Deafgoat Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 I'm a longtime off and on cannabis user but have always felt the law could never be changed in my lifetime, so why bother? My optimism started rising slowly as the first states of the US started reforming cannabis prohibition laws, but the recent coverage of calls by some prominent people for an end to the war on drugs and re-looking at the idea of decriminalization and regulation. Not only that, but these articles seem to have a lot of sensible comments, and most of them are being rated up. I do know now that a lot of these comments are coming through an orchestrated campaign by other cannabis users, but it still made me feel like attitudes had changed significantly and I should get on board. It just goes to show how much of a difference people can make and how much it can affect others. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SATIVAMARK Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Yes. I don't really want to bang on about them due to not wanting to have your thread closed, but they are who people are referring to when they mention big egos/political infighting and such. It is pretty obvious their dear leader has other priorities. Anyway, a more recent activist group, NORML UK, who are a branch of the US activist group of the same name are probably a much better bet. NORML played a big part on raising awareness in the states, and purportedly played a decent role in the way things are moving over there. They are making the right noises, but it seems slow going at the moment, possibly largely due to the mess that the aforementioned group made has caused a lot of people to be suspicious of cannabis activism groups this side of the Atlantic. As someone else mentioned, it is going to take massive public pressure to make the powers that be buckle and give up the lobbyist funding coming from the anti side of the argument. Just my tuppence worth on (i believe) 99.99% of politicians regardless of their position. They all start out with the right motivation/ideaology of wanting to make a change for the better, for the community, the people, the country etc but as soon as they reach a publicly elected position which comes with benefts (expenses and the likes) their focus changes from what is good for everyone else to what is good for them. I have seen this for myself on many occasions. The MPs expenses row was typical of almost everyone in politics, if they think they can get away with it, they will!!! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddiesilence Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 (edited) Just my tuppence worth on (i believe) 99.99% of politicians regardless of their position. They all start out with the right motivation/ideaology of wanting to make a change for the better, for the community, the people, the country etc but as soon as they reach a publicly elected position which comes with benefts (expenses and the likes) their focus changes from what is good for everyone else to what is good for them. I have seen this for myself on many occasions. The MPs expenses row was typical of almost everyone in politics, if they think they can get away with it, they will!!! Yes. In the 13th Century, St. Thomas Aquinas talked about the impossibility of changing the system from within. He pointed out that his charity might motivate his involvement in politics, but the wealthy noblemen advising the King would prefer to keep their heads by serving the interests of the monarchy before the poor. He showed that the system changes you faster than you can change it. This principle has been articulated many times since, but perhaps the instance that will resonate most with UK420 was in 2008, when the first Rastafarian Member of the New Zealand Parliament, Nandor Tanczos, resigned from the House with an inspiring speech. Reflecting our own Tony Benn's famous valedictory quote, Nandor resigned from Parliament so he could free up his time for political activism, because the vast majority of political activity is done outside of the institutions of power. It's worth watching in full. Here's part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDqnNy3RgU8 e2a: "I came to Parliament, thinking you're all a bunch of bastards... and I was wrong." Edited January 4, 2013 by Eddiesilence 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tengreenfingers Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 I don't think we have any chance of doing what America did, because this isn't a republic. It's not even a democracy. We are ruled over and do not get to put issues onto a ballot and vote them in from below. We vote for one colour of ruler or another and THEY get to choose and vote on the rules. We get to be subjects and no more. I don't think we have any chance of doing what Spain did either, because we really don't have any "rights" here - just privileges. They have a right to privacy and that gives the basis to run a social club model. We have no right to privacy (or anything else, really) at all. Portugal won't happen here any time soon because our rulers would never accept the sense in decriminalising. Holland won't happen here any time soon because our rulers are completely and utterly intolerant (the Dutch model being the gedoogbeleid meaning "tolerance policy"). Uruguay (if anything comes of it there) won't happen here any time soon because our rulers won't consider decriminalisation or tolerance - there's no WAY they'll consider legalisation. There is no "Recreational Use", its all medicinal. There is no "Medicinal Use", its all recreational. Seriously, no joke. Think about it...... For lack of an equally succinct way of putting it, and not really agreeing with the traditional meaning of the symbol... ? I disagree with your points about voting though... not because I think you're wrong about priorities as such, but because I think voting is a tool that keeps us enslaved and is otherwise utterly useless. The rest of it (the priorities part) is far too complicated to get into here... maybe some happy day in the future when we all live in utopia we'll have a chat about it though. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ishmael Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Yes. In the 13th Century, St. Thomas Aquinas talked about the impossibility of changing the system from within. He pointed out that his charity might motivate his involvement in politics, but the wealthy noblemen advising the King would prefer to keep their heads by serving the interests of the monarchy before the poor. He showed that the system changes you faster than you can change it. This principle has been articulated many times since, but perhaps the instance that will resonate most with UK420 was in 2008, when the first Rastafarian Member of the New Zealand Parliament, Nandor Tanczos, resigned from the House with an inspiring speech. Reflecting our own Tony Benn's famous valedictory quote, Nandor resigned from Parliament so he could free up his time for political activism, because the vast majority of political activity is done outside of the institutions of power. It's worth watching in full. Here's part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDqnNy3RgU8 e2a: "I came to Parliament, thinking you're all a bunch of bastards... and I was wrong." If the system of power didn't spend most of its time and energy maintaining itself as a system of power, it would lose power. Prohibition will end when it is no longer in the interests of the system to maintain it; ie when anti-prohibitionism becomes a good power strategy. So the best thing we can do is to spread the word until growing and using cannabis becomes normal. Activist leaders are in a similar position to MPs - when they start to gain power and influence they are likely to become self-serving, even if they were not self-serving from the outset, like this forum's favourite wanker. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tengreenfingers Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 If the system of power didn't spend most of its time and energy maintaining itself as a system of power, it would lose power. Not only that, but self-sustainment and perpetuation is its very purpose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tengreenfingers Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 ...Nandor Tanczos... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDqnNy3RgU8 Wow. I've watched the speech and have moved on to some of the related videos. What an interesting guy. I quite like him so far. He doesn't seem like any politician I've come across so far. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddiesilence Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 (edited) Wow. I've watched the speech and have moved on to some of the related videos. What an interesting guy. I quite like him so far. He doesn't seem like any politician I've come across so far. He's a right lad. Sometimes he'd skateboard to work - as an MP in Parliament. Edited January 4, 2013 by Eddiesilence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arnold Layne Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 maybe some happy day in the future when we all live in utopia we'll have a chat about it though. I look forward to it. Maybe one day we can get together and share a spliff and a good old chin-wag. Shit happens. Sometimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SATIVAMARK Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 Yes. In the 13th Century, St. Thomas Aquinas talked about the impossibility of changing the system from within. He pointed out that his charity might motivate his involvement in politics, but the wealthy noblemen advising the King would prefer to keep their heads by serving the interests of the monarchy before the poor. He showed that the system changes you faster than you can change it. This principle has been articulated many times since, but perhaps the instance that will resonate most with UK420 was in 2008, when the first Rastafarian Member of the New Zealand Parliament, Nandor Tanczos, resigned from the House with an inspiring speech. Reflecting our own Tony Benn's famous valedictory quote, Nandor resigned from Parliament so he could free up his time for political activism, because the vast majority of political activity is done outside of the institutions of power. It's worth watching in full. Here's part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDqnNy3RgU8 e2a: "I came to Parliament, thinking you're all a bunch of bastards... and I was wrong." Priceless Eddiesilence!!! I love that guy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Soberman Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 (edited) Well what can I say.. be bold. Edit to add: I have always felt that it's very difficult for cannabis growers to get involved in activism. I'm not saying that it's an excuse to not do 'anything' but I wouldn't expect anyone who grows cannabis to put themselves in the public eye. The risks are unacceptably high for them and possibly their family members. Defo anyone with a grow writing name on the "I grow pot" petition . In the minds of the people you rely on for care, jobs, main stream healthcare, law and order, teachers, some friends, colleagues and relatives. They see you as a problem, not a normal person. A bit generalized but that is not any easy thing to change. The general brainwashing is that stoners are inefficient, forgetful, slow, unreliable, weirdo, unintelligent, culturally aligned with the activities of brown people, smelly, waster bums who sit about all day (and night) enjoying ganja. There are some god awfully conservative people out there. Oh and might have some strange ideas about things that don't quite 'fit in' with their normal day to day activities and mundane thoughts. In a posh accent.. " One believes it is somehow connected to the Rarstafaaaarians from the West Indies, you know those chaps with dreadlorks, scoff!" It is still very taboo, it's like old school attitudes to sex in 50's or somthing. Things change eventually. Edited February 16, 2013 by Soberman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twigs Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 (edited) its a numbers game increase the numbers (of growers/users) to increase your chances.. or do what governments/leaders/war mongers do and give a perceived perception of power.. e2+ millions of green leaf cannabis stickers 'everywhere' bio of course.. but millions on every government, broadcast and news paper building..buses, trains, train stations.. thhat or a good logo.. . Edited February 16, 2013 by twigs 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxWilky Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 David Cameron still thinks weed is toxic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ital Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Nandor Tanczos word seems to be spreading. He has an American counterpart. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galahaz Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 I'm surprised how negative everyone is regarding the legalization/decriminalization of cannabis. Just look at how much progress has been made in America. As far as petitions go, why not? It doesn't cost you anything, and it takes 5 seconds to sign one of them. I made this petition a few days ago. Sign it please my fellow apes! And a word from Albert Einstein... "The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Give_individual_constituencies_in_the_UK_the_option_to_decriminalize_cannabis/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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