Pubdate: Mon, 24 Jun 2002
Source: Standard, The (St. Catharines, CN ON)
Copyright: 2002, The Standard
Contact:  http://www.scstandard.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/676
Author: Chris Buors

IT'S TIME CANADA DECRIMINALIZED MARIJUANA USE

After reading Sue Nadon's letter to the Editor (In no way should we 
legalize marijuana) I was reminded of the last words of Richard Rumbold. 
The Levellers, of which Rumbold was leader, figure in history as an 
important movement that fought for liberty in medieval England.

"I was not born with a saddle on my back and you, sir, were not born booted 
and spurred to ride me," said Richard just before the king hanged him over 
religious intolerance.

Nadon seems to think any kind of chicanery passed into law ought to deserve 
our respect. A crook is a crook she says. Well, a crook is someone who 
harms a person or the property of another. Someone who harms himself by 
using drugs is a sinner.

Is the state your master or your servant, Sue? Because of having a criminal 
record for my vices, you can rest assured I have spur marks and saddle 
sores on my back. That Nadon uses the term "legalize" means she has 
accepted that the state is her master and can indeed tell her what she can 
and cannot ingest.

Legalize implies the state will pass a law to permit a particular activity. 
The proper term is decriminalize or simply strike down the existing law.

Chris Buors

Magnus Avenue

Winnipeg, Man.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom