Pubdate: Sat, 03 Nov 2012
Source: Times Record (Fort Smith, AR)
Copyright: 2012 Stephens Media Group
Contact: http://www.swtimes.com/site/forms/?mode=letters
Website: http://www.swtimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/529
Author: Stephen Edwards

VOTE 'YES' ON ISSUE 5

While sitting in church, around the 2004 election, I believe, my 
pastor told us that we should always vote Christian. Many in the 
Christian community, including the Family Council Action Committee, 
are taking that advice and adamantly opposing Issue 5, which would 
legalize medical marijuana. Their vote will be based on what they 
consider to be moral- and values-based for families.

While well intended, this voting mindset is contributing to the 
erosion of our constitutional armor. Voting solely on Christian 
principles, individual health, safety mandates and others that have 
nothing to do with protecting constitutional rights, essentially 
create puppets out of the dissenting voters. Those who would have 
taken their liberty to pursue a different course in life are pulled 
back by puppet strings of the majority opinion. Mind you, we are not 
talking about laws that protect individuals or property from others. 
We are talking about those who want to make laws, keep laws, or do 
away with laws based solely on the moral grounds of whether they are 
good, bad or helpful. We are talking about voting for laws and 
politicians that give the government free reign to encroach and 
meddle in our lives. We have seatbelt laws and pay hundreds of 
dollars in permits to work on our property and not being allowed to 
buy decongestant medicine over the counter anymore, because our nanny 
government has to be informed of every transaction that takes place.

The inalienable rights that Thomas Jefferson spoke of - life, liberty 
and the pursuit of happiness - are becoming dim. We better wake up. 
I'm a Christian. I'm an Iraq War veteran, and I'm voting "yes" on Issue 5.

Stephen Edwards

Fort Smith
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom