Pubdate: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 Source: Free Press, The (Houston, TX) Copyright: 2004 The Free Press, Houston Column: Unvarnished Truth Contact: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3222 Note: This newspaper does not have a website. Author: Dean Becker Note: Please visit www.unvarnishedtruth.org for more information on Project Housterdam, the 4:20 Drug War News or the Cultural Baggage Radio Show. These programs air on 90.1 FM, KPFT, Houston, each day of the week and live online at www.kpft.org AYATOLLAH ASHCROFT AND ASSOCIATES ACCOUNTABLE FOR ABOMINATION The Federal, "Marijuana Tax Act" of 1937 was declared Unconstitutional in 1969 by a Supreme Court ruling in "Timothy Leary Vs. USA". Suddenly without means to persecute their jihad against the oh-so-dangerous pot smokers of this earth, the Justice department and the US Congress in 1970 pulled another unconstitutional law from their nether regions: "The Controlled Substances Act." Timothy Leary, had been found guilty of sneaking marijuana INTO Mexico, but was later found innocent by the "Supremes" when they determined the MJ Tax act was illegal and unconstitutional because it required the 60's "guru of LSD" to incriminate himself were he to seek a federal tax stamp for his stash. Preamble to the US Constitution: "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. There is nothing, not one aspect of the Controlled Substances Act that provides for the general welfare of this nation. Rather than ease or subjugate any problems associated with drug use, sales and importation or any other aspects of the "illegal" drug trade, the CSA ensures that any such problems are magnified exponentially. This author, and as many other plaintiffs as may be gathered will, this summer, sue the US Justice Dept., John Ashcroft, the Attorney General and all his minions for their support of terrorist organizations existent within every nation of planet Earth. Quite obviously, it is the policy of Ashcroft & friends to provide price supports for terrorist grown, smuggled and sold drugs through mechanisms of the US "controlled substances act" and all the laws attendant thereto. It is their policy to ensure that Osamma, (and kind), garner Billions of dollars each year from drug sales, that needless overdose deaths occur, that street gangs have violent encounters over drug territory and that children retain easy access to substances that can and should be more properly controlled under a truly regulated market. Veritably, Ashcroft and crew, the US Congress and all of law enforcement are lackeys of the drug lords and terrorists of this earth. Each year, the 5 billion dollar market for illegal drugs is turned into a 500 billion dollar black-market when the 50 billion dollar expenditures of US federal and state agencies make possible the 100 to one inflation of the market price of these products, made from weeds. As a former auditor/accountant, in this time of Bush economics, I found time to create a snapshot view of the magnitude of the dollars involved: Each year we spend $50 Billion, enough to fill 7 railroad cars, to the top, with $100 bills. Over the lifetime of this drug war, we have provided enough money to drug lords, terrorists and criminals of every stripe to fill a train, 10.6 miles long, full of hundred dollar bills. Before the incursion of government into the business of drug prohibition, heroin sold on the shelf next to aspirin at the same price. Each year in the US, despite and/or because of our policy of prohibition, aspirin still kills more people than does the use of heroin. Before our draconian policy took its toll, less than 1% of Americans had smoked marijuana and yet now the numbers who have tried pot exceeds 50%. It is our policy, and our policy alone that ensures the growth of the world's largest multi-level-marketing organization and huge financial rewards for criminals of every stripe. I have contacted every official in my "chain of command"; from AG Ashcroft, down through the ONDCP, the DEA, the state AG, mayor White, District Attorney Rosenthal, our new police chief Hurdt and others, to request their presence on my radio shows to clarify the need for the continuance of this now 89 year old war on our own people. No positive response has ever been received. To acquiesce, to roll-over, to allow the continuance of this abominable drug war for even one more day is unpatriotic, Un-American and slap in the face to the founders of our nation. Ben Franklin was a known opium user, George Washington was quite fond of the cannabis harvest season and Thomas Jefferson grew thousands of opium poppies at his Monticello home. If they were alive today, we would be forced to arrest them as drug lords. Surely their actions speak louder than did their possessions. Should we not all be afforded the same liberties? - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake