It's About Time...

Legislators aim to snuff out penalties for pot use

(CNN) -- The U.S. should stop arresting responsible marijuana users, Rep. Barney Frank said Wednesday, announcing a proposal to end federal penalties for Americans carrying fewer than 100 grams, almost a quarter-pound, of the substance.

Current laws targeting marijuana users place undue burdens on law enforcement resources, punish ill Americans whose doctors have prescribed the substance and unfairly affect African-Americans, Frank said, flanked by legislators and representatives from advocacy groups.

"The vast amount of human activity ought to be none of the government's business," Frank said during a Capitol Hill news conference. "I don't think it is the government's business to tell you how to spend your leisure time."

The Massachusetts Democrat and his supporters emphasized that only the use -- and not the abuse -- of marijuana would be decriminalized if the resolution passes.

Allen St. Pierre, spokesman for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, likened the proposal to current laws dealing with alcohol consumption. Alcohol use is permitted and the government focuses its law enforcement efforts on those who abuse booze or drive under its influence, he said.

"We do not arrest and jail responsible alcohol drinkers," he said.

St. Pierre said there were tens of million of marijuana smokers in the United States, including himself, and hundreds of thousands are arrested each year for medical or personal use.

There have been 20 million marijuana-related arrests since 1965, he said, and 11 million since 1990, and "every 38 seconds a marijuana smoker is arrested."

Rob Kampia, director of the Marijuana Policy Project, said marijuana arrests outnumber arrests for "all violent crimes combined," meaning that police are spending inordinate amounts of time chasing nonviolent criminals.

"Ending arrests is the key to marijuana policy reform," he said.

Reps. William Lacy Clay, D-Missouri, and Barbara Lee, D-California, said that in addition to targeting nonviolent offenders, U.S. marijuana laws also unfairly target African-Americans.

Clay said he did not condone drug use, but he opposes using tax dollars to pursue what he feels is an arcane holdover from "a phony war on drugs that is filling up our prisons, especially with people of color."

Too many drug enforcement resources are being dedicated to incarcerating nonviolent drugs users and not enough being done to stop the trafficking of narcotics into the United States, he said.

Being arrested is not the American marijuana smoker's only concern, said Bill Piper of the Drug Policy Alliance Network. Those found guilty of marijuana use can lose their jobs, financial aid for college, their food stamp and welfare benefits or their low-cost housing.

The U.S. stance on marijuana, Piper said, "is one of the most destructive criminal justice policies in America today."

Calling the U.S. policy "inhumane" and "immoral," Lee said she has many constituents who are harassed or arrested for using or cultivating marijuana for medical purposes. California allows medical marijuana use, but the federal government does not, she explained.

House Resolution 5843, titled the Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2008, would allow "a very small number of individuals" suffering from chronic pain or illness to smoke marijuana with impunity. The legislation is cosponsored by Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas.

According to NORML, marijuana can be used to treat a range of illnesses, including glaucoma, asthma, multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS and seizures.

Frank said there were about a dozen states that already had OK'd some degree of medical marijuana use and the federal government should stop devoting resources to arresting people who are complying with their state's laws.

In a shot at Republicans, Frank said it was strange that those who support limited government want to criminalize marijuana.

Asked if the resolution's passage would change his personal behavior, Frank quipped, "I do obey every law I vote for," but quickly said he did not use marijuana, nor does he encourage it.

"I smoke cigars. I don't think other people should do that. If young people ask me, I would advise them not to do it," he said.

If HR 5843 were passed by the House, marijuana smokers could possess up to 100 grams -- about 3½ ounces -- of cannabis without being arrested. It would also permit the "nonprofit transfer" of up to an ounce of marijuana.

The resolution would not affect laws forbidding growing, importing or exporting marijuana, or selling it for profit. The resolution also would not affect any state laws regarding marijuana use.

IDEAS - Revolutions

There is no war.

There is no politic.

There are no governments.

There is no debt.

There is no wealth.

There are no McMansions.

There are no pills.

There is no gasoline.

There is no HD.



There is only the earth, and those constituents of life that make the earth "alive."


What are we to do in this world?

Will we still fight each other like the animals that we are in our quest to declare our hierarchic dominance?

Will we continue to let our material delusions influence the direction of our futures?


Might we finally take pause to consider the miracle of our meager existence?

Might we finally realize how deeply integrated we are within the matrices of life on Earth?

Might we finally return to the Earth and live the life that we were selectively designed to live?


Within the human mind, there are only Ideas.

There is no fear.

There is no hate

There is no freedom.

There is no cage.


They are only Ideas.

IDEAS Reloaded

It all starts with Ideas.

A single seed can yield exponentially more seeds over time.

The mind is the brain's flower, ideas, the pollinator.

The truth is the Sun.

Life can be a garden, or a wilderness.

It all starts with Ideas.

A Conversation

A dear friend of mine mentioned "the windmill".

"Get to close, and you'll get smacked."

But that would be stupid, for those that seek the weakness of the windmill are smart enough to take it down without getting smacked.

Don't forget, the truth is a powerful, dangerous thing. It rules everything, even if we can't see it. Outside of the truth, it is during those blind times that we become a danger to ourselves.

My friend states, "cause waves and you become a target."

I reply, "but counter waves can be stronger."

Even those that hold the bulls eye can be knocked off target, and let's face it, without the truth, they are on shaky ground anyway.

"I think of it as planting seeds of thought."

"but you planted a great BIG seed."

"yes."

My government started this war, this War on Truth. It's a good thing for my enemy that I live by grace alone. I am not violent, but a pacifist. I am not vengeful, but forgiving. I aspire to a greater morality, and it is a terrible shame that my government distorts my moral standard. I have turned the other cheek, more times than I can count, and I have gotten hurt ten times more than that.

There comes a time when force is required. My guns are ideas, and my flag is the truth.

And I can't forget the chewing gum...

healing

Headaches. They were a weekly, and sometimes, daily occurrence for me. Sometimes, they would be so intense I would get sick. Sometimes Tylenol was not enough. Sometimes, even a nap wasn't enough.

Stress and Anxiety. I am a night owl, usually because the night is when my mind wakes up. The night is when I think the clearest, but sometimes, the night is when my mind races out of control. Psychologists might call this anxiety. I think my anxiety is the product of my neurological architecture, something psychologists have little understanding of. This is why I have set out to understand my own mind, a process that will surely take the rest of my life, only to remain incomplete even after my death. Somethings aren't easy to grasp, but this doesn't mean I shouldn't try.

Poor sleep. This is typically the result of anxiety, but not always. Sometimes, I get struck by a literary, artistic, or musical idea in the middle of the night. Whatever the cause, I have a hard time sleeping at night. The problem is, my work demands that I be awake in the morning. The end result is sleep deprivation, and usually, crankiness or blissfull euphoria.

Poor circulation. I am tall, and healthy, but sometimes, wounds on my external limbs fail to heal quickly. I have a healthy diet, but I experience extreme temperature feelings at my limbs, usually, this means a part of me feels too cold or hot.

A.D.D. I deny that this is a disorder in the first place, but, scientists have isolated genes that predict ADD-related behaviors in people, so, something is going on. Whatever it is, I have a hard time concentrating on anything that requires intense focus, like reading a book or repairing a keyboard. Consequently, I have a hard time learning in a linear fashion. I learn best through experience, something I had to experience to understand in the first place. Regardless of this, I still have a hard time functioning "normally" in our linear society, never mind meeting the demands of said linear society.

These are a few of my afflictions. I could list more, but at this point, there is no need. My point is that I no longer have these problems because I use cannabis in low doses everyday. Today, because I use cannabis, it is rare when I have a headache; my issues with anxiety, control, impatience are practically non existent; I can fall asleep when I want to, and wake up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the demands of another day; my bodily-blood circulation is better due to the vaso-dilating properties of the cannabinoids in cannabis, my body recovers faster from the physical demands of my work, and any wounds I receive from work heal faster; and perhaps most importantly of all, my A.D.D. is all but gone. I can focus on any task and complete it, and I can set goals for myself and achieve them. I can write and record the songs that pop into my mind. I can read multiple books and remember what I want to be able to recall them in the future. I have a 4.0 gpa, and I am much more productive.

I can use this medicine as I choose, and I can stop with no negative consequences (unlike many "legal" drugs)... actually, when I stop taking this medicine, my "afflictions" begin to return.

The beauty of it all is that my medicine comes from a plant that God created (with a little help from the botanical antiquity of human cultivation). This medicine grows like a weed, and no one can profit from it (not even those nasty drug dealers in the pharmaceutical industry). This medicine is free. It is God's blessing to us. We are fools for not recognizing this.

Cough syrup can intoxicate when consumed in large quantities. Most people don't get high on cough syrup because it is generally understood to be a medicine, and let's face it, there are better options.

If Uncle Sam would only admit that cannabis is a medicine, perhaps people would understand how to use it for what it is, and I wouldn't be a criminal for healing myself. Maybe my government doesn't want me to have more control over my health. Maybe my government doesn't want me to have more control over my own mind. Maybe my government just wants to save face, or worse. Maybe my government still protects slavery.

Whatever the case, I'll continue to flip the bird at the political liars that pull the strings in this country. It's just so obvious, it's painful... the lies, that is.



Let the healing never end.

PIECES

Those that fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat it.

Get over the cliche. There are lessons to learn.

All "great" societies collapse. Societies rise and fall depending on how they regulate energy and waste relative to an ever shifting climate. Those societies that do so successfully grow and develop in compounding complexity. Those societies that fail to manage energy and waste typically collapse under the weight of their own success. This is a profound truth in human social development that our American society has yet to fully grasp.

Our climate is changing. It always has. If we fail to adapt, America too will collapse.

So how do we fit the broken pieces together to ensure the future success of our society? The answer requires a vision that most Americans are not epistemologically equipped to understand.

You are fortunate, dear reader, in that I am giving you this answer free of charge. I have no profit margin. I have no financial bottom line. I offer no pyramid scheme, and no initial financial investment. What I am telling you is that the answers to our problems are locked away in our minds, awaiting access, but hidden to us if we do not look deeply and sincerely.

To ensue the future success of our society, we must manage our energy resources and waste byproducts. We must adapt to the ever-changing climate. This is our ontological bottom line. The success of our future depends on how well we understand our past.

Today, we face great economic instability. We have collectively placed our eggs in the wrong baskets. Our economic survival tokens are losing value. The cost of living is skyrocketing. The vehicles of death are increasing. We have mishandled our natural energy resources, and we are polluting the environment that sustains our lives with the synthetic fecal matter of our own "civil" waste. As the climate changes, we are left wondering what is going on, clueless about how we might adapt successfully.

We fight wars to maintain access to oil. We lead the world in prison incarcerations. We lead the world in mental illness, addiction, and illicit drug use. Our for profit medicines fail to heal. Our eduction systems leave far too many behind to fall into the cracks of the criminal underworld. Our families and communities break down, leading us down the paths of gang violence, social paranoia, and economic division. We have become our own terrible enemies. At this rate, America has no future.

Where is our fresh, clean water? Where is our fresh air? Where does our food come from? Where do we find the energy to fuel our bodies, our homes, and our cars? Where is our waste going, and how does it effect the viability of our natural resources?

We reap what we sow.

What we must do to survive our own belligerent existence is to sow the seeds of natural energy, and use our waste in a manner that enhances our natural resources. We must understand that culture can cause sickness, and that culture can create criminals. We must return to the earth, for the earth is the origin of our existence.

The future of our society depends on how we use plants. It's that simple. We must cherish these botanical resources and do everything we can to enhance our integrated connection with the earth's flora. We are human because of our heritage as botanical cultivators. We must return to this paradigm if we are to ensure a successful future.

This means removing our arcane, misconceived prohibitions of one of our most important botanical resources, Cannabis. By doing so, we ensure a strong botanical basis for agriculture, industry, food, and medicine. Cannabis is not a cure all, but it is an easy first step in our quest to return to the Earth to ensure the viability of the American future. Cannabis was one of humanity's earliest cultivated crops. We must let our past shape our future if we are to have a bright one.

Ignore the misconceived hype. The truth awaits our recognition. There is no future with out truth. The future is built, piece by piece, with the applied knowledge of human history.

This is how we begin to heal the present, and secure the future.

BROKEN

There is something beautiful about allowing yourself to be broken. Perhaps its the realization that after being broken, the self is free to be reassembled in a stronger, purer frame of mind. This is no easy task.

All things are not what they seem. All things are more than they seem. How far are you willing to look to understand the difference?

Peering into the unknown is not for the faint of heart, yet this process is still necessary if we are to force progress in an entropic world.

As for me, I have learned that the society we call home is likewise broken. In America today, the basic family unit that is fundamental to social progress is in decline. Our education systems are failing our children. Our healthcare systems are feeding on the weak and inducing more sickness than it can heal. Our political systems are enslaving free minds. Our judicial systems are incarcerating those that get left behind. This is America today, a land that we created and perpetuate because we are unwilling to expand our vision and our understanding of human nature.

Broken means nothing if we are not willing to pick up the pieces to restore and experience the bigger picture.

In any given society, there will always be those individuals that, due to the genetic architecture of cognitive function, simply don't fit in. This should be obvious, being that every human mind is unique. Mainstream culture is a homogenizing force, and there will always be those that resist homogenization. What are we as a society to do with these individuals?

In ancient societies, these people became healers. They learned to heal the mind of the broken pieces with the plants of the natural environment in a manner that equipped them to re-integrate with their home society to heal those on the verge of becoming lost themselves. Today, those that reject cultural homogenization typically become the unwanted: the homeless, the drug addicts, the criminals, the hippies. They become the unwanted.

As a christian, I am drawn to these people. As shaman, I yearn to heal these people. As a human, I am broken. In being broken, I am empowered to fit the pieces back together in a bigger, more complete picture of human ontology. As an outcast, I am alone, but at the same time, my vision is stronger.

I am broken. What am I to do to heal myself?

I reject the homogenizing medicines of mainstream society. As far as I'm concerned, the world can continue to flush the synthetic, for profit pills of false medicine down the shitter. As far as I'm concerned, all the false theories of western psychology can rot in the landfills of the enslaved unconscious. My path is founded in nature, among the plants of God's creation. I have healed myself with cannabis, despite the misconceived legalities of my government. Uncle Sam can go to hell (and if you haven't been paying attention, he is well on his way).

I will not be a criminal for using cannabis to heal myself and others. I will fight any force that attempts to criminalize me for using one of our oldest natural medicines to heal the sicknesses of society. I reject the misinformation and the lies. I seek the truth, and I know the truth is on my side.

Broken is beautiful as long as the completion of the big picture is the end result. Are we brave enough to see it?

Crawling

Crawling in my skin
These wounds, they will not heal
Fear is how I fall
Confusing what is real

There's something inside me that pulls beneath the surface
Consuming, confusing
This lack of self control I fear is never ending
Controlling

I can't seem
To find myself again
My walls are closing in
(Without a sense of confidence I’m convinced that there’s just too much pressure to take)
I've felt this way before
So insecure

Crawling in my skin
These wounds, they will not heal
Fear is how I fall
Confusing what is real

Discomfort, endlessly has pulled itself upon me
Distracting, reacting
Against my will I stand beside my own reflection
It's haunting how I can't seem...

To find myself again
My walls are closing in
(Without a sense of confidence I’m convinced that there’s just too much pressure to take)
I've felt this way before
So insecure

Crawling in my skin
These wounds, they will not heal
Fear is how I fall
Confusing what is real

There's something inside me that pulls beneath the surface
Consuming, confusing
This lack of self control I fear is never ending
Controlling

-L.P.

Nocturnal Transmissions

Night falls.

The stars, too numerous to count, awaken the imagination, and the demons come out.

Perhaps, the nocturnal lack of light triggers a chemical paradigm shift in the mind. Cholinergeric tropane alkaloids flood the brain, blurring the lines between reality and dreams. Melatonine tryptamine alkaloids drive the brain into states of consciousness where the fantastic becomes real. Perhaps...

At night, the phantoms of the imagination are unleashed, and anything becomes possible. Ghosts walk the earth, demons hide in the corners, and nightmares take on new life.

At night, stars become constellations. Constellations become map signs; map signs become gods.

During the day, we work and play. Plants are harvested for food and medicine. Money is made. We plan wars, build nuclear weapons, and prepare for the future. But at night, all bets are off. At night, we must confront our darkest dreams. At night, we must confront the horrors of thought. At night, we are vulnerable, mortal, and profoundly aware of that thin line between sanity and insanity, dreams and reality.

What is it about the night that reaches down into our very souls to stir that which we have struggled so desperately to hide in the light of day?

For most, the night is a time for seeking safety, shelter, and sleep. For the few, the night is when meaning becomes tangible, or rather, so intangible so as to beg for intimate contact. I am one of the few seekers of the night. For me, life is obtuse until night falls. At night, reality becomes clear.

Is it the nocturnal neurotransmitters? Is it that daring spirit that challenges fate to demand that there is more to this life than just walking in the light?

Who knows? All I know is that we will never know unless we venture forth and explore the realms of the nocturnal mind. For it is in these realms that our darkest, most ancient secrets lay hidden to define our very being.

When Shall I Be Free?

When I shall cease to be.