Pubdate: Mon, 09 Oct 2000 Source: Anchorage Daily News (AK) Copyright: 2000 The Anchorage Daily News Contact: http://www.adn.com/ Author: Richard Kidd VOTE FOR TOLERANCE, VOTE FOR POT It might be a close vote, but I hope the herb becomes totally legal. I've known up close its properties and effects for some 32 years. If it passes, you pro-voters will be part of a great historic event and statement of liberty to the world. Tell Wev Shea that we Alaskans are more tolerant of each other than in other places. That's the message. Sorry, it's not going away. I figure there would be some influx of people from the Lower 48, like pilgrims fleeing repression in the colonization of America. Perhaps there would be investors in the paper and cloth processing/production industry if hemp does OK with our short growing season. Can you imagine the quantity of job applicants? Honestly, pot smokers I've known have been inspired, industrious individuals, certainly not dangerous, and it's time we quit turning good people into criminals. Not that I encourage or recommend smoking marijuana before driving, nor would it be legal, but what coffee drinkers do you fear behind the wheel? Personally, I hope everyone who can get a seed grows a backyard garden. If the law fails to go into effect, we will beat it by jury trial by our peers. Save your stalks! If everyone can legally grow, it would be much less profitable to grow and save taxpayer-funded incarceration, court and enforcement wastes of time and money. - -- Richard Kidd Homer - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager