he saw as disadvantaged and at risk . If he is doing what people say it would be because as a terminal patient he has nothing else to cling to but his work . It is traumatic when one has none especially someone terminal with a family used to a certain level of contribution .

 

It is nice to see people back and anger dissipating .

 

I hope some people make it to the Legalization petition training tonight at the Clarion . I see it as the only way to whipe the books clean of over punitive laws against personal cannabis use and protect medical patients from those who won't accept it in this State . A person growing for personal use in my mind is a step above someone supporting the black market cartels but the penalties say the opposite . Am I the only one that remembers when 4 plants or less was a misdomeaner ? When did that change ? Time to start writting letters again - I agree .

[cristinew]

Hey Croppled1 wright a personal letter to your rep,about the size of your post above, alway start you letter out Honorable then your reps name , they do respect a personal letter, an email omatic is more like spam to them, and please do call them, talk nice,,good things do happen

[mizerman]

Hey Croppled1 wright a personal letter to your rep,about the size of your post above, alway start you letter out Honorable then your reps name , they do respect a personal letter, an email omatic is more like spam to them, and please do call them, talk nice,,good things do happen

 

Do you think it is a mere possibility that they view it like you do when you get a mailbox full of junk mail from the post office?

[cristinew]

ACTION STEPS

Step1

Get organized

Your grassroots advocacy "base" is comprised of those closest or most committed to your group or issue.

 

Read more…

 

Step2

Research the Public Official

Perhaps the single most important thing you can do to become an effective advocate is to learn about the issues and the positions of your elected representatives.

 

Read more…

 

Step3

Research the Issue

It's important for a citizen lobbyist to redefine what it means to be an "expert" -- learn the status of the issue and draw on your own stories and experiences.

 

Read more…

 

Step4

Communicate with your representative

Once your have learned about the issues, found your representatives, gotten organized, developed a message, it's time to take that message to your representative.

 

Read more…

 

Step5

Set up a face-to-face meeting

Connecting with your legislator in a face to face meeting is a great way to develop a relationship with them and work to influence the stands they take on your issues.

 

Read more…

 

Step6

Keep the momentum going

Long-term effective advocacy and the lobbying that supports it requires positive, trusting, strategic relationships with elected and appointed officials, their staff, the media and your own base.

[solabeirtan]

Who will stand up for the poor and individual caregivers now ? .There were so many positive accomplishments the past year like the letter writing campaign , the email o matic , the largest gathering ( protest ) in Lansing of medical cannabis proponents . People for the most part were civil and respectful .

 

I understand how Mr Cains viewpoints did not fit for those of a parent organization representing the whole state . However they were very much accepted by the poor and individual caregivers whose best alternative for distribution is a Farmers Market system of low overhead and thus costs . Many people now and before this needed more protections not rules that can violate them . Joe brought forth some great facts he did allot of good things . Being fired is very emotional under any circumstances let alone with a terminal health issue and people then negating all your good accomplishments . People have been saying he should be arrested thats cruel from anyone in our community . I don't think it is right to do to Joe what everyone felt was wrong for him to do to others . I don't think he meant to hurt others as much as he was obsessed with protecting those he saw as disadvantaged and at risk . If he is doing what people say it would be because as a terminal patient he has nothing else to cling to but his work . It is traumatic when one has none especially someone terminal with a family used to a certain level of contribution .

 

It is nice to see people back and anger dissipating .

 

I hope some people make it to the Legalization petition training tonight at the Clarion . I see it as the only way to whipe the books clean of over punitive laws against personal cannabis use and protect medical patients from those who won't accept it in this State . A person growing for personal use in my mind is a step above someone supporting the black market cartels but the penalties say the opposite . Am I the only one that remembers when 4 plants or less was a misdomeaner ? When did that change ? Time to start writting letters again - I agree .

Well said!