After half a century or so of watching various legislatures create laws apparently designed to create swaths of disaster, I have little patience for those who maintain that Prohibition of some substances is a good thing.
This is the third of a series of eblasts to a mailing list, apprising its members of our intent, and asking for help. eblasted 9/7/2012
The first of what we hope will be 17 Letters to Legislators will be sent this weekend (9/8-9/2012). 203 current and hope-to-be South Dakota legislators will receive by Wednesday a letter (reproduced above in right column) that asks them to reverse a public policy that has caused more harm in our society than any set of laws since alcohol Prohibition, and maybe since slavery was endorsed in law.
The proposed text of the second letter is here. Let us know what you think of it. We'll print copies next week and mail 'em out Sept. 17, after we hear from all of you with your suggestions for changes, etc.
The second letter will be sent about Sept. 17. This could be the last for a while. Two donors sent enough money to pay the out-of-pocket expenses for the first two letters. In order to conduct this campaign properly, we will need about $1400 more.
The campaign is this: SoDakNORML will send letters to legislators and those who hope to be legislators from now until the next legislative session starts in January. The letters will each put forth a short (one-page) argument as to why legislators should pretty much keep their hands off personal decisions as to which choices made in the pursuit of happiness should be subject to the club (like something made of a tree branch) of criminal prosecution.
All we are asking for in money is the actual cost of stuff we have to buy--envelopes, stamps, ink, and paper.
Four people in four corners of So. Dak. have so far volunteered to fold the letters and stuff the envelopes. We wouldn't mind hearing from a few more who will do that. SoDakNORML will send you everything; all you need to commit is 3-4 hours to fold paper and stuff envelopes (we'll send you everything, including instructions). You just have to live in So. Dak., so the letters will have a SD postmark.
We need $1400 for postage and envelopes and paper. Mostly postage.
After 20-some-years of watching legislators come and go, and being personally-acquainted with several legislators, I believe this campaign has a serious chance of being successful insofar as it might avert any more bullshit laws about cannabis.
It stands a fair chance of changing So. Dak. law to make it less likely that a person found in possession will do jail time . We are not (yet) making specific suggestions about specific laws. What we plan to do first is point out the pointlessness of making it illegal to attempt to feel better by one tack while leaving it legal to attempt to feel better by other tacks.
We have to try to convey these ideas to the legislators in increments of about the same number of words that I have just written.
When I say "we," I generally mean everyone who agrees with me on these issues. When I say "I," I mean I am asking you to send a few bucks to help buy stamps, envelopes, paper and ink or toner. We need about $1400 more to complete this project.
Send money.
SoDakNORML
24594 Chokecherry Ridge Rd
Hermosa SD 57744
PayPal to newland@rapidcity.com (you can use a credit card)
Also spread the word about this campaign.We want to double our cannabis activist list.
Like us on Facebook.
Write your own letter to your legislator, or compose something and send it to me. We have 15 more letters to go.
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