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Protestors Want The Mma Changed.


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so you are blaming the legalization movement for patients being arrested, fired, having cps take the kids away, etc? dont make sense to me. maybe you could explain it?

 

Maybe if cops, employers, and CPS stop thinking of patients and caregivers as that hippie guy, tie dyed, and red eyed, unemployed, "wants to get wasted" guy they saw in the news down in Lansing holding the sign "Free the Weed fuc the government".

 

See, I also helped out at the medical tent during 2011 when Occupy came to Detroit to camp at Grand Circus Park. As I had a medical background and certs, the nurses needed me there to help run the tent. The professionals, the laid off, the retired - we had the same problem - here we wanted the public to take us seriously about economic and government problems - but it was that one darn jerk in the black blok or hippie clothes that would be put in the news, quoted "yea man people want to be free man!"

 

In the past I did appreciate the extra numbers of people that showed up to rally for the MMMP. But now I am not sure if it was one step forward and two steps back kind of thing.

I know REAL patients are sick, disabled, and limited in funds to travel and rally - but it is our fight.

 

You missed the questions - that could have helped you understand my point - "Why can't the legalization people ride their own ballot?" Say it for what it is. The MMMP is not the stepping stone to legalization, it was the first step toward recognizing marijuana as MEDICINE!!!!!!

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Part of the problem is how they perceive us Even when we do dress nicely and put ourselves in the "right look", they Don't Like our law nor do they like anyone who is a "stoner". They don't know what this is, a truly powerful medicine, they are closed minded and even with all the scientific proof they still bury their heads in the sand about the true benefits.

 

Ganja you are dead on. Where do we go from here? What bases have we not touched, seems we have tried everything but surely there are some over looked avenues we have not explored. Education is the key but they have to be open minded enough to even except that marijuana is not just a drug to get high on before it would make a difference. We know what has worked to a certain degree and I know that some of them are starting to change their tune about MM. How do we get more to be willing to look further then just seeing a gateway drug to corrupt the young or a bunch of die hard hippies smoking pot?

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Again, we are ALL ambassadors of this program! Do you really believe all of the contact we have made with the legislators has had NO effect? I promise you it has! Still keep talking tho, many of us un-closeted ourselves to prove to them we ARE reasonable , responsible ADULTS! This is the most powerful thing we can do...

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i think the 'hippies just want to get stoned' reason is a lie. its propaganda they tell people who will repeat it.

 

i mean, thats NOT the reason they hate marijuana.

 

i have not found out the real reason they hate marijuana. i suspect it is big money from pharmacuticals and the other big5 , playing a press release, psyops to keep it illegal.

 

so its kind of strange seeing the 'enlightened' people here repeat that manta, like that reason actually has a basis in reality. reality says, and polls agree, that medical marijuana has ~70% approval.

 

which brings me to my next point

 

controlling a protest and the actions of the public and how they choose to protest is a complete improbability (nigh impossible). you, of course, are free to complain about it. but complaining about an impossibility (tilting at windmills) annoys some people.

 

to me it sounds more like:

'this country would be better if only there werent _____ people around'

see?

'this protest would be better if only there werent _____ people around'

 

sure, you can complain about the guy dressed up as the pot leaf. or you could talk to him. find out his motivations. even educate him on the finer points of wearing a suit and tie.

 

or you could respect him and his choice. and not fall into the propaganda of the other side.

 

just trying to say 'complaining about pot leaf guy wont change anything'.

 

70% approval, thats awesome. logic, reasoning, compassion, common sense prevail!

Edited by teethpain
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i think the 'hippies just want to get stoned' reason is a lie. its propaganda they tell people who will repeat it.

 

i mean, thats NOT the reason they hate marijuana.

 

i have not found out the real reason they hate marijuana. i suspect it is big money from pharmacuticals and the other big5 , playing a press release, psyops to keep it illegal.

 

so its kind of strange seeing the 'enlightened' people here repeat that manta, like that reason actually has a basis in reality. reality says, and polls agree, that medical marijuana has ~70% approval.

 

which brings me to my next point

 

controlling a protest and the actions of the public and how they choose to protest is a complete improbability (nigh impossible). you, of course, are free to complain about it. but complaining about an impossibility (tilting at windmills) annoys some people.

 

to me it sounds more like:

'this country would be better if only there werent _____ people around'

see?

'this protest would be better if only there werent _____ people around'

 

sure, you can complain about the guy dressed up as the pot leaf. or you could talk to him. find out his motivations. even educate him on the finer points of wearing a suit and tie.

 

or you could respect him and his choice. and not fall into the propaganda of the other side.

 

just trying to say 'complaining about pot leaf guy wont change anything'.

 

70% approval, thats awesome. logic, reasoning, compassion, common sense prevail!

 

It's called paranoia. Paranoia is defined as an unreasonable fear.

 

This paranoia is government installed and maintained entirely by lies.

 

The view that we just want to get stoned is a big part of that program of lies.

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That was the point chrisinew made - Jones IS a senator, and while he is in office - why give him fuel to use against us "look at what kind of people are patients and caregivers"

People are too visually oriented - to give a person a bad picture gives them a thousand words to fake.

 

People do talk about people acting up at the Lansing protests - in one case, a man was asked not to smoke marijuana on the front steps of the capitol. We try to talk PRIOR to rallies to address proper behavior and coordinate good behavior. The man needed to medicate, and we offered him a private place. It would not help all those people who showed up to protest, if one person was arrested for breaking the MMMAct by smoking in public.

 

Paranoia maybe started by one group, but it takes the victim to maintain that impression. I saw a lot of mmma people who dressed up for the special day of protest, they wanted to show the public they were retired professionals, retired military, and some were sick all their lives and showed up in wheelchairs. This was a process - as many of us did make the mistake of showing up in tie dye on our first rally or protest. As the process went on, and we read the news after each rally - we decided that the image of patients and caregivers was very important - we have to look just like our neighbors, our parents, our sisters and brothers, our co-workers.

The protests and rallies have a purpose, and they are not individual - the purpose is to help the entire movement and its future. If you dress crazy for a rally - because you want to - are you thinking about everyone else? Wear your tie dye shirts around your house and neighborhood, wear your business clothes when participating in a rally or protest for other people. (MMMA)

 

Again, it is not to bash, but this is to educate - so we can continue to progress and move forward safely.

Edited by The Digital Nomad
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what a crock... the do nothing party says we are giving jones ammo? wtf get with the program the governments been giving jones ammo for 80 years...he lies he fabricates bunny muffin, hes a rude feking prick. its disgusting to see you folks trying so hard to do his job. if you want to hate on everyone and do nothing...why are you here? a movement is not a movement if it just sits still. oh ya call and talk to the same sectary that blew you off a hundred other times... ya thats gonna help out with rick jones. jmo.... but at times i feel sabotage is the agenda here.

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That was the point chrisinew made - Jones IS a senator, and while he is in office - why give him fuel to use against us "look at what kind of people are patients and caregivers"

even if you show up in suits and ties, he will find something else to point at.

People are too visually oriented - to give a person a bad picture gives them a thousand words to fake.

so organize protests with all patients who are confined to wheelchairs, or beds. roll those chairs/beds in front of the capitol and take your pictures.

 

fight propaganda with truth?

sen jones doesnt like sick people to feel better by using marijuana.

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what a crock... the do nothing party says we are giving jones ammo? wtf get with the program the governments been giving jones ammo for 80 years...he lies he fabricates bunny muffin, hes a rude feking prick. its disgusting to see you folks trying so hard to do his job. if you want to hate on everyone and do nothing...why are you here? a movement is not a movement if it just sits still. oh ya call and talk to the same sectary that blew you off a hundred other times... ya thats gonna help out with rick jones. jmo.... but at times i feel sabotage is the agenda here.

 

No, don't bother calling. Just join a protest that does more harm than good. I think I'd rather have people sit still than engage in behavior that is harmful to the movement. How do you not get that headlines like the title of this thread actually provide the legislature something to latch onto to justify their votes? "Well, the people want the act changed. Even the protestors did. So we made it better for ya!"

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There are people here saying it shouldn't matter how one dresses at a protest. Yes, in an ideal world that is true. Do we live in an ideal world or do we live in a world where first impressions make a difference in one's mind? Whether it SHOULD matter isn't what we should be asking. What we should be asking is whether it DOES matter. And it DOES matter.

 

Then we get others saying we've tried everything and we need to explore other options. But these are the same people that argue how we dress isn't an issue. Have you seen a protest of people in suits or at least a dress shirt and khakis? No. So HAVE we tried everything? No. It's the same old thing. You look at the crowd of people and see people who look like they rode there on their harley or like they went to sleep in 1968 and woke up today and then went to the protest. How is this good for the image of the cause?

 

I'll be the first to say that individualism is important. I have tie dyes. I have a motorcycle leather. I have black boots. But I'd no sooner wear that stuff to a protest than I would a job interview! Ever gone on a job interview dressed like that? Didn't think so.

 

So how about this--change the image portrayed by the medical marijuana user. Don't dress in a way that has historically been associated with a recreational user.

 

So what can be done that's different? How about this--those who plan protests should do so with the idea of not just getting warm bodies to show up. Restless, tell your boss to plan it like a pro next time. Develop a message ahead of time. A one sentence, to-the-point, message. Put THAT on the big banner behind the podium. Put THAT on press releases. And use THAT as the focus during an interview about the protest.

 

Then line up patients with compelling stories. Get them to speak and have prepared speeches or statements that don't contain filthy language but that are well-written and emotionally compelling. Let patients tell their stories and have the focus put on them. Don't have a string of random speakers that end up being gaffe-prone. You don't want your protest to be remembered for a $5 blowjob comment made by a speaker. Have a host speaker to explain the issues and tie them in with patient speeches.

 

Don't invite other groups that will result in a convoluted the message. Better to have fewer people than to have the entire protest hijacked. Tell people to dress like they are going to an interview or to church, or to their daughter's graduation. This is just a little of what can be done to be taken seriously. I'd suggest looking up one of malamute's posts where he makes suggestions for protests. He has a very comprehensive opinion regarding this that is spot-on.

 

Lastly, hire a lobbyist. There is no group in Michigan that wants to get things done a certain way in the legislature that DOESN'T have a lobbyist. Yet this group doesn't. FYI when I say "group" I don't mean the MMMA or patients in general but, rather, the complainers here than think another poorly organized protest will do any good. CPU has a lobbyist. Some here have labeled CPU as a "small" group with an agenda. If that is true then why can't a LARGE group hire a lobbyist?

 

Complaining that nothing is getting done and that everything has been tried is nonsense.

Edited by CaveatLector
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i'll tell you how the protest with everyone in suits and ties will go.

 

you'll all get there and do the speeches, the emotions, the heartfelt stories about survival.

 

sen jones will stick his head out a window, and make a remark to the reporter standing next to him.

"i smell marijuana"

then sen jones will point at a child whos parent is at the protest.

"they are smoking that dangerous weed next to a child"

"he is getting second hand stoned"

and that will be your next newspaper headline.

 

"kid gets second hand stoned at pot rally"

 

then sen jones will introduce his 'no smoking around kids' bill...

 

all that said. sure, i think a protest with people all in suits will be great.

protests work sometimes. calling works sometimes. letters and meeting with senators works sometimes.

 

there is no perfect way to participate in democracy.

i'm thankful for all of your hard work, and am glad we can help each other learn new things to help patients in the future.

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Would love to have seen a protest put together by all the suits in this group. I would rather see the people who I saw and talked with. Folks like me using a walker, canes, in wheelchairs, little babies with their sweet precious faces blown up from steroids whose family is fighting for his life and fighting to protect their rights to treat their son with RSO, people who shake so badly it's hard for them to hold their cane, cancer survivors who give me such great hope and inspiration with the great joy on their face and testimonial of how RSO has rid their bodies of cancer. Talking with our community, yes I talked to everyone one of the "suits" as they walked by, among ourselves to come up with ideas to what we can do to fight cancer, diabetes, pain issues, the bills! That is being productive, one of the things that make us the strongest is to come to terms with our differences and talk to find ways that do work, part of the rally is not only to let them know we are here and will fight the bills but is to give hope, strength, and to be connected to one another in this, together.

 

Now we know somethings have worked, we are making some headway, but at this point where do we go from here? We need something "more". To me education is the key.

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i'll tell you how the protest with everyone in suits and ties will go.

 

you'll all get there and do the speeches, the emotions, the heartfelt stories about survival.

 

sen jones will stick his head out a window, and make a remark to the reporter standing next to him.

"i smell marijuana"

then sen jones will point at a child whos parent is at the protest.

"they are smoking that dangerous weed next to a child"

"he is getting second hand stoned"

and that will be your next newspaper headline.

 

"kid gets second hand stoned at pot rally"

 

then sen jones will introduce his 'no smoking around kids' bill...

 

all that said. sure, i think a protest with people all in suits will be great.

protests work sometimes. calling works sometimes. letters and meeting with senators works sometimes.

 

there is no perfect way to participate in democracy.

i'm thankful for all of your hard work, and am glad we can help each other learn new things to help patients in the future.

Oh, I didn't know that was how it would go down. Well, nevermind about that then.

FYI, in case you didn't see, there was a child helping to hold up the NORML banner behind the podium on Wed. Good stuff!!! Way to win the hearts and minds...

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cl,

"Complaining that nothing is getting done and that everything has been tried is nonsense." i dont think thats the issue... you guys nay say everything... no help no nothing, just everything is dumb...unless its....CALL... you know call the same secretary you called 500 times...i have a stack of form letters from my reps...a stack of em...and the best you guys got is ....write letters...been there done that. i take issue with you guys hating on everyone's efforts and all you have to offer is the same bs. been there wrote that, on the same subject matter over and over....its gotten us where we are now, fighting those same bills.

 

where do we buy a lobbyist? how much? you know the dumbest thing a bunch of Cancer pts could do? give a pile of money to some crook in Lansing and hope he cares....you always mention this other group the huge one with the lobbyist, hows that working out for Michigan pts? did they help write all these horrible bills or did that group pay a crook who failed to do anything?

 

how we dress isnt an issue, i saw people stand in front of jones with suits on he rolled his eyes and shook his head just the same as he did for anyone else. its ridiculous to think a thousand people out there in cheap suits is going to sway penis jones mind. its a distraction at best. jones opinion of us wont change, not unless we are wearing a prison uniform.

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cl,

"Complaining that nothing is getting done and that everything has been tried is nonsense." i dont think thats the issue... you guys nay say everything... no help no nothing, just everything is dumb...unless its....CALL... you know call the same secretary you called 500 times...i have a stack of form letters from my reps...a stack of em...and the best you guys got is ....write letters...been there done that. i take issue with you guys hating on everyone's efforts and all you have to offer is the same bs. been there wrote that, on the same subject matter over and over....its gotten us where we are now, fighting those same bills.

 

where do we buy a lobbyist? how much? you know the dumbest thing a bunch of Cancer pts could do? give a pile of money to some crook in Lansing and hope he cares....you always mention this other group the huge one with the lobbyist, hows that working out for Michigan pts? did they help write all these horrible bills or did that group pay a crook who failed to do anything?

 

how we dress isnt an issue, i saw people stand in front of jones with suits on he rolled his eyes and shook his head just the same as he did for anyone else. its ridiculous to think a thousand people out there in cheap suits is going to sway penis jones mind. its a distraction at best. jones opinion of us wont change, not unless we are wearing a prison uniform.

 

 

Ah grasshoppa - you do not have to sway Senator Jones, but the people who vote for him. they are the ones we have to convince in the media..

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cl,

"Complaining that nothing is getting done and that everything has been tried is nonsense." i dont think thats the issue... you guys nay say everything... no help no nothing, just everything is dumb...unless its....CALL... you know call the same secretary you called 500 times...i have a stack of form letters from my reps...a stack of em...and the best you guys got is ....write letters...been there done that. i take issue with you guys hating on everyone's efforts and all you have to offer is the same bs. been there wrote that, on the same subject matter over and over....its gotten us where we are now, fighting those same bills.

 

where do we buy a lobbyist? how much? you know the dumbest thing a bunch of Cancer pts could do? give a pile of money to some crook in Lansing and hope he cares....you always mention this other group the huge one with the lobbyist, hows that working out for Michigan pts? did they help write all these horrible bills or did that group pay a crook who failed to do anything?

 

how we dress isnt an issue, i saw people stand in front of jones with suits on he rolled his eyes and shook his head just the same as he did for anyone else. its ridiculous to think a thousand people out there in cheap suits is going to sway penis jones mind. its a distraction at best. jones opinion of us wont change, not unless we are wearing a prison uniform.

Naysay? Isn't that kind of what you are doing here? You say wearing suits will do nothing and you point to Jones as if he casts EVERY vote. If you want to point to one diehard then I'll use your same logic. Why protest, Jones will just roll his eyes.....

 

Fact is, the legislature is made up of more than just Jones. Secondly, do you think a protest changes the minds of the legislature? The idea isn't to have the legislature look at the protestors and thus decide to vote differently. The idea is to garner PUBLIC support. You obviously don't get that. Did you not see the thousands protesting during the teacher protests? Did the legislators look at the throngs and use that to decide what why they voted? No.

 

Lastly, why are you asking where to buy a lobbyist and how much if all you are going to do is "naysay" and tells us they're worthless? Yes, I am sure they are worthless. That's why every major organization in this state uses them. Businesses love to spend money on worthless things. That's how they stay in business...

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Why you bunch of Hippocrates!!! Not one of you were there yet you will sit back and bad mouth those who took a stand for patient and caregiver rights.

How dare you sit there and propagate such anti patient and caregiver propaganda.

I had heard that this was a state approved site shall we say :/

Now I see it for myself, I never wanted to believe that such a thing was true.

But you arm chair cowboys just showed me the truth. You took a clear story and twisted it for your own purposes.

Remember this: There is a universal law called Karma and it just says you get what you put into something.

You tinkle on the fire the fire just might burn you.

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Why you bunch of Hippocrates!!! Not one of you were there yet you will sit back and bad mouth those who took a stand for patient and caregiver rights.

How dare you sit there and propagate such anti patient and caregiver propaganda.

I had heard that this was a state approved site shall we say :/

Now I see it for myself, I never wanted to believe that such a thing was true.

But you arm chair cowboys just showed me the truth. You took a clear story and twisted it for your own purposes.

Remember this: There is a universal law called Karma and it just says you get what you put into something.

You tinkle on the fire the fire just might burn you.

Who is doing the twisting? The first post in this thread links to the news story. No one here twisted that. That is the message you conveyed. You, and NORML and the dispensary bunch and repealtoday. No twisting necessary bro. You were warned how it would look if you went ahead with a protest and invited non pt and cg elements. It was more important to you to get warm bodies there than to preserve the clarity of the message. Your bad. Don't go pointing fingers.
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Who is doing the twisting? The first post in this thread links to the news story. No one here twisted that. That is the message you conveyed. You, and NORML and the dispensary bunch and repealtoday. No twisting necessary bro. You were warned how it would look if you went ahead with a protest and invited non pt and cg elements. It was more important to you to get warm bodies there than to preserve the clarity of the message. Your bad. Don't go pointing fingers.

 

 

 

And were you there to support patients? A simple yes or no will suffice.

At least we had the courage to stand up for patients unlike those that sit at their computers and cry wolf. ( which takes no courage )

Take a chance and stand up and be a hero not a ZERO!!!!

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And were you there to support patients? A simple yes or no will suffice.

At least we had the courage to stand up for patients unlike those that sit at their computers and cry wolf. ( which takes no courage )

Take a chance and stand up and be a hero not a ZERO!!!!

Oh I was there. Saw the kid (literally a KID about 12 or so) holding up the NORML sign. Saw the huge dispensary presence. Saw the overwhelming legalization presence. Walked away disgusted. It wasn't about pts and cgs it was about special interests. I'm pro-legalization but I am strongly against infecting the cause by confusing the issues.
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It was open, no one has a special pass to come or go. Depends on your perception and if your a negative person or a positive one of what this was about. We were there to stand up for your rights and rather you see that or not is up to you. There was power, did you see the tiny little guy holding up the sign where his dad is fighting against cancer? Did you go mingle among the crowd? Did anyone talk to the "fellow" caregivers and patients? There you found the real message and in the speeches. Listen with an open heart instead of a cold one and you might learn what the "grunts" are doing.

 

BTW was it you I took a pic of on the roof top across the street?

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