Overworked About An Ad on the Metro by Thomas L. Schwarz
The Washington Post December 09, 2003
If Rep. Ernest J. Istook Jr. (R-Okla.) was incensed about poverty, injustice and other important issues facing this country instead of grinding his teeth about an ad on Metro ["Marijuana Ad on Metro Infuriates Lawmaker," Metro, Dec. 3], the country and his constituents would be better off. Further, his press secretary is wrong about Metro promoting an "illegal activity." The ad doesn't say to grow, sell, buy or use marijuana -- activities that would be illegal. The ad asks people to lobby for legalization and taxation of marijuana, both processes that continue to be legal in the United States.
Istook the Constitution and set it on fire!
Oklahoma 90 YEARS-5 PLANTS!
Age 47, serving 90 years charged with cultivation and possession of five marijuana plants. In 1992, James Geddes was walking along a street with a friend when he got arrested. The police got a search warrant and went to the home rented by his friend. They found a small amount of marijuana, paraphernalia for smoking marijuana, and five plants growing in their vegetable garden.
Release Petition *
Free James Geddes *
November Coalition
Oklahoma: The Story of Will Foster
Foster, a 42-year-old father of three, was arrested in 1995 for growing marijuana in the basement of his Tulsa home. He said he needed the drug to relieve chronic pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis. In California, or one of the eight other states that allow the medical use of marijuana, a defendant like Foster can get off. In Oklahoma, he got 93 years.
US: Transcript: Will Foster's Visit To The NYT Drug Policy
Will Foster: Well in Oklahoma you are in the bible belt. When you deal with a self-righteous individual they tend to be dangerous. Netactive you need to organize against prohibition politically. see http://www.usmjparty.com
Omnibus Bill Muzzling Drug Reform Advocates’ Free Speech Passes House
December 11, 2003
The U.S. House of Representatives Monday passed a bloated omnibus spending bill that includes a stunning provision to stifle the constitutionally guaranteed free speech rights of drug-policy reform groups across America. The Senate, under fire from groups on the left and right for the undemocratic process by which the omnibus bill is being considered and the billions of dollars in pork it contains, postponed consideration of the bill until after it reconvenes from its winter break on January 20, 2004.
The Drug Policy Alliance and other likeminded reform and free-speech advocates are using the time between now and late January to persuade the Senate to remove the anti-free speech provision, introduced last week by Rep. Ernest J. Istook Jr. (R-Okla.), one of the most vitriolic Drug War crusaders in Congress. Istook’s rider would prohibit federal funding for local and state bus, train, and subway systems that allow citizens to run advertising in support of drug-policy reform. If enacted, the provision could be used by Congress and the Bush administration to muzzle the advertising of medical-marijuana and other drug-policy reform groups. The provision could one day be expanded to encompass advertising by pro-life, pro-choice, gay-rights, pro-gun, and other controversial advocacy groups around the country. Should the Senate fail to remove Istook’s unconstitutional rider, the Alliance will urge the body to vote against the entire omnibus spending bill which – in addition to containing Rep. Istook’s anti-free speech provision – includes $145 million in taxpayer-financed advertising for the Drug Czar’s office to campaign and lobby against reform.
DPAlliance"
alerts@actioncenter. drugpolicy.org
eNewsletter - Thursday, December 11, 2003
House of Reps. Approves Bill To Censor Americans
Source: Common Dreams December 11, 2003
Washington -- A little-known provision buried within the omnibus federal spending bill that the U.S. House of Representatives approved yesterday would take away federal grants from local and state transportation authorities that allow citizens to run advertising on buses, trains, or subways in support of reforming our nation’s drug laws. If enacted, the provision could effectively silence community groups around the country that are using advertising to educate Americans about medical marijuana and other drug policy reforms. Meanwhile, this same bill gives the White House $145 million in taxpayer money to run anti-marijuana ads next year.
House Bans Transit Drug-Reform Ads
Harsh Souder Drug Bill Coming Soon To Congress
DC: Marijuana Bus Ads Cause Cuts by Chris Casteel
Source: The Oklahoman 04 Dec 2003
WASHINGTON -- Rep. Ernest Istook has sliced the budget of the Washington transit authority by more than $90,000 because of ads placed on local buses promoting the legalization of marijuana. Istook, R-Warr Acres, sent a letter Nov. 10 to the chairman of the Washington Metropolitan Area
Transit Authority saying that members of Congress and senior Bush administration officials had complained about the ads. The letter from Istook said one ad shows a couple embracing and has a caption that urges, "Enjoy Better Sex!" That ad, along with others, has the tag line, "Legalize and Tax Marijuana." "At a time when the nation and Washington, D.C., area in particular suffer from chronic substance abuse and sexually transmitted disease, I find it shocking that WMATA provides this ad space, and at no cost!" Istook's letter states. Istook is chairman of the Appropriations subcommittee that oversees transportation spending.
Contact:
yourviews@oklahoman. com *
Website *
From
Ernest Istook on the War on Some Drugs
On the Issues
Voted YES on military border patrols to battle drugs & terrorism. (Sep 2001)
Voted YES on prohibiting needle exchange & medical marijuana in DC. (Oct 1999)
Rep. Ernest Istook says Supreme Ct. will uphold library filtering
ACLU
Congress Voters Guide Rep. Ernest Istook (R-OK-5th)
H.R. 3 Juvenile Justice
Introduced by Representative Bill McCollum, this bill offers a host of so-called "tough on crime" provisions regarding underage offenders, such as trying children as young as 13 in adult courts and then jailing them with adult criminal offenders in adult prisons.
PREJUDICE: MARIJUANA AND JIM CROW LAWS