Pubdate: Thu, 24 Mar 2005
Source: Smithers Interior News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005, BC Newspaper Group
Contact:  http://www.interior-news.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1631
Author: Kirk Tousaw
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05.n448.a03.html

EDITOR SHOULD SMOKE A JOINT

Editor:

As the campaign manager for the B.C. Marijuana Party, and the author
of the press release that drew your ire, I am compelled to respond to
your column [Pot is not the issue, Time Out, March 9, The Interior
News].

The BCMP agrees that the political opportunism displayed in the hours
following the tragic killings in Alberta was reprehensible. But your
column points the finger of blame in the wrong direction.

Where is your ire for the real opportunists - prohibitionists like
Deputy P.M. McLellan, B.C. Solicitor General Coleman and RCMP
Commissioner Zaccardelli?

The shots were still ringing in the Alberta air as these
anti-marijuana crusaders began calling this a "grow-op raid" and
clamoring for harsher penalties.

The BCMP press release reacted to these attacks on our community in
light of the facts as reported by the media.

Facts that came straight from the mouths of those opportunistic
prohibitionists with whom you, apparently, find no fault. Oh, and by
the way, our press release went out early the next day - not "while
the corpses... were still lying on the frozen ground."

So let me advise you, in the same tone you took in your column, that
before you write your next piece of inaccurate hypocricy - consider
smoking a joint beforehand.

Kirk Tousaw

BCMP Campaign Manager
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin