Pubdate: Wed, 03 Mar 2004
Source: Casper Star-Tribune (WY)
Copyright: 2004 Casper Star-Tribune
Contact:  http://www.trib.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/765
Author: Anita T. Mayfield

I SAID DIRTY BONG, NOT DIRTY BOMB

Editor:

I am responding to the article "Pot-growing handbook burns library
critics." This complaint is insanity at best. The county library is
being criticized for carrying a how-to book on growing marijuana with
the critic comparing this book to other books on bomb-making,
assassination, how to make methamphetamine and child
pornography!

This person is completely ignorant and delusional on the difference
between man-made laws and the laws against nature. I have read so very
much data on the effects of marijuana use and, too, on child
pornography. I can tell you, with great knowledge on both, that they
absolutely cannot be compared in any form or fashion. Marijuana is a
10,000 year old extremely useful and harmless plant. I can only begin
to tell you the sickening effects of child pornography. Even if the
pornographer is smoking a joint while snapping away pictures of a
naked child to share with his sick and criminal associates, you still
cannot place the blame on marijuana.

In fact, we are such a sick society that we will punish a person more
harshly for possession of over an ounce of marijuana than we will a
child molester, rapist, and in many cases, even a murderer.

We still have a right to read, think and draw conclusions on anything
we want, even if some folks disagree with any of our findings. The
person who complained is the same type of person who would lead a
yelling mob into a library with sickles and torches, pick out the
books that they deem "unfit" and start a bonfire with a good
old-fashioned book burning.

With the unconstitutional Patriot Act and all the restraints placed on
our public libraries and librarians, believe me, the government will
instantly know when someone checks out a book on anything mentioned
above including growing marijuana.

This whole thing puts me in mind of the Salem witch hunts. Unless we
see someone harming another individual or their property, will we not
ever learn to mind our own damn business and love one another?

Adolph Hitler had book burnings on a regular basis and we saw what
happened to him and his ideas, didn't we?

I say to the librarians, "Thank you for all you do for us and I'm
sorry for the mile-high piles of unnecessary crap you have to put up
with every single day. Hold strong and remember, right still makes
might!"

The Rev. ANITA T. MAYFIELD, Nettleton, Miss.

(This letter was shortened.) 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake