Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Israeli gov't to reformers: Just shut up

The Green Leaf political party in Israel is upset that they've been banned from a high school's mock elections.
Green Leaf's platform, which was unveiled Monday at a news conference in Tel Aviv, calls for the legalization of soft drugs, whose use would not entail punishment unless carried out in the presence of minors. It also calls for criminal cases to be closed for those convicted of using soft drugs.

The party's platform advocates allowing people to grow a certain number of cannabis plants for personal use, or buying it in special shops located in industrial areas, which would operate only in the evening hours.

"Green Leaf is not advocating free drug use. We're in favor of legalizing cannabis, like cigarettes and alcohol, with age and sales restrictions," Wachtel said.
Yeah, good thing this dangerous message is being kept out of high schools. It's a mitzvah those Israeli school officials are so resolute in making sure that young people don't hear an alternate perspective on the Drug War...

And check this out:

In the comments section under the article, someone with an Israeli government e-mail address posted the following rant, with the title "Drugs are a Modern Plague in Israel."
With respect to those who wish to legalize marijuana, research has shown that use of light drugs does lead to use of hard drugs. All drugs are addictive and can pose life threatening conditions whether by the physical reaction in one`s own body, impaired activities (like driving under the influence) which can hurt or kill others, or by doing things high that one would never do sober and putting one`s one life at risk as well as that of others.

To the writer from the US who is more concerned about our young people in Israel eating calamari and pork, let me point out that eating treif is rarely life threatening in and of itself, unless you were to choke or eat food that is neither handled or cooked properly.

I will also note that eating treif does not harm others. Observance of mitzvot is a personal thing, as is tshuva. One can much more easily give up eating bacon and lobster than an addiction. Please join us in the war on drugs.
Actually, the "gateway" theory has been disproved by reputable research. Let me also point out that drugs themselves, like treif, are neither inherently safe nor dangerous. Just as some people choke on trief or make bad decisions with drugs, many people eat trief without choking or use drugs without any serious negative repercussions.

It's a sad situation when government anti-drug officials spew falsehoods to prop up their disastrous policies. It's even more disturbing when alternative perspectives are stifled in the important debate about drug use and abuse and drug policies.

Sound familiar, Americans?

The Green Leaf party has the right idea, though:
"We'll teach Blich's principal a lesson in civics," said Green Leaf chairman Boaz Wachtel.
Apparently, the British Columbia Marijuana Party in Canada ran into that same political discrimination problem during the last provincial election.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Here is info about BC harrassment:

http://bcmp.blogspot.com/2005/05/bcmp-sues-city-of-abbotsford-and.html

Friday, May 13, 2005

BCMP Sues City of Abbotsford and Surrey School Board

Today the British Columbia Marijuana Party began civil proceedings against the City of Abbotsford and the Surrey School Board. In separate lawsuits under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the BCMP moved for orders prevent each defendant from targeting the BCMP and its candidates’ political speech.

The City of Abbotsford case revolves around the City’s removal of BCMP signs for its Abbotsford-Mount Lehman candidate, Tim Felger. Mr. Felger has put up more than forty signs promoting the BCMP platform of ending marijuana prohibition – virtually of them have removed. “The targeting of BCMP Signs, while leaving those of other political parties in place, is an affront to the core principles underlying our democracy,” stated Marc Emery, the BCMP President. Emery continued, “Abbotsford is a hotbed of prohibitionist thinking and they seem to be targeting us because they do not agree with our message. The right to express political opinions is of paramount importance to anyone that values freedom – we are greatly disappointed that our candidates ability to participate in the electoral process has been hindered.”

The Surrey School Board matter comes from the exclusion of BCMP candidates Amanda Boggan and Neil Magnuson from a debate held at the Queen Elizabeth School. Ms. Boggan (Surrey-Green Timbers) was invited to participate by a student. The day before the debate, the student informed her that he was required to withdraw her invitation – but that school officials would not tell him why. Ms. Boggan attempted to attend the debate but was ordered off school property by authority of the Surrey School Board.

“Silencing different points of view is wrong anytime, but it is particularly bad in this case because of the anti-democratic message it sends to our young people. The BCMP speaks to issues of great importance to young people, who are – besides medical users – the worst victims of prohibition. The Surrey School Board is doing a tremendous disservice to its students by engaging in targeted discrimination against an important political message,” claimed Emery.

About the BCMP: Established in 2001, the British Columbia Marijuana Party is committed to ending the unjust and harmful persecution of the cannabis community.

-END

Jonthon said...

Thanks for the post, anonymous. Marc Emery did us well - I couldn't have said it myself.

Obtrusive and clearly visible gorilla being ignored by no one, I liked this round of metaphors. Did you think of that? The only part I took issue with was your statement regarding "affordable drugs" - ask any senior, they'll tell you that drugs aren't that affordable...any more, anyway.

kris said...

Israel towing the line for the US with a war on drugs using the same dead rhetoric? Not at all surprising.