Southwest Missouri Town Legalizes Medical Marijuana

 

 

In various newspapers this week the news is that a small town in southwest Missouri has legalized medical marijuana. This is a big boost to many of my liberty-minded friends who like me are strong believers in individual rights and freedoms with fewer government controls and mandates. The town is Cliff Village, Missouri, which is a suburb of Joplin. The Cliff Village ordinance passed Feb. 1 by a 3-2 vote. This is a small vote. Still, it did pass.

Marijuana is often confiscated throughout the state of Missouri, as well as other states and has been considered (and still is) a criminal offense if you are found possessing it, growing it, or selling it.

Newton County Sheriff Ken Copeland, whose deputies patrol Cliff Village, says, “My advice would not to be run out and start growing marijuana, or you’ll be a guest of mine. As long as the law of the state says it’s illegal to possess or grow or distribute marijuana, that’s the law I’m going to enforce.” But at least the ordinance in Cliff Village is a step in the right direction.

There is a National Organization to Reform Marijuana Laws, or NORML, which some may not be aware of.

San Francisco approved medical marijuana and then the state of California. Denver and then Colorado. Missoula and then Montana. There are even vending machines in California that people can use to purchase medicinal marijuana if they have special cards to authorize usage.

Columbia, Missouri passed a similar ordinance in 2004. This past November, Michigan voters made their state the 13th to allow relatively small amounts of marijuana for personal medical use. The Cliff Village ordinance takes the same approach.

Mayor John Blundell of Cliff City said in a news article that “the law came from his own frustration with pharmaceutical painkillers to deal with the aftermath of a train accident that left him in a wheelchair.”

“When I got introduced to this flower, it not only alleviated my pain, it got me out gardening,” Blundell said. “I’m not just stoning myself out. It allowed me to function.”

I know of others who are in constant pain due to accidents. It sounds like medicinal marijuana might be just the answer these people need.

For further information see:
Grass Roots Effort: Village Legalizes Medical Marijuana (The Joplin Globe, Feb. 15, 2009)

Missouri Village Legalizes Medical Marijuana

Village near Joplin okays medical marijuana (KY3.com, Feb. 10, 2009)

Ozarks Town Legalizes Pot (KSPR News, Feb. 10, 2009)

Southwest Missouri hamlet lights a fire for legalizing medical marijuana (The Kansas City Star, Feb. 9, 2009)

Medical Marijuana (Springfield News-Leader, Feb. 13, 2009)

Medical marijuana push gaining steam (Springfield News-Leader, Feb. 14, 2009)

Pot Vending Machines Take Root in Los Angeles (MSNBC News, Jan. 30, 2008 )

Medical Marijuana: Now in Vending Machines (CBS News, Jan. 30, 2008 )

Retirees Still Await Medical Pot Dispensary – L.A. Times

Reasoned debate needed on medical marijuana in New Hampshire

Missouri Medical Marijuana

The American Medical Marijuana Association/

The American Alliance For Medical Canabis

DMV sued by California medical marijuana advocacy group

SEE THE MAIN SITE OF GLENN GOHR’S WEBLOG:
http://glenngohr.wordpress.com

 

Who Will Be the Next Public Administrator for Greene County, Missouri?

Carolyn Little (Democrat), the long-time Greene County Public Administrator (28 years), is retiring. She is endorsing and supporting (as treasurer of her campaign, etc.) Laura Fabro (Democrat) for this position. There appear to be some controversies concerning Carolyn Wilson, another Democrat running for this office. Laura Fabro seems well-qualified for the position, should you want another Democrat to hold this position.

There are two Democrats and 4 Republican Candidates running for this office.

Who is the best choice for the next Greene County Sheriff?

**NOTICE**This is the 4th time (July 23, 2008 ) I have revised this blog. I have vacillated between two of the candidates. As far as I can tell all 3 of the Republican candidates are good men. One is a Baptist, one is a Methodist, and one is Assemblies of God. I have friends supporting each one of the candidates. This has been a really hard call, and all I can suggest is that you must decide for yourself who is the best choice for the next Greene County Sheriff. And I am still keeping an open mind and praying about this issue. In addition to what is available in the newspaper, TV, and the internet, the 3 candidates spoke recently at a Pachyderm meeting for Republicans on June 27th. They also spoke for the League of Women’s Voters at the Library Center on South Campbell in Springfield on July 22nd. There should also be printed information available from the League of Women’s Voters. Most if not all of the candidates are attending various functions and speaking to various groups in the mean time (as well as canvassing neighborhoods, etc.) up until August 5th. May the best man win.

It is OK to vote NO!

Over and over, as I have taken a good look at the inner workings of national, state, and local government, the idea that keeps coming up is that “It is OK to vote no.”

Locally, I have seen a lot of proposals for high and mighty plans for the city and county. On the surface they may sound great and possibly even grandiose. However, a balanced view of government shows that the best approach is to let free enterprise thrive and to exercise limited government. This has been a main thrust of the Republican Party platform since about the time of Abraham Lincoln.

When free enterprise (that is what the United States has thrived on since its beginnings) is in place, then people can make their own way in life, make their own decisions for their personal lives, and there will be prosperity on a personal level (and in turn on the national level).

Being A Modern-Day Good Samaritan

Many are familiar with the parable of the Good Samaritan found in Luke 10:25-37. The theme of this story illustrates that compassion should be for all people. Everyone, no matter who they are, or what their circumstance, is our neighbor.

This story goes hand in hand with the Scripture in Mark 12:28-31: One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” (NIV).

From these two examples set forth by Jesus, it is obvious that we as Christians should love our neighbor.

Voting One’s Conscience

Recently I’ve been contemplating what it means to be a Republican and also what it means to vote one’s conscience. With a number of local, state, and national officials up for election or reelection, I want to make sure that I support and vote for the best candidate. As a member of the Greene County Republican Central Committee, I have given myself to the task of supporting and promoting Republican candidates for office. This is the main task of this local committee. I’m glad to do that, because I agree with all the tenets of the Republican Party as far as I know (although I understand the platform changes slightly as time goes by).

Here are a number of statements from the 2004 Republican Party Platform that I can agree with (along with many other points):

Made in the U.S.A.

Lately, especially in light of the downhill spiral of the U.S. economy, I keep pondering about American-manufactured goods or American-grown products. It seems that these are harder and harder to find, and this is NOT a good sign. I can remember about 35 years ago, when I had a Japanese pen pal. The pen pal would ship me a gift or two in the mail that was definitely Japanese-made and unique. Those items were a thrill to receive, and a treasure. But, when it came time to reciprocate, I really couldn’t do it. I thought of toys and fun items (things that a kid or adolescent would like). About all I came up with were some plastic combs (for a girl), and a Frisbee. Both were made in—you guessed it—Japan! That was really the best I could come up with. These kinds of items were readily available in the store and were considered “American.” The best I could rationalize was that just because these items were manufactured in Japan, does not mean that they were products readily available to the public there. I hoped my presents were well-received, but I never found out if Frisbees and such were an easy to find commodity in Japan.

Still, through all this, I came to realize that a lot of goods in the U.S. are manufactured in other countries and imported here.

A Piece of Bread Could Buy a Bag of Gold

For several months now I have been contemplating the U.S. and world economies.  Being a historian, I am very much aware of the hard times that revolved around the Great Depression from 1929 until the start of World War II.  It appears that we are in similar circumstances today.  Many factories are moving to Mexico and other places for cheaper labor.  Large businesses are closing their doors and leaving employees jobless.  Many people are caught with high debt with no way to get out–except to file for bankruptcy (which hurts our society as a whole when someone files bankruptcy).  Homes are being foreclosed, and people don’t have gas money, etc.

Who Cares About Your DNA?

Although I am in favor of DNA testing when it comes to the study of genealogy (which is non-compulsory, is personally paid for by each donor, and the results are kept anonymous for privacy reasons), it is a travesty to force mass groups of people to be DNA tested at the hands of the government. Not only does this violate people’s second amendments rights and their privacy, but it is an abuse of tax money and federal funds to do testing on a large group of people like this.

And for what reason? Crimes may have been committed (polygamy in the U.S. for one), but how will DNA testing help? It only helps in the case of rape or some other crime, and the victim must be tested immediately after the crime is committed. This is not why the DNA is being tested. The DNA being tested is each person’s individual DNA–whether small child, newborn baby, or adult. It appears the government wants to include these DNA results in some nationwide (or global) database.

A Little Gun Control History Lesson

This information was forwarded to me via e-mail.  It has been posted on various websites with no attrition or source.  However, see some related sources I’ve included at the end of this posting. 

• In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control. From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
• In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
• Germany established gun control in 1938 and from 1939 to 1945, a total of 13 million Jews and others who were unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated.
• China established gun control in 1935. From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
• Guatemala established gun control in 1964. From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
• Uganda established gun control in 1970. From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
• Cambodia established gun control in 1956. From 1975 to 1977, one million ‘educated’ people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
• Defenseless people rounded up and exterminated in the 20th Century because of gun control: 56 million.