"First the California NAACP endorsed it. Now the National Black Police Association voiced support for a measure to legalize marijuana.
On the common sense marijuana meter, score it black folks 2, white folks 0.
Proposition 19, on the California ballot to legalize, tax and regulate pot, is a measure that's time has come.
Too many public resources are wasted chasing petty pot dealers, and there is growing evidence that marijuana laws are unevenly applied by police in the streets when it comes to race.
But race has little to do with why marijuana should be legalized. It simply isn't a big deal for many Americans these days. It makes little sense to criminalize an act that lots of Americans take part of in the quiet and privacy of their own homes.
I would rather see the money used for pot prosecution go for violent criminals - the type of people who really lower the quality of our lives...." [Story]
I say amen! And, for the record, yes I am Jamaican, but I never touch the stuff. Hell if it wasn't for these pictures I wouldn't even know what it looks like........
Here in Philly we are taking steps to make possession of the stuff a summary offense. Which is a step in the right direction. The court system is overloaded as it is with cases that shouldn't be there. Let's start thinking outside the box with this war on drugs, people.
Finally speaking of being on drugs; I hate to give this blogger some shine, but she called me out, so I have to go there. (I feel like Derek Jeter going to bat against Little League pitching, but this is the path I chose.) Girlfriend is my current HNOTD, and apparently she took offense.
"Yesterday, a blogger styling himself as the Field Negro dubbed me the "House Negro of the Day":
(JULIETTE OCHIENG) I SWEAR SOME OF YOU NEGROES MUST GET PAID BY THE WORD TO SAY DUMB STUFF. THIS CONSERVATIVE BLOGGER CALLS THE MOSQUE AT GROUND ZERO A "SECURITY RISK". SAYING DUMB S#*T JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN IS ALWAYS HNB
[Link added by me; don't worry--it leads to my post, "Beacon."]
Field Negro--may I call you Negro?--would it actually hurt you to expound on why you think my opinion is "dumb?"
Show you lack of "dumbness" by explaining to your readers how building such a mosque--set to be funded and "pastored" by a person who has continually called for the the implementation of Sharia law in the United States--is not a security risk. Take it step by step.
I can further defend my position. Are you capable of defending yours? I'd sure like to read it. You never know--if you're premises are sound and your conclusion follows logically from them, I would be compelled to change my opinion. In case you have never heard of this concept, it's called 'intellectual honesty.' Try it, you'll like it--eventually.
Otherwise, I merely write you off as one of the conditioned."
Ms. House Negro, you may call me whatever you like, just as long as you don't call me collect. Now let me "expound" -just a little-on why I think your opinion is dumb:
You argue that putting this Mosque two blocks from Ground Zero would put Americans at risk because the leader of the Mosque believes in a strict form of Islamic law. (Sharia) That, in of itself, is ludicrous. I am not connecting the dots between an interpretation of an ancient religious philosophy and bombs dropping on suburbia. And, just for argument sake, let's assume that Faisal Abdul Rauf does believe in the most negative and regressive form of Sharia law as you allege; what difference would it make if he built his Mosque a block from Ground Zero or in Jersey City?
But my rebuttal above assumes that you were right about Rauf and his position when it comes Sharia Law. You were not. Only a person whose mind has been poisoned by right wing ideology -A poison that was inflicted by the likes of Newt Gingrich- could view a man who has published writings such as this in such spurious and mendacious manner. Parroting right wing talking points to score "brownie points" with your ideological soul mates does not make you a critical thinker, or, for that matter, someone capable of "intellectual honesty". It makes you a fraud, and a fraud of the worse kind: one whose sole purpose in life is to remain in the comfort of a poorly constructed house.
I hope you didn't trip over my steps.
107 comments:
Lions, and tigers, and bears! Oh, my!
Peter Tosh's signature tune still rings true to this day...
I pray that marijuana will not be legalized because pot heads will be smoking it everywhere. I hate the smell of it.
Field, in case you don't know, marijuana can cause a serious addiction. I tell you, the country is going to hell. It's losing its morals and it's all because of that so-called critical thinking rational mind that you seem to worship.
And why did you attack that sister the way you did? She did nothing to you and was minding her own business until you decided to make her HNOTD in that bs sidebar of yours... All because she had a different opinion from yours. That mosque isn't going to be built where YOU want it, no matter how many Blacks you call HN's.
It's you who is really 'acting' dumb. But empty lefties always do justify their stupidity by what conservatives say, don't they? You are such 'reactionary' childish people when you can't have your way.
70% of Americans, including Miss USA-who is a Muslim-don't want a mosque built that close to ground zero and you know it. So why keep digging the hole deeper for yourself?
70% of Americans, including Miss USA-who is a Muslim-don't want a mosque built that close to ground zero and you know it. So why keep digging the hole deeper for yourself?"
Hmmm, "digging the hole deeper", there is a metaphor in that somewhere.
"And why did you attack that sister the way you did? She did nothing to you and was minding her own business until you decided to make her HNOTD in that bs sidebar of yours... All because she had a different opinion from yours"
Isn't A-merry-ca great? I get to call out bullsh&^, and folks are free to build their temple of worship and pray to their god in peace.
Did you say Miss USA? Well damn, I guess we ought to just end the debate right there because that brilliant scholar decided to weigh in.
THE FACTS:
No mosque is going up at ground zero. An Islamic Community Center would be established at 45-51 Park Place, just over two blocks from the northern edge of the sprawling, 16-acre World Trade Center site. Its location is roughly half a dozen normal lower Manhattan blocks from the site of the North Tower, the nearer of the two destroyed in the attacks.
The center's location, in a former Burlington Coat Factory store, is already used by the cleric for worship, drawing a spillover from the imam's former main place for prayers, the al-Farah mosque. That mosque, at 245 West Broadway, is about a dozen blocks north of the World Trade Center grounds.
Another, the Manhattan Mosque, stands five blocks from the northeast corner of the World Trade Center site.
We know from a historical perspective that prohibition didn't work out very well. Alcohol is legal and it's more dangerous than marijuana. Alcohol changes a person's persona, you can throw up if you drink too much not to mention possible alcohol poisoning. Marijuana doesn't have those affects, and you can imagine that more people smoke or eat in a brownie traffic would be slow and no one would care. I do have a problem with placing a drug dealer who is selling marijuana because there a great probability of reducing the sentence of a violent criminal out on the street to make room the pot dealer. If I had to choose between Chester Robert Clay convicted serial rapist over Rodney Atkins pot dealer, I'd take the latter any day. It is astounding how we do not look at the bigger picture.
I am going to write this one more time, there is a mosque inside the Pentagon. The mosque is federal government property and yet politicians do not have a problem with this. I have a problem with it because it's an issue of separation between Church and State. I digress, but I am watching a show called Strange Sex on TLC where this is a guy is sexual aroused by balloons, now that's a fetish, who knew.
Ms. House Negro just can't hang, Mr. Field. As you say she's just a conservative ventriloquists doll.
Nicely done.
As for the mary jane; as long as they don't smoke it in public I'm fine with it being legalized.
whats wrong with smokin it in public val?
also seems like legalization is a contradiction to the current sermon which is that it is a medicine u cant have it both ways either its a medicine that needs to be taxed and regulated and sold in pharmacies or its an intoxicant like alcohol the prop seems to be a bit far out and eye prefer the medical usage of it but overall legalization? thats just a vehicle to generate income for the state cuz were desperate!
Brother Field... I have much respect for you and have enjoyed the 5 plus years in following your blog. Continue Strong Black Man. Americas cry about an existing building that a religion hae brought/rented. Wish Americans would stop all the "crying and bellyaching"....think about all the land' buildings, and people our country have commandered.To all you Americans that have not experianced warfare....the stuff that America have dropped on others makes 9-11 a small event. I find it so hard to make sense of any Black person defending the children of the people that brought more harm on them than any Muslim. There is a saying about collateral casualites. Well 9-11 was just a payback. Think of any event as payback due to America war machine has beat down many people still as we speak. Ask the Afhkans widows and widowers. We always count our dead....we dont count the others death for fear of you seeing how bloodthirsty that 70 percent is. If one spot can be sacred then my thoughts are to make all those street corners that people that look like me heve died.
Responded.
"Field, in case you don't know, marijuana can cause a serious addiction. I tell you, the country is going to hell. It's losing its morals and it's all because of that so-called critical thinking rational mind that you seem to worship."
Anonymous- so what? Alcohol also causes addiction. So do caffeine, sugar, food, and pretty much everything else. the government should not have a right to control people's actions when it comes to smoking weed or drinking alcohol or having sex. If someone's addicted to weed, that's their own problem, they brought it on themselves. I know plenty of people who smoke weed and they're perfectly adjusted to life.
secondly, "morals"? What the heck is morals? Telling people not to have sex or get abortions while bombing Iraq and Afghanistan, promoting bigotry and hatred of Muslims, and opposing gay marriage? Is that "morals" to you? You can shove it up yours.
I'd take ethics over "morals" anytime.
I left the following response over there. The commenting system didn't display it right away (if it ever does -- that system looks broken). To wit:
"Islam’s raison d’être is to convert the world to Islam, by force if necessary. One of the tools of force is fear. And inducing fear is the goal of terrorism."
Interesting. At several points in time, Christians aimed to convert all they could to the religion of the same name. And given your definition of terrorism, you can pin the same indictment on the U.S. Government.
Think for a second. The U.S. Government stands to gain from keeping folks such as yourself in a constant state of heightened emotional distress. It's a lot easier to push, pull and prod people who are emotionally peaked and thus unable to come to more rational thought. That could explain the Tea Party and it definitely explains the U.S. Government's wish to keep people in constant suspense over external and even internal threats.
If you could come down off of the high being caused by the government's scheme to terrorize their own citizens, then you can connect the dots and see how you and others are being emotionally played by both sides of the political aisle, especially over the mosque issue.
I'd say that was a rational and reasonable response, correct?
Hennesplace, "I am going to write this one more time, there is a mosque inside the Pentagon. The mosque is federal government property and yet politicians do not have a problem with this."
I wouldn't expect anyone to have a problem with that. It's been there for quite a while. It's NOT anywhere near ground zero. NYC is at least 5-6 hrs from the Pentagon. So why would the American people have a problem with that?
No one is against mosques anywhere. Americans is against a mosque near "Ground Zero". Why is that so hard to understand?
"Field, in case you don't know, marijuana can cause a serious addiction. I tell you, the country is going to hell. It's losing its morals and it's all because of that so-called critical thinking rational mind that you seem to worship."
So can alcohol.
And once upon a time, we actually tried to ban the sale and consumption of that particular vice. You can read how it didn't turn out the way advocates of that ban expected.
The wacky weed seems to be in that same predictament. Legalizing it, then taxing and regulating it in the same manner as alcohol as well as penalizing criminal behavior influenced by it as with alcohol can do wonders to fix the so-called "Drug Wars" mess.
Plus Phillip Morris and those other corporate giants can have a chance to make bank off it :D
Even Sarah Palin might be down with legalizing it! I know I damn sure am!
"No one is against mosques anywhere. Americans is against a mosque near "Ground Zero". Why is that so hard to understand?"
"No one is against Negros. Americans are against Negros comingling in areas with whites. Why is that so hard to understand?"
Yeah, I went there. :)
if Americans are against a mosque near Ground Zero, what about people's feelings that a Catholic church cannot be built near an elementary school? or a German restuarant near a synagogue? or a Japanese restaurant in Chinatown?
Most people fail to understand that feelings have nothing to do with politics. Feelings are irrational. the Constitution is rational and must be upheld.
if you hate gays, fine. the point is, your feelings are irrelevant. You can't prevent gay people from having the right to date people from their own gender and have sex and get married and adopt children.
who cares what Americans think or feel. Their feelings have no relevance for other people's religious freedom.
"secondly, "morals"? What the heck is morals? Telling people not to have sex or get abortions while bombing Iraq and Afghanistan, promoting bigotry and hatred of Muslims, and opposing gay marriage? Is that "morals" to you? You can shove it up yours.
I'd take ethics over "morals" anytime."
How did your mind get caught up in morality over sex, war, abortions, gay marriage when it is about marijuana? You must be a pot head who can't kick the habit. Well, that's why there is resistance to legalizing this drug. It causes the brain to go dead. But in your case, it probably won't make any difference.
Tell me, Mr. PotHead Jihad Pothead punk 77-Times Over, what is the difference between ethics and morals? Usually, moral ethics are inextricably linked. But maybe that's because I am in the legal Justice System and have not had enough pot like you. Obviously you are 'floating' on something with red eyes that I don't know about.
BTW, are you one of those Muslims who smokes pot and believes in Jihad?
What Field, no burning bush, no herb to heal all nations? You do not sniff the coke nor do you smoke sensimilla? If they legalize it, will you advertise it?
Me either, but I sing along to an unusually large amount of songs about it?
So how many back and forths with her till she resorts to "I know you are but what am I"?
If she wins the argument will you run naked down Broad?
@ Anonymous:
actually, I don't even smoke weed, but I don't have a problem with those who do. I don't drink much alcohol, either.
oh, I'm a MS., not a Mister.
yes, I believe in the concept of Jihad. Jihad is an Arabic word which means struggle to attain the highest level of inner peace with your soul. It doesn't mean "holy war" like your ignorant dumbass self does.
"morals" is subjective for each person. Some people have morals dictated to them by religion. Others have morals which aren't much different from ethics. we can all agree that it's wrong to kill another human being, that's ethic. It's wrong to rob a bank, that's ethic. For some people, they believe it's wrong to smoke weed, that's moral and not all of us think it's wrong to smoke weed.
therefore, I don't give a shit about your morals. What I care about is your ethics.
I don't want your conservative morals to trample on my rights or anyone else's.
Well...I like to keep a clear head at all times myself and to each his own, whatever floats their boat is strictly their own individual choice and not mine to dictate.
Nevertheless, I thought this is an interesting article. This is not the first time I've read about this because I read it before in a health book at the library.
"Queen Victoria was the first woman to use marijuana for PMS."
"This occurred a few months after Dr. O’Shaughnessy brought cannabis to England about 1840. It was a new highly efficacious drug so lets try it. It was prescribed by a Dr. Sir Russel Reynolds physician to Queen Victoria. The Queen had previously used Opium, Coca (raw cocaine), wine and chloroform. I hope ladies will cringe when they read this."
"The Queen obviously found that cannabis/marijuana worked well. She used it also for morning sickness and obstetrical anesthesia with no harm to fetuses. It seems that ABC TV News is way behind on PMS therapy. The new most promising therapy for PMS was discovered by Queen Victoria about 1850."
http://www.salem-news.com/articles/october162009/pms_mj_pl.php
Mack Lyons,
I glad you mentioned that your comment didn't post right away. I left a short comment, but wondered what happened.
StillAPanther2-"..If one spot can be sacred then my thoughts are to make all those street corners that people that look like me heve died."
Well, that's something the Black Community and the Black Panthers are capable of doing, aren't they? The question is why haven't they? Because Black on Black killings happen daily, making it "normal", not an "extraordinary" event. I would think a Panther like you would know that.
FYI, a mosque will not be built near ground zero and I support that. And for the record, yes, I am Black, and for Blacks. That's where my focus is...for Blacks..I am not for Muslims who remained silent at the destruction and deaths of Americans at the WTC.
Did you hear them being outraged at the terrorists? Did you hear any American Muslims cry out that their religion has been hijacked by terrorists? NO! THEY DID NOT. It was as if they did not exist. And now they want to bulid a mosque near ground zero without any apparent regret?
What gets me is Blacks like you are speaking for those American Muslims as if their tongues have been cut out and you know what they are thinking and feeling. That's a good way to set yourself up as Blacks, AGAIN. Blacks are always assuming that what they are thinking is what another group is thinking. And that is being more that naive, it's being stupid.
Brother Panther, you have become a disappointment.
Hathor, "Mack Lyons,
I glad you mentioned that your comment didn't post right away. I left a short comment, but wondered what happened."
Hathor, your comment did not post because it is unacceptable...sorry.:)
Mack Lyons, "Field, in case you don't know, marijuana can cause a serious addiction. I tell you, the country is going to hell. It's losing its morals and it's all because of that so-called critical thinking rational mind that you seem to worship."
So can alcohol.
And once upon a time, we actually tried to ban the sale and consumption of that particular vice. You can read how it didn't turn out the way advocates of that ban expected.
The wacky weed seems to be in that same predictament. Legalizing it, then taxing and regulating it in the same manner as alcohol as well as penalizing criminal behavior influenced by it as with alcohol can do wonders to fix the so-called "Drug Wars" mess.
Plus Phillip Morris and those other corporate giants can have a chance to make bank off it :D
12:34 AM
_____________________________
Mack, I must say that I flabbergasted at your clearity and straightforward reply to my comment. You have caused me to change my outlook. You have skillfully and respectfully shown me another way of looking at things. I am impressed.
What has happened to you? you seem to have grown in intelligence. This is extraordinary.
anon 1:16,
Are you Baldilocks?
Mack Lyons, ""No one is against mosques anywhere. Americans is against a mosque near "Ground Zero". Why is that so hard to understand?"
"No one is against Negros. Americans are against Negros comingling in areas with whites. Why is that so hard to understand?"
Yeah, I went there. :)
12:40 AM
______________________________
Oops! I spoke too soon. Your first lucid comment to me was a fluke. It was just a case of the Law of Averages, which won't happen again for a long time. In fact, everyone on this blog will be dead before that happens again. You should copy that comment and frame it. For you will never write anything like that again. You thought and wrote waaay above your ability.
This insubstantial comment that answers nothing is more like you.:D
Hathor, "anon 1:16,
Are you Baldilocks?"
I swear, Hathor...most of the time I can't make out what the hell you are saying. By any chance, are you and MackLying married to each other?
And what are you doing at home on a Saturday night? You should be out partying in Germantown or Chester where the action is. I bet that's where Field is.
With much Philly Brotherly Love,
anon
Anonymous 1:33:
"In fact, everyone on this blog will be dead before that happens again."
Would you mind clarifying what you meant by that statement?
Field, in case you don't know, marijuana can cause a serious addiction.
This is flat out untrue.
I'm not a big fan of alcohol or marijuana, but of the two, I'd much rather my child used marijuana than alcohol. No one dies from an overdose of marijuana, but I've know many teens who have overdosed on alcohol.
http://www.cannabismd.net/toxicity/
http://www.cannabismd.net/addiction/2008/6/9/addiction.html
"Oops! I spoke too soon. Your first lucid comment to me was a fluke. It was just a case of the Law of Averages, which won't happen again for a long time. In fact, everyone on this blog will be dead before that happens again. You should copy that comment and frame it. For you will never write anything like that again. You thought and wrote waaay above your ability."
"I swear, Hathor...most of the time I can't make out what the hell you are saying. By any chance, are you and MackLying married to each other?"
The above comments are just one of many reasons why I simply can't take the Anonyfolk seriously. The peanut gallery's full of you guys. Geez, I thought your self-proclaimed president and CEO ordered you guys to behave with a better standard of conduct that is actually befitting of professional anonymous commenters.
Granny, "Anonymous 1:33:
"In fact, everyone on this blog will be dead before that happens again."
Would you mind clarifying what you meant by that statement?
1:38 AM
___________________________________
I meant that we all will be dead before the Law of Averages happens where Mack Lyons makes another lucid remark.
Where have you been, Granny? you have not been participating as much lately. How do you expect this blog to do without you?
RT, "This is flat out untrue.
I'm not a big fan of alcohol or marijuana, but of the two, I'd much rather my child used marijuana than alcohol. No one dies from an overdose of marijuana, but I've know many teens who have overdosed on alcohol."
My, my. I hit the jackpot tonight. I got my favorite woman to respond to my comment. She usually ignores me. Thanks RT. does this mean you are willing to give me another chance to tell the truth? Are you one of those lenient leftist bleeding heart for marijuana judges?
Tell me this. If you know how destructive alcohol can be, why would you want another drug to be legalized, regardless what is said about it? BTW, there is now NATIONWIDE 12-Step Marijuana groups and Narcotics Anonymous groups that deal with the addiction of Marijuana. Whatever you may read, the reality marijuana can destroy lives.
I see teens all the time who are in big trouble because they can't stop smoking marijuana. They cause a lot of hurt in the families they come from.
Anyway, it's good to see you on FN to respond to me specifically. What an honor!
Mack Lyons, "The above comments are just one of many reasons why I simply can't take the Anonyfolk seriously. The peanut gallery's full of you guys. Geez, I thought your self-proclaimed president and CEO ordered you guys to behave with a better standard of conduct that is actually befitting of professional anonymous commenters."
Mack, you take yourself waaay too seriously. Lighten up. It's Saturday night. Do you ever have fun...No wait...Do you know 'how' to have fun? I don't care if you tell my boss. He has said all anon agents should have a little fun every now and then because life can be hard dealing with resident ids on FN blog. Hell, with folks like Granny, Rt, Uts, AB, MMM, LAC, no_slappz, and Field himself, we anons need and deserve a little recreation with nonsensical potheads like you.
Would you like my boss's address?
"Finally speaking of being on drugs; I hate to give this blogger some shine"
Now you know why you're wrong for that statement :)
And lawd Field, meh got mix feelins bout legalizing deh ganja.
Anyway, it really doesn't bother me if they do or don't (I can't stand the smell either way), but you also know they say its a gateway drug... And you know the rumor is that they would have legalized it a long time ago if they didn't feel the people who would profit from it more were blacks and non-whites from various places.
I've never tried it though (I really don't know anyone who could get it for me). But I have to admit, I've always been curious. I think I need something to calm my nerves these days.
(True story: Years ago I had a chance, I was somewhat dating a guy who used it heavily. At nights we would sometimes drive to a beach so he could light up in peace. There was this one night he kept offering me puffs, but I declined each time.
The next morning at my Federal job at the time, they did a random drug test on everyone because they couldn't discriminate on their intentional target. That was a close call, and I could have sworn I got my first light headed "high" from the relief and shock alone.)
MackLyons:
"The above comments are just one of many reasons why I simply can't take the Anonyfolk seriously."
Amen, and I happened to go back to read the prior topic's comments, and came across this comment by one of the anonyfolk:
Anonymous 7:21 said:
"Mell, "Speaking of lurking I hope you know that I am trying to pull everyone's coat about NO Slapz he is not a regular poster he is not even a troll he is too serious, he is really is some kind of a plant. Watch how consistently he makes sweeping and broad racist generalizations, its not like your regular racist but someone who knows better and is purposely spreading misinformation."
"Who do you think planted him? It has to be someone on this blog. It has to be one of the residents with IDs. Anons like to remain Anonymous. Plus anons lose their membership and health insurance if they post with an ID. I bet it's Granny."
Apparently, certain anonyfolks have a habitual obsession with falsely accusing me. When I came across this comment, I was like, huh? Me? Puleeeeze!
Being that I'm not one to bite my tongue in person or on this blog, I got to respond to that. First and foremost, I haven't planted anyone on this blog! I don't play those type of games. Now, all of sudden, I'm accused of planting no_slappz of all people on here. Smh!
Let me explain something to you anonymous, I'm a black woman who has lived through, experienced, and dealt with racism all my life. I used to work for Office of Civil Rights when the Affirmative Action bill came in effect. I come from a family of people who have fought for black folks rights since the 1800s. If I was gonna plant someone on this blog it darn sure wouldn't be a bigot like no_slappz and I'm not in the planting business. At least not that type of planting business. Planting a word seed or two here and there yeah, but planting people on a blog. You out your rabbit mind.
I'm highly offended by the comment made by anonymous 7:21. And if there is anyone else on here including the regular ID posters who are in agreement with anonymous 7:21, speak up now or forever hold your peace because I'm not married to this blog.
BTW,anonymous, my family sponsers a scholarship fund named after one of our ancestors that we donate our money to, and we also accept donations to it. My family has built schools with their own money that bear some of our ancestor's name, founded churches, fought for civil rights, and contributed many other things that are positive in the black community. What do you contribute to the black community besides going around spreading false rumors and accusations about others and keeping up mess?
This is the last straw with me!
u need to smoke some ganja laa to get that hateful stick from outta ur ass eye guarantee u that itll help u relax alrite trust
*parola chrick*
What's up FN? I attend the The Light of Soul Glo Church of the Faithful Hotcomb and Stay Sof Fro Pentacostal bruh. Come by and get the word + hair cut for $10.99 and Special communion for $12.99 you get a special Rev.Ike prayer cloth, some wine, and instead of eating a saltine we let you slap a cracker with some cheese.
Seriously its about time pot is leagalized. Too many young men i jail for petty crimes. It bad enough the police waste time with traffic stops instead of patrolling the community and getting to know its citizens. Now that's an idea. Instead they create a source of income for cities by charging young people with drug posessions that cripple their growth and developement as citizens.
They should make alcolhol illegal and watch WP turn into serial bombers.
Dont worry y'all when the A-rabs institure Shar'ia law smokin Marriage-Wana will be the least of y'alls problems.
Seriously, try smokin a Phatty in Terror-an and see what happens.
And with y'alls Race's history with Malt Liquor and Crack do you really need to do MORE drugs??
Gee, I wonder when Len Bias is gonna make the Hall of Fame???
Remember him??? heck, Meadowlark Lemon had a longer NBA career.
Crack is BAD, I know, I invented it in the same lab I used to put Birth Control in Mountain Dew...
Frank
Frank
"There is a mosque in the Pentagon..." The Pentagon? Hmm. Wasn't there a second building that was bombed on 9/11? Didn't people get killed there, too? Where was it? D.C. And wasn't it a government building? Didn't it have five sides? That would make it...a Pentagon! WTF? A mosque two blocks away from the WTC, with strip clubs between it and the site is a bigger threat and more sacriligious than one in the place we make military policy for the country? I gotta consider immigrating to a country with a higher collective IQ.
@Khia:
I cosign with you!
That's what happens when folks are Fox We Make Up Lies indocrinated. You would think that they would have figured that into their analysis.
America needs to make a slight change in the name of this country to The United Bigots of America! Their way of thinking is beyond sickening.
khia213...I forgot about the strip clubs. Yep, A-merry-ca the beautiful.
La~Audio, I think you are starting to read my mind. I have to watch you. You pick up what I put down too easily. Must be a Windies thing. ;)
Phil4Real, where your church at?
Hathor, I think it was that other blogger. See, now that might be a reason for me not to respond right there. She actually stifles debate by not posting a comment with an opposing view. Typical conservative. I will listen to your opinions as long as they are in sync with mine. Sad. :(
"yes, I believe in the concept of Jihad. Jihad is an Arabic word which means struggle to attain the highest level of inner peace with your soul. It doesn't mean "holy war" like your ignorant dumbass self does."
Ouch! Facts are always good.
"Field, in case you don't know, marijuana can cause a serious addiction. I tell you, the country is going to hell. It's losing its morals and it's all because of that so-called critical thinking rational mind that you seem to worship."
Is that why A-merry-cans are all so overweight? I hear (this is just what I hear) that it causes the munchies.
funny thing, MR is commenting over at balidlock's blog saying her response is "witty."
FN,
I wasn't sure if she was moderating her post. Mack Lyons comment had been finally posted there, by the time he posted here. I haven't checked to see if mine is up yet at her site.
field, when it comes to muslim thinking, there's a lot you -- and most Americans miss.
First. What muslims call reasoned thinking, western thinkers call LYING.
Second, muslim reasoning starts with a broad statement, like Women are Equal to Men. Then muslim reasoning begins the process of identifying the exceptions to the broad rule. By the time you reach the end of the list of exceptions, it is clear islam, in fact, views women as slaves.
Dirtbag imam rauf follows this standard muslim format in his revolting book. You can read enough of it by signing in to Amazon and linking to the book from your site. Free.
Despite the grand title of What's Right with Islam and What's Right with America, dirtbag imam rauf gets into the game of listing the exceptions to America's greatness and makes his point that America itself bears some of the BLAME for the 9/11 attack.
Recently he made this claim in front of reporters, but he was simply summarizing the contents of his book.
Meanwhile, at the end of his revolting book there is an appendix which deals with the problem of muslim soldiers in the US military sent to Afghanistan and Iraq to fight other muslims. A careful reading reveals that dirtbag rauf believes muslims in the US military owe more to muhammad than Uncle Sam. He even goes so far as to assert that muslim soldiers have the RIGHT to commit rank insubordination to protest deployment to a combat zone in muslim nations.
Dirtbag imam rauf does get one thing right. He says people MISUNDERSTAND religion. Of course the greatest misunderstanders are American non-muslims who misunderstand islam. He has therefore appointed himself chief explainer.
But clearly he wants to put one over on Americans OR he himself lacks understanding of islam.
He, like most misunderstanders, pushes the idea of a "legitimate" and "illegitimate" form of islam. Without getting specific he hints at the idea that al-Qaeda and the taliban are examples of illegitimate islam.
But they are not. Sunnis, shiites, sufis and all the crazy versions are all legitimate. Why? Because there is no standard in islam. There was never an establishment of principles, a Reformation, a development of a hierarchy, or any form of internal analysis leading to a formal identity for this whacked out religion/government/military.
Thus, everything said by every muslim leader is both true and false.
A sadly amusing part of dirtbag rauf's observations relate to the aspects of muslim life that he fails to mention -- why the islamic world is intellectually dead.
Why the economies of virtually every muslim nation are almost all total failures. It's easy to hide a failed economy behind billions of dollars of oil money that flows in because western experts are running the business. But without the accident of oil or some other form of resource wealth, muslim nations are dirt poor.
Why? One word. Islam.
Blah blah blah. n_s, you and that other HN blogger miss the point: it's not about Rauf, or his book, or his Center, or what a dirt bag he is; it's about the Constitution. I think that other blogger is from another country in Africa where Muslims do bad things. I feel her pain. (I have no love for many of the folks practicing that religion in certain parts of the world. Read what I have written in the past.) But she is in A-merry-ca now. She doesn't have the right to say where an Islamic center can be built if they are obeying the law. Period!
That might be a little inconvenient for you and my HN friend, but it's the truth.
If she feels unsafe here, she can move. You felt unsafe around black folks, so you moved, right? :)
Legalize recreational drugs?
Worst idea in the world. Oh, you like the idea of taxing recreational drugs. Well that means you like the idea of the US government developing partnerships with corporations that really do want to enslave customers.
We might get away with DECRIMINALIZING drugs, but we will create a national nightmare if recreational drugs are LEGALIZED.
If recreational drugs are LEGAL, then advertising will explode. Guess what? Advertising works. Hence, drug use will also explode.
Some dope will say cigarette ads are banned on TV. Yeah, and there are still 50 MILLON smokers in the US. About 95% of all cases of lung cancer are found in smokers. Cigarettes killed hundreds of thousands of people every year by way of Cardio Pulmonary Disease.
Meanwhile, LEGALIZATION of recreational drugs means pharmaceutical companies can experiment and market every pleasure-inducing chemical known to man.
Worse, the experimenting will include every ADDICTING substance too.
What seller of fun stuff could resist selling a substance so pleasure inducing AND so ADDICTIVE you just gotta have it?
Most sickening is the reality that all of it would have the approval of the US government. The government as partner -- collecting tax revenue from drug addicts enslaved by the legal substances created out of a need to extract revenue to fund government initiatives -- like combatting substance abuse.
At the city, state and federal levels, our government has become addicted to tobacco taxes. Extracting tax revenue from smokers offends no one, except smokers. But they can always quit.
The nitwit brigade has already offered estimates on the tax revenue from pot sales. Then we go down the slippery slope to cocaine sales, crack sales, crystal meth sales, heroin sales and the sales of any other addictive substance.
If you want dytopia, drug legalization will do the trick.
If you want dyStopia...
field, again, you show a painful naivete about islam.
If it were merely a religion, the issue of the mosque would mean nothing.
But, as we have learned from 1,400 years of muslim history -- it is NEVER about the mosque. It is about the FACT that islam is a religion, a government, and a military, AND that the three CANNOT be separated -- for long.
At this point in the US there is some temporary separation of islam and government. However, with an ex-muslim president and that screwball Keith whatever in Minnesota, changes are underway.
Meanwhile, there is that little issue of Major Hasan at Fort Hood.
And there is the most telling issue of all. The people who support the mosque -- usually jabbering something about the Bill of Right and Freedom of Religion, are desperate to ignore that opponents of the mosque are exercising their Bill of Rights guarantee of Free Speech, which includes the right say any old insulting thing that comes to mind.
Moreover, inasmuch as islam is a vile religion and government that rejects almost everything in the Constitution and Bill of Rights, it's almost impossible to find another belief system more reprehenbsible.
Based on your naive support for islam, you would support the nazis in America even if the sons and daughters of the nazi high command, including hitler's children were working to create the next reich here in America.
Granny, Aye-Freakin' Men!
Field, you are a lawyer and know a whole lot more about this than I do, but ... one hears things.
One has heard from law enforcement officer that is you want to know who's running the criminal enterprises in this area, just read the billboards up and down the main drag.
I heard the same thing from the father of a boy I give guitar and violin lessons to.
He was speaking hypothetically, but he, himself gets busted about twice a year as a "kingpin" in these "biggest haul ever" dragnets, does the "perp walk", and is usually soon home.
But, I heard him propose - hypothetially- that certain town fathers, police agencies, and local big-wig merchants (as well as the druggies) find this to be a very profitable dance.
Merchants can move an awful lot of contraband in their shipments, make off the books money, politicians have a way to squeeze people, cops get promotions and whatever thrills cops get out of life, money and power are there for all. As long as the tension stays at a certain point, that is.
Oh, they take down a few of the lower level jerks, some black guy from Philly or Baltimore who has a three hundred pound white girlfriend who looks suitably truculent and surly, they look good in the paper, and they catch sort of "outsiders" trying to run things in freelance, sort of, but the old established business alliance tries to maintain its balance.
There was a "spectacular" raid a some years ago, and a reporter I know tried to do a follow up two years later. He figured that as many as half of the people picked up were undercover of confidential agents, because their names simply disappeared.
As long as there's money to be made by both sides, drug trade and enforcement will continue as it is.
Yes Sarge, you are right, it is a tangled web. You just don't know who is who anymore.
"Based on your naive support for islam, you would support the nazis in America even if the sons and daughters of the nazi high command, including hitler's children were working to create the next reich here in America."
Let's try this again: Islam is an organized religion! Kind of like the church that I am sure you belong to. Personally, I would like to ban every last one of you, but I can't because this is A-merry-ca. And if you don't think that Christians and those born again wingnuts don't want a theocracy right here in A-merry-ca, you are sadly mistaken.
Anon 12:32am:
Let me clarify a couple of things about the Park51 project. It is an Islamic Cultural Center that will include auditorium and athletic facilities within the center. It will be located at 45-51 Park Place which is two blocks away from the hole that we call Ground Zero, an area I am familiar as I use to work in that area and occasional still walk by when I catch the Path train home from work. There are two other mosques in the area and have been there for years yet we do not call them ground zero mosques.
The media yet again failed to report important facts for a more accurate story. I do recall that the Pentagon was hit on September 11 killing 184 people in the building, but a Mosque was built in the facility in 2007. There was ceremony in which Bush spoke about the freedom of religion, tolerance, and that Islam is a peaceful religion. That what he said. So the question becomes what are the motives of the individuals who are against the center from built which by the way is happening since Park51 crossed the hurdles. It is on private property, so no one really does not have a say. It is done deal.
Trinity Church is across from the WTC, and yet we do not call it the Ground Zero Trinity Church, or the deli, the Ground Zero Deli.
No_S
Alcohol is a recreational drug and it's legal. We tax it and have regulations on the sell. Here is a paradox, it is not legal to use a drug, but it's illegal to sell it. And Field can correct me if I am wrong, but usually get arrest for possession. I don't think they are charged with the intent to use it.
Why is it okay to legalize alcohol but not marijuana? You must remember alcohol was prohibited to sell manufacture, and transport, but not to drink. You know The Noble Experiment brought by the 18th Amendment which they had to reverse with 21st Amendment because I do not know, it proved to be a failure due to organized crime was making money from the illegal sell of alcohol and people became disenchanted after the Valentine's Day Massacre as they saw who widespread criminal activity spiral out of control. I think it would be a good idea to learn from the lesson of the prohibition of the 1920s and apply it to marijuana. Alcohol is more dangerous than marijuana.
re: hennasplace 9:38
Or the Ground Zero Halal stand.
Hathor:
LOL, There you go. It is amazing how people forget that some Muslims died on September 11 as well, but that thought escapes some of us. Unbelievable!
I have a correction, there is a chapel in the Pentagon where daily Islamic pray is performed. The chapel is shared by other religions as well. No one has a problem with Muslims using the chapel in the Pentagon for prayer.
hennasplace, correction noted. Still, we get your point, and it's a good one. Your intellectual honesty is to be commended. Unlike some people.
I saw an interview with a London-based Professor of addiction on the BBC a couple of years ago. He was saying that every society that has ever existed has used some sort of mind-altering drug, whether it be alcohol, opiates, marijuana - whatever.
His theory was that the use of these drugs helps people to cope with living in close proximity to large numbers of other people.
In many ways you can view drugs like alcohol and marijuhana as the glue that holds society together.
hathor, the Ground Zero Halal post included:
One thing I haven't seen anyone write about is the presence of Muslim food carts MUCH closer to Ground Zero. There are at least two, depending on the time of day, along West Broadway between Vesey and Park Place. One is practically on top of the Ground Zero construction site, outside the Path station. Aren't they an "affront," a "provocation"?
Yes. They are a provocation. And if you were to check recent arrests for terrorism activities here in NY City, you would find the story of the Halal cart operator who is now in federal custody.
If you believe muslims support the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, you have NEVER met a muslim.
There's 1,400 years of islamic history showing their contempt for everything in our Founding Documents.
no_slapps,
I don't let Islam rule my life, nor do I follow every action of Muslims. I have no fear that they have some magic like Svengali and they will dominate America.
I trust that Law Enforcement and the Military are capable of rooting out terrorism. There is no need for me to be a faux expert.
hennasplace, you wrote:
Why is it okay to legalize alcohol but not marijuana?
Because lawmakers have the Constitutional power to legislate in ways that often seem to make no sense.
A good example is slavery. The 1857 Dred Scott decision by the Supreme Court upheld the rights of slaveowners to own slaves.
More recently we have the 1973 Roe v Wade decision to permit abortion.
Interestingly, the two decisions use the same premise to reach their conclusions.
Both decisions were reached by dodging the main question.
With respect to slavery, blacks were deemed less than human. The Constitution offers no rights or protections to non-humans. Therefore, blacks were not granted the rights of freedom granted to all humans in the United States.
Abortion goes the same way. The Constitution does not protect non-humans. By some weird contrivance it was decided that a fetus is not human. Therefore, like a slave, a fetus is not protected or granted the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Since the fetus is deemed a non-human, it can be aborted.
Thus, if you were thinking the US Supreme Court should act consistently, then you should think there ought to be no slavery and no abortion, OR we should permit both slavery and abortion.
The current dichotomy seems irrational.
hathor, you wrote:
I trust that Law Enforcement and the Military are capable of rooting out terrorism. There is no need for me to be a faux expert.
Really? The same law enforcement you believe is out to shoot young black males at every opportunity?
The same military that was under the control of a commander-in-chief who went after terrorists vs an ex-muslim commander-in-chief who is standing by while Iran obtains a nuclear weapon?
You'll say anything.
Granny, "I'm highly offended by the comment made by anonymous 7:21. And if there is anyone else on here including the regular ID posters who are in agreement with anonymous 7:21, speak up now or forever hold your peace because I'm not married to this blog."
Dear Granny, I am sorry I said what I did. I did not mean to insult you. I was joking, just trying to be funny. I need to consider you and Mack Lyons as overly sensitive people. Please do not leave this blog because of me. I would never forgive myself.
I ask for your forgiveness. I will NEVER joke like that again with you.
PC, "His theory was that the use of these drugs helps people to cope with living in close proximity to large numbers of other people."
Really? If you believe the Prof's 'theory', which quite often could be wrong, it could be good enough reason to legalize marijuana, crack, cocaine and heroin too!
No_Slaapy:
Dude, What in the world are writing about? What is your reasoning for using Dred Scott and Roe v Wade? I am talking the different between two drugs why is one alcohol and the other marijuana. They are both recreational drugs with exception of legality. I did not ask you to give me a writing of constitutional powers. Give me a fundamental difference between the two drugs. From what I can see that alcohol is legal, but it is also a dangerous drug that affect an individual's demeanor I do not mean you turn into little miss sunshine either, can make one sick, and potential of death through alcohol poisoning. Yet alcohol is legally and socially acceptable, but marijuana isn't.
If there is anyone is using a dichotomy that would be you. I am comparing two drugs, and here you are discussing abortion and slavery to prove your point which I do not get and perhaps some other people may not as well. I will tell you this though, I wouldn't want to be on the same debate team because we would lose, and then I would have to drink enough martinis to become mean enough to push you off the bar stool. I am shaking my head now in utter disbelief, and just going to say bless your heart.
@Anon 3:00 am
My, my. I hit the jackpot tonight. I got my favorite woman to respond to my comment. She usually ignores me. Thanks RT. does this mean you are willing to give me another chance to tell the truth? Are you one of those lenient leftist bleeding heart for marijuana judges?
Go for it--tell the truth. I always love to hear the truth be told.
Tell me this. If you know how destructive alcohol can be, why would you want another drug to be legalized, regardless what is said about it?
Alcohol is toxic; marijuana is not. Alcohol is destructive, though not always and not to all people, but I still don't think it should be made illegal. I would always prefer less lethal and more safe drugs to be available for people to choose from. I know people who smoke every day and still go to work, live productive lives, raise children, be creative, etc. I also know people who drink every day who do this.
BTW, there is now NATIONWIDE 12-Step Marijuana groups and Narcotics Anonymous groups that deal with the addiction of Marijuana.
I know this is true. Do you know why? With the ridiculous number of convictions for non-violent drug crimes, like possession of a small amount of marijuana, our jails are overcrowded with recreational users to the detriment of our legal system. Consequently, some offenders are offered a deal--admit an addiction, sign up for rehab, and avoid jail. That's how you get so many "addicts" in rehab, and you'd better believe it's a moneymaker for those "clinics."
Whatever you may read, the reality marijuana can destroy lives.
This may be true, but it's not because marijuana is addictive or physically harmful. You could say the same thing about compulsive eating, or compulsive shopping, or any number of other habits.
I see teens all the time who are in big trouble because they can't stop smoking marijuana. They cause a lot of hurt in the families they come from.
I don't know in what capacity you deal with teens, but as I high school teacher, I see a fair number of teens every day, many of whom may be smoking. I also see pregnant women who smoke, under doctors' orders, to suppress nausea and increase appetite, and who go on to have healthy babies. I see adults who smoke casually and regularly, yet who are not addicted and not facing negative affects (other than the threat of law enforcement encroaching on their privacy).
@La♥audiobooks
but you also know they say its a gateway drug...
The belief that marijuana is a gateway drug has been debunked. The idea that crack users also smoke weed presents a logical problem. Crack users also breathe oxygen, eat bread, drink milk, etc. It's a correlation/causation problem.
And you know the rumor is that they would have legalized it a long time ago if they didn't feel the people who would profit from it more were blacks and non-whites from various places.
Now THERE you've hit the nail on the head.
I lived in Amsterdam for 22 years until October 2009. Possession of less than 25 grams of Marijuana has been legally tolerated (though not legal) there for many years.
The advantage of legalizing marijuana is that it separates out the soft and hard drug cultures. Kids who want to try some skunk do not have to go to criminals and pushers to buy it. That concept works spectacularly well. There are only about 6000 junkies in Amsterdam and 75% of those are foreigners. The average age of junkies in Amsterdam was 42.2 in 2009.
Meanwhile the percentage of addicts under the age of 22 has fallen from 26.8% in 1981 to just under 2.0% in 2008.
Sorry I meant to say 'de-criminalizing' rather than 'legalizing'.
RT, you disappoint me with your logic on legalizing marijuana. If you were to talk to an addictions counselor, they would tell you that marijuana can be every bit as addictive and dangerous as alcohol.
Your claim that alcohol is 'toxic' and marijuana is not-is absurd. Too much of 'anything' is toxic.
RT, is your avatar an actual photo of you? If so, your glasses are too big. But you have a cute face. You look awefully young to be an adult woman.
PC, "The advantage of legalizing marijuana is that it separates out the soft and hard drug cultures. Kids who want to try some skunk do not have to go to criminals and pushers to buy it. That concept works spectacularly well. There are only about 6000 junkies in Amsterdam and 75% of those are foreigners. The average age of junkies in Amsterdam was 42.2 in 2009."
Since you did not break out the races, an American like ns would assume most of Amsterdam's junkies are Black like in America. And most started out on Marijuana because it is the 'doorway' to much 'higher' drugs.
PC, please be truthful. Are most junkies in Amsterdam Black?
Field, I cannot believe you are an advocate of marijuana, a drug that alters the brain and can destroy lives. You lefties pretend you care about human life, but you really don't. It's the conservative "moral" majority and lovers of God that really care about humans, esp. POC because we want to stop ALL people from ingesting toxins into their bodies.
We want people to live healthy, clean lives without the dirt of drugs like marijuana. Like the mosque in NYC, marijuana won't make it simply because you lefties have no moral compass. You are very harmful to America.
The mid-term elections will be your waterloo. You and your blog lackies are finished.
Anon 3:19pm:
You have to look at the bigger picture. People are going to use marijuana regardless at least with legalizing it you can also regulate it which would be an improving than what we have now. We are locking up recreational users of marijuana, so you are willing to build more prison to accommodate them? Where are you going to place them because the only way that you make room for them is let out your more dangerous criminals out earlier? I do not think it's healthy to let out the serial rapist to prey on the larger society, I don't think that's healthy. The war on drugs isn't working and we are spending more money, the war is lost. So what you suggest we do because it will not be long before the Mexican Cartel really takes over. It's like we are using a fly swatter to kill a bat. I do not get it.
"Field, I cannot believe you are an advocate of marijuana, a drug that alters the brain and can destroy lives. You lefties pretend you care about human life, but you really don't. It's the conservative "moral" majority and lovers of God that really care about humans..
Marijuna alters the brain? Is it for the better? Hell if it is I might want to try some. No wonder Brother Bob wrote all those great songs.
n_s, did you just compare the issue of slavery to drug use? *hearing the sound of coo coo birds in the background*
field how is that smoking problem coming along? a friend said you were trying to quit
I think your post earlier UTS describes your mantra. You are too afraid to admit the black community issues because you are afraid some racist will hear you and then have power over you. Kinda sad old man.
this ya'll is the statement of the century, a laser focus in on the old man known as UTS.
Bu then again, what do you expect when you beat your boys to keep them quiet. By putting up your photo old man, you were stupid enough to allow folks to find out who you are.
[quote: anon: PC, please be truthful. Are most junkies in Amsterdam Black?[/quote]
Firstly it's TPC, not PC.
Secondly, from my experience working at the sharp end of the Dutch health service for ten years I would have said that about 10% of Amsterdam's junkies are black.
However according to the drugtext.org website..
"About 1,500 of the 6,000 hard drug users are of Dutch origin, 1500 are from Surinam, the Netherlands Antilles and Morocco, and about 3,000 are from other countries in Europe, mainly Germany, Italy and England."
So in other words about a quarter of Amsterdam's junkies are black - IF you count Moroccans as being black (Moroccans themselves wouldn't for the record.)
Incidentally, I'm currently engaged in something that bears a passing resemblance to a 'debate' with our current House Negro on her blog.
Unfortunately she appears to have the I.Q. of a fence-post, and only a passing knowledge of the English language.
You just can't find proper conservatives to debate with any more. Has anybody else noticed that?
RT said "The belief that marijuana is a gateway drug has been debunked. The idea that crack users also smoke weed presents a logical problem.""
When most people use the term gateway drug, I think they mean to open up the door to other stronger mood altering substances. There are people who always seek more and bigger highs. And no, a crack head wouldn't waste their time smoking mari if they are also on crack. A crack addict has long moved on from feeling the effects of marijuana as compared to having exposure to hard core crack.
Also, some people tend to add things to their marijuana joints and that too is a problem and should be taken into consideration. Apart from that, I have seen too many people behave very strangely and non-functional when they 'abuse' marijuana, is it a coincidence? Some people can handle it and some don't appear to be able to.
All my life I've always heard marijuana is so harmless and natural. The way I personally see it, marijuana even smoked in its natural state behaves similar to many of the processed mood altering pharmaceutical drugs. People in general react and behave differently to prescribed drugs, that is why they are prescribed only to people who they apply. I've always felt the same should go for marijuana, not everyone can use it.
Even so, I really don't have a strong opinion on legalizing it or not legalizing it. Doing so would have both pros and the cons either way.
Btw, I'm not into alcohol either. The same feelings can also apply (but we know why alcohol is legal, the profits of making and selling alcohol are "controlled").
field:
I know I heard crickets when I read what N_S wrote. He seriously lacking in the critical thinking skills area. I think he may smoking that recreational drug while typing.
field, you wrote:
Blah blah blah. n_s, you and that other HN blogger miss the point: it's not about Rauf, or his book, or his Center, or what a dirt bag he is; it's about the Constitution.
For someone who has a law degree, you seem remarkably distant from the realities of the law.
Like I stated earlier, despite all the disagreements about slavery, the Supreme Court -- in 1857 -- declared the Constitution did NOT prohibit the practice.
Furthermore, the Supreme Court, using the same logic, declared in 1973 it was legal to kill a fetus.
Meanwhile, the US government does not approve of foreign militaries operating against US interests ON US soil. Hence, we can and do ban activities of foreign governments on US soil.
It seems you are one of the many who suffers from the myopia limiting your view of islam to the belief that it is nothing more than a religion. You seemingly believe this in spite of the fact that numerous islamic theocracies exist and there are about 58 muslim nations which are de facto islamlic theocracies.
That's more or less the same as believing the grizzly bear in the bear habitat at the zoo is not going to eat you if you jump in because it's living in a friendly environment in which all the inhabitants are well fed by the staff.
Dirtbag imam rauf is a pawn in the larger islamic game, and non-muslim Americans are the dupes. Rauf serves the violent end of islam by doing exactly what he does -- selling the nice islam to saps.
The al-Qaeda types are thrilled that dirtbag imam rauf is in America spreading his good will. Whether he knows it or not, he's helping them increase their foothold.
Then, after a while, after the muslim population gets up to a game-changing size, things get rough. That's the muslim way. We have 1,400 years of muslim history that lead us to the obvious.
Anon said..."The mid-term elections will be your waterloo. You and your blog lackies are finished."
Our Waterloo is your Waterloo and, if we're finished, you are finished.
This economy is hanging by a thread. With Republicans in the majority not only will the thread snap, but it will be a snap heard in your backyard and around the world.
Don't celebrate just yet!
Then, after a while, after the muslim population gets up to a game-changing size, things get rough. That's the muslim way. We have 1,400 years of muslim history that lead us to the obvious.
Scared are you! What's the "game-changing size" of which you speak? And from where will all these "game-changing" Muslims come?
Are they in Mexico? Are they in Haiti? Are they in Cuba? Are they in disguise, walking among us as some other ethnic group?
Estimates of the Muslim population of the United States 1) vary greatly, 2) are seldom based on any credible scientific methodology, and 3) seem to have been undergoing inflation of late, rising a million from the average claim in 1996-2001 of 5.65 million to a post-September 11average figure of 6.7 million.
"The best, adjusted, survey-based estimates put the adult Muslim population in 2000 at 0.67 percent or 1,401,000, and the total Muslim population at 1,886,000. Even if high-side estimates based on local surveys, figures from mosques, and ancestry and immigration statistics are given more weight than the survey-based numbers, it is hard to accept estimates that Muslims are greater than 1 percent of the population (2,090,000 adults or 2,814,000 total).
"Thus, the average number being cited by the media at present (6.7 million) is 2.4 to 3.6 times greater than the best available estimates (1.9-2.8 million)." AJC
The body was not made to consume alcohol.
We use it at our peril.
Drugs -- if any recreational drug is LEGALIZED then the ad campaigns will start and sales will explode.
Despite the problems caused by current drug laws, the fear of getting into some serious trouble keeps a lot of people out of harm's way.
Meanwhile, as purple cow stated, in the Netherlands, pot has been DECRIMINALZED, which is NOT equivalent to LEGALIZATION.
However, if purple cow comments again, he might mention the fact that the Netherlands is rethinking its drug policies for exactly the points cow mentioned -- a lot of true addicts arrive in the Netherlands to indulge.
If the US were to take the suicidal step of legalization, our problems with foreigners crashing in America would explode.
Meanwhile, irrationality takes over when people talk about how smart it would be to legalize drugs. People reach inane conclusions about what would happen to drug prices and how unrestricted access to drugs would reduce drug abuse and reduce the related social problems.
Meanwhile, there's a long article in today's NY Post about a young crack dealer here in NY City. The dealer is a 12-year-old black girl from Queens. I know her neighborhood. It's bad.
If 12-year-old girls are dealing crack NOW, nothing can stop the spread of crack use if they are legalized.
Moreover, as some of you might know, there is a link between drug use and prostitution. If recreational drugs were legal, then more girls from dead-end neighborhoods would get into substance abuse and eventually into prostitution. It's just one of those patterns that's repeated daily.
As we recently saw, the young and misguided daughter of Larry Fishburne is going into porno. It's been said she's under the spell of a Svengali-like "handler". Will he lead her into the drug abusing side of porn?
Have we been losing too few people to drug abuse? I've lost friends to both drug overdoses and murder in the drug trade. As if either would decline if recreational drugs were legalized.
It is important for us all to recognize that just like any other large group individual Muslims vary widely in their views, thoughts and behaviors. The imam who is behind the Park 51 center is a Sufi. The differences between Sufism and Sunni or Shi'a Islam are beyond what I want to discuss here but Sufi's are virtually considered apostates or heretics by some fundamentalist Muslims and that very much includes both the ruling hierarchy in Saudi Arabia, who only recently have grudgingly allowed some Sufi open worship, and the nutjobs in Al-Quaeda and related affiliates , who are routinely murdering Sufi adherents in Pakistan and Afghanistan even as we speak.
In addition Rauf helped the FBI with counterterrorism under Bush and went on speaking tours across the Middle East with Bush officials, where he was occasionally derided by locals as an American hand puppet.
As mentioned, there is already a mosque that is at "Ground Zero" that actually was there before the WTC. Should that be removed as well? No American citizen or legal resident should ever back down on his or her right to build or live where he or she sees fit. That would set several bad precedents and take the country back to the bad old days. Once you start letting people tell you when and where you can exercise your constitutional rights you might as well give up your citizenship.
Rauf had nothing to do with 9-11. The fact that he shares a religion with those who committed the attack on 9-11 is trivial. He also shares that religion with over 1.2 billion other humans. Some of these people are a$$***s; some of them are okay. Some are loons; some are openminded -just like anyone else.
This unfortunately has taken on a life and meaning of its own that is way beyond its importance. And there are several other mosques across the country that are receiving similar opposition.
People do feel affected more by things that happen in their back yard. That's just human nature. I have no issue with New Yorkers feeling particularly aggrieved IF the facts were as they were first reported. But they're not. Rauf is not exactly a guy cheering for Al-Quaeda and boasting about "We knocked down those cursed Crusader towers and now we're building on top of them".
There were Muslims who died in 9-11 as well. Rauf may well have different perspectives or beliefs than many Americans. Argue and debate those if one wills. But that should not be construed as disrespect or prevent him from building a community center.
"Like I stated earlier, despite all the disagreements about slavery, the Supreme Court -- in 1857 -- declared the Constitution did NOT prohibit the practice."
What an idiot! The SC's job is to INTERPRET the Constitution. Obviously, when it comes to the practice of slavery, they were wrong. That is, of course, if you do not believe that black folks are fully human. Do you?
"field how is that smoking problem coming along? a friend said you were trying to quit"
Does your imaginary friend smoke with you as well? Judging from your various comments, I am guessing that crack would be your fave thing to smoke. :)
PC, I saw that. Why do you slap someone around like that in their own house? I was going to respond again but after I saw your comments I figured that she had enough.
You were "en fuego"!!!
en fuego.
That's a baseball term, right?
I'm a cricket player myself.
ns, "For someone who has a law degree, you seem remarkably distant from the realities of the law."
Good lawyers are like good mechanics, they are hard to find.
Field, "Does your imaginary friend smoke with you as well? Judging from your various comments, I am guessing that crack would be your fave thing to smoke. :)
PC, I saw that. Why do you slap someone around like that in their own house? I was going to respond again but after I saw your comments I figured that she had enough.
You were "en fuego"!!!"
And you are proud of Mr. mean-spirited TPC? And you two claim to be critical thinkers? Bullshit! You are evil jackass bullies who enjoy humiliating and pushing around vulnerable helpless people. How childish, inhumane and disgusting.
""Thus, the average number being cited by the media at present (6.7 million) is 2.4 to 3.6 times greater than the best available estimates (1.9-2.8 million)." AJC"
Actually, there are approximately 10mil Muslims in the USA. Hell, Farrakhan has more that a million members alone.
BTW, you don't hear him weighing in on this mosque business do you? nor do you hear Rev Sharpton or Jessie Jackson because they know how those middle-eastern muslims feel about Blacks. Only Blacks like some of the folks on this blog are busy kissing asses that don't give a damn about them.
shady, i admire your diligence and patience in trying to help educate our friends here on the blog, but i have already concluded they are purposely choosing to remain ignorant.
of course, not all muslims are radical and not all catholics or christians are evangelicals. but the folks here don't care and don't want to know the differences or nuances. you can tell them til you're blue in the face.
fact is just today the NYT did a profile of this iman, and he's STILL being paid by the state dept. to go on good will tours.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/22/nyregion/22imam.html?_r=1&scp=3&sq=rauf&st=cse
PC, I knew there was something I liked about you. Do you prefer pace or spin bowling?
And you do know that Sir Garfield Sobers was a Windies guy, right? :)
"And you are proud of Mr. mean-spirited TPC? And you two claim to be critical thinkers? Bullshit! You are evil jackass bullies who enjoy humiliating and pushing around vulnerable helpless people. How childish, inhumane and disgusting."
Now isn’t that a b&^%*? Hey, I am sure that wingnut blogger is quite capable of taking care of herself. She picked a fight with me, remember?
She is a blogger. It's not that serious. If she can't go back and forth with folks and debate her position, maybe she should get a personal diary to put her thoughts in.
WHY do I even try?
@Anon 3:01
RT, you disappoint me with your logic on legalizing marijuana. If you were to talk to an addictions counselor, they would tell you that marijuana can be every bit as addictive and dangerous as alcohol.
I have talked to addictions counselors. I've even talked to addictions counselors who are regular users. I've actually done a lot of research on this issue. I'm open to new information, if you have any, but your opinion alone without anything else to back it up is not convincing to me.
Your claim that alcohol is 'toxic' and marijuana is not-is absurd. Too much of 'anything' is toxic.
The definition of toxic is "of or relating to poison." Too much water can kill you, but water isn't toxic. I'm using the strict definition of the word here.
Earlier I linked to a study from The New England Journal of Medicine which stated, "a smoker would theoretically have to consume nearly 1,500 pounds of marijuana within about fifteen minutes to induce a lethal response.” Since that is not a physical possibility, the claim is an estimate. Researchers have been unable to determine the LD-50, or median lethal dose, for marijuana in animal subjects. Marijuana is not toxic. Moreover, given this hypothetical lethal level, the therapeutic ratio (effective dose versus lethal dose) of THC is 1000:1, whereas the therapeutic ratios for alcohol (10:1), cocaine (15:1), or heroin (6:1) are much lower.
I'm not just making shit up. There is information out there, and while you're entitled to your opinion, you'd make a better argument with substantiated knowledge.
@Anon 3:03
RT, is your avatar an actual photo of you? If so, your glasses are too big. But you have a cute face. You look awefully young to be an adult woman.
Yep, those glasses are too big for a one year old child. I presume that's why my parents took the photo.
Whatsup Field,
Well, again I've been standing by patting my feet. I was waiting for someone to drop by and speak from experience. That didn't happen so I'll raise my hand.
First, although I didn't quite follow slapz's Dred Scott analogy, I have a little inside scoop on Mr. Scott. See, I've done a little research on his plight and the law.
"why CareyCarey?"
Well, he was owned by a physician in my hometown. Yep, he was a doctor in the US military. Yep, a place called The Arsenal Island.
But as I stated, I didn't know where slapz was going with that, so I'll hold the rest of that story.
Now, maryjane and the law and it's users. Well, I've sat in rooms with thousands of addicts. When I say "addict" I am including alcohol, weed, crack, heroin, boogieman juice and all thos addicting "legal" drugs.
It's what I do. It's my day. No, not smoke crack and drink juice, I am one of the guys that sees them die on a regular basis. I am the guy that sees the affect the "drug use has on the children. I am the guy that sees the passing down of the torch, from family member to family member. The torch is lite with the mindset that one can remove themselves from the struggles of the day by ingesting a substance to change their mood.
Gateway? YES!
Do I know what I am talking about? Yes! The gate is the mind. Once that gate is opened, the overwhelming majority (if any) does not know they are in too far until they try to get out.
Drug use (weed included) is just the sore on the surface of the skin. I ask clients to ask themselves why they smoke, shoot, drink, or toot drugs. Many say it makes them feel good. Of course that's my trap question. I then ask then to tell me how they were feeling before they busted their head(smoked, drank, whatever). Oh lawd, I wish I could bottle the silence, because underneath that pause, the addiction is at work.
It's not the drink or drug that's the call of the wild, it's the mind telling us to take us away from reality. They all work, and they all become a habitual way of life. And they all cause pain and suffering.
One dude told me marijuana makes him think better. I asked him the age of his children. He said they were 5,7 and 9. I pulled a 100 dollar bill out of my pocket and handed it to him. I told him I was starting their college education fund. I mean, since marijuana makes him think better, he should run out and buy his children a few blunts. You know, get a jump on that doctorate degree.
Field my friend, I am on the other side of this issue. But you still my negro.
Field, "Now isn’t that a b&^%*? Hey, I am sure that wingnut blogger is quite capable of taking care of herself. She picked a fight with me, remember?
She is a blogger. It's not that serious. If she can't go back and forth with folks and debate her position, maybe she should get a personal diary to put her thoughts in."
Field, you started the whole thing. You put her up in your sidebar, shaming the poor girl. Now you are claiming she started it and deserved it? What the hell was that all about with you and the jackass from Amsterdam double teaming her? Just because she considers herself a conservative?
Your justifying is insane. You have the biggest blog in the black blogosphere and you should show some class and let the little ones alone and give them a chance to grow. She can't touch you. You ought to be ashamed of yourself.
Anyway, you are the one who is looking bad on this one.
Thx Maria. I just saw that NYT piece
Anon said..."Only Blacks like some of the folks on this blog are busy kissing asses that don't give a damn about them."
So, Anon, you're not opposed to kissing ass, just not those asses that don't give a damn about you.
I'd call for an ass-kissing moratorium, but you'd probably just appeal it.
RT, "I'm not just making shit up. There is information out there, and while you're entitled to your opinion, you'd make a better argument with substantiated knowledge."
I am psychic and psychis don't make shit up. It's all based on psychic knowledge which is a far better quality of knowledge than those facts you are throwing around.
BTW, your 1-yr old photo is a cute photo. Any teachers laid off in your state?
Better go to church and pray. Stay out of mosques...from the way things are going they are not going to be safe.
Anon said..."You are evil jackass bullies who enjoy humiliating and pushing around vulnerable helpless people. How childish, inhumane and disgusting."
You feel bullied, Anon? Then there must be something in your psychological makeup that makes you such an inviting target.
Don't blame folk for stepping on doormats. That's why doormats were made. For dirty feet.
Anon said..."Actually, there are approximately 10mil Muslims in the USA. Hell, Farrakhan has more that a million members alone."
I don't think AJC would intentionally undercount Muslims in this country, even if you do.
If black folk were terrorists, or a terrorist threat, we'd have fewer anons posting on this blog.
"Show you lack of "dumbness" by"
?????
Shows your lack of????
"if you're premises are sound"
?????
if your premises????
If you question someone's intelligence, please be sure yours is in check.
franklinjonesii@yahoo.com
i'm completely in favor of decriminalizing possession of any amounts of pot. i'm a big time organic gardener, and i'd grow it myself, for medicinal purposes even, if it weren't so problematic. i live in a state where cultivation and possession is legal for medical use, too. but this is what i say to all those who advocate for it to be regulated and taxed by the state: be careful what you wish for.
the last thing i'd want is the state telling me how i can buy and smoke my pot. seriously, who thinks that wouldn't get really fucked up, really quickly? i'm all for states raising revenue from professional dealers who want to go thru the hassle of licensing, regulation, paperwork... that's what being a business person in america means. but gawddammit: pot is a plant anyone can grow, and the state doesn't check out my home grown tomatoes to see if they are "toxic" or "safe," and i don't want them telling me how to grow my own pot.
decriminalization, and the removal of MJ from the schedule of controlled substances. treat it like any other plant which has pharmacological potential, but isn't regulated. did you know you can get completely fucked up on morning glory seeds? or that nightshade has belladonna, that in ancient times was used by people to do things like have religious trances? there are 000s of "common" household plants like this, for all most people don't know it. but i don't want the state to step in between me and my dealer, any more than i approve of "blue laws" which tell me i can't buy booze on sundays, etc.
Field,
Have you seen this http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/20/family-on-camping-outing-_n_689314.html
[quote:fieldnegro]PC, I knew there was something I liked about you. Do you prefer pace or spin bowling?
And you do know that Sir Garfield Sobers was a Windies guy, right? :)[/quote]
I was a quick but wildly inacurate fast bowler up till my mid-20's when my left knee gave up on me. So then I switched to wrist spin bowling where I became a wildly innacurate slow bowler.
Now I confine myself to coaching our local under 11 team. We were undefeated champions this year. 13 wins, two rained off and one team capitulated rather than be humiliated by us.
http://scjcl.play-cricket.com/leagueTables/divisionTable.asp?id=10058983&seasonid=23
Learn more about the campaign to legalize, control, and tax cannabis in California at www.taxcannabis.org. And become a fan of the campaign on Facebook at www.facebook.com/taxcannabis. Thanks!
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