In a July 29, 2009 e-mail (which was voluntarily forwarded to the NORML office), Rep. Benton wrote: “Thanks for the email. We will have to agree to disagree on this and whether or not money is wasted (by mandating the state to prosecute minor marijuana offenders). I am opposed to the legalization of marijuana. I think we should go to caning for people caught using and maybe execute dealers. [emphasis NORML’s] That would solve the problem as well. That is what they do in Singapore and they don’t have a drug problem.”
Caning is a form of corporal punishment consisting of up to 24 violent lashes with a long rattan cane that has been soaked in water. The procedure inflicts intense pain and deep, bloody lacerations that can take several months to heal.
Rep. Benton followed up his remarks in a separate e-mail on August 11 (also forwarded to NORML) in which he threatened to turn over the names of citizens who disagreed with his political viewpoints to local law enforcement.
He wrote: “You and your cronies want it (marijuana) legalized so you can get a hit anytime without having to worry about getting arrested. I have forwarded your email to the Lowndes County sheriffs [sic] office so that they can be on the lookout for you. [emphasis NORML’s] Consider this my last correspondence on the the [sic] subject to you or anyone else who shares your similar “conservative views’.”
Benton was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 2005.
UPDATE from Russ Belville, NORML Outreach Coordinator – Please Don’t Threaten Rep. Benton! Just Vote Him Out of Office.
Since we began covering the story of Georgia Rep. Tommy “Caning for Potheads” Benton on July 29, the story has spread like wildfire. We issued an official press release today and featured the story here and the NORML front page just yesterday and already the story has been covered from the libertarian/right Reason blog to the liberal/left TalkLeft blog.
However, I am deeply disturbed at some of the nearly 250 comments the story has gotten at the NORML Blog. There are threats of assassinating, shooting, caning, and kicking the ass of Rep. Benton, as well as comparisons to Adolf Hitler. Some have even threatened his wife, children, and family dog and published Rep. Benton’s home telephone number (which I’ve scrubbed).
Stop it! Rise above the level of people like Rep. Benton. Violence and threats of violence not only solve nothing and hurt our movement, but they may be actionable criminal acts.
I understand the feelings of anger and desire for vengeance. For far too long our people have been intimidated, harassed, threatened, assaulted, imprisoned, and killed for our interaction with a plant. Far too many homes have been burst into by armor-clad assault-weapon-armed police. Our people have had our careers shattered, education thwarted, children taken, healthcare denied, civil rights abrogated, dogs murdered, property stolen and destroyed, and voting rights erased in this “Land of the Free” because we liked to use the hemp plant in the same way this country’s Founders did. Believe me, I report stories and read heartbreaking personal emails like this every day.
I considered deleting these comments but have not (though my superiors may overrule me) because I do think they tap into the strong current of “we’re mad as hell and we’re not going to take this anymore” that runs through the cannabis community. Plus I am a strong advocate of free speech on our forums.
But realize that this kind of reaction only empowers Rep. Benton within his community of hateful anti-pot zealots. “See,” he’ll crow to fellow prohibitionists, “smoking pot turns you into a raving violent psycho!” We’re better than that. Cannabis is supposed to be the peaceful plant. Do not sink to this man’s level. Fighting fire with fire only burns down everyone’s house and an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. Fight this man with peace, education, and voting for his opponents in the primary or general election.
It is unfortunate that someone would be so angry towards marijuana that they would suggest the punishment of caning. I wonder if he is for torture too? Luckily today people with his type of thinking our losing influence.
That’s it, I’m moving to Tibet.
come and get me motherfucker
Peaceful people of Georgia, now is the time more than ever to write to your elected representatives!
How does some…thing…like this get elected? It’s like letting a bigoted child run YOUR government.
I had to rub my eyes while reading to make sure I wasn’t dreaming this shit. I mean…What the fuck?
HAHAHAHAHA What can you say?
oh my god.
COULD SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME HOW HOW SUCH A SADISTIC, UNSYMPATHETIC MORON LIKE THIS GUY BENTON CAN HOLD PUBLIC OFFICE. SURE GLAD THAT THERE’S NOTHING WORTH MAKING A TRIP TO GEORGIA TO SEE. MY CONDOLENCES TO ALL OF YOU GOOD HEADS WHO HAVE TO BE REPRESENTED BY THIS BARBARIAN.Give peace a chance
he looks like a kkk member
You can reach Senator Benton at 706.367.5891 or tommy.benton@house.ga.gov
THIS GUY CAN BURN IN HELL
This is a true sign that those that support cannabis prohibitionist policies are totally responsible not only for all the black market driven violence but are truly murderous at heart! They want to kill non-violent cannabis consumers? WTF! They are obviously scared of the progress cannabis regulation and taxation is making over ideology and fear driven propaganda. They will go as far as the sheeple will let them in order to protect the slave base incarcerated in privatized prisons, the profits in the tobacco industry (like in Georgia), the alcohol industry and Big Pharma that support their corrupt political agenda.
I think I am going to throw up!
WHAT ABOUT ALL THE INOCENT LIVES LOST IN DRUNK DRIVIN USUALLY THE DRUNK LIVES N JUS GETS PRISON TIME MAYBE THEY SHOULD B CANED WHAT A DIPSHIT, WHATS NEXT A SHIT TEST INSTEAD OF A PISS TEST
So I guess Mr. Benton never heard of the US Constitution and its amendments:
“Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.”
http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Am8
Hmmm I guess brutally whipping someone and/or executing them for consuming a god-given plant that has existed on this planet long before man did is not a cruel punishment.
Seriously what’s wrong with politicians nowadays, this is starting to get _really_ depressing….
NOT TO MENTION ALL THE PEDOPHILES RUNNING THE STREETS WITH JUS ANKLE BRACLETS N 9 TIMES OUTTA TEN B4 THEY R LOCKED UP 4 GOOD THEY KILL A INNOCENT CHILD PLUS RAPE N THIS GOV WANTS TO FUK WITH ME AN MY HAPPY TIME I DONT FUCKIN THINK SO. THIS BS NEEDS TO STOP CUZ WERE ALL NOT GONING TO QUIT SO I HAV MUCH LOVE FOR THE MEXICAN CARTELS KEEP UP THE FIGHT DONT GIVE UP SAME FOR US AMERICANS….WELL R WE REALLY……LOL
LMAO #3 IM WITH U IN MY PREVIOUS POST THE END SAID R WE REALLY MEANING IS THIS REALLY AMERICA?
i know of a grassy knowl this guy van drive by.
Consider this:
Next year all 435 Congressmen are up for re-election and it presents a good opportunity to get rid of some of the special interest lackeys who support prohibition.
With the current uproar in politics and disenchantment in politicians the time is coming for independents and more importantly progressive liberals to get elected. The aforementioned fool needs to get out of public service and if the good folks from Georgia re-elect this dingbat they deserve him.
I live in Ga, this guy is totally nuts and he is not the only one who thinks like this, John linder is another one. I wish all this shit was over with already. Legalize for responsible Americans.
If anyone should be executed, it would be this moron.
[Russ responds: No, he should just be voted out of office. Remember, we’re the good guys. We don’t advocate executing people for being stupid, even if it would solve the population explosion.]
That guy better shut his mouth. Somebody with a grudge may just have found the enemy they were looking for. This guy is going to have a bullseye, or laser target, painted on his face now.
This piece of garbage need to be booted out of office, and he can pack his bags, head for Singapore, and leave us American the hell alone.
Isn’t it unethical, if not illegal, to be enciting or encouraging extreme violence against citizens?
[Russ responds: Yes, which is why we shouldn’t be taunting him with threats of bullseyes and laser targets. Rise above the urge to violence, rhetorically or literally.]
I’m from GA and this is a fucking disgrace. Not all of us here are right wing extremists. Fuck this idiot.
Geeeeeeeeeeeeeez.
Whats next?
This guy is the one who should be beat with a cane. I emailed him and told him so. LOL. but really, i wouldnt even wish this upon crack or heroin addicts.. what a lunatic this guy is.. how does a guy like this even get a job with the government?
sound like a typical politian with his head up is ass thats why he can see the rest of the world
One word,two syllables: FACIST. This amazes me and not in a good way. Hey Rep. Benton, come get me you gutless worm. I DARE YOU.
Wow, and I thought that all the backwards assholes lived here with me in Tennessee…
I have lived in this overly policed state for 6 years. being white and in my 30s, driving around in a minivan is great cover. Maybe we should have let them win the War of Northern Aggression.
“Cronies”? “Caning”? “Executing”? I thought I was reading some ancient document here LOL.
Nobody has ever died from using cannabis. Literally.
This dude Benton is a member of the National Rifle Association. So Tommy boy, how about keelhauling you and your cowboys for shooting them dangerous guns that DO kill people eh?
Godfearing dogmatic moralistic idiot. A dying breed, luckily.
I think this guy needs a caning first. Does he not know what country he lives in. This IS NOT SINAPORE ! I think him and all like him should move to singapore. Whats this crap about forwarding names to law enforcement? Last I heard its legal to protest in AMERICA ! Oh wait..they are calling anyone with dissenting veiws these days mobs, extremists, nut jobs, nazis ect ect.Hell thats what this all is ONE BIG PROTEST ! Wake up you bafoon! Read the constitution or move the f*&k out of the country! If veiws like that are prevailant in washington, we are all in for some real trouble here. Whats this world coming to?
Maybe we should cane all law makers that dont do as the people will and execute the ones that take lobby money to ignore us. Hows that Mr. Benton? You first.
Id like to meet this guy in a dark ally. He just went all dark ages on American citizens who just want to live in peace.
Not doing very well at living up to the Georgia state motto—–> “Wisdom, Justice, Moderation”
Tell that son of a bitch my name is Steven Sigmon and I would like to see anybody try to cane my 6th degree black belt ass. I would love nothing more than to kick somebody’s ass like him. F all these neocons, legalization is coming soon! Read em and weep neo-cons! and F all of ya
[Russ responds: Martin Luther King had no martial arts training and accomplished far more than you would by kicking someone’s ass. Rise above the urge. We win with truth and compassion, we lose with violence and threats.]
this made me LOL… this guy is a fucking dumb ass…. WHO would ever vote for him???
Although everyone is entitled to an opinion, I find it mystifying why someone would want to in their right mind inflict such pain on another human being just for smoking a plant.
He just isn’t well educated on the subject and probably wouldn’t say these things if he was more informed.
i guess i shouldn’t be surprised we really are turning into 2 countries; the liberal states and the conservative ones! i guess i’ll keep my grass smoking ass out of georgia! and you just know this guy is a closet alcoholic or sex addict. hey congressman f.u.
umm… yeah ok, let them try to touch me, i swear i would light a fucking joint right in front of them and blow it right into there faces………. fuck them
Lmao, this retard just made a complete ignorant douche of himself….FUCK THE GOV—LEAGALIZE
Absolutely ridiculous! Complete ignorance! Our governmnet is a mess, this world is a mess and it just makes me sick!
It is sad, the degeneration of man…. for all our coming forward in knowledge we have never been more lost, the innovative spirit of man is being stifled and with it mankind itself, soon, if not already, everything will be dictated to us by any means necessary, though i would imagine these means to be more devious than simple intimidation i suppose all forms of manipulation have their place, whether it be distraction, semantics, omission, fear, money or pure and simple intimidation….
Maybe instead of caning marijuana users, we should smack them upside the head with the Bible! Isn’t that right, Rep. Benton?
What a f***in moron. I mean if this guy really feels this way he has no place in being a Representative. You need to represent what the people feel douchebag. If you’re gonna execute People for selling weed then you should execute the owners of McyD’s for making the bulk of the population obese. Use a common sense policy you f***in jerkoff.
georgia sucks
There is politician that just bought a one way ticket to hell.
The funny thing with these assholes is, its always the ones that are so vehemently opposed to crimes of “moral turpitude” that end up getting busted for crazy shit. What the bet this guy ends up on the front page for paying to have sex with a hooker, 2 donkeys and a goat.
execution….wow….what a remark to make about a plant….Understandable if this involved murdering, or killing of innocent people but as said above this is a god given plant we are talking about! This organization is not just for “people to be able to smoke marijuana again” this organization is to help reform the laws of marijuana not just for people to be able to get “high” and not have to worry about getting arrested. Furthermore, going as far as to say people should be executed for this crime is alittle far fetch….
I say send this fucker to Singapore if he likes the place so much.This is America (land of the free my ass).
Americans elect only the best.
I have heard worse, but not publicly from a setting elected official. Having lived in South Carolina about 10 years off and on, I am not surprised. There are people there who will not admit the Cival War is over. Many refuse to call it the Cival War, rather, the War of Northern Aggression. I suspect his daughter got knocked up by a pot smoker or something.
He ought to be tarred and feathered. This is about respecting state rights and he is threatening people?!!!
He is no southerner, he’s a neo-nazi.
[Russ responds: Do you know what actual tarring and feathering consisted of? Boiling hot tar poured over skin, which after it hardened, when removed would take layers of skin with it. It is a worse torture than caning. Let’s not sink to Rep. Benton’s level.]
It is amazing that an email like this doesn’t make news across the nation, but the arrest of marijuana growers is CNN worthy. People need to realize what a lie all of the anti-cannabis propaganda is. Here’s to legalization in the United States.
Someone needs to post these comments in the mainstream and let’s see if anyone agrees with his point of view. See if people realize how unconstitutional it is.
i will find u i have the power of th internet u well see me we well meet and i well make u smoke weed fag
[Russ responds: No need for homophobia. None of my gay friends would ever support caning you for marijuana smoking.]
Don’t vote republican.
404.656.0177
tommy.benton@house.ga.gov
His contact info. (if not already posted)
I STILL BE RAWH MCFEZZLE FRIES ALL IN YOUR FACE!
I’m going to call Benton and record our conversation and I’ll e-mail it to this website. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I will. This guy is a fucking prick and I’ll make sure by god he’s never re-elected or I’ll be knocking on his door with a cane in my hand.
[Russ responds: Better think twice about that. In most states, you must have permission of caller and callee to record a telephone conversation and broadcast it publicly. You could be setting yourself up for a visit from police.]
That’s not a stupid, bullheaded or ridiculous comment like most prohibitionists make. It’s downright disgusting. Has this lawmaker even READ the constitution? This man should not be in public office.
Fuck the Government…. LETS RIOT!!!!!!
Its the only way to get them to listen. Its the only way to make it CLEAR that we will not stand for OUR government taking away our RIGHTS and our FREEDOM as AMERICANS!!!!
[Russ responds: Let’s not riot. How about simply using the freedoms we still have to protest and vote the guy out of office instead?]
Dont wanna say thought out loud, LOL better keep it in a secret Email cause if CALIFORNIA citizens hear that we will riot in the streets!!!!!!!!!! dey kno
This guy can fucking pound it. Period. It’s people like him that perpetuate the stereotype that all Southerners are uneducated and unintelligent.
Holy shit wat does this guy and mark kirk attend black masses and ritual animal sacrifices together? What a sick bastars!!! Theres cops out there thatd find this view extreme iam sure! All you people who calld me extreme and a war monger out there better be glad theres patriotic angry stoners like me ready to RISE UP. THIS GUYS A FUCKIN OLD SCHOOL TYRANT. DEATH TO ALL TYRANTS GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIV ME DEATH!!!!!!
“What country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms.”
-founding father, Thomas Jefferson
[Russ responds: Jefferson’s quotes taken out of context do not justify threatening Rep. Benton. Read the Rude Pundit’s excellent analysis of this phenomenon and the history of those quotes as Jefferson addressed Shay’s Rebellion.]
The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
[Russ responds: Jefferson’s quotes taken out of context do not justify threatening Rep. Benton. Read the Rude Pundit’s excellent analysis of this phenomenon and the history of those quotes as Jefferson addressed Shay’s Rebellion.]
God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion…..
When the government fears the people there is liberty; when the people fear the government there is tyranny.
Wow, I am surprised at his reaction. Maybe he’s sucking off the tit (or dick) of the alcohol and tobacco industry. NORML should check out where he gets his money from. What kind of draconian society does this “Republican” want to live in? I guess “Republicans” like him are the reason so many of us have become Libertarians.
Mr. Benton’s contact information should anyone wish to phone or write him on the subject:
404.656.0177
tommy.benton@house.ga.gov
Its scumbags like this i ask “who the fuck are you or
anyone to say that something earth created cant exist”.
its assholes like this that will destroy our planet.
FUCK YOU BENTON YOU PIECE OF SHIT.
Cannabis issues aside, “he threatened to turn over the names of citizens who disagreed with his political viewpoints to local law enforcement.”
So if we disagree with him not only on cannabis reform but health care, education, the war in the middle east or local jaywalking ordinances, he’s going report this people to law enforcement? If this isn’t tyranny, I don’t know what is.
Not only is he talking about violating the eighth amendment, but the first amendment as well:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or ABRIDGING THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH, OR OF THE PRESS; OR THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE PEACEABLY TO ASSEMBLE, AND TO PETITION THE GOVERNMENT FOR A REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES.”
At the next election or by referendum, Georgians should vote this self-righteous prick out of office.
It is not only vain, but wicked, in a legislature to frame laws in opposition to the laws of nature. This is truly creating crimes in order to punish them.
Come and try and cane me you coward lol.. My guess is you support the second amendment, so you must realize how many Americans are armed.. of those armed Americans, how many do you think are packing heat? This is the kind of shit that starts civil wars. Hatred, intolerance, and ignorance at its finest. This guy is an elected politicain huh? not much longer I presume.
How bout we all march down to GA and kill this bastard
[Russ responds: And what would that solve? You’d only justify the beliefs of the prohibitionists that marijuana use makes you psycho and violent. Please, rise above the urge for vengeance and focus that energy on the ballot box and educating your fellow citizens.]
“Botany I rank with the most valuable sciences.”
“Cultivators of the earth are the most valuable citizens.”
“Tobacco is a culture productive of infinite wretchedness.”
-thomas j
To me the last bit of what I read sounded like a threat and last I checked being in favor of something doesn’t make your a criminal. honestly I’m not even sure he had the right to forward your e-mail “so they can keep an eye out for you” but I don’t know a ton about the law and I don’t know the context in which you folks were talking.
I would have your lawyers look into it. (doubtful anything could be done but hay its worth a shot, at least to make what he said prime time news worthy)
Anyhow people who think like this need to be pushed out into the open so folks can see what they are like.
The time for insane notions such as execution for drugs (when in most states taking a life of a child-adult doesn’t have a death penalty)is over, but people like him do what they do best.. they try and scare people into thinking how they want them to or acting the way they think is correct.
It only show’s one thing, we have these drug warriors scared and they have no where to turn.
We are not them so don’t speak of violence towards this man or anyone like him. We are far above those methods and the rest of this country is starting to see it.
keep a cool head, a strong opinion, a joint by your side and just keep pushing.
All of us will get to look back on ignorant folks like him and just laugh as we walk to the store to buy our legal greens.
is it me, or is the government trying to play god? they tell us what we can and cannot do, they want to only give healthcare to those who are worthy by their standards (and whatever standards they choose do not affect them because they have their own healthcare system).
This is getting too out of hand, this isn’t the same American values I grew up with.
Obvious Troll is Obvious.
I emailed this guy.
tommy.benton@house.ga.gov
Everybody calm down for second please, this is shock media tactics in the news to win more votes for Senator Tommy Benton. There’s only one problem, no one’s stupid enough to go along with this line of thinking or leadership. It’s sadistic and animalistic, a tactic of war criminals who want favoritism in the eyes of their supporters. There’s just not enough dummies to fall for this! If you actually think anyone would hurt you or even kill you, what do you expect the reaction to be? From a psychiatric point of view via human emotions, it’s called, “Fight or Flight.” These are the ONLY two true reactions you could expect from the general public. Patriotic pot supporters are being tested psycholigically as if they were deadly wild animals and Senator Tommy Benton must have done his homework on the human mind to design this show of stupidity or is it really a smart move? Officials in Georgis are toying with you just to see what kind of a reaction Georgians have to this line of provocation. I believe this form of leadership is out dated.
It’s 2009, not the 1960’s or 70’s! Senator Tommy Benton will simply be voted out of office in the future and if not, I believe he may want to read how people dye by the sword for those who opt to use killing as a means to control people, citizens, family members, etc., etc., etc.
Everyone chooses two emotions, Love & Hate, to speak and act in everyday situations. Lead your families, citizens and associates and co-workers with love and appreciation if you ever expect to be successful. It’s not easy I admit but, hate only leads to the worst out comes possible and it really does make for a tough life to live, if you survive.
People keep asking how does some one like this get elected??
The corporations that reap the billions from the war on us. Pay to get this type elected. They have no compassion for others nor do understand the facts behind the issues they vote for. But they have unlimited millions to get elected..
CFJ
How are people this stupid allowed to use a fork by themselves, much less be elected to office?
I hope NORML sends this email to the news outlets.he is a embarassment to the state of georgia.
This guy has lost his mind. he should be executed for what hes trying to do, killing innocent people. if this actually happens, then i have completely lost all respect for law enforcement and the government. this is unbelievable. someone should be able to smoke a joint when they want to, its far less harmful to society then alcohol is. this is absurd.
[Russ responds: No, he should not be executed for expressing an idiotic, cruel, and unconstitutional opinion, he should be publicly humiliated and voted out of office.]
f*ck this dumb a** ignorant c*cksucker…seriously…why am I forced to share the world with such ignorant mindless people and WHY DID THE PEOPLE OF GEORGIA ELECT HIM
This guy sounds like a religious fanatic or a Nazi. The old my way or go to jail or we will kill you. We have no place in our country for people like this..
benton is just pissed cause he can’t score no smoke…lol
I just wonder how investigation this person has really done in regards to the CIA/government bringing cocaine into the USA.
guys like this never last .he will be found dead with his homosexual lover after he chokes on a dick .or gets caught with a male prostitute .or some little kids dad kills him for molesting a child .these insane guys are always hiding some real sick stuff .he will not be reelected once his private life is made public. what a loser
[Russ responds: Again, what’s with the homophobia?]
WOW that hope fully this never passes………. let me guess we can rape rob and use meth and we be free form this punishment…… that is exacly what thay are saying what the hell man i though this was America what happened to being free from curl and Bunuel punishment
“threatened to turn over the names of citizens who disagreed with his political viewpoints to local law enforcement.” This needed reinforcement I thought. WTF is up with leadership in this country these days! They are either destroying the economy with a smile on their face or attempting to kill off the consumers of the plant that would save not only this country on so many levels but solve a lot of our problems globally. Again WTF!!!!!
What in the hell is that fool thinking? I certainly will stand for such absurd proposals. Like the other commenter above me said: “Come and get me!”.
The question that crosses my mind is:
Who does this guy think he is working for!?
OUR elected officials are in office as our employees and have to follow the demands of the American people. We own our government. Our government doesn’t own us!
They all better realize this because things are going to change, but not with the NWO, it will be with revolution to appeal our rights to our Constitution and Bill of Rights.
My body is my own and this government belongs to us. We will not let it continue to slip into the hands of the wrong people. Their time is limited and the only future is liberty.
Stand up for your rights!
this must be a joke.. CANING minor users!!?? that would be hundreds of thousands being caned and executed over simple possession and dealing. I call bullshit. I really can’t believe what I am seeing.
Caning??? Execution!?
And if it’s already illegal, you’re a criminal for wanting the laws changed?
Shame on us.
i cant even type down the words to express my disgust for this piece of trash,
This is my mind set…
If someone came up to me and said “If you research heroin I can guarantee you’ll find plenty of evidence that supports the fact that it is not addictive or harmful,” I wouldn’t give it a second thought.
This is the best explanation I can come up with at this point.
This representative needs to do a google search or two and read up on marijuana. Then, he needs to immediately resign from office.
May god have mercy on this poor, ignorant man’s soul.
I live in Lowndes county too. Send this comment at once to the sheriff! Who elected this idiot?
Why are moralists so goddamned violent? I half expected him to finish his remarks with a loud “ALLAH-U-AKBAR”.
He looks like a child molester
Man, this just make me deeply ashamed of the idiot rednecks we have in office in Georgia. The state/country is going to economic hell and this dilhole is wanting to cane pot smokers…
i just wrote Rep. Tommy Benton a nice email, nice compared to what i could or should have said. i titled the subject “FUCK YOUR NO SMOKING SIGN” and wrote him a short message saying: i think you’re a sick fuck, none the less i just said a prayer for you.
i would have attached my song “FUCK YOUR NO SMOKING SIGN” but my computer is too fucking slow and won’t let me. so i left him a link to our myspace page with this message underneath: http://www.Myspace.com/AfterDeathEmergencyRoom
you don’t dare click on it lol
i agree with some ones comment above that people like this are def losing influence and showing what the face of prohibition really looks like. complete hate and complete ignorance!!!
is this asshole for reals?/ i oughta slap the shit out of him
can we say DUMBASS. Benton should be caned for sheer stupidity! what an idiot
anyone know his email?
Puritanism still runs strong in the deep south.
We don’t want anybody having fun or anything. Better cane them or kill them instead.
This idiot will hopefully be out of a job soon. I hope when he reads the publics reactions to his out-of-line statement his asshole puckers up in fear so tightly that he cant SH*T his GRITS!
as pharmacy drugs kill thousands a year and get away with it!we have nazi dictator like nut jobs like this guy!i thing this guy needs a smoke then he might realize how it can help you ,and when it helps the most is when your down and out and feel like crap!
If you haven’t already, everyone should watch “The Union: The Business Behind Getting High” and forward it on to everybody you know, and encourage them to do the same. It’s an eye-opening documentary re: cannabis prohibition and the hypocrisy of it all. Many people still believe the lies and propoganda they’re fed about marijuana, they just need to be shown the truth. This is your chance.
I’d take the lashings.
fuck that guy, someone needs to shoot him in the face.
[Russ responds: No, someone needs to run against him in a primary. Threats of violence only strengthen his resolve and engender support for him among anti-marijuana voters.]
His wife was probably having an affair with a pothead.
omg i live in Ga and this makes me ashamed to live in this state. some one that is spose to stand up for what the ppl want. i kno most ppl would consider this as touture!!!!!! wtf is he thinkin and you best believe that i have emailed him. and guess what i dont smoke pot. i just dont think anyone should be toutured for any reason
Politicians are losing their strangle hold on the American public in greater degrees, therefore they actually believe they can get mad at the people that put them in office.
To not even consider the unjust treatment of minor marijuana offenders boggles the mind. And yes, I’d like to “get a hit anytime without having to worry about getting arrested”. Beats the heck out of alcohol every time.
We should also remember how effective propaganda has been against Marijuana. Even politicians believe the lies.
Didn’t we used to hear idiots like this express admiration for “Islamic justice” a while back before “Islamic justice” made a visit to the US? They used to say how great it was to see Muslims keep people in line in places like Afghnistan before Al Qaeda set up shop there.
Now it’s Singapore. I’ve heard a few things about Singapore and, believe me, Benton wouldn’t last ten minutes there either.
this guy needs his ass kicked. these prohibition dinosaurs need to just die out already. i hate people like this.
[Russ responds: Work past your hate. No need to kick anyone’s ass, unless it is in an election.]
lmao good idea except this is america where we have lives and laws and u can bet that if it was caning for say speeding he would be covered in scars and we all know speeding kills more than all drugs combined “?? right
it truly saddens me that there is a state that neighbors mine( let alone) exists within a “free” country.that can even deliberate on this let alone condone it. i personally am against corporal punishment let alone capital, for any form of criminal activity. i think that this is a defense mechanism, ultimately why oh why has this gentleman even made his way up the political ladder maybe he is the one that should have been sentenced to his prefered methods of punishment for being ignorant. apparently our oppinions doesn’t matter only the ones that have enough money to pay for his campaign matters. which begs the question who the hell are those people and how can they live with themselves?
Wow what a assHOLE!
i lubs me some good bud
and caning and execution…
we (including singapore) are lawlzing at you
Maybe we should start caning and executing ignorant politicians while we’re at it.
At least that would actually make some progress towards something.
[Russ responds: Under that scenario, would we have any politicians left? No, we do not need to sink to Tommy Benton’s level. We are cannabis consumers; we are better than that.]
Ok, well I think this man is INSANE. Caning people for smoking pot? I could understand doing that to a murderer or a rapist, but pot smokers are generally very calm and non-violent. I really don’t see a reason it’s even illegal. Alcohol is much more dangerous a substance. Think of it this way; A person who has been drinking will run a red light 9 times out of 10, but a person who just smoked a joint will sit at a stop sign waiting for it to turn red. Seriously. Weed is just like anything else. It could be dangerous when abused. Just like medicine or alcohol. It should be used in moderation.
execute…? wtf?
that is just….wow.
government has officially gone way to far, that’s fucked up
Won’t it be great when its legalized and his ass is impeached?
How can someone publicly threaten people of a “free” nation with bodily harm and not face a backlash? Could it be that we’re not “free”? Or we are and their exerting a lot of time, energy and force into keeping us from believing it. If I did this I would be locked up. He does it and it’s no big deal. Don’t compare this country to Singapore. Our ancestors died so we wouldn’t be like any other nation, unless our ancestors died for “other” political reasons, a given. I know how to solve this problem. We’ll just announce public executions and beatings. He needs to get his head checked cause apparently what he’s saying is he wishes Georgia to be like Singapore. Great to know. This is the United States of America. I don’t welcome threats to my life/liberty and I will defend my life/liberty and the life/liberty of others if necessary. Anyone would do the same if threatened. I bet he’ll be the one with the whip beating his fellow constituents. People of Georgia, WTF? Is Georgia so blood red that he can say this and not have anyone question it? What say you? Do you wish us to be whipped and killed for all to see? I’m no different from the next. I just happen to believe in the properties of MJ and it’s value as a commodity. Does that make me a criminal? Since I don’t agree with a law that was obviously placed to corner markets and prohibit a plant that is less harmful/toxic than alcohol, tobacco or pain meds, which are legal? They have a patent on MJ for cripes sakes. How can you have a patent on something that grows naturally? Hey everyone on this planet! I have a patent on Oxygen and you need to pay me if you want to breathe. It’s BS. Let go of the hate. Why do they hate us so much? Cause we choose not to follow those who make a living off manipulation? Can they explain why they feel this way other than to say we’re just stupid potheads that deserve capital punishment and death? To wish harm and death on people that he doesn’t even know personally. DAMN! I don’t look for trouble, trouble has a way of finding me. I can assure you though, if you come looking for trouble you will find it. I guess life means less than a false ideology, as long as it makes to big to fail businesses huge profits. Corruption breeds violence. Violence breeds fear. Fear breeds force. Force breeds unrest.
This guy should be Caned just for saying this. Well u can definetly bet that this guy has never smoked pot cuz if he did he wouldn’t be so damn violent towards pot heads. And whats funny is i have smoked pot from georgia and it was not bad so tell him that his state has decent CHEAP weed
[Russ responds: No, you don’t demonstrate how stupid it is to support torture by torturing those who support it. Counter-productive to say the least. He should be publicly humiliated and voted out of office.]
If I lived in Georgia this guy would get a doorbell ring and a flaming bag of dogshit on his porch once a week for the next five years.
land of the free where its ok to fuck prostitutes and be raped by a goverment that wants your life for a christian war and i cant smoke a plant when im watchin family guy and not have to worry about this asshole sending swat to my house. wtf.
Rep. Benton, you are a real jerk you know that? The way you treated us Americans by making threats to those that opposed you is being UnAmerican. To me you are just another Mark Kirk wanna be and I truly hope that the good people of Georgia would wake up and vote his ass out of office. There’s something seriously wrong with that guy and the same goes with you Mark Kirk.
Please make sure this information gets distributed to the Georgia press.
SPARE THE ROD AND YOU SPOIL THE ADULT!
Wow Benton, you are an ignorant fucking asshole. I really hope that you are impeached you little prick, you are the epitome of an embarrassment to the United States of America. This country was founded on the rights to freedom. If you think for a second ppl should be caned for just smoking a harmless plant, then I believe YOU should be put to death, let alone CANED to death. You are a sick-minded human being, you are almost as bad as Hitler yourself! in fact, you ARE as bad as him, go fuck yourself you little ignorant douche bag! and i sincerely hope that you get impeached and/or caned to death!
[Russ responds: Uh, a flip response referencing torture in an email from a representative hardly rises to the level of presiding over aggressive domination of 20th century Europe and the cold-blooded extermination of six million Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals, and handicapped. Threats of violence and execution only strengthen his position. Be better than him.]
Well, given that he’s a Rethuglican, that must mean he’s got at least 200 acres of high-grade growing in his backyard – based on the recent sex scandals they’ve had to deal with, where the loudest proponents of laws turned out to be breaking them (toe-tappers outlawing sex in public restrooms, adulterers defending marriage, etc).
Either that, or he’s suggesting caning because he’s a closet BDSM freak. Will photos of him in a gimp mask being caned by a tranny surface?
[Russ responds: You may not know it, but through my work with the transgendered community, let me tell you that “tranny” is a highly offensive word unless you’re talking about repairing cars.]
As a young college student and marijuana user i am appalled that we live in such a time that we have elected officials that would consider allowing such a thing to happen to its citizens. what happened to the freedom we are supposed to have. we need to take a step back and look at the future we are headed towards. is this what we really want for our children. a government that would rather see its people addicted to prescription pain meds. then do something as simple as smoke an herb from the earth. they want to eliminate the competition. the people trying to pass bills like this are CEO’s in the companies they get elected to protect. young kids need to stand up and vote. get to know what is really happening in your world. “the people should not be scared of their government, the government should be scared of the people” – George Washington (Pot Farmer).
DEA, FBI, nd law enforcement just Raided L.A dispensaries nd then they shot a dog.
Fuck that guy I hope some one kidnaps him and cuts his fucking head off. lol I thought all these years as a child that I was born in a free country but what the fuck is free the 4th of July is a joke. Independence from what I ask you? Free country Haha How about we drag all the major Tabaco executives all out into the streets and cut there fucking heads off any one disagree with that.
[Russ responds: You don’t really hope that, do you? We are not the Taliban. This is the USA and even cruel pathetic Georgia state representatives are afforded freedom of speech. Focus your anger and vengeance on getting the guy out of office. Threats only help him with the anti-pot constituents.]
Bring it, we will be waiting big man.
bs i dont smoke anymore but that is bullshit
We need to bring Willian Sherman back from the dead.
Dear Lord in heaven is this guy for real??????????
And they call us pot smokers thugs and idiots. It’s people like Rep. Benton that are the thugs. They would send this country to the dark ages just to outlaw the least harmful drug in existence. “We just want to be able to smoke pot without getting arrested.” He probably sits back with a cold beer after a hard day or a shot of whiskey or the like. And it was people like us that fought prohibition to give him and those like him the right to do so. Yet we’re the bad guys. We’re the ones who deserve to get beaten and executed while any person over the age of 21 can get drunk in the comfort of their own home and not have to worry about police beating the door down and dragging them to jail. These people need to understand that our drug is no worse (or in this case better) than all the “legal” drugs that can be bought at any corner store. Marijuana is a preference, an alternative to much more debilitating and harmful substances (alcohol and tobacco)and our rights should be no different from people who drink or smoke cigarettes. We are not animals! We are marijuana smokers!
This Guy “State Republican lawmaker Tommy Benton” is a fucking Moron.. You don’t like what I’m doing? you want to question me, I’ll ruin your life.
I imagine this guy is severely two-faced. He never would have gotten into office if the citizens of Georgia knew just how inhumane their representative is. Thank goodness that he let down his guard to show him for the juvenile fraud he really is. Apparently he is a great fan of Singapore’s politics, perhaps he should move there to see what other legislative gems they have?
Wait.. I use marijuana as medicine to combat an auto-immune disease, so you want me to suffer with out medicine. But if i get medicine you want to make me suffer more?
God told Moses to make a burnt offering of “Kaneh Bosm” which means Sweet, aromatic reed of Hemp. I am a pastor myself and I can honestly say that I don’t think the God I know cares at all. If I smoke out after getting this pissed at the Gov. In the first pages of Genesis God gave Adam “…EVERY HERB bearing seed, and to you, it shall be for meat”. I’m getting the hell out of Alabama in a week, because of this crap. Selling my farm/business, packing the wife and kids, and moving to Colorado. I refuse to live in a backwards area that ignores the popular vote. We’ve sent our Medical MJ bills through several times now and we get laughed at. Bob Riley of AL is another dick in office who says he’ll smack down every vote. So ok…I call for those of us to take our jobs, money, and tax dollars out of the system. Simple…let the wolves in office tear each other apart when we go. Meanwhile, I’m sending this article to Glen Beck on Fox News. You should too. Let’s show everyone what an ass he is.
Message sent to Fox News….help me by sending it too. Let’s expose this crap. If no one else is running it, let’s make ’em!! Start by copying this page and sending it to this email addy for Glen Beck at Fox…c’mon, Viva La Revolution!!
webmaster@theglennbeck912project.com
“That is what they do in Singapore and they don’t have a drug problem.”
Interestingly enough, even though the punishments in Singapore are as severe as they are, they obviously still have a problem , as they are still executing and caning people for drugs! Punishment, no matter how severe, will never stop people from exercising their INALIENABLE RIGHTS TO LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS!
I think what is needed, is a concerted effort by all of us to march on Washington DC or some other city to first, let the people of this country know how many of us there are out here, and second, to demand our essential freedoms be returned to the fourth and largest branch of government, The People! Every NORML Chapter should make it a priority to raise enough funds to get each of their members to the event whether by car, bus, train, plane, whatever….We can coordinate with each other for lodging and assistance along the way, and once and for all, bring an end to Cannabis prohibition! If we all stand together we will be unstoppable! We can call it “Weedstock”!
EDIT: glennbeck@foxnews.com
Sorry peeps, the other link was bad. This one worked.
wheres oswald when you need him!!!
[Russ responds: Let’s not advocate assassination, that makes us no better than Rep. Benton.]
this guy must not be from georgia. this guy must not have heard of all the things that went on here with slavery and with people caning others. i think this will start a flash back for LOTS of people that have had family members whipped for things that others though wasnt correct..
having those scares on your back is not something that is fun. it does hurt and it does take months for it to heal. im only 24 but i can remember visiting my mothers family in south georgia and seeing them with those big scares on their back. imagine the pain that is felt after the first stroke.. imagine the screams. imagine the blood. imagine not being able to provide for your family for 3 months cause you got whipped for using a natural plant.
it hurts to know that even in 2009 that people are still getting whipped.. it makes me sad and want to cry.
this website ” http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Am8 ” says that it cannot be done but people in higher up places always seems to get shit like this done.. good thing we can not vote for him again or maybe impeach.. or is that just for presidents.
Well….. Looks like he won’t be getting re-elected. I hope he knows how bad he fucked up. If not now, he will soon.
America. Land of the brave, home of the free?? How are we free? Everyday they are taking more and more things away from us, using fear tactics and calling it’s own people terrorist.
Where are we going as nation? If there is one more “accident” like 9/11, they will decalre matial law and we will all be pawns in a polical game. Checkmate mother fuckers. Rise up, Revolt!
My God, how did this man get elected.
im sure people with his mind set said the same things about blacks when they wanted freedom, how dare cannabis user want fair play, just shut up and give them money
wow, what a fucking moron! why don’t we improson jaywalkers while we’re at it!
Adolph Hitler is Alive in Georgia!
This guy even wishes he had his own “Secret Police” to discourage any political opposition.
[Russ responds: Godwin Alert! This guy is nowhere near Hitler. At this point he is all talk.]
maybe what he says should be forwarded to the president. makes u sick that ppl so out there are so high in government when your dealt a hardworking life and so down to earth. marijuana is harmless, if it saves lifes isnt it already 100% better than anything that kills? human rights? save a life. eff all these other pain killers everyone has potential to harm.
This man should be dealt with by Zorro.
THEN WILL YOOU HEAR ME NOW?
I wasn’t even going to respond to this. Why give it my energy? I was my first thought, to let Benton distroy himself with his own energy. But then…
64 General-Jake
You’re not a war monger…it’s just that you might go off half cocked. Patience & Planning…patience and planning. You’ll get your chance. The American People will not let our country be taken over by non-Americans.
82 Rick Seymore/Tennessee Activist
You’re on the money! It’s brinksmanship. Drive us to the edge. Count the posts, and read the remarks. Who won that round? However, he is advocating our death/assassination. “I’m going to kill you”…is grounds for action.
i think he has anger issues and needs to take a hit
P.S. to 162
If there is any Georgia Bull Dogs out there. How did this happen. Why did you elect this, for decorum’s sake, person.
BEHIND THE GREEN DOOR could use a coordinator in Georgia.
I don’t smoke or support marijuana, nor do I think it should be legalized.
But I mos def don’t agree with this “lawmaker.” I believe cruel and unusual punishment will not be able to pass for a state law because it’s against the law on a federal level.
I believe it’s all and bluff. Screw this guy, maybe he should suffer the caning.
Representative Benton is a typical prohibitionist, the worst of whom are republican. Sadly, most prohibitionist politicians will not come right out and tell you that they are forwarding any information you send them to law enforcement, so to his credit he was at least honest about that. This is not limited to just the South. Unfortunately, this kind of mentality is all too prevalent amony republicans north of the Mason-Dixon line, especially in the rural areas.
Be careful not to incriminate yourself in wanting to change the law. Merely advocating a change in the law is not a crime.
Insofar as the caning and execution points are concerned, they are indicative of closet racism. Everyone in the know in the U.S. realizes that people of color are disproportionately targeted by law enforcement, and are often used as cheap-labor in prison industries. It’s the closest thing you can get nowadays to slavery–taking away someone’s freedom and ability to vote. The caning is merely a substitution for whipping, and the execution is simply a way of being able to get away with murder. This is the undercurrent which lies beneath the prohibitionist stance on cannabis.
Once cannabis is legal, how will such closet racists deal with what they view in private among their own kind as the minority problem? Rounding up people for crack and heroin will not be nearly as ethnically cleansing as cannabis because far fewer people are into those drugs.
I have had the misfortune on some occasions of overhearing such people use the N-word in association with this context, as recently evidenced by its use again in a hate letter to Rep. Scott, which has been in the news recently. They somehow think it’s safe for them to say such things if you’re passing. (Passing is when you don’t tell them you’re Jewish or often are of mixed race and don’t have strong non-caucasion features, for example.) Here’s the link to the story in Roll Call.
http://www.rollcall.com/news/37719-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS
You can’t be a threat to their power, no matter if you’re white, black, latino, asian, a mix of whatever. In their view, if you’re not better than a (subsitute N-word or pothead or some other derogatory term to dehumanize people) then who are you better than? There is no monarchy or divine right in the U.S. We live in a meritocracy.
If you are a free thinker and do not sheepishly submit to their structure of command and control, they want to neutralize you or get you out of the way. They want to retain power, to keep things the way they are, and they care only about themselves. Prohibitionists are basically sociopathic zealots on this issue.
I will NEVER forget what they did to Peter McWilliams. Fucking Bastards!
there?s some people that just don?t belong on this planet. an assassination would shut him up. but i?m not doing it cause then they?ll administer a drug test and tell the world it was weed that caused me to do it.
[Russ responds: Assassination is nothing to joke about. Just talking about it is going to get the people talking about how unhinged marijuana reformers are. Be civil.]
This is very unfortunate. But really im not sure what bothers me the most. On the one hand its hard to beleave that anyone in this country would even consider executeing someone for selling pot. On the other hand its even harder to beleave that our public officals can maintain office after making a remark like that. Does the american people’s voice mean anything in this day and age. Remember people we elected these people so if anyone is to blame it is the american people. One of our forfarthers once said “the people should not fear the government, it is the goverment who should fear the people.” The population has become complacent it is time to stand up and fight for what we want. With more than 75 percent of the voting public saying they are for the legalizeation of pot for medicinal use, it should be done already. Its time change things and if we can not count on our government to do as we ask then maybe we need to impeach them all and start over from scratch. at the next elections get involved and vote out the old one the ones who dont want to make changes. If the new ones wont make changes then they get voted out. till we get people that learn its what the masses want not the few. Being an american means making your voice heard. Not sitting back and accepting what others decide for you. Thomas Jefferson once said, “the american goverment should be rebuilt from the ground up every 20 years.” and yet we have people in office for 40+ years and we see where that has lead us.
Hell yea! If them potheads mess with me I’ll just have their asses wiped, if that don’t work we’ll just kill’em. The politicos are supposed to represent the people not their own self-righteous ideals. Who finacially backs this idiot, kkk, drug companies, neo-nazis? I’m very sad about this, this man needs to be investigated and publicly shamed for his ignorance. He’s likely the first one in church on Sunday. He should be run out of the state on a rail, please don’t send him to Louisiana we have enough of these self- righteous asses already. It is time to take our country back, we must do it at the polls, oh shit!, that can’t work, their masters at election fixing. Crap! Politicians like this should be labeled as domestic terrorist and sent packing. Every time I write my government reps., I end up being harrassed by law enforcement around here. It’s past time to take our Country back from the thugs. Including Obama, who laughs at the people after asking for input. 200 years ago these thugs would have been charged with treason, they would beg for just a whipping all the way to the gallows. Today they pass laws to cover their asses and prevent investigation. These arrogant assholes are so used to doing what they want when they want, they are getting very careless. This guy is just stupid, he has cut his own nose off to spite his face. It’s the smart ones we should be really worried about. My personal opinion is that, they can see their house of cards beginning to fall, panic is setting in. This man has been bombarded with the publics outcry of unjust laws and government involvement where it doesn’t belong.He got pissed off and lost his game face, his true colors are shinning through. By colors I do not mean his skin color. We must show big brother, little brother is feed up and we are ready to clean state and federal government out. I’ll sit back and wait for the repercussions of this outburst to arrive. Usually in the form of harrassment, visits and tickets for things I didn’t do. The law around here will just make up shit to screw with someone about. Sorry for being so long winded. Later brothers and sisters.
Caning? When I read that I literally thought it said “canning” as in throwing in prison. I bet you a 100% this guy would support slavery if it were still in place.
I can tell. This guy is seriously into blowup dolls. Anybody doing that should be whipped with a wet noodle and shocked with carpet static electricity.
Fake Christian alert !
aaahhhhhhhh just emailed this unconstitutional prick….. also included the oath he had to take when going into office as well as the 8th amendment….and of course i threw in my full name with my address and phone number…. and i let him know that some of my “cronies” would be e-mailing him also. Remember folks, make sure all the details in your e-mails are correct and valid. Also, make sure they are not ripe with immaturity. Use facts, not words to make your point. That is the only way we are going to be taken seriously and keep the forward momentum.
Someone should kill him. Like #3 response said, come and get me motherfucker, I have an SKS 7.62x39mm with your name written all over it.
Execute people for using drugs? I should execute his family for existing. Wife, children, and the family dog, fuck all of them. All worthless.
P.S. 1 in 8 Americans is struggling with hunger, and John McCain has 7 houses. You do the math….
Fuck Tommy Benton and everyone who looks like him.
[Russ responds: No, nobody should kill him and you should put your unloaded SKS 7.62x39mm back in the gun safe and attach the trigger lock. And most certainly leave his wife, kids, and dog out of it. I understand the anger and desire for vengeance. For too long our people have been imprisoned, harassed, fired, left to suffer, families torn apart, but responding with threats of violence doesn’t solve the problem – fighting fire with fire only burns everyone.]
The thing is, if we respond to this guy with anger and violence we are only mirroring what he is doing here.
Better to wish him love, compassion and wisdom because those things are obviously missing from his life.
Love and Peace will overcome Fear and Anger. We will free the plant because the laws are in direct opposition to our self preservation.
You can bet I didn’t come to those conclusions over a glass of wine. We have people like this man in the world so that we know what we DON’T want to be like; cannabis gives us the ablility to see that.
Completely and totally irresponsible words of stupidity on his part. More than half of America according to CNN are ready for the deceiminalization of marijuana, and with the wasted money putting non violent rec users of marijuana is one of our countrys biggest flaws, decriminalization of marijuana would save the country billions of dollars from the police all the through the legal system and the cost of this inmate in prison. (added by Mobile using Mippin)
this guy is ridiculous he obliviously is ignorant and needs to be kicked out of office.
He claims to belong to the Methodist Church on his homepage. It seems he is not aware of the United Methodist’s Church’s stance. Over at the Interfaith Drug Policy Initiative it can be found:
http://idpi.us/compassion/resources/denominations-policy-positions/marijuana-decriminalization
However, of course it really doesn’t matter what his church thinks because he has his own mind and makes his own decisions. So here are a few thoughts of what he has to look forward to…
“In the same way you judge others, you will be judged and the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
“That servant who knows his master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows.”
I always thought it would be with the proverbial rod of iron. But I guess people like State Republican lawmaker Tommy Benton prefer other “tools.”
He says his family’s been there for 6 generations. Kind of makes me think that sometime in the past, his family members could have been among the people who’ve bastardized the Bible and used it as an excuse for slavery. And perhaps even used the latter quote as an excuse to beat fellow humans.
My guess is this will all be a very big and unfortunate surprise for him and many others when it comes back on themselves, and not by human hands.
Sounds like he needs to talk with Bob Barr.
Georgia Rep. Tommy Benton is a sick, sick man.
VOTE HIM OUT!
This really turned my stomache….this guy is in dire need of a mental health exam
The government declaired WAR on mj and it’s users years ago, so why should this shock folks? We need a Boston Tea party II—-for real!
What a redneck asshole.
From his webpage…
706.367.5891 – Home
Have at it…
HANG THAT COMMUNIST BASTARD!!!! BETTER DEAD THAN RED! Our founders would roll in their graves. What is this country becoming???? NO ONE KNOWS. But it does seem like freedoms are lost a little at a time. Next thing you know they are going to want to embed computer chips in every one so they will know every little move and word you make. Are they seriously going to let this happen?!?
OMG…we need to get all incumbents out of office…time to clean house…wish I could vote but florida does not allow me my rights back because I am a felon who was caught with 23 grams of marijuana.
Let’s do that whole reconstruction thing again, and make the south the second class citizen they deserve to be.
Whoever got this e-mail from him needs to forward it to every single news media outlet in the country! This bullshit has to stop! I cannot believe what I am reading here. It’s just too much! This man needs to be impeached for even suggesting such a violent form of punishment for anyone!
we should all find the people like this in our government and execute them
[Russ responds: Like who, Singapore? China? Saudi Arabia? This is the United States of America and we don’t execute people for their stupid opinions, otherwise most cable news networks would be without their hosts. Rise above the violence and fight back with votes.]
He is a republican. So the next time you yall dont think why i shude vote.this is what u get Well u have only your self to blame.if u dont vote.
This is an example of pure ignorance.
Gail #177 got it right. “The thing is, if we respond to this guy with anger and violence we are only mirroring what he is doing here.”
While I fully understand the frustration I can not understand why some people think that threats against this person will make a difference. If anything, threats of death and other violence will only hurt our cause.
Unfortunately I don’t live in this dingbat’s district, or I’d vote against him. Getting rid of these special interest lackeys and bible thumping prohibitionists needs to happen at the ballot box, not in a dark alley!
The political climate right now is so volatile that a good size shift in the political make-up of congress could happen next year. As mentioned above, all 435 reps are up for re-election and we need to come together and DE-ELECT these poop-fed-inbreds and replace them with individuals who will represent us, not the prison-industrial-congressional complex!
NORML and other cannabis organizations can not promote candidates due to the 501(c)3 status and other tax regulations as well as impartiality concerns.
For that reason I’ll be making 10 pages available for pro cannabis candidates on my website. Busgreg.info is my hobby and I am not constrained by any tax regulations preventing me from giving space and voice to pro-legalization candidates.
I can’t do this alone, but with your help, I’d like to help those who are serious about this issue and are running for political office.
If you know of any serious candidate running for either local, state or federal office, they can contact me at greg@busgreg.info and I will provide space for their candidacy free of charge on my site.
Please people! I live in Lowndes county (for now). Email this story to the local/national news stations. Hopefully we can wake up the lowndes county public to make sure this guy does not continue to MIS-represent them.
This guy proves everything we have been saying about the high level conspiracy to feed off our children. Lets say your son buys an ounce of weed. The safest stimulant know to man unlike beer it is not habit forming. He sells half his ounce to a friend at no profit. Per this guy we should cut your sons head off.
EMAIL THIS GUY TO HELP HIM UNDERSTAND I DID….
Do you have a son? I do and you advocate killing my son. Not saying he would use or sell cannabis he does not. But if he chose to buy some and sold half to his friend. As many do in our society you say kill him. For using a natural herb that has been around since the beginning of time (it is a gift from God as all plants are). I feel you need to seek mental help for making such a statement.
I am an activist against cannabis prohibition not because I use or advocate the use of cannabis. I do not. I see the destruction it is causing our youth today. It is less harmful than alcohol. Yet you actually said we should kill people for selling it and permanently scar people for using it. I think you are are on the wrong path and should not advocate killing our children..
Fred Hood AKA Cherokee Fred Jesus
PLEASE HELP THIS MAN WITH YOUR THOUGHTS..AT
tommy.benton@house.ga.gov
CFJ
http://www.valdostadailytimes.com/contactus
I’ve got a trigger for him, a voting booth trigger. See ya! You’re a sad excuse for a human being. Take a trip to Singa and don’t come back! Idiot redneck asshole! Sorry to any rednecks out there, he’s worse than that!
Sounds like this guy is taking to many chemical drugs from his legal drug pusher (doctor) to me….
CFJ
This person sub-human is helping bring to light what we are up against. A system that feeds on or children. So far they just put our kids in jail and ruin their future by making them felons. But this person wants to kill them how sad our situation…
For making a personal choice which to me is the correct choice. I watched my father and his father die from addiction to alcohol. I would rather my kids have the choice and choose cannabis it has been proven over the century’s to be the safer choice…If we were allowed to have a choice…
CFJ
Let’s all do something!!!
Thank NORML for informing us!!!
Send them a few bucks to help them spread the truth!!!
Please I did!!!
CFJ
I wrote Tommy Benton and said. “If you had been around in the time of Al Capone he would have never been put out of business”
oh my god ! I cant believe I read such things.
in the XXIst century.
Mr.Benton I hope you realize that Julian,Bubbles and Ricky are gonna be very upset by your statement.
Better for you not to show up near their places.
Nuke Georgia !to get rids of such morons once and for all. Hillbillies of the worst kind
Good riddance
[Russ responds: Sorry, far too many pretty girls in Georgia. Besides, there is no need for nuking anyone anywhere. Let’s not foment violence here on the NORML Blog; we don’t need to stoop to their level.]
What a sick bastard for even thinking of these punishments. I think he needs to read all the statistical data on Marijuana and realize that it’s not the enemy, HE IS!
Who ever lives in Georgia has a job to do right now! You guys have to make sure that this information is expose trought out your community all over the state. Is your job to let people “other people that do not do weed” to know about the kind of mindset their representatives have and to make them understand that they only want to cost more harm & expenses. This goes to everyone in the USA! We have got to come out of the closet and step up. I dont know how many times I said this but its crucial to understand that the more people lead the more people follow! And right now we need to lead to an open direction where people can be comfortable to talk about marijuana in a non-violant tone. And be more educated on marijuana.
If they Big Brother dont listen then I guest is WAR time. Try to get us all muthaf***!
wow… what a dumbass.
ok might as well make a law to shoot someone on the spot for dui.
the government wants us to be a bunch of little robots and live a certain way. just gonna keep getting worse, losing more freedoms everyday
well the funny thing is he’s not the only person ive heard suggest corporeal punishment though it was not for cannabis in particular. I heard this at work in a car dealership selling parts, You can quickly see the perverse mentality that pervades america if only you listen to everyday people speak, im only 19 but even 58 year old men struggle to debate me, this issue is not ONLY about cannabis but is deeper than that cannabis prohibition is but one aspect of the leviathan known as government tyranny
Law makers should be careful outraging the people. this tactic could turn on them. Our leaders have already outraged many. Are they purposely poking a stick at the people? Trying to enrage US? It seems so.
DO NO RE-ELECT THIS MAN
Ok…here’s my idea to deal with stupidity like this. Let’s all take every seed left over from our canabis, then save them till we have a large quantity saved up. then… people all over the country should randomly drop these seeds anywhere and everywhere! these beautiful plants will sprout all across the land and the law enforcement idiots and bigots will go NUTS! so funny… or you know we could just VOTE ALL THESE UNEDUCATED AND EVIL PIGS OUT OF OFFICE!!!!. wait, that would mean actually organizing and getting up and doing something. nevermind. (sarcasm btw)
I wonder what George Washington would think of this pathetic ****.
Please, all of you stop being so angry and saying things that are too nasty. Yes, this pisses me off to however, I’m going to be bigger and better than this scum.
And as far as Repubs go, Ron Paul is Repub, and a darn good man.
I have a few choice words for you Tommy Benton. BITE ME!!! I will do everythig in my power to make sure you are out of a job in 2010. I’m sure you are profiting more from the prohibition, than the legalization. You are the sweaty ball sac of the House of Representatives. I think it’s time to clean HOUSE!I heard they have lobbyist jobs for you in the pro-pot movement after you are black-balled from GOVT…Isn’t that what you low-life convicts do after you are thrown out on your ass?
[Russ responds: Please note that Tommy Benton is a Georgia State Representative and not a United States Congress Representative.]
DON’T take my word for it…
“The continued PROHIBITION of cannabis jeopardizes the health and well-being of Canadians MUCH MORE than does the substance itself.”
• Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs, 2002
The Nazi references above may be more right than you know. Cheney/Bush Syndicate private prisons and security forces, and arms manufacturers are doing extremely well in the current downturn, and the lawyers aren’t hurting either. They do not contribute to creating the Gross Domestic Product, but consume it. These politicians are there to preserve the Status Quo, not to usher in change, that is our job.
DO YOU LIKE FASCISM?? (‘DU’) ‘drug user’ is the new ‘Jew’ to be deprived of rights, property, freedom and interned in private concentration camps run for profit where the people inside are a commodity to be traded back and forth for the income they bring the facility. Once branded with a record and a number, people are rendered ‘prison fodder’. We don’t force pot smokers to walk around with a big leaf on them, but…
Unless you are really naive and ignorant, do not assume I am exaggerating or hyperbolic, help to do something about it instead of contributing to the problem by continuing the propaganda that it doesn’t exist. It is not an American problem, it is a global one and requires a global solution
Peace on Earth and goodwill toward everybody. But, as John Lennon said, as well as Christ inside, we also have a Hitler inside us too. The battlefield is inside every one of us. Lets make sure it is the Christ inside each one of us that wins out. The Hitler winning inside others, while harmful to those around them, is most dangerous to the Karma, soul, psyche of the poor person losing the battle. The evil are to be pitied, rather than hated, as we work to overturn the strongholds of evil they have erected against us.
Sounds like what a master would say to his slaves
I have debilitating eye pressures that can lead to blindness if left untreated. I have options for other medications, but according to my health proffessionals, which consist of a general health physician, opthamoligist, neurologist, and a psychologist, but my doctors all agree that marijuana will lower my eye pressures without other significant side effects. I would love to see this benton come and try to whip me. So bring it on you fucking pussy.
i think all these prohibitionists should be caned by maybe me and some of the others who have done time for this stupid drug war;maybe we should have some executions of our own.i nominate this pig benton.all we gotta do to stop it is make it a war;fight back-they arent people after all,just pigs….
[Russ responds: Sorry you were incarcerated, but “an eye for an eye” only makes the whole world blind. I say nobody should be caned or executed. This drug war isn’t won through violence and threats, but through education and compassion.]
Well America, and especially all peaceful and compassionate voters in the state of Georgia. With elections so close I bet you can tell who needs to be voted out of office. Show the rest of the United States of America what the people of Georgia want for elected officials to represent them. Send a message loud and clear so the other politicians will see that fighting Marijuana reform is political suicide!!!
Conflict, itself is the enemy. Freedom of every individual to believe and practice whatever doesn’t harm anyone else must become universal.
this mofo better not ever let me know where he lives.
Maybe we should pack his bags with tons of weed and send him to his beloved Singapore. This idiot ought to be ashamed of himself.
As a resident of the state of Georgia what I have read here today saddens me. It is not solely that this gentleman is opposed to the ending of oppresion; it is also that he seems to have even more socialistic and draconian views than Obama does. It embarasses me that the nature of this statement should be perceived as a reflection of the mindset of Georgians in general. The whims and notions of a few cannot rule the desires of a nation. When that happens all of the freedoms the Founders fought for, everything generations of Americans have bled for will be lost.
What the hell!! This guy is crazy. We need to make CERTAIN he doesn’t get re-elected. Execution would wipe out a huge percentage of the people in the state of GA…..HAHAHAHAHA….I bet he goes home a drinks his scotch every night though!
It’s like a bad dream that we can not wake up from! This guy should be in a mental institution not in Washington! It saddens me that people like this probably think that they are better then us. His judgmental views and truly sick ideals are very unfortunate. Please pray him.
what the fuck???? well, i say that if marijuana is ever legalized, we should impeach every representative and senator who doesn’t belive in legalization for discrimination and give every one of THEM THE FUCKING ELECTRIC CHAIR-POEPLE LIKE YOU MR.BENTON ARE FAR TOO INGNORANT AND GREEDY TO BE ANYWHERE NEAR ANY KIND OF SEAT OF POWER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[Russ responds: No, let’s just legalize it and then smoke them out.]
I like how this guys homophobic comment didnt get deleted
“guys like this never last .he will be found dead with his homosexual lover after he chokes on a dick .or gets caught with a male prostitute .or some little kids dad kills him for molesting a child .these insane guys are always hiding some real sick stuff .he will not be reelected once his private life is made public. what a loser”
but mine did, and i was just suggesting that someone shoot a hot steaming load on his face hah.
THIS SHIT DEEPLY DISTERBS AND SICKENS ME!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hile Hitler
this guy a extremist or what.
God bless him when he gets judged by god (added by Mobile using Mippin)
[Russ responds: Godwin Alert! Please, let Hitler be Hitler, this guy is nowhere close. Not every offensive person is Hitler-worthy. This constant Hitler comparison demeans the atrocity Hitler presided over.]
its also illegal to be nude in your own home in singapore. wonder if this idiot agrees with that too. who votes for these clowns?
[Russ responds: Well, I might support a law that forbids Tommy Benton’s nudity. /sarcasm]
What a fucking idiot. Killing people for weed? Kill the rapists and murders. Killing someone over a simple plant… what an ignorant bastard.
look back at US history, it’s always takes something like this to get everyones attention! Maybe he did us a favour by saying this! btw- Ron Paul is such a wonderful man! He’s the champion of Liberty in our time! :0)
How can it be, that people are so caught up in the “FEAR” of drugs ravaging America that they lose sight of their values… and in some ways their humanity.
At what point do we compare ourselves to Singapore and use their system of corporal punishment as a guideline.
Vlad the Impaler got his name by impaling criminals and he had a low crime rate, should we look into that?
Greed, ignorance and fanaticism have lead us down this path of destruction, I can only hope that the general population will begin to think for themselves and see the ridiculousness of it all.
You also get canned for chewing gum in Singapore, clearly this is not a country we should be trying to emulate…. Maybe this email needs to be forwarded to the newspapers to make the public aware they are being represented by a mad man.
Tommy Benton
177 Martin Street
Jefferson, Georgia 30549
706.335.5519 – Office
706.___.____ – Home
tommy.benton@house.ga.gov
[Russ responds: No no no, we do not bring this into Rep. Benton’s home. His wife and children have nothing to do with this. He made these statements as a public official, so let’s keep the responses to his public office.]
That sounds like fascism to me, and fascism is definitely un-American. I say HE should be executed as a treasonous spy. Oh wait, the good thing about America is that we have FREE SPEECH which you shouldn’t be punished for, too bad this asshole didn’t get the memo.
You’ll have to excuse State Represenative Tommy Benton. He is a typical southern inbred moron with absolutley 0 common sense. Most southern people that I’ve known in my lifetime would rather go out in a freshly cut hay field, smoke some good bud and listen to great bluegrass. We never were into that spanking thing only perverts did that sort of thing. I bet Ol Tommy Benton is a closet pervert of some sort and does farm animals, what do you wanna bet. You really have to feel sorry for his family having to be associated with this oozing puss wad. May he choke to death on cornbread…; )
also if it is ever legalized there is “A NO DISCRIMINATION CLUASE” for employment, insurance, healthcare, housing,etc as is with those who drink alcohol, or who take prescribed drugs that way no one can legally treat us the way this ignorant asshole would love to see us treated under such circumstances
I live in Georgia and seeing how most people in georgia smoke weed this motherfucker better learn how to watch his fucking mouth. Especially in these times.
I think we should start pineapple fucking assholes who steal from the tax payers and lie to the public.
Has anyone forwarded this story to the White House?
I’m sure the Moms and Dads in Lowdnes county will be thrilled to learn that Their rep, and his cronies, want to torture and kill their kids.
Government taking over the role of the parents. Kind of like the Hitler Youth, eh.
So if your a parent living is GA, be aware that your local government is putting your kids futures, and their very lives, in grave danger.
[Russ responds: There’s the Hitler thing again.]
Write and tell him to keep himself, and his cane, away from your kids.
wow! im in shock that an elected offical put there by human beings to serve human beings would even say something like that out loud. what does that say about him. that is a damn shame that we pay this guy good money to judge norml people like that. that is sickening. his values probably match his attitude. to display publicly, his hatred for possibly his own family member or a good neighbor without compassion or understanding. yes russ, we MUST be a example of humanity but, people like this guy deserve just the same amount of respect that he dishes out. clearly an absolute waste of good air that a real human being could use.
fuck the police!
I don’t understand how anyone would be surprised that a politician of any sort would say this. Politicians, no matter what wing they’re on, do not care about the people. If they did, america would be a very different place, so different in fact that any sort of life form would not have to fight for any sort of rights, which is what is happening constantly within this status quo. It’s a losing battle, especially if its fought against peacefully.
wow, suddenly im glad i live in norway, here our politicians are just plain corrupt, that guy must be some bible gripping madman.
I am sorry if references to fascism in America make some uncomfortable, but as Tommy here demonstrates, it is alive and well in America. Oh, I don’t mean religious racism, (unless Ganja is your sacrament), or fuhrer worship, but read the note above about ‘prison fodder’ where second class citizens with drug records become a commodity in the private prison system Cheney and co are heavily invested in.
Since in the ‘Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism’ it is made clear that the veneer of democracy is a circus put on to entertain the masses, while having little or no effect on the course of the various nations practicing it. Unless we can effect a fundamental change in the way governments function worldwide, we are wasting our time.
“If governments did this, helping all they can those who need it the most, instead of conspiring to deprive Citizens of as much as possible of what’s rightly theirs, we’d see the first real progress in the philosophy of government in a long time.” WS
You see, we believe the efforts within any single nation will be futile unless coordinated with the citizens of the other countries in the grip of the right wing fascist minority that hijacked the governments of several nations, currently. Although Obama is in the White House, the bureaucracy and command structure remains firmly in the hands of the post 9/11 warmongering paranoia merchants.
In our opinion the activities of Agencies such as the CIA and DEA have done and are doing more to undermine the security of Americans than any foreign group could imagine achieving. There is more justification for the hatred much of the world feels toward America than most Americans are aware of, or would admit if they were.
The current issue of fascist tactics shouting down debate over a health care system for all Americans has shown the world the fascists are still powerful there. Canadians hear and wonder about the lies told about our health care system. It is obvious the rich are vehemently opposed to helping take care of their less fortunate neighbors. (it is no secret the median income of a republican is higher than that of a democrat)
Personally, I believe in a laissez faire free market, however, I also believe in social responsibility. We are our ‘brother’s keeper’. We do not understand the aversion some Americans have with paying their fair share of taxes for the betterment of their fellow man.
I worked hard to bring down the Cheney/Bush Syndicate, but remain skeptical that the promised Change will materialize without a purging of the fascist malcontents throughout the government, military, and corporate boardrooms of America. After the one on one meeting between Obama and Bush, we have noted a marked difference in Barack, his attitudes and approaches to certain situations have in some cases turned 180 degrees from his former stance. His autonomy to effect his agenda appears to be compromised. Hence a global association for world peace without war, attempting to heal the nations regardless of whomever is in Washington, Ottawa, London or the Hague.
Citizens everywhere are either on the verge of, or have consciously rejected all Authority assumed over them by any government or usurped leadership. People are waking up to the fact that WE are the power. We have assumed control, and are asserting our authority. We know no present government remains free of the taint of fascism.
We can’t predict the future, but, God willing, folks will start to be nice to their neighbors, love their enemies, and pray for those who persecute us. Canadians pray for America every day, not just Sundays.
A bill with a stated intent that it is known a Majority will support, usually contains all sorts of provisions those folks would never knowingly agree to. We see a steady deterioration of the ‘free world’ toward a global fascist police state.
Canadians will not tolerate a police state even if America is one and our government is in complete support of it. (You will understand why we sing “Oh, Canada, we stand on guard for thee”)
now you know where I stand. I think we want the same things, the best world possible for the most people possible. Greed and elitism has no place in the future, at least if we can help it. As much as we can do to help those who need it the most is our mandate.
For your enlightenment;
http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=112501402668&h=wlgIM&u=97Kpa
Wow!! Look at all the comments already lol. Sounds like this legislation would largely target minorities, if you wanted to kill them (ethnic cleansing) Statistics show blacks take up most of the prison population per % of blacks vs % of whites. This would be a measure to kill more black people in particular imo.
I think its the people who dont smoke the grass who are really crazy…. (See also: The congressman whom this is in response to)
what a bag of douche
NORML should just stop publishing such articles on their web site.NORML web site is devoted to inform the marijuana community about what is going on in the marijuana world and should not publish articles that enrage the MJ community or are so shocking to MJ users or offensive to the otherwise very peaceful MJ community.Enough is enough. This article does not bring anything positive except a lot of justified hatred toward the individual concerned.ALSO MR.ARMENTANO WHY DID YOU PUT EMPHASIS ON THIS CORPORAL PUNISHMENT “CANING”. Just reading it in plain letter would have more than suffice to inflame me.
[Russ responds: This article originated from the Daily Audio Stash site that I maintain, which has a feature called “Politicians on Pot”. I ask cannabis consumers to write their elected officials and send me back the responses, which I tag, categorize, and post on the website as a reference resource people can search before going off to vote. Go to http://stash.norml.org and type in your state and a political party in the header’s search bar and you can see how your elected officials have responded.
Rep. Benton’s reply, shocking as it was, didn’t merit posting to the front page until we received more replies from him, including a terse “no can do!!!!!” when asked to recant the statement, a “you took the path of least resistance [by smoking pot]” to one of our esteemed board members, and the most recent “load of bull crap” response that included the threat of turning the constituent in to the county sheriff. At that point, it’s more than a story about a representative that hates “potheads”, but also one who replies to constituents in an immature and threatening manner unbecoming of an elected official and demeaning to the state of Georgia.
But thank you for your opinion; I can understand why you feel that way.]
wow this guy needs to wake up and perhaps push the repressed memory of an exgirlfriend that left him for being a sqaure
This is one scary mother Fu##er. How the hell does someone like this ever get elected? For those of you in Ga, it’s time for you to vote this nutcase out of office and off of his high horse! People in power who have this mentality really scare me, but obivously he’s an idiot. Just in case he’s reading this, FU## YOU! Come get me you SOB.
I Hail from Auguta, GA and i would have to say
that this twisted old man and his ass backwards evil mindset is what holding back OUR future back.
People of Georgia, this man disgraces our grate state in our part of the beautiful south.
Trust me when I say that HARDLY anyone in GA, or any of the south for that matter share this mans views.
What does this “lawmaker” plan to do to child molesters, rapists and murderers if he wants marijuana users caned? I think this is extreme, barbaric and totally unnecessary. The punishment should fit the crime. I think canning should be outlawed, or reserved for violent offenders like child abductors. This is totally ridiculous.
First of all I really want to thank “Russ” for the “edits” to some of the comments left in reply to the article.It shows true initiative by the firms and fronts representing this community which is one that is obviously quite diverse. It needs to be made clear that the only way that this war will be won is through knowledge, language, and respect not with guns or threats. That way you are only fitting the stereotype; “The actually dangerous pot head” or something else equally as ridiculous. The stereotype that they perpetuate and force upon us, the same stereotype that eventually lands three out five of us in jail. Much in other debates right now currently held in high esteem by public reform, the conservative side is slowly losing ground and thus they resort to scare tactics and deceit. This Benton fella, is nothing more than an act. The reality is that his personal opinion really doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, but he represents the machine of prohibition that keeps politicians and other criminally prosecuting or managing professionals sitting on fat pockets. So rise above, take action, defeat the stereotype, please it truly is the only way that we as a community of people will ever make any ground.
for those of you who are saying that the “good” and patriotic way to get rid of people like this is responsible debate, ect. would disgust the founding fathers. Can you imagine what George Washington and Thomas jefferson would have done if the british tried to do anything like this? (they were all huge stoners). Trust me, they would do more than vote them out of office.
[Russ responds: Our Founders and their forebears responded to far worse affronts with peaceful negotiations with the British Crown. Only when it was clear they had no reasonable and peaceful way to resolve their differences did they pledge their lives and their sacred honor to a violent revolution against the King. (A revolution, I might add as an American with a French surname sick to death of “surrender monkey” taunts, that would have surely been lost without Gen. Lafayette and the assistance of France.) This guy is an elected representative, we still have the right to vote him out, we still have the right to speak out against him, and at this point he has only written about half-cocked notion of caning, not actually tried to implement it.
And let’s not get too misty-eyed at the mention of our Founders, some of whose slaves were on the receiving end of the 17th-18th century version of caning. Great men, but still men.]
Is this guy serious? This is who is helping run our government? Insane! Caning people who are doing no harm to others goes beyond what this country was built on, and executing people for providing a substance that many people obviously want is ludicrous. The worst of it all is trying to have people arrested for their opinion. Let’s all give him a piece of our mind.
So this is what we’re up against? I don’t believe anyone elected to public office would be stupid enough to actually send an email like this…..wait what am I saying, look at the laws on our books!!!!
“That is what they do in Singapore and they don’t have a drug problem.”
Yeah, and they stone to death adulterers in other nations.. Should we follow their lead too..
ASSHOLE!
Now is the time to vote this type of politician out of office! If everyone that supports marijuana law reform were to vote their state representation accordingly, a LOT could be accomplished. OUR VOTES MATTER MORE THAN EVER, the marijuana law reform pot has been simmering for long enough, lets bring it to a boil.
wouldn’t surprise me if he was high on something when he said this… all those uber moralists are hypocrites.
this is one sick nazi son of a bitch. he would have done well in hitlers germany. his remarks are a gauge of his mentality. and thats not very good. and he is an elected official? people better take their voting more serious in georgia or they will be goose stepping with swastikas!
[Russ responds: Please, somebody, anybody, buy these Hitler referencers a history book.]
this guy is a moron
the video interview on his website is laughable
Contact Representative Benton
* at the Capitol…
* 501 Coverdell Legislative Office Building
* Atlanta, GA 30334
* 404.656.0177
* in the District…
* 177 Martin Street
* Jefferson, GA 30549
* 706.___.____ – Home
tommy.benton@house.ga.gov
[Russ responds: No! No home numbers! C’mon people – this is political, not personal. The guy wrote something stupid and holds some sadistic unconstitutional beliefs, but he’s done nothing and could do little to enact them. He needs to be publicly shamed, not privately harassed.]
these idiot are rediculouse its legal to have an abortion but you cant smoke pot?
Wow, this topic has raised some interest. How many of you who’ve posted here have actually contacted the POS who suggested caning? That guy should be caned in the balls, hanging upside down from a post just for suggesting something so offensive. What a putz. Who elects idiots like him? He’s causing evolution to roll backwards.
It’s not so awesome that I live in GA myself. The laws here are already strict, but to go as far as torturing and KILLING people for using and distributing such a harmless thing is really fucking inhumane. I feel disgusted that I even live in a state where a guy like this has some sort of power, and complete ignorance. I wonder how he even raises his children with that kind of mentality.
We really need to keep up contacting out respresentatives. I don’t know anybody here in GA that has tried to contact anybody in GA to try to persuade them to consider the legalization of marijuana, so we need to keep fighting. Everybody needs to keep fighting, especially so we can get sicko’s like Mr. Benton. My sympathy goes out to his children, who have to live with this brainwashed asshole.
official Website!
http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2009_10/house/bios/bentonTommy/bentonTommy.htm
I suggest NORML supporters shere their outrage with the Georgia Department of Tourism and boycott Georgia tourism.
this is what I e-mailed them:
I read the NORML blog daily and was appalled to read comments made by Representative Tommy Benton concerning what he thinks should be done with marijuana users and dealers. IN today’s blog, he is quoted as advocating caning for individuals caught using marijuana, and execution for those who sell. He also responded to NORML’s attempts to have a dialogue with him by threatening to send law enforcement after anyone who differs with his views.
Is he just a loose cannon or is everyone in government and law enforcement in Georgia have a bad case of rabies?
I smoked marijuana for 30 years before being forced to quit (at least temporarily until I can establish my own private practice) due to random drug testing at work, and I fully intend to go back to smoking as soon as I”m out of this otherwise great place to work. However, 30 years of pot smoking probably means there might be a stray seed in my car and there’s no way I would risk getting stopped in Georgia and facing the consequences of a single seed being found given these unvaccinated crazies you call representatives.
so sorry to miss out on what is otherwise a beautiful state. I would feel safer walking after dark through inner city Detroit than I would driving anywhere thruogh Georgia.
how do assholes like this really get elected??? is this dickhead for real??? Cane his ass for being a dumb fuck!!! and if that dont wake him up give him the other option he wants to do to others!!! it goes to show you people vote for people without really knowing the issues… VOTE THIS STUPID MUTHERFUCKER OUT!!! !
RAGE AGAINST INJUSTICE, ELECT IS GUY OUT OF OFFICE.WORK TO CHANGE THE LAWS.
THANKS TO THE MODERATOR FOR TRYING TO KEEP THIS SOMEWHAT CIVIL, I DON’T WANT YOUR JOB…..
yea, the founding fathers owned slaves. Its sucks. We all know, its stupid to bring it up. The point is they were not, nor would they ever let themselves be slaves. We have through being “victims” to long. Yes, these people were voted in by the sheepish masses. The founders also said, ( on why the US is a republic) that a democracy is 2 wolves and a sheep deciding whats for dinner. By infringing on our human right to use cannabis, they have launched a war on American freedom that has been going on for almost 100 years. As long as peace works I’m for it (and it is working, as far as pot goes). But once tyranny goes to far (which it is doing in areas like the fed, false flag attacks, ect.) there comes a time where peace can only do so much
LMFAO Hey Benton all I am doing at you is giving you a big smile because you dont rule CALI you punk…..Its Georgia voters own fault impeach the punk. Once again unless we all come together nothing will ever be solved. Peace=Legalization thats why in this country it will never be legal unless there is a washing of Washington DC. All in favor of Cali becoming the republic of Cali gimme a LEGALIZE!!!!This aint the USA of old we are being run by criminals and murderers STOP THE VIOLENCE….
Hi, yourinsanity of executing dealers and brutally attacking users is sick. I hate people like you. I’m not one to throw that word out easily either. I’m a young smoker and it has helped many things as opposed to what you think is right for these “offenders”.
You want old people to be attacked by this caning you speak off. Fuck off, please leave the coproal punishment out of this.
” That would solve the problem as well. That is what they do in Singapore and they don’t have a drug problem.” ”
Singapore is acorrupt country and this isn’t Singapore this is AMERICA!!! Americans have rights, I don’t even know if Singaporians are allowed to worship another God.
But, wow, if you want people to suffer from something that brings relief to users, then please, get the hell out of office, you have no right to say people should get the corporal punishment for using or selling marijuana.
People that have blurted death threats are the ones that don’t understand that this is all a setup to show how “Violent Marijuana users are” so people looking to respond don’t respond in threats. just say what you have and leave. This would never happen.
Marijuana is in no way shape or form like Murdering, raping, kidnapping, and most of those criminals are out on the street in 10 years.
Just resign from your position in politics and hope to god nothing happens to you. You have yourself to blame for this, no one else. Think before you speak.
SourD from StonerForums.com
Tommy Benton is the one that needs to be caned and deported. I cant believe that this fucking moron is in office. I wish he was in front of me now so I could beat the shit out of him I would love it
[Russ responds: Then you need to seek professional therapy and a nice couch-lock indica. I understand the rage, but redirect it, grasshopper. You’d only be arrested and locked up for good reason, Tommy Benton would get a sympathetic story on Oprah, and Dr. Phil would have a weeklong special on “Super Pot 2.0: Not Your Father’s Woodstock Weed™” with British accented-experts telling tales of mayhem brought about by hydroponic “skunk” users in the UK. We’re not the violent ones; that’s the drunks and tweekers.]
that’s like a terrorist threat! If one of us had said that about him, armed forces would be knocking on our doors.(for sure if you’re black). I have the same rights as Mr. Benton. shouldn’t we be have the same protection from a terrorist?
that’s like a terrorist threat! If one of us had said that about him, armed forces would be knocking on our doors.(for sure if you’re black). I have the same rights as Mr. Benton. shouldn’t we be have the same protection from a terrorist? 422 pc is the criminal code for a threat. punishable by law.
Ok everyone, I just e-mailed him, here is what I wrote:
Subject: requesting a public apology
Dear Mr. Benton,
A few days ago, you made the statement that marijuana users should be subjected to canning and dealers should be executed. I strongly believe that you have made a drastically false interpretation of this culture. If you believe that punishment for the intake of a god-given plant that has been on this earth longer than man itself should be worse than the punishment given to rapists, murders, and money launderers, you are horribly misled and should be removed from office. Furthermore, you took your ignorant statement a step further by trying to instill fear in those who oppose your ways by threatening to refer their names to the police. I’m here to tell you that nobody is afraid of you, and nothing you do will change our fight for what’s right. You have seriously offended hundreds of people by implying that the punishment for using a drug that is, in fact, safer than alcohol and tobacco, should be worse than the punishment of those responsible for the bombings of the World Trade Centers on September 11, 2001.
Please reconsider your statement and base your next public speaking on said topic. I also request that you watch a documentary called “The Union: The Business Behind Getting High” to better understand our side of this long fought argument.
Proud activist,
Preston S. McGuigan
[Russ responds: Damn! Now that’s a letter.]
I hope that what we are seeing from the conservative movement is the real-time death of the republican party. Surely the people of Georgia deserve representation by people who are not psychotic. The far right is so far right that it (they) are outliers. I would recommend a change of diet for this guy, a long overdue colonoscopy, an immediate recall from the electorate, psychoanalysis in the framework of a state hospital, and a mandatory 10-year sentence in a state hospital for the criminally insane. If thine eye offend thee, then …
I would like to thank this Rep. from Georgia for energizing the anti prohibitionist movement. If people like him keep talking this kind of punishment more of the general public will turn their backs on prohibition. I have one very important word for all of you. VOTE!!! When the next election rolls around let’s show them who really runs this country!
To ALL POT SMOKERS U.NITED P.OT S.MOKERS ITS TIME WE WIN THIS SHIT LETS STAND UP N TAKE BACK WTF IS OURS,LET THIS COUNTRY GO BROKE CUZ WE R BUYIN FRM THE CARTELS IN THESE TIMES THE GOV NEEDS TO WAKE UP BUNCH OF DRUNK CHAIN SMOKERS,AS SOMEONE FRM A PREVIOUS BLOG HAD SAID ITS TRUE TO
He really seams to have lit the fuse!
Now let the political fireworks begin.
I am so happy that I saw this. I live in this D-Bags district. I’m getting everyone that I know to vote for whoever runs against him. How satisfying it will be to punch that ballot.
Russ,
Just so you know, Benton’s home phone number is listed on his own website here:
http://www.tommybenton.com/contact.html
Dr. Jellyfinger
[Russ responds: That’s him posting it on his site. He can’t sue himself.]
its PEACE and LOVE were trying for here, along with FREEDOM, not violence. c’mon, fellow headies, lets get it together.
Benton is an idiot, even by Georgia Republican standards.
I’m tired of waiting for the South to secede again. Let’s be proactive and just kick the cousin-fucking hillbillies out of the Union.
[Russ responds: What?!? And lose all those excellent college football games and beautiful women and grapefruits?]
Hey Russ isnt it hard to keep a strait face while reading some of this shit? Seems that we would have equal hate on the otherside of the fence. Sorry you have to read and re-direct so many to the polls versus the gun safe!
The only thing I can say and do from here is support the ballots and vote! If you choose not to vote you have still voted to keep the same shit in office. with numbers and unity we will win this battle, but with rage and hate we wont even get the chance to fight!
It is the OBJECTIVE of the Green Door Movement to end, once and for all, the ambivalent relationship that exists between government and the medicinal cannabis community.
We set this movement in motion with the clear understanding that government will no longer disseminate false and misleading information to us…and…we will act in good faith with government to avoid the obvious. The point that the Green Door makes is that we come to agreement by peaceful negotiations, rather than blood on anyone’s hands.
The Green Door is willing to “LISTEN” to government, provided they “SPEAK THE TRUTH.” We are willing to “COMPLY” with reasonable legislation, provded that the “THE LAW IS JUST.”
This is our platorm for “PEACEFUL RELATIONS WITH GOVERNMENT.” This is our offer for conciliation. This is our final attempt to reach a national agreement with government, and avoid Kaos.
Lets tell Tommy Benton he is not a nice man, and tell him he should be ashamed of himself for being mean.
tommy.benton@house.ga.gov
Oh…my….god!!!!
Doesn’t Bentons emails fit the standards of terroristic threats? Threats of torture and death can lead to a prison sentence! Isn’t there anything we can do about this guy? Aside from voting him out? I am surprised the ACLU hasn’t gotten involved with him. Being that he is forwarding emails that contain free speech to local authorities. Its people like Benton that make me want to denounce my natural born citizenship and move to a more free and logical country. Get these clowns out of office!!!!
I agree with Russ,threatening this guy with violence makes us look bad .however let it be known that if they did pass a law like this and did try to execute people for weed (then) it would be time for us to rise up to defend ourselves with lethal force .I would not lay my head on the chopping block for a weed offense.but yes this is a prime example of how out of touch with reality our government has become.i just hope he is exposed to the people of Georgia for the nazi bastard he is ,before the next election.
I finally found the reasoning behind Senator Tommy Benton confused thinking here. The U.S. Military has openly listed about fifty (50) Taliban drug dealers, who support their war efforts with international illegal drug sales. These fifty Taliban members are now on a “HIT LIST” to be killed or captured and it doesn’t matter to our Commander and Chief that we’ve crossed the line into the civilian sector with these planned assasinations.
What Senator Benton is suggesting is that what we do in other countries with our military is exactly what we should do right here on United States soil within our own Country. Our leaders have no idea the that they’ve put themselves on a “HIT LIST” by conducting such activities right here in America and over seas. That “Don’t give a damn attitude,” they have with the greatest egotistical pomp they can muster will quickly change when people like Senator Benton are wiped off the face of the earth by those they wish to kill.
Wow that’s hillarious, he’ probably just trying to get attention through shock
As I said before, we are selling our land holdings in the state of Alabama in order to move to one of the “Legal” states. After this next week, I give my word to begin hosting Anti-Prohibition Rallies in Pueblo, CO. I will stand for what we all believe in here, but I vow to do so with dignity, democracy, and a steadfast, concrete, belief that what I do in my life will shape the lives and hearts of my children and anyone else who stands with me. We CAN win this fight. We will nevermore back down. We will VOTE and PEACEABLY ASSEMBLE. Until the day comes that we are truly free again, we cannot even hold up our heads and say that we own ourselves. All this boils down to in a neo-slavery condition that “We the People” have allowed to take root and become dauntingly huge. Fear not, my friends, our power is in our numbers and voices. Not the least of which is in the almighty power of CHOOSING to do what is right by our votes. Flood the polls in your state and hold your heads up. The time for being fearful is over. Fear holds us all as slaves, regardless of race, creed, or even location. BELIEVE that we can do something to change the circumstances that entrap us and your children will have a far greater future than we can currently give them.
If I remember right just a few years ago there was a young man caned in another country. I can’t say for sure which one but it could have been Singapore. The entire U.S.A was outraged. I don’t think that one little man with a tendency to harm non-violent cannabis users would get very far. Let’s just let him wallow in his unpopular rendition of justice. Really, a teacher can’t even swat a student who has a bit of weed on his person or for any other reason for that matter. What makes Tommy Benton think he would gain any more then a minor fraction of support when promoting cruel and unusual punishment? There may very well be a small number of people out there with abusive tendencies toward cannabis consumers like Benton but they are at the lowest end of minorities. Benton’s views are most likely offensive to 99% of the populace. He is not a man to recognize with non-constructive tongue lashings. It just isn’t worth our time. As a matter of fact it would be best to ignore this kind of grandstander. Just like has been said by Russ B. many times on this thread, just vote these non-constructive dead weight pawns out of office.
OOOPS! In my post above my first sentance should have read -> If I remember right just a few years ago there was a young AMERICAN man caned in another country.
It sounds like he is ignoring the most important amendment VIII (stating: Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed , nor cruel and unusual punishments). My point is that he prefers cruel and unusual punishment, therefore; his bill may not survive.
By the way Singapore violated uncountable numbers of human rights. You can either cast him out of office or sign petition to force him out of office. It will embarass him more than he tries to us. Use cool head. We are intellignet beings. Think before act.
NON-VIOLENCE people. Dont fall into their trap. They want us to look like violent drug users. Gives them more ammo to keep prohibition going. You dont want that now do you?
Didnt think so.
I hope some psycho assassinates him.
[Editor’s note: No. All of the vitriol directed at Benton that leans towards violence is profoundly counter-productive. Let’s keep the attention on Benton’s violence-prone policy endorsements.]
WHAT IF SOMEONE CUT AND PASTED EVERY COMMENT HERE AND SENT IT TO THIS SADIST??
I DID…
Cherokee Fred Jesus
tommy.benton@house.ga.gov
We must just ignore this fascist and spread the word so he is voted out… a massive campaingn to educate voters and have him removed is far more satisfying than stooping to his mental level…. be cool…
My fellow Americans. I am disgusted by two things here, the comments made by Rep. Benton, and the comments made here today. It is with pride and admiration that I come to this site.
I am not a betting man, but here I would bet on the downfall of this politician. Not for his lack of common sense, his disrespect toward the law, or his complete disregard of his own people; no it is his lack of compassion for the office he is suppose to serve. We musn’t deprive ourselves of the moral high ground. This great fight that we are in isn’t a fist fight. We are here to change the hearts of the people, and to do that means to set the example. To change the status quo means to change what it means to be normal, and for that we must change our approach.
I am as outraged as the rest of you. Remember, there will always be those that try to conquer your mind by instilling fear in your heart, don’t let fool your mind into acting with your fists. There comes a time when the common man must rise above the rest, and lead the common people to freedom.
So my fellow brothers and sisters, lets remember who we are, and where we come from. Don’t let the evils of this world cloud your judgement nor your direction. We are the land of the free, and the home of the brave. Never, never, never forget what blood has been shed so we all can debate these fallacies.
My god bless you all. Keep up the good fight, and don’t loose your morality.
Peace be with you all.
I take issue with those that say NORML should not run this type of article..
This is just what should be brought to light. Our representatives saying kill us if we don’t agree with them. This type of story is not covered enough to suit me. We all need to know what our leaders are capable of.
Many of our lawmakers feel the same way they are just not stupid enough to say it out loud, as this guy did. But it does explain why our so called leaders will spend billions to put us in “for profit jails”. But will not vote to spend one penny on helping inner city youth.
If the middle class is struggling the poor are starving. Crime is on the rise people are desperate! They not only do not have access to the American dream they are hungry. In some civilizations if you steal to feed yourself it is not a crime.. Some civilizations have the best interest of their constituents in mind this man does not. He has taken the bought and paid for corporate line on this issue. If you don’t buy our legal chemical cannabis “Marinol” you go to jail or are shot on site. That is how the pharmaceutical industry controls their market by making us slaves. They do not care as long as the billions keep rolling in and the million dollar bonuses are paid on time. Their kids will never go to jail for smoking cannabis they have money. As our former president and vice president proved if you are rich and politically connected you can get away with anything..
Like the CIA importing cocaine to fund an illegal war. The only man that went to jail for this was the black guy that sold the stuff. Not the ones that bought it, flew it to this country and allowed the black guy to sell it by looking the other way. Oh, the black guy is Ricky Ross he paid for many a white rich connected mans time!!
Cherokee Fred Jesus
I have read about cops that say they should be able to shoot cannabis users on site. Now I know where they get their leadership…
CFJ
Tommy Benton needs a nice warm herbal,hemp enema. The man is obviously constipated and it has back up into his brain. Poor fellow; He is simply full of shit.
I think to keep him alive and force him to be aware of the power we have and watch as the marijuana laws get passed to allow such use would be punishment enough, then I got to thinking more about it, and decided I want to blow a nice fat lung full of smoke into his face! Screw the caning, kill him with kindness, so who has the kindest!
[Russ responds: You don’t really hope that, do you? We are not the Taliban. This is the USA and even cruel pathetic Georgia state representatives are afforded freedom of speech. Focus your anger and vengeance on getting the guy out of office. Threats only help him with the anti-pot constituents.]
F#%& you Russ you know marijuans is harmless just like me. Im not threatening anyone and I’ve never killed anyone knowingly or otherwise and I currently don’t have any plans in the makeing. Try asking that to the tabaco executives. I’m just trying to make a point. Marijauna should be legal based soley on the FACT the it is PHYSICALY AND MENTALY HARMLESS. If anyone is a Taleban bitch it’s Rep. Benton for what he siad.
I apoligize for what I siad it was wrong no body should be hurt but I have a freedom of speech too.
If Tommy gun Benton is breaking any laws, I hope Norml has the resources and will to go after him in court !
I was told cannabis was illegal.
So I went to my doctor he said I could use Merinol. A drug our lawmakers allow the legal drug pushers to sell. It is the same as cannabis the same component THC.
Our lawmakers take care of the pharmaceutical companies because they kick back millions to them every year kinda like bribery. Only in DC our lawmakers have made it legal to take bribes. They don’t call it bribery they call it lobbiest. The lobbiest pay our representative to support corporate interest like FOR PROFIT JAILS AND THE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES PLUS MANY OTHERS LIKE THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE WEAPONS.
Our lawmakers are very wise and all have millions in the bank from the lobbiest. The lobbiest should be number one on our list of things that need to be CHANGED!!
Then when a company wants to charge us, the tax payer, 35,000 a year to house a cannabis user. We can tell them how stupid that is and CHANGE some shit up….
CFJ
How Dare They Get The Munchies !!!
I always hear people say vote! I agree, but I vote each and every time against people like this, and somehow they still get in. What will we do when they either rig the election or win anyway, while everyone shaked their heads wtf??
this kind of “role model” is why i don’t vote. the only 2 things i would ever vote for is 1- legalizing marijuana amd 2- AGAINST abortion. only this SICK government would allow the slaughter of innocent children and want to “can” users. can we say population control and tyrant leaders??? really… we need to remember. WE are the generation that need to change these kinds of things. one day soon, all of these idiots will be dead, and we will run things peacefully b/c we will all be passing around a blunt while we make the laws!! lol… all seriousness though, people like this deserve to get their own treatment towards themselves. WE ARE THE VOICES for the innocent… innocent children and innocent smokers. for God’s sake, it isn’t crack!!!
People like this get elected because people who elect them are just as ignorant.
I advise anyone who disagrees with Tommy Benton to start purchasing firearms, learn martial arts, join the NRA, and keep contributing what you can to NORML and the NRA. Tell everyone you can about this, and DON’T THREATEN ANYONE. It’s important to understand that if it comes to it, you have to defend yourselves. What the idiot doesn’t seem to realize, however, is that if they give any pot dealers the death sentence, then pot dealers will start acting violently toward police. Simple arrests (which shouldn’t be happening anyway) will turn into blood soaked shootouts. The normally laid back and sensible users of Marijuana will be replaced by the same rabble that populate the rest of modern drug culture.
The crime which apparently results from drugs, is in actuality the result of the government’s interference with people’s private lives. Get rid of drug laws, and the resultant crime dissipates as people use them responsibly and in designated areas. No more violence. No more theft. Nothing.
Marijuana already doesn’t cause these. There are no deaths from it, period. There are no burglaries caused by it, period. People don’t beat their spouses or kids while on it, period.
Tommy Benton would obviously like to see these things happen. And who elected this sick bastard into office? People who feel the same way.
Email him, email his superiors, get him out of office!
tommy.benton@house.ga.gov
C’mon people , whos the real sheeple here . We bleat ahd baw as they drive us through the prison doors . Yeah I vote every chance I get . But if its helping I don’t see it . You can chant peace and love all the way to prison . Time for the sheep to bite the farmer in the ass . Bullets change goverments far surer than votes . And Russ , an eye for an eye only leaves the world HALF blind . Thats still leaves one good eye to look through the scope .
[Editor’s note: VA Patriot…no matter how bad cannabis prohibition has been for 72-years, murder is never justified and you will not (nor will others) promote killing prohibitionists on NORML’s webpage. Unlike baseball, it is two strikes and you’re off NORML’s listserv if you promote killing again as a solution for peace.]
You know, all that Green Door crap and peaceful negotiations is really the road the less traveled and held in the highest regard I’m sure. However, the mexicans are dying by the thousands and pushing north. Everyday. Our compassionate search for peaceful negotiations are killing these people without question. So it might not suit your time frame, but in order to save some lives I’d say its time for a little more heated approach. Nobody likes a coward. NoRmL is suppose to be the leader on this issue, LEAD…
[Editor’s note: WTF?! NORML is leading. What are you doing to reform cannabis laws? Are you a member of your local NORML chapter? Are you a member of any organized cannabis law reform group who is ‘leading’ you?]
OK, so caning is bad and Tommy is a brutal man. That’s a given. We should just lock em up right? Think again. Here are the statistics. Thousands of people have been subjected to prison for possession of a plant.
You have a…
25-30% chance of getting killed during your prison sentence.
10-15% chance of getting raped during your prison sentence.
30-40% chance of getting stabbed during your prison sentence.
80-90% chance of getting beaten during your prison sentence.
Additionally, 60,000 inmates are sexually abused each year. Many are turned into sexual slaves by the violent offenders already there. Now, think about this, almost 800,000 people are arrested every year for marijuana. At least 90% are in the system for simple possession. Most are not “dealers”. Are you frightened yet?
If you complain to the guards about the abuse, you are labeled a “snitch” as you will be required to give names in order to substantiate the claim. You can be put into solitary “for your own protection”. Having this label in prison can be a death sentence. Many inmates keep quiet for this reason and endure unbelievable hardship for years at a time. Some are so scarred from their experiences they are not able to make it in the outside world and become recidivist. Some commit suicide.
Additionally, basic medical care is almost non-existent. Some cancer patients have waited up to a year to get treatment while incarcerated.
So, which is worse?
Much respect to the Cannabis Community for speaking out.
I like how that Marijuana Users seem to be getting more active these days!
With comments like these about executing dealers, I really question just how far we’ve come. Not only on the issue of legalization but just how some people can be so shunned from the “real” world that they resort to lashing out with whips and gas chambers.
This comment by Georgia’s Rep. really unsettles me. Exactly how far have we really come to legalizing marijuana? Please let me know, but as for now I can only assume there are miles still to gain because of an extreme proposition by one ignorant congressman.
IF YOU’VE BEEN BUSTED YOU’VE BEEN SCAMMED!!!!
MARIJUANA IS NOT ILLEGAL AND NEVER HAS BEEN!!
THE UNITED STATES CODE AT 21 U.S.C. 822(2)(c)(3) ALLOWS YOU TO LAWFULLY “POSSESS” MARIJUANA IF YOU ARE THE 21 U.S.C. 802(27) “ULTIMATE USER”, TO WIT:
TITLE 21 U.S.C. Food and Drugs
Section 822(2)(c) Persons Required to Register – Exceptions
clearly states:
“The following persons shall not be required to register and may
lawfully possess any controlled substance or list I chemical under this subchapter: (3) An ultimate user who possesses such substance for a purpose specified in section 802(25)* of this title.”
*Section 802(25) of this title, referred to in subsec. (c)(3), was redesignated section 802(26) of this title by Pub. L. 98–473, title II, § 507(a), Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2071, and was further redesignated section 802(27) of this title by Pub. L. 99–570, title I, § 1003(b)(2), Oct. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 3207–6.
TITLE 21 U.S.C. Food and Drugs Section 802 Definitions at (27):
“The term ‘‘ultimate user’’ means a person who has lawfully obtained, and who possesses, a controlled substance for his own use or for the use of a member of his household or for an animal owned by him or by a member of his household.”
It is an undisputed fact that Marijuana is listed as a Schedule I Controlled Substance at 21 U.S.C. 812(c) Schedule I (c)(10)
It is an undisputed fact that Federal Law at 21 U.S.C. 822(2)(c)(3) clearly states that an “ULTIMATE USER” as defined by 21 U.S.C. 802(27) need NOT register with any authority and MAY LAWFULLY POSSESS MARIJUANA in any amount, in any state or territory of the United States, regardless of local laws and statutes!!
Further, it is NOT illegal to “possess” or “use” drug paraphernalia if you are the 21 U.S.C. 802(27) “ULTIMATE USER” nor is it illegal to “possess” or “use” drug paraphernalia unless you are using it with intent to deliver or manufacture with intent to deliver!
“THE STATUTE IS VIOLATED ONLY IF POSSESSION IS ACCOMPANIED BOTH BY KNOWLEDGE of the nature of the act AND ALSO BY THE INTENT “TO MANUFACTURE, DISTRIBUTE, OR DISPENSE.” United States v. Clark, 475 F.2d 240, 248-49 (2d Cir. 1973).” UNITED STATES v. JEWELL, 532 F.2d 697 (9th Cir. February 27, 1976.) (It is crystal clear that 21 U.S.C. 841(a)(1) is worded in the conjunctive “and.”)
United States v. Jewell, supra, makes it clear that:
POSSESSION BY ITSELF IS NOT ILLEGAL!!!
21 U.S.C. 822(2)(c)(3) clearly establishes that if you are the 21 U.S.C. 802(27) “ULTIMATE USER” then possession of Marijuana is NOT illegal!!!
Deprivation of any right secured in the US Constitution or the Laws of the United States under color of state authority is punishable under 18 U.S.C. 242 and 42 U.S.C. 1983
[Editor’s note: This is really bad and inaccurate legal ‘advice’. Unfortunately, unless a person possesses a recommendation from a physician, in a state that allows medical cannabis use, citizens can’t lawfully possess or cultivate cannabis. Period.]
What the fuck is the matter with bitch’s like this?
alcohol is so much worse then marijuana and and look which one is legal. its just that the bitch ass government has no way to tax it and they get way more money off of busting ppl then they would if they legalized it. and thats what is fucked up. just legalize it and control it like they do with alcohol. i mean fuckin bitch’s these days. damn
then why the fuck dont you move to singapore you prick. see how ya like it there then we wont have to here your sorry comment
u are the most narrow minded son of a bitch in the world at this point in time u probally have a flask of whisky to ur lips or an oc going down ur throat. do u realize the government is killing society already,( alcohol, tobbaco, war*, pills ) fuck, all marijuana could do is help by the way if u ever do have a sudden change of mind there is some dank in arizona rite now 😉
We are above this, people. If you feel your votes don’t help enough, then run your mouth from any soapbox you can find. Are any of you hosting rallies? Handing out pamphlets? Initiating your own “Town Hall” meetings? Russ has it right, people. We are only fueling the fires that burn US down by having non-stop diarrhea of the mouth, here. DO SOMETHING! But make it something LEGAL. Terroristic threatening is enough of a crime to allow them to come pick you up. Protesting, Informing the public, and refusing to be a “lazy pothead with a couch stuck to your ass” can move mountains. If we all stand and quit allowing fear to lock us in place, we WILL WIN THIS FIGHT! Work smart, not hard. Think before you speak…whatever cliche’ you need. Just do something. If we of this modern generation do not take some initiative for once, what gives us the right to complain about what slips by? Vote, vote, and vote again…until it changes, we are just wasting air, here. We have numbers in the MILLIONS!! What makes you believe them when they say we are a minority vote in this country? Our sheer numbers would change the tables. We could “scare” them with our presence alone if we all stand. So do it…stop whining, and do it. If you all believe strongly enough to threaten and say you’ll do this or that…then use that anger to MOTA-vate us into a snowball that crushes the capital and send the old way of thinking, screaming for the hills. The Million Man March had an impact…what about the 40 million POT HEAD MARCH?!
If major league asshole Benton thinks that Singapore is such an idyllic place to live, I suggest he fucking move there.
It’s time for jury nullification when the opportunity presents itself
Violence is not the answer,(unless you can get away with it,like the cops do) The only answer is to weed out these people,challenge their ideals in public forum,search out any place you can catch these people in public and question their ideals. If they have to defend a stupid position like this,he will defeat himself.
Benton would not have said these things had he known that there is no change in the law. But we are changing the law. Prohibition is losing. Keeping it non-violent on our part, will only make them look bad. I would like to know know the elected officials that are against pot so I know who not to vote for. Georgia-you’ve got that.
To my fellow Americans. I deeply regret the comments I have made as they were made in the heat of the moment froma continuation of the family tradgety I had suffered the night before. As I got home late that night after an expensive steak dinner and $30 a glass wine that you tax payers payed for. I come home to find the 94′ tricked out Integra my GrandDaddyPurp dealer drives in my driveway. So I’m like WTF? I decided to come in the back door as I noticed the front door was ajar. As I entered the living room I notice clothes strewn everywhere and the sweat smell of some fresh dro’, and then it hit me. I creeped up stairs and to my dismay I stumbled upon my wife getting jackhammerd by my man Chauncy. Now that fridgid bitch had it coming from someone other then me as we’ve been off lately but to see my daughter tossing this guy’s salad from underneath as he pounds his spike into my old ladies railbed was just to much to handle. I went to the closet to get my gun and then, after all that, I find my son gripping his piece like he caught it breaking into the house while video taping the whole uncarnal going’s on.
Now I stand at this podium today to say I am sorry for generalizing all pot heads. I spoke hastely and with purpose about a subject I hold dear. My unfortunately pathetic life experience should not be projected onto the RESPONSIBLE ADULT AMERICANS who work hard all day and just want to unwind in the comfort of their own home on a Friday night after the kids are asleep.
So please, if you are walking down the street at night after taking a loved one out to a nice dinner, and you hear a deep sucking sound coming from the allyway and all you see is a silloute of a man in the fetal position going to town on a tall pretty gentleman, just know that in some small way I am trying my hardest to giveback to the community for my disgretion. BTW if you see a pink pacifier on the ground next to us just plug it back in my ballon knot please so I don’t have to break the rythm.
TY
Tommy “kock funnle” Benton
Only if he promises to do the caning himself. I’d like to see him try it on me. Good luck old man.
And the point of peope threatening his family…good now they know what it’s liked to be harassed and threatened for doing nothing wrong. Welcome to our world.
#304 chrokee fred….. please tell me you didnt send ALL of these comments….. please tell me you went through them all and got rid of all the threats…. if you didnt then you gave this guy some ammo against us and our cause. now its great that these folks can voice their opinions but at what cost? how far back will it set us if the mainstream media picks up on it??? Politicians arent going to respond to threats and violence…. they will just blame it on cannabis
where’s Ghandi when we need him? would he even be successful now days?
I’m disappointed in NORML. Well, that’s nothing new, really. Since Jack Herer’s/ Chris Conrads book, “Emperor Wears No Clothes” and the word “marijuana” was found to be propeganda slang. It’s pretty obvious NORML is nothing more than a gatekeeper to draconian marijuana laws and not a door to decriminalize and legalize cannabis.
You publish the email from Benton and then spend time trying to put out the flames, keeping the headline up, but not coming up with an petititon or resolution… NOTHING. Shame on you!
You say you read letters from people telling you of their experience with a brutal war on drugs, the gateway to a police state, and so you know how this war is destoying people’s lives and you put the flames out.
Why not write us an article telling us why you agree with Benton and why you would rather bury it here and not employ it to execute the war on drugs?
[Editor’s note: Your email makes no sense whatsoever. Self-evidently NORML strongly disagrees with Benton, exposed him to the world as a pot bigot, is leading the charge against him and his obnoxious bias against cannabis consumers.
Both Jack Herer and Chris Conrad have received achievement awards from NORML, and of course their work has been promulgated by NORML. Both men regularly speak at NORML conferences and at chapter events nationwide. The writer should be ashamed and embarrassed at trying to mislead the public and lying about NORML.]
Is this dude from the dark ages? This is absurd! I believe it is Indonesia where possession of a certain amount is punishable by death. That being said the people of that country call it God Weed and use it on a regular basis. I’m not sure that this punishment even works! When are we going to stop putting up with this ignorance shown time and time again on this subject?!?
Those of you who advocate an eye for an eye, guess what, you have even GREATER power than that…
MUCH GREATER POWER.
You have the power and the right to VOTE HIM OUT OF OFFICE, to which end this dipshit can do no more harm to society!
VOTE HIM OUT!!!!
321 Atlanta Toker
What is all this “SHOOT FIRST AND ASK QUESTIONS LATER” crap? You may not know it…but…you can get a lot more with sugar than you can with salt…with a lot less notariety.
The Green Door advocates medicinal use in ALL FIFITY STATES…not war…not blood on anyone’s hands. I guess you’re one of those Georgia Bull Dogs sought after in post 165. Why don’t you “lighten up Spike.” Your time will come to take a hunk out of someone’s ass. By the way…Benton is “your” elected representative. I don’t suppose you had anything to do with that…did ya! A brutal mentality, a hot head, a big mouth, a fast pair of hands will get you what you are seeking…for sure. Let me repeat that…”FOR SURE.” Is Atlanta really burning in you head?
We are all painfully aware of the possibility of revolution, for many reasons other than the cannabis issue…it’s in a multitude of posts. All it takes is someone to light the fuse, or throw a rock. Is that going to be you. By the way…what flag will you be waving? Look!… I’m sure you are a cool guy…so be cool!
If he had read his Guidestones, he might not be of this opinion.
Would contacting our own Reps do any good? It seems to me that comments such as those should be addressed. At the very least, his fellow Reps should be aware of what sort of person they’re dealing with. That has to be some kind of breach of ethics, no?
where’s the link to see what exactly norml is doing on this subject and any results in general? talking points are nice, but where are any results? i am gonna check into my local chapter, but even they have very limited feedback on agenda and results on the internet(no web-link, just an email address). Especially pertaining to this story. thanks!
[Editor’s note: Considering that NORML just broke this news two days ago, type ‘Benton’ and ‘marijuana’ into a search engine and you’ll readily see how quickly and effectively NORML has directed public attention to Benton’s bizarre and untoward comments about the punishments he favors for cannabis consumers. About a dozen major webpages and news outlets have picked up on NORML’s cue.]
This illustrates how important it is to know to whom your vote is going. This Benton is obviously a very disturbed person. Hopefully an informed electorate will remove this cruel character from office.
I am guilty of voting for people I don’t really know very much about. This article certainly points out the dangers of that carelessness.
quit Talking all this violence go burn one and chill and VOTE !
Come on people we have to take the moral high ground. Don’t stoop to Tommy Benton’s level.
WOW, there are some pissed off pot smokers in this world, c’mon guys and gals. Be a good 420 rep and show some restraint. It doesn’t do any good to get up in any politicians grill. Chill out. This particular politician thinks what he is doing is right. No matter what we do or say, it won’t change him. Show some mercy and let it go. VOTE. VOTE. VOTE. It’s the only way. And send donations to NORML. They are our only hope for reform. PEACE
Stay off meth
Hitler did amphetamines and look what he did (added by Mobile using Mippin)
Dear Russ, after reading your update i immediatly felt foolish. Your right violence when it comes to reform has no place. I kinda consider myself a badass and in the great state of Kansas youd be surprised how much stuff is actually solved with aggression. But this isint a bar-fight this is about the realization of a long overdue dream comin to fruition. When the first stoner is caned or executed then ill rise up with an army. But in the mean time ill try more legal avenues. We as Americans jus get afraid when people like this jerk talk execution. And when americans get scared..we get violent. Thanks for openin my eyes to reason.
HIGHest regards- General-Jake
I’ve never seen so many comments here in the past, Senator Tommy Benton struck more than a few nerves on MJ issues here. He’s successfully put Obama and himself on a global “HIT LIST!”
Yeah, run that mouth some more Georgia Boy!
Legalize caning and executions for corrupt politicians and I’ll call it a day…LOL!
I think we should send Rep. Tommy Benton a nice plate of brownies and a pack of Oriole cookies. 🙂
FOR #102 MIKE..
DEAR MIKE IN ARABIAN COUNTRIES THEY ALWAYS HAD CANNABIS AND THEY NEVER THOUGH TO FORBID IT. IN A COMMENT ABOVE SOMEBODY SAID THAT THE NATURAL AND MORAL LAWS SHOULD BE IN ACCORD WITH THE HUMAN LAWS, THAT WAS SOOOO RIGHT. THE ARABIC PEOPLE RESPECTED CANNABIS UNTIL THE WESTERN INFLUENCE PUSHED THEM TO FORBID.
IN ELLAS WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE THAT CALL FOR DEATH TO DRUG COMMERCE TOO, PUTTING CANNABIS IN THE SAME CATEGORIE WITH HEROINE.. BUT EVEN THEM START SEEING THINGS DIFFERENTLY RECENTLY NOW THAT WE HAVE A HUUUUUGE JUNKIES PROBLEM .. SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE ALIVE-DEAD SHOOT HEROINE IN THE STREETS AND POLICE DONT EVEN KNOW ANYMORE WHAT TO DO WITH THEM.
BY READING NORML EVERY DAY I NOTICE THAT ALL OF YOU KNOW THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM.. PROFIT-POWER..
ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD CANN A SMOKER SHOULD THINK THAT NATURE DECIDED AND CREATED DIFFERENTLY…IT MIGHT REACT BADLY.. NATURE MADE US WITH CANNABIS.. NATURE COULD NOT PREDICT THAT SOME (RESTLESS NEVERRELAXING)PEOPLE WOULD FORBID AN ELEMENT SO IMPORTANT..
PROVIDE THE MEDICAL CANNABIS TO THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT.
A YOGI FROM ELLAS (GREECE)
R.O.E. Manny the Rebel here!
NEWS FROM THE GREAT STATE OF IOWA
Can you keep us posted on how the Iowa Board of Pharmacy is progressing.
Rick Seymore/Tennessee Activist
What’s the latest from THE GREAT STATE OF TENNESSEE?
Rebel with a Cause CA.GD
San Diego has placed a 45 Moratorium on new dispensaries in unincorporated areas of the county. It’s a zoning issue. More to come
Wow!!! I cannot understand how in today’s age with the wonderous strides made both scientifically and medically, that one, who is elected by the people of his state, can propound the vile invective of “smoking pot turns you into a raving violent psycho”. Benton’s ass needs to be headed out the door in his next election. Such individuals are Blasphemous!!!
Puff…Puff…
I have read ever post here. The only ones I do not understand. Are the ones that say we must stay calm and take the high ground..
We just had an elected official threaten our lives. He also says he is going to use his government provided resources. To destroy any one that takes issue with his beliefs and politics. This is a threat to our very basic freedoms.
This man should be run out of town on a rail. How much does it take to wake some people up.
THIS MAN WANTS TO KILL YOUR CHILDREN. AND ENLIST YOUR POLICE FORCE TO STEM ANY OPEN DISCONTENT.
Do you advocate letting them put us all in jail before we take action??
CFJ
[Editor’s note: Action is already being taken, it does not appear that many of the commentators is waiting to be put in jail before speaking out, as Rep. Benton is now instantly famous as an extreme and absurd prohibitionist. But that does not mean that NORML’s webpage should be a place where reformers encourage violence.
When an eye is taken for an eye…the result? Blindness.]
#299 musclecarfreak Says:
August 13th, 2009 at 9:22 pm
“If I remember right
just a few years ago there was a
young man caned in another country…”
RE: musclecarfreak,
– That was Michael P. Faye,
“an American who briefly shot to worldwide fame
when he was sentenced to caning in Singapore
as an 18-year-old in 1994 for theft and vandalism.”
– And yes, the entire U.S.A. was quite outraged….
– There was even a
Crash Test Dummies
music-video-parody made that year
about Michael Faye, among other top-stories:
“HEADLINE-NEWS”
“Once, there was this kid who
Took a trip to Singapore and
brought along his spray paint
And when he finally came back
He had cane marks all over his bottom
He said that it was from when
The warden whacked it soooo haaaaard”
BRAINSTORM-IDEA:
💡
– Perhaps HUMOR,
(in form of a PSA-VIDEO,
and / or song, illustrating
mock-caning / mock-execution of non-violent,
non-destructive “offenders”), thus strongly
discrediting Tommy Benton’s
disproportionately-punitive viewpoint,
would be in order…
Dethrone the Dictaphone,
Hit ’em in the funnybone,
That’s where they expect it least…
Well put at the end. Its unfortunate that he has this kind of hatred for a plant that provides me and others the solution to so many health problems, or in my case, a way to end nerve pain.
Throwing more of us in jail, or killing the people who aid me in ending my pain and helping me lead an active life is obviously outlandish. I for one find it a tad offensive to say the least but…
hes right, we need to inform this man that this is a medication that makes you tranquil not “violent” as stated on the white house webpage…
In the end, he can say what he wants, but we all know the truth…
How many of our children should we allow them to destroy before we become upset? A poster said smoke a joint and chill. This is why they are still enslaving us after over seventy years. I will not smoke and chill. I do not smoke. I fight to stop our lawmakers form feeding on our children!!
Some times I think people are missing the point. OK cannabis is a God given herb. It is better for you than alcohol. It is not addictive and you can not overdose. We know our representatives accept bribes to continue to enslave us. This issue is really freedom of choice, our rights being taken away. They waste the lives of hundreds of thousands ever year and waste billions of our money. Trying to protect either corporate profits or their personal right wing views. Religious fanatics that want to impose their version of God on us all. We all know the facts….
WHEN ARE WE GOING TO STAND UP AND STOP THIS TYRANNY AGAINST US???? THEY WANT TO KILL OUR CHILDREN FOR DRINKING A BEER AND SMOKING CANNABIS. A RIGHT OF PASSAGE MUCH LIKE WHAT OUR LEADER DID PRESIDENT OBAMA…BUT NOT MANY DRUG TASK FORCES BREAK INTO HARVARD THEIR RICH PARENTS WOULD GET UPSET… BUT IF YOU ARE BLACK LIVING IN THE GHETTO THEY WILL BREAK DOWN YOUR DOOR AND MAKE YOU A SLAVE. TO A SYSTEM THE RACIST BUILT BACK IN THE 30’S….I THINK THE TIME HAS COME TO TAKE ACTION AND LET THEM KNOW WE WILL END THE WAR AGAINST US…….
Cherokee Fred Hussein Jesus
Manny :
Will do. What ever I may hear I shall relay to all of you.
ADDENDUM TO RE: #299:
Or…perhaps an apt,
Tommy Benton
re-election
CAMPAIGN-SLOGAN… 😉
See news-posting titled:
“GA Rep Tommy Benton replies
to Constituent-Letter”
at the
NORML Daily Audio Stash
for more details…
Re-elect Tommy Benton???
“No Can Do!!!” 😆
General Jake 351:
Now your getting it! Dont take the bait my badass friend! They what us to look like violence tweeks. We are not. Dont give them ammo to fight us with.
One the day they start KILLING stoners…well that will be the day I join you.I hate violence..but there is a time for it.
i say we impose the same measures that benton wants on marijuana to alcohol and tobacco, but for fuck sake leave marijuana alone, so what if some of us want it legalized so we can ” have a hit when we want” you alcohol drinkers can go have a “shot” when ever you want it, why cant i have the same freedom and liberty as you, benton is a hateful man and i can only hope that one day, his life is saved by a pot smoker, then maybe he will see that we are good people, i dont wish harm apon this person, but i do wish if somthing did happen to him that a pot smoker or marijuana was there to help him out, then he could see that we are not what he thinks, and maybe he would change his views, i am a pot smoker and i am proud, i wear my leaf tshirt with pride, and i have had people come up to me and say “i have one of them at home but shhhh dont tell anyone” this accually happend when an employee of petsmart saw me enter their store, also my girlfriend agrees that marijuana should be legal for those who want it, but she is not a smoker herself, but she feels that she can not voice her opinion due to coworkers and family members that have been brain washed against this heaeling plant, it is a shame that we are not even able to say that we support something with out fear of retrebution, brenton says he will give out the names and information to law enforcement of people with opposing views well them here mr. brenton , my name is kenneth mabie you can contact my local law enforcement if you feel the need, and when then come to harass me you can bet your ass, i will have them and you sued for infringing my first admendment of freedom of speech, i am allowed to have an opinion that is different than yours, and smoking marijuana is a personal choice, and having a choice is what makes this country free, if you dont like that i suggest you step down and resign from your office, and take a good long hard think about what if the pot smokers were the ones in power and you guys that use alchol and tobacco werent and we imposed a penalty like the one you want imposed on us, wouldnt you feel as if you freedom wasnt there, you right to choose was taken away, you wouldnt call this land free then would you, i can understand if you dont want to smoke pot personally mr benton, but what you want to do with your life and what i do with mine are 2 seperate things, please dont impose your views on me and i wont impose mine on you, ( also i will be editing this and rewriting it as a letter to mr benton which i will post on my myspace and facebook pages also i will be emailing and snail-mailing mr benton as well)
VOTE HIM OUT.
I too would like to thank RUSS the editors for helping people keep a level head.
I understand people ,this fight makes me angery all the time. Put that anger to good USE..not violence. It wont do any good here or in any protests going on around this nation at the moment.
You have to allow the big money guy’s time to build the new treatment centers all over America for the announced changes of policy to go into effect. The big money boys are shifting from the prison industry to the treatment industry and that takes time,and money. When and if prohibition ends,the prison industries will lose their steady flow of fodder supplied by our judicial systems
that has kept them listed on Wall Street as a “good”
steady investment. And business is so good,they are branching out into furnishing inmate control and housing for the county jail systems now. If the prohibition ends,all their crop of future slaves will be released,but with the switch from imprisonment to treatment for non-violent drug offenses,they will be able to still make money off the marijuana users with
their brand new “humanitarian” treatment centers.
Don’t you just love the way capitalism works? The greedier you are,the more willing you are to exploit humankind,the richer you are.
Genesis 1:29 states that herbs were made by God and are meant for our consumption. Marijuana is an herb and the so called representative is not represenative of his constituents. I’m sure that he has probably already made alot of money through his campaign from people who do not share his views. As was stated, vote him out, and if possible get him to resign for his horrible sin of condemning innocent people,
Re-elect Tommy Benton???
“No Can Do!!!”
ADDENDUM to my
previous post @ #359:
Perhaps an apt,
Tommy Benton
re-election
CAMPAIGN-SLOGAN… 😉
See news-posting titled:
“GA Rep Tommy Benton replies
to Constituent-Letter”
at the
NORML Daily Audio Stash
for more details…
Re-elect Tommy Benton???
“No Can Do!!!” 😆
We all need to have a beer with Tommy Benton, and give him a good hug.
Very well written article and sound advice. Incredible, politicians can still surprise me.
Caning, and what century does he live in???? Anyone, that is this nuts, should not be in any goverment of any kind.Tommy Benton should be caned for having such a brainless idea. I can not believe we still have such stupid people in office!!!
This guy is a scumbag, no thats an insult to all the scumbags out there!! He’s nothing more then a degenerate piece of shit
What a stupid, stupid man. He’s so lost in his (false) convictions that he has justified violence and EXECUTION against those who don’t live a lifestyle of which he approves. Some people are just terrible products of this mad world, and it’s beginning to feel like there’s nothing we can do about it.
Something extreme needs to happen. Soon.
CHEROKEE YEA YOU SHOULD CHILL OUT YOU NOT GOING TO BUST A GRAPE. YOUR ALL TALK ANYWAY .IVE BEEN TO PRISON FOR MY BELIEVE TO BE ABLE TO SMOKE MY MEDICINE WHICH THE GOVERNMENT OF CALIFORNIA HAS ALLOWED ME TO DO THIS RIGHT I NOW HAVE FROM THE GOOD PEOPLE OF CALIFPORNIA AND NORML INSTEAD OF TALKING CRAP GO OUT AND GET SOME VOTES OR DONATE TIME OR MONEY TO THE CAUSE YOUR VIOLENCE WILL DO NO GOOD
Cannabis is property, i.e. a material object owned possessed used manufactured and traded by individuals. Property is a right, as recognized by the Georgia state Constitution in Paragraphs 1 & 2 of Section 1. Under Title 18, U.S.C., Section 242 – Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law, it is a federal felony to conspire to violate the rights of American citizens. Rep. Betton is guilty of this crime. It is punishable by a 1 to 10 year prison sentence. That is the appropriate punishment for this barbaric tyrant, unless some poor sick person dies from being deprived of their right to medical marijuana, in which case it is a capital crime (aka Death Row). Prohibition is a crime!
why?
Maybe the local southern homeboys of all races would have a beer with Tommy Benton and would all sing the song “The Bonnie Blue Flag” and then pass the peace pipe. Then do the Irish way and end it with a happy fist fight.
Or maybe have the Irish happy fist fight and then pass the peace pipe.
This is really one of the few deepest news I’ve read all year. This is an outrage. We need to impeach this guy, we need to stop sitting around wishing weed to be legalized; WE NEED TO ACT!!
My level-headed friends, I think you may find this quite interesting. First of all, I agree with whomever wrote that we should remain peaceful and approach this with a sense of calm. In my research of Georgia State Law (I am not a lawyer) I believe that Mr. Benton has actually broken state law O.C.G.A § 16-11-39, section A.1, if not more sections of the law. This is a misdemeanor offense. See what you think:
§ 16-11-39. Disorderly conduct
(a) A person commits the offense of disorderly conduct when such person commits any of the following:
(1) Acts in a violent or tumultuous manner toward another person whereby such person is placed in reasonable fear of the safety of such person’s life, limb, or health;
(2) Acts in a violent or tumultuous manner toward another person whereby the property of such person is placed in danger of being damaged or destroyed;
(3) Without provocation, uses to or of another person in such other person’s presence, opprobrious or abusive words which by their very utterance tend to incite to an immediate breach of the peace, that is to say, words which as a matter of common knowledge and under ordinary circumstances will, when used to or of another person in such other person’s presence, naturally tend to provoke violent resentment, that is, words commonly called “fighting words”; or
(4) Without provocation, uses obscene and vulgar or profane language in the presence of or by telephone to a person under the age of 14 years which threatens an immediate breach of the peace.
(b) Any person who commits the offense of disorderly conduct shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
With that said, the Constitutional Rights Foundation states the following:
“The Constitution sets specific grounds for impeachment. They are “treason, bribery, and other high crimes and misdemeanors.” To be impeached and removed from office, the House and Senate must find that the official committed one of these acts.”
To summarize, it appears that Mr. Benton not only crossed moral and ethical lines, but a legal line as well when he threatened an entire class of people (marijuana users) with physical harm and fear, and additionally threatening the murder of people who sell marijuana. While it is almost certain that any politician or law enforcement personnel in Georgia would laugh at the suggestion of the man’s breaking of the state’s laws in this case, I for one am almost certain that he has indeed done so.
The real shame in this situation would be if he goes unpunished because the people who run this country should never be allowed to be above the law. If they are, then we are a paramount failure.
It is my opinion that Mr. Benton is hiding something rather scandalous in his life or past that he hopes that, with personal attack on MJ to distract everyone from finding out and possible ruining his career.
the legal information posted above is not opinion, but a scumbag barred attorney will NOT make this argument for you to have the bogus possession charges dismissed, you need to make the argument yourself using Evidence Rule ER201 (Judicial Notice) and Full Faith and Credit of the US Cobstitution. don’t leave yourselves at the mercy of the SCUMBAG LAWYERS who TRICK you into accepting the charges as valid. A LAWYERS first duty is to the court and the public, NOT to his client… don’t believe it? See the lawyers code of ethics, see 7 CORPUS JURIS SECUNDUM at section 4 which reads:
“7 C.J.S. section 4. Nature and Duties of Office.
An attorney is an officer of the court with an obligation to the courts and the public as well as to his clients, and his duty is to facilitate the administration of justice. An attorney does not hold an office or public trust, in the constitutional or statutory sense of that term, and strictly speaking, he is not an officer of the state or of a governmental subdivision thereof. Rather, as held in many decisions, he is an officer of the court, before which he has been admitted to practice. An attorney is not the court or one of its ministerial officers, or a law enforcement officer. He is, however, in a sense an officer of the state, with an obligation to the courts and to the public no less significant than his obligation to his clients. Thus, an attorney occupies a “dual position” which imposes “dual obligations.” His first duty is to the courts and the public, not to the client, and wherever the duties his client conflict with those he owes as an officer of the court in the administration of justice, the former must yield to the latter. The office of attorney is indispensable to the administration of justice and is intimate and peculiar in its relation to, and vital to the well being of the court. An attorney has a duty to aid the court in seeing that actions and proceedings in which he is engaged as counsel are conducted in a dignified and orderly manner, free from passion and personal animosities, and that all causes brought to an issue are tried and decided on their merits only, to aid the court in seeing that justice is done, and to aid any effort under the court’s direction to root out corruption and fraud. An attorney has also the duty to devote his ability, skill, and diligence along ethical and professional lines to the interests of his client, and to refrain from entering into any alliance or incurring any obligation connected with the litigation in which he is engaged as counsel that would place him in a position where his personal interests would be adverse to those of his client.” And;
Now all of you can see the truth that this “dual position and obligation,” further deprives all American Citizen’s of their substantive rights to the due process of law. When before their “tribunals” – the attorney’s “first duty is to the courts and the public, not to the client.” If you let those who run ‘the system’ fight your battles for you expect to be abused by it…
[Editor’s note: Unfortunately, ‘ultimate user’ and ‘religious use’ to date have not been effective legal strategies in keeping cannabis consumers out of the criminal justice system. Will these be viable legal defenses in the future? Possibly.]
Guys and Gals don’t be violent towards this indigent neo-nazi “representative” who claims to be an American. He will surely be found tapping toes in a bathroom stall somewhere. Just wait it out and he will keep running his mouth and keep himself from being reelected. I understand everyone’s anger–there is a war on and we aren’t doing anything but eating bullets and talking crap.
My support has been in the form of donations to Norml. As far as your leadership Mr Editor, there have been 20 million people arrested for drugs in the last 20 years and 75% of those for mere posession. Does that sound like leadership and advancement on the marijuana posession front in any way. Standing in a circle and singing “We shall Overcome” only gets you so far. Sometimes you need to take it to the next level. Do you think alcohol prohibition would have been repealed if there hadnt been so much violence?
Also, its MPP I see on CNBC Power Lunch, CNN and Fox news not NoRmL. Those guys are moving and shaking and making their stands known consistently and often. You have the best website for sure but as far as the leadership that you speak of that seems to be over at MPP..
[Editor’s note: Blaming NORML for the govt’s 72-year prohibition is like blaming blacks for slavery or women for male chauvinism. If you’re an Atlanta ‘toker’, Georgians have no one to blame but themselves for not effectively organizing under NORML’s banner (or any other organization’s) like reformers in other states have. The results: GA has some of the most aggressive law enforcement and harshest cannabis laws in the country.
NORML also appears regularly on TV/radio shows, almost daily in major print and radio markets. However, when billionaires like Soros and Lewis provide millions annually to DPA and MPP, comprising most of these organizations’ budgets, they can readily hire 30-40 employees (And at high wages/benefits…ever look at the financial records of these other reform organizations?) with 2-3 of them working on pitching the media full time. Some of these communication employees make more annual income than NORML’s director….
Contrast that to NORML’s budget which is almost entirely derived from the grassroots, no $ from Soros/Lewis, no six digit salaries, and these donations currently employ 9-10 employees.
You want to see more NORML staff, chapter leaders, board and advisory board members on your groove tube? The grassroots will need to donate more funding to NORML to have more full time communications employees pitching mainstream media. Otherwise, you’ll likely keep watching MPP/DPA representatives on the TV representing your interests. Or, are they really representing cannabis consumers, or serving their funders’ needs and wants? Grasstops or grassroots? Only history will be able to inform which reform model provides the most and enduring personal liberties.]
#3, Preston: I agree totally. Thanks for the smile.
This news shocked me, I cant believe there are people like this in the world. I have sent Benton a email which i will discolse below.
There has already been 8,034 deaths this year from drunk drivers. I would like to ask you sir, how many deaths has marijuana caused this year? That of course; was a rhetorical question….Zero, and the fact that you would rather whip, tortue and execute marijuana offenders disgusts me. We dont even bring this harsh of punishment upon murderers, rapist and drunks. Your letting your bias blind you, and in turn you end up making yourself look like a fool to the people. You sir have lost all respect that a man can carry in my eyes. From this point on I will regard your comments
the same as i would a drunk driver, heroin addict, or rapist. The day your thrown out of office is coming soon, and on that day i shall bear a huge smile.
I would like to volunteer to be the first put to death for smoking marijuana. In fact i think we should all show up and volunteer to be killed for Cannabis. then maybe the world would see how important cannabis is. and how rediculous this jerk is. i allways wondered since marijuana was illegal. how much do i have to smoke to deserve the death penalty. now i know !
really we all know why hes so angry, he hasnt had any medication that maybe is needed for a bit of anxiety.
WOW this is a lot of comments. I have never seen Normls comments this big lol. People are really piss. U know what we should do now right? Is protest even more. Put your marijuana shirt on or you norml and mpp shirt. But dont cause violence. Stay calm and just gather more people.
P.S. I cant read all this comments
Take whatever legal action you can against this guy and over-publicize the hell out of it so we get more publicity for the cause. Kill two birds with one stone.
Rep. Benton is about as sick and demented as one can get!
He is a disgrace to all of humanity for this downright cruelty.
If they were to use caning on marijuana offenders, it would cost another TRILLION DOLLARS ON HEALTH CARE IN THIS COUNTRY FOR TREATMENT for the victims. It would still cost the taxpayers to EXECUTE US. I think it’s time for this good ole boy to be taken behind the woodshed and given 24 lashes SINGAPORE STYLE. He is just another BARBARIAN AT THE GATE FOR MARIJUANA PROHIBITION, ANOTHER PUPPET, ANOTHER TOOL TO ERODE OUR RIGHTS AS AMERICANS, OWELLIAN MENTALITY AT WORK. WHAT HE NEEDS TO DO IS TO WAKE UP AND SMELL THE BUDS. 420 ALL YHE WAY!
I apologize sir; I didn’t realize it was my fault. Nothing further need be said.
Well he got the response he was hoping for. Wag the dog indeed. He might actually mean what he replied with, but it sounded much more like scare tactics and hopes of eliciting a response he could actually send to a law enforcement agency to investigate.
(sigh) Dont just plan on voting him out though. He needs to hear your criticism, but threats only will embolden him.
I did a search for “benton” and “marijuana” & found about 3 stories on this. Doesn’t norml have people who know people involved with major news sources?(ie. friends of friends, or old college smoking budies?) I know it’s early and don’t mean to be problematic. I just would like to hear this on the evening news! ASAP!!! :0) If there was some way to see some visible progress from our sidem it might boost morale and donations.
[Editor’s note: Morale not high? This is about as strong a zeitgeist for reform than there has ever been. You’re not seeing visible process? Thirteen states, with one third of the US’ population lives in a state or city with decriminalized cannabis laws…Thirteen states, with one 1/4 of the US’ population lives in a state or city with medical cannabis laws…folks in CA (where 1 in 8 Americans live) can buy medical cannabis. Some purchase it in vending machines 24/7!
That is not visible progress? Last week in Boulder, the police returned cannabis, hash, oils and live plants back to a patient where the jury would not convict. Looks and smells like progress to NORML.
Want more? You and all your like-minded friends and family need to be really active in these law reform activities, if you’re not already.’
yea cain is way worse than pot. since it would help reduce marijuana use would it be concidered medical cain? tommy benton. three shity jokes
“There are threats of assassinating, shooting, caning, and kicking the ass of Rep. Benton, as well as comparisons to Adolf Hitler.”
There have been ass-kicking threats made.
LOL, I got a laugh out of that. Whether or not it was meant to be, it was a hilarious example of taking a serious post and throwing a little humor in there.
I can see the news: “Once again today, drug policy protesters have resorted to offering ass kickings to the members of Congress that refuse to grant them their freedom.”
Any historian that has studied governments century after century will tell you with references that government leaders are simply over run by the people in the end when they’ve had enough.
NO ONE HERE AT THIS BLOG IS AN ASSSIN, TRUE ASSINS NEVER SAY ANYTHING.
Its absolutely sad that people still think that marijuana is this “scourge on society” despite the growing (hehe) support for legalization. But some points have been made, to everybody reading this, PLEASE dont threaten Mr. Benton, youll just be feeding his fire and giving him “evidence” that pot smokers are violent psychos. Instead, if you live in Georgia, get the word out on this guy and dont vote for him. LEGALIZE FREEDOM!
i lost it. lost my composure, called him a dickhead n told him to move to singapore. fuck that redeyed perv..
#362 R.O.E. Says:
August 14th, 2009 at 11:16 am
Manny :
Will do. What ever I may hear I shall relay to all of you.
RE: R.O.E.
Are you certain that Manny’s addy is correct?
Is it “earTHINK”,
(as typed),
or earthLINK ???
Please resign office…I am profound deaf male person. I always pray for legalization marijuana since 6 years. I really want smoke weed for legal without worry about cops. I am sadly that US government forget about Civil rights in 1776. That felt hurt our own cizitens. I was send to obama twice but he not response me that he hurt my felt and I dont understand he ingored me but I did vote for him. That was kind of insult and heartbroken. I always hope about legalization effect economy boost up include papers, rope, medicine, food, and everything plus reduce crime without prohibition. I am saying “I am proud of America but I am not proud of US government that I am American Rebellion.” My silence protest without harmful anyone. Last word, I hope not American will fall like former Soviet-era that what our economy is broke and collapsed. I am pray to God that someday Legalization come and peaceful with dawn.
Thank
David
P.S. Please change America to freedom from fascism.
“I am pothead and Jewish” “You are government and Nazi” Excuse me I am not insult you but I can see your picture what look like to me. Excuse me forgive me God. Thank you
How did someone this stupid get voted in to office? I’m going to run in Georgia as the “fear blacks, fear potheads, eat fried chicken” candidate. Chances are I’ll win.
Thanks for the info! My work brings me in contact with many, many people and whenever the opportunity arrises to educate I always try. Oddly, I haven’t met anyone who disagrees with the absurdity of prohibition. So if everyone from young to old (at least locally)has no problem with hemp and mj, I just can’t understand why these politicians are so affraid of voters and looking soft on crime if they happen take our stance. This is so odd. I even had one very influential local business leader pull me aside and tell me personally he privately agrees with ending prohibition, but if he ever openly admited it, he would be in real trouble with his elite contacts and family. I’m kinda affraid to send anymore letters to my local representatives after seeing how Benton threatend to turn over any letters to the local police. I have nothing to hide, but still makes me feel like crap knowing politicians will sell us out over a differing of opinions.
This person is a shining example of the type of people who are ruining our country. He doesn’t need to be threatened. He will cheat on his wife or get caught going down on some male prostitute or having sex with whatever barnyard animal happens to be handy. It is inevitable. Make fun of him to everyone you meet. These type of asses deserve nothing but ridicule. His type of attitude is an embarrassment to our country. He typifies the ugly ignorant American bully. Vote this guy out of office and send him back to whatever hole he crawled out of.
One note to Atlanta Toker. The NORML group in Nebraska was able to take possesion of cannabis from a felony with a possible one year prison sentence to a civil infracture of a $100.00 dollar fine. What have you done? I was part of the NORML chapter in Nebraska when this was accomplished and have been since 1977.
Profiling is alive and well when it comes to cannabis arrest!!
Perhaps most appalling is who the police are arresting for marijuana possession. U.S. government studies have consistently found that young whites use marijuana at higher rates than do young blacks or Latinos. But the NYPD has long arrested young blacks and Latinos for pot possession at much higher rates than whites.
In 2008, blacks were about 26% of New York City’s population, but over 54% of the people arrested for pot possession. Latinos were about 27% of New Yorkers, but 33% of the pot arrestees. Whites were over 35% of the City’s population, but less than 10% of the people arrested for possessing marijuana. In 2008, police arrested Latinos for pot possession at four times the rate of whites, and blacks at seven times the rate of whites.
#322 ol tex Says:
August 14th, 2009 at 1:09 am
“OK, so caning is bad and Tommy is a brutal man.
That’s a given. We should just lock em up right?
Think again…”
RE: ol tex,
– Was watching a repeat of
“Deadly Dealing” on NBC’s Dateline…
about the untimely death of 23 yr. old
F.S.U. grad, Rachael Hoffman.
– The worst states for pot penalties,
the states most-entrenched in maintaining
and escalating the so-called “drug-war”,
(often in the name of “God” / religion,
against a plant-species GOD CREATED…
the fucking IRONY of the so-called BIBLE-BELT),
the states most resistant to law-reform
are located in the south and southeastern U.S.
(ol tex, I’m sure you already know that…).
– Georgia shares borders with the state of
FloriDUH;
– GA Rep Tommy Benton only characterizes,
epitomizes all that is wrong with this area
of the country. He needs to be ridiculed
thoroughly for the buffoon he is…
– Since some have already labeled
Benton as a neo-nazi, let’s go one further
and satirize him in the manner which Mel Brooks
has done to Hitler.
(HUMOR as a WEAPON against DESPOTS!!!) 😈
Damon, yes I worked on the Obama campaign and still feel he will help us in the end..
DFJ
Tommy Benton started it, and I don’t think it is excusable for prohibionist to make threats like that to the American people; like they have been doing for the past 25 years. Tommy Benton went too far. If we don’t take it seriously, he may actually do what he says he is going to do, thinking that he will get no resistance.
#384 Kasado Says:
August 14th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
“It is my opinion that Mr. Benton is hiding something rather scandalous in his life or past that he hopes that, with personal attack on MJ to distract everyone from finding out and possible ruining his career.”
RE: Kasado,
That wouldn’t surprise me one bit!!!
Rather than feel threatened by Benton’s attitude, this is possibly cause for celebration, or at least encouragement.
No way would a law allowing cruel and unusual punishment get passed (remember there has to be a vote on it) and also recognize that there are a lot of lawmakers and politicians, republicans included, that are very open to the idea of legalized marijuana for adults, see it as “no big deal.”
And as far as turning names over to law enforcement, as long as you don’t in your letters admit to any illegal activity, keep your statements limited to what you believe about the issue in general, law enforcement has no grounds to “come after you.” Without some kind of evidence of illegal activity, there is no search warrant.
this kind of insane rhetoric is the voice of someone who truly does feel threatened by a cause he disagrees with. Only when you’re threatened and feeling powerless do you make threats you can’t carry out.
so yeah, anger is understandable, but expressing it rudely and issuing threats is just stupid and unnecessary. It gives them the wrong impression and also gives them further justification. So let’s not snatch defeat from the jaws of victory here.
#393 Vladimir M. Ortega Says:
August 14th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
“…P.S. I cant read all this comments”
RE: Vladimir,
– As difficult as it may sound,
please try to…
WE got it pretty good here in CA. FUCK
Representative Benton,
By now you are well aware of the backlash that has transpired over your remarks concerning caning and execution of minor marijuana offenders / those who sell. Many of the comments directed towards you have been harsh, and for that part I’d like to apologize however, what you have done is wrong, insensitive and a real career ruining move.
As a whole, the many groups that support Decriminalization and Legalization are huge, growing in membership each day, and not willing to bend any longer to the absolute lies and propaganda that have been openly produced and embraced.
May I ask you: Have you truly researched the facts concerning Prohibition of Marijuana? Have you read all the credible research papers, by the hundreds, written in favor of marijuana as a medicine? Have you researched the devastating effects of alcohol over marijuana? Have you asked yourself about the negative impacts Prohibition of Marijuana has produced? – No, I didn’t think so.
As respectfully as possible, how could any level headed, intelligent person not understand that Marijuana IS NOT dangerous?
Please issue an apology to all the people you’ve offended and please do the right thing and research the Facts. Let the Lies and Propaganda fall away because of their own dead weight and be a real hero. Now, and only now, is your chance to do the right thing.
Lea
He can can me, but he’ll have to take my H&K USC away from me first.
Wow. It really shocks me to see that some of the people running this country are still stuck in a medieval mindset.
When will people wake up and realize that drugs are not going to disappear. Ever. They are going to get more potent, more numerous and more distinct. The solution to abuse is treatment and education, not prohibition.
Education is key. Recreational drugs should be treated the way we treat other dangerous activities by regulating it and keeping it safe. To operate a motor vehicle, a device that kills many more people each year than all drugs combined, one need to go through training, education and licensing. Same thing with firearms. Why shouldn’t recreational drugs be treated similarly? Allow responsible, educated adults to engage in whatever activity they wish as long as it is done in such a way as it poses the least amount of risk.
I retract my comment made in #186 about “Hanging” Rep. Benton and my personal email to him regarding Flogging him. Reflecting on the situation at hand I was merely speaking in rage. I am not a violent person and actually have never been in a real fight. Benton may be out of line, but that’s to expect from someone who is in a position of power and acting on what they believe is right. Like Mr. Benton, many Americans are ill informed about Marijuana and it’s true potential. I do not possess a medical license to use Marijuana because it is not offered in Kentucky. I have a terrible anxiety disorder that causes both social and personal problems. I have problems with sleeping, eating, depression, stress, my nerves are always shot, and my hands tremble just like an old man’s.
I’m only 22 years old and these problems are both embarrassing and irritating. I will not except “Magic Pill” medications because 9 times out of 10, the side effects are worse than what their supposed to cure. I was like many people at first, firmly against the use of Marijuana. But at age 19 I gave it the benefit of a doubt and tried smoking it. It was like an answer to my prayers! For the first time ever I was COMPLETELY relaxed and felt…dare I say Normal. I’ve used ever since never having these problems again unless I haven’t “medicated” myself.
Yes, Marijuana gets you high, but its not what everyone thinks. You don’t “See Things” and your reasoning skills are not “Impaired” and it doesn’t make one “Stupid” or “Burnt Out”. In fact, the effect are not permanent or irreversible. As far as the “Gate Way Drug” myth goes, I have never had an interest in any other substance. Wouldn’t even know what other drugs look like, let alone know anything about them. I have no criminal record and it would be terrible to have something like being arrested for possessing a “Joint” ruin my statues.
Where I’m getting at is this my friends. For those of you who enjoy using Marijuana, but have done nothing to help the legalization movement, GET YOUR HEADS OUT OF THE SAND. Sometimes you have to get your hands dirty to get a job done. I would proudly dirty my name for the right cause, and that is why I have decided to use my real name from now on when I post any comments.
Mr. Benton, I apologize to you and your family. All readers of this comment ought to consider sacrifices for what they REALLY want!!! INFORM INFORM INFORM!
I love this guy….. wow it reminds me of the difference between stupidity and ignorance. I love how he fails to mention Coke, Crack, Meth, Heroin…… but he wants to execute dealers who are selling a plant that came from mother earth. Im sorry, this guy needs to get out of office. Since when does one man have the right to punish/kill another man for using a plant that comes from the earth they both share and were born on.
damn, caning and execution is way inhumane and barbaric for peaceful potheads. i surely hope not that benson will post new georgia signs that say “Death For Drug Traffickers” on state borders. I saw that foreign sign when visiting Saudi Arabia. That really scared the shit outta of me…
hey benson, try to make a successful attempt on the new law, im gonna wage an ungodly fucking shitstorm into your republic mansion, you hear me??? yes, an ungodly fucking shitstorm. remember that…
this benton guy must be truely afraid of the unknown. i expect to hear about this subject this weekend at seattle’s hempfest. if spoken about at the gigantic gathering of marijuana enthusiasts then it will not only solitify the work NORML has been doing on the subject, but possibly begin the much needed uprising to finally legalize this plant
Hi Russ,
I understand where you are coming from and I get your point. We have to rise above them true. But remember what Bill Maher said when he spoke at a NORML conference, “It’s time we express outrage. It’s time we get mad as hell.” You can only run over a people for so long and then they have nothing to lose. True we have to rise above, and avoid threats, but the time has come for us to stand our ground too and get alot tougher and way more vocal on this issue and express daily outrage non stop until it is finally RElegalized.
peace Russ
Whoooooooo ! ASS Kicking Baby
Tommy Benton can say all these negative things about cannabis users and about wanting to cane and kill them and you don’t see this on the mainstream news, but if someone like him or anyone else for that matter in his position of authority were to say something like the N-word you would have heard about it yesterday and he would be resigning. Am I wrong? Maybe someone in Georgia should trick him and make him say the N-word and he would be gone. I’m graduating college this year with a degree in biology and environmental science, and I smoke everyday and make good grades, hope mj gets legalized soon so I can get a job growing it. Everybody keep up the pressure, but ease up with the death threats, I know everybody is thinking it, but don’t say it out loud.
These people call themselves lawmakers, but they dont even know the laws.
“Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.”
Eight Amendment, Bill of Rights
seriously, any punishment whatsoever for owning a plant could be considered unusual..
– The worst states for pot penalties,
the states most-entrenched in maintaining
and escalating the so-called “drug-war”,
(often in the name of “God” / religion,
against a plant-species GOD CREATED…
the fucking IRONY of the so-called BIBLE-BELT),
the states most resistant to law-reform
are located in the south and southeastern U.S.
(ol tex, I’m sure you already know that…).
Damn right I do. A lot of the cops are damn crooked too!
I know of a former police chief in a small town who was covertly flying in drugs and then arresting people who used them. You would not believe what they get away with. Our governor wants to secede from the union. What an idiot. Trust me, weed is plentiful in Texas and so are lawyers. The laws here suck to the tune of 50,000 arrests every year for a plant that will grow wild in a ditch. It’s absurd. Under two ounces is a misdemeanor but it will still get you jail time!
Look here. People have been paralyzed from caning. To even consider caning for something so damn innocent is beyond human rights. P.O.W’s haven’t had the pleasure of being caned, let alone hard working, honest mom and pops of america. It’s time to stand up like “Fight Club.”
“We are you sanitation control, we make you you’re food, we turn down your beds, we drive your kids to school. DON’T FUCK WITH US!” Caning, I thought we were beyond shit like this. Georgia BLOWS!!!!!
This is horrible.
In fact, it honestly makes me ashamed to live in Georgia.
It’s one thing to ignore us completely, but to forward our emails to the authorities is completely sickening.
Mr. Benton, you will not be getting my vote.
Also, forwarded to my friends/family who live in Georgia.
The fear of legalized marijuana.
A gateway drug resulting in youth corruption and nationalized
dependency is the highest concern of legalized opposer’s. Ironicly
the majority of legalization opposers unknowingly admit marijuana
has no physical or mental harm by only bieng concerned about the
gateway theory.
Some how the opposers fear that kids will be smoking dope and wanting to
move on with their habits, thereby putting any life goals aside. A
fear of dope heads taking over society and damaging our country’s
vitality.
While these concerns are admirable, they lack truth and structure.
Truth is supported by facts and evidence. Structure is supported by
its foundation and a creator.
Let’s take the gate way drug theory for example. Even the smallest of gateways
have a pathway or point of entry. Upon closer inspection this
pathway is the start of a gateway or change of direction. Therefore
before any gate is entered in a person must decide to go in the direction and
then in
succession go in that direction. Once that criteria is met the gate may
entered.
In Revelation a thought process must occur first and foremost before
any action. Thus presenting the primary gateway to any human physical
action. The human mind is a conglomerate of thoughts. The governor of
these thoughts is personality. As with any action there is equal or
opposite reaction, thereby conflicts occur within the thought and
personality process.
As humans tend to be influenced by other humans addaptions occur thus
persuading personality. As a youth’s mid develops the governing is
implemented by parents,teachers,family,friends,and other humans.
Even into adulthood as well. The youth then is confronted with multi
spectrums of influences.
As with any human being free will is the bridge to these influencing
factors.From birth to adulthood, a Child is primarly governed parentally.
It is the sole duty of a Parent to instill proper decisions
upon their kids. And with that being done successfully,a Child will
open and close the gates as taught to do.
Parents are guides to all pathways. It is their responsibility to
instruct and give the proper discesion making tools to thier children. Knowing
and understanding the personality of the child should be fully realized
by the parents.The fear of outside influences harming kids should be
comforted by knowing your parental duty was fullfilled.
Another prime example is government set laws. In order to manipulate profits
laws are intact to regulate possesion and use. Laws are socialy put into place
for” prevention” and punishment.Violated Laws have monitary fines set payable to governement and
institutions. Amusing enough the offenders contribute tax dollars as well as fines.
Government and institutions are established to serve
citizins and taxpayers. The employees that labor in these
institutions have salary supported by taxpayer dollars,private
funding,and the law offenders.
Now comes the bigest downside to legalization ( in the eyes of
government). If legalization was to be implemented the istitutions
that govern law offenders will be severly impacted if not obsoleete. Those
employees will be in turn out of a job. The institutions will be soley fundid by tax
dollars and private funding. With little to zero offenders those istitutes will
be non functional and be severed.
Now that doesnt make sense to an employee of an istitute that is fundid by law violations.
Why would they advocate or encourage legalization?
They would be talking thier selves out of a job. So naturaly they do the opposite by
attempting to shadow citizens with false statements and scare tactics (not scientific truth)
about a God created,non synthetic,unharmful plant. Whether you believe in God a Creater or
just mankind it is undeniable that humans have no right to irradicate a part of nature
especially if it is not harmfull. In fact countless studies show the contrary.
Nor do humans have a right to violate
rights of others humans.Possessing,growing,smoking or talking about marijuana is a right.
To say other wise is dictatorship and should be backed by facts. There
are no and I repeat no facts that marijuana is harmfull. It is time to put a stop to lies and propaganda .
The whole mess can make a person ponder why It was illegal to start
with. Oh but wait, news flash It wasnt! The use of marijuana is documented
dating back over thousands of years ago. It is not any different than medicine
used presently. Ofcourse medicine today has side effects that out
weigh its intent. The cost and addiction of modern medicine is damaging society in a rappid pace.
Ahh the simple times, it must have been nice to grow your own medicine without fear of incarceration,
public prejudice and humiliation.American politics make it lawfull to kill an unborn child on one hand,
However it is unlawfull to expose them to a pottential “gateway drug” on the other hand.
It only takes comon sense to figure that one out.
Whithin the past year a Oklahoma man was convicted of raping a 5 year old boy. The term he has to serve
in prison is shocking and disturbing. One year is all that man will have to serve. He is do for release in
September.In comparison to anyone caught with possesion of marijuana may serve many
many years of prison term. Hello?
We live in an advanced civilization but we are Governed by degressive laws and personal agendas.
For what purpose other than to violate human rights and profit. Recently a program was displayed on national
television tittled Marijuana Inc. A scare tactic display was poorly attempted by the enforcement agents interviewed.
Pictures of guns And dead people were displayed implying that the “marijuana culture” is dangerous.
Hippacriticly there are many television adds displaying people (mostly juveniles) bieng vegtables and lounging around.
Deductivley wasting thier lives away while thier piers are accelerating becoming esteamed and acomplished lawyers,
doctors, presidents and so forth. As if presently there are not any accomplished lawyers, doctors, and presidents in
exsistence who have not or currently use marijuana? Hmmm
Obviously money is the biggest factor of intrest for government and law. It baffles the government and law inforcement
on how much money comes from marijuana. Hence the term cash crop. Unless ofcourse the shift is towards foccousing on real
drugs instead of a plant. Our tax dollars will continue to go to waste.
Folks, plain and simple it is a plant. It doesnt have to be proccessed or altered like it’s parralell opposite the coffee bean.
further more marijuana is no more addictive than caffeine. Caffeine stimulates and alters the nervous system. Yet coffee is used
world wide Without any of its tax paying consumers bieng prosecuted. All due in fact To its social acceptence. Have you ever seen
a person who hasn’t had thier morning cup of coffe? It is almost as if they can not function. Talk about dependency! Or how about
somone who ” all wired up” after several cups? Hmm
Does anyone notice the hypocrocey between bieng potrayed a slow ignorant vegtable then on the other hand a gun toting
violent crime junkie? Examine the cause and effect and you will find the root cause is the law itself. Alcohol prohibition
did not work!Remember? Violence and smuggling became overwhelming. Citizens wanted alcohol however government law did not.
The point was to reduce violence,dependency,prison over crowding and so forth. It reached a point were there was no choice but
to legalize alcohol again.Let me remind you that history has a way repeating itself.However if we do not learn from the past it is all in vain.
It is Common for users of marijuana to deny it can be addictive.But it is ok if they are addicted to starbucks isnt it? Right.
However any person place or thing can be addictive physicly and physcologicly. Society proves that over and over. That bieng the case a person
could presume it would be lawfull to try anything once?
So if any of you feel comfortable knowing that your tax dollars are funding such nonsense dont be to content.There is countless americans in support
of legalization. The sad thing is that most of them will never voice thier oppinion. Probably because they consume or posses marijuana and fear the law.
I for one do not posses or consume.Thank God for freedom of speach!
Lets hope common sense adds up to dollars. Money after all seems to be the reason behind opposition.
Jason Simpson 8-15-2009 (added by Mobile using Mippin)
Wooooooooooow. This guy is absurd and nothing short of evil. He shouldn’t be anywhere near the government of any state. Georgians should do something about this… Marijuana illegal or not that’s just ridiculous. Murder and torture. Nice one there, buddy. By the way, for you guys in Georgia who have some words, his webpage has ALL of his contact info right there when you log on. Somebody’s gotta say something to that guy. Peacefully, yes. But he certainly needs told about 100,000 times that he’s a dick. Haha. I hope he’s never touched the stuff, otherwise he should be first in line for the torture he recommends.
This is so wrong on so many levels ?
CHEROKEE INSTEAD OF TRYING TO ELECT OBAMA YOU SHOULD HAVE SUPPORTED RON PAUL AS I DID
OK, people! Stop the threats already. If we are ever going to get weed legalized we need to put a good face on it, not confirm dark aged thinking like Benton’s. Let’s not lower ourselves to the image his kind want to see. Do not give him and his kind any more ammo to shoot back at us with. Let’s PROVE to them that we are good rational people by using the brains that they don’t think we have.
If he must be punished, maybe putting him on an island for a year with 1000 happy-go-lucky potheads will bring him out of his medieval mindset. If not, he would likely spend a very lonely year isolated on a remote corner of the island while everyone else had a grand time of it. If that didn’t change his mind, then he is beyond help and need not be a concern to us.
In any case, we need not go through him. We can go around him and in that way, prove that we are not the primitive people he perceives us to be.
Law makers want to kill pot smokers, well if that’s not enough to put citizens into action mode, no one’s going to be there for you in the end when it’s too late. No one cared enough to take action in the 1930’s when pot was legislated to be illegal but no one ever saw this in the future. What do you think the future holds for pot smokers now?
I am sorry for repeating myself.
I`ll wager Mr. Tommy “the commy” Benton enjoys an occasional alcoholic drink. Which means he is yet another hypocrite among millions of anti-marijuana drunken baby raping hypocrites. If they can prove 100% that they have never used “any” drugs including alcohol, which they can not prove, then the rest of us might listen. Don`t send money hungry drunks to kill marijuana smokers because it shows just how idiotic our government has become.
#424 SpyBoy Says:
August 15th, 2009 at 12:04 am
damn, caning and execution is way inhumane and barbaric for peaceful potheads. i surely hope not that benson will post new georgia signs that say “Death For Drug Traffickers” on state borders. I saw that foreign sign when visiting Saudi Arabia. That really scared the shit outta of me…”
RE: SpyBoy,
– Though I’ve never been to Arabia,
I’ve read plenty of “horror-stories”
about those who have been detained / jailed for
what would be extremely-trivial elsewhere;
– Nothing more than poppy-seed-residue
from bread or rolls;
– For a miniscule, (2-3mm long, 0.5mm dia.),
pot-stem wedged in a shoe-tread;
– For possessing certain OTC meds,
allowed elsewhere, but VERY-illegal in the U.A.E.
– I know that Arabia, (and Islamic countries in
general), are very strict, draconian about forbidden
plant-components and various medications…
– How much of this is true??? And to what severity???
Just so everyone here understands, jerks like this are put into office for the purpose of distracting people from real issues. Of course, he’s a jerk. No arguing that point. But, if you want to get away with something you know is unpopular, you make lots of smoke and get everyone focused on a diversion. This creep is no doubt in office because someone else snaked him in, and that was for the purpose of screwing the locals out of what’s theirs. Getting people upset at himself over herb is just a diversion to allow him so screw people over on other things without them noticing.
This one seems simple. The man is not mentally fit to hold a position in politics/lawmaking. What else can be said?? He needs to hear it too, every day of his life until he loses his job.
I smoke the stuff legally, and it’s obvious that cops/politicians care not about our “voting” process. Until these cops/politicians are publicly called out and FIRED, they will continue to ruin the lives of disabled people like me.
If people can unite under the “we’re mad as hell and can’t take it anymore” principle, I see that as much more productive than just sitting there waiting for the guy to get voted out. The time for silent protest is LONG gone. The War on Drugs has done far too much damage to our freedoms and finances already.
If Ga.State Rep. Benton has execution laws in his state. He would serve his his state and country better if he started making laws stronger concerning child abuse and abduction.
There are alot of sick people that abuse kids that get set free in our communities that are able to live.
If the death penalty is needed lets make sure the bad guys get put down and not a peaceful cannabis \ hemp farmer.
I wonder if Benton would kill his own son or daughter for selling pot? If this man does have kids, they must be embarrassed.
I wonder how many folks voted Obama just b/c he said the war on drugs has been an utter failure and we need to rethink decriminalizing mj. I wonder if he would have won without that statement. That’s why he got my vote, I wonder if I was the only one that got duped in that way. I thought this guy “got it” but he is apparently being puppeted by the same people who puppeted the last administration. How going from Congressman to President distorts things.
I agree waiting between lost elections is too much time to waste and wait. I’ll be 60 by that time if I keep waiting, what good will it be then? Precious years are wasted waiting for votes and the right candidates at the same time. I know we already have the numbers to support it, we just don’t have the legislators with the backbone to “allow” us to vote on it.
Did you know GA is only 1 of 2 states that doesn’t allow the sale of alcohol on Sunday and voting days? Did you also know that GA legislators will not even conceive of allowing us to vote on it, b/c they know they will lose? GA still has “dry” counties for cryin’ out loud. That doesn’t do anything but give revenue to the neighboring counties. Then the “dry” county still has to put forth the effort of dealing with drunkards and the societal costs that comes with it, only they don’t have the revenue from the alcohol sales to combat these societal problems. They are cutting their own foot off, just like with MJ states and non MJ states. To seek out inebriation is the human condition and the pursuit of happiness is/was an American right. They haven’t curbed the appetite for drugs in 70 years, it ain’t gonna happen now. If anything, they have enhanced America’s appetite for drugs.
Tell a kid they can’t have that lollipop and what are they going to want? Tell a kid don’t press that button, what are they going to want to do?
It’s just a plant for cryin’ out loud. I think that we need to use a different word than “high” b/c the prohibs always say “there will be all these ppl getting high and driving.” (first off, they already are, they aren’t waiting for it to be legal to drive. Well what is high? It certainly cannot be compared to being drunk. “High” to me has a negative connotation just like “stoner” or “pothead”. If I want to smoke it like cigarettes, that should be my choice. Just for reference, the only times in my life where I have been asked if I were doing drugs were times when I was not and completely sober.
GA has a lot of crooked police and people in positions of power. It seems to be more rampant in the smaller towns. I hear stories all the time about GA judges, mayors, police chiefs, and sheriff caught DUI, or laundering money, infidelity, or running some sort of drug operation.
The boat company I was working for in GA was shipping cocaine out in the fuel tanks. The county sheriff was involved and providing protection from the airport to the manufacturing facility and they didn’t get caught once, but twice by the FEDS! Well the owner still has his company and Berrien County has a huge brand new jail paid for by the owner of the company.
In a world where money talks and bullshit walks, its hard to win a fight when you’re the “nice guy”.
And another thing, Why does the President and all of his “cronies” keep saying that “marijuana legalization is not a high priority right now”? Well when is it gonna be? It’s always something, the economy, health care, Katrina, always something that takes precedence. Not that I’m saying those issues are unimportant, but if they’d legalize it already, we’d quit bugging them. All it takes is the flick of a pen.
They keep saying its not high on the priority list. Why did they not take the #1, #3, and a dozen of the top 50 questions asked to the (then) congressman Obama seriously? Obviously that was what was on the mind of the majority of Americans if it was the same question asked over and over, second to health care and the economy questions. Oh but, MJ is “not a high priority right now”. When Mr. President? When will it be a high priority? When America finally decides being tough on drugs is not the “cool” thing to do in the eyes of the rest of the world? Why doesn’t the American government stop trying to influence the rest of the world (and us for that matter) and allow them to think for themselves and make their own decisions. American government should practice what it preaches and allow people to be free and not interfere with the mind and body of it’s own people’s body as well as the rest of the world. The government has to “appear” to be tough on drugs while at the same time “appearing” to allow its people to be free, which leaves us ALL in the lurch.
The other day Secr. Gibbs said NBC polls show that America wants health care reform. Ohhhh, but when an NBC poll says 86% of America favors at least decriminalizing if not legalizing mj, then those are bad stats in the governments eyes. It’s amazing the information they will refer to when it is in their favor, but when the same exact organization does a poll that’s not popular with the government, then they don’t want to hear it.
#343 Phil Says:
August 14th, 2009 at 9:07 am
If he had read his Guidestones, he might not be of this opinion.
RE: Phil,
– Perhaps Rep. Benton is just
TRYING TO COMPLY with Guidline #1,
(…to the exclusion of the other nine…): 😯
Georgia Guidestones
1 Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature.
2 Guide reproduction wisely – improving fitness and diversity.
3 Unite humanity with a living new language.
4 Rule passion – faith – tradition – and all things with tempered reason.
5 Protect people and nations with fair laws and just courts.
6 Let all nations rule internally resolving external disputes in a world court.
7 Avoid petty laws and useless officials.
8 Balance personal rights with social duties.
9 Prize truth – beauty – love – seeking harmony with the infinite.
10 Be not a cancer on the earth – Leave room for nature – Leave room for nature.
#343 Phil Says:
August 14th, 2009 at 9:07 am
If he had read his Guidestones, he might not be of this opinion.
RE: Phil,
– Perhaps Rep. Benton is just
TRYING TO COMPLY with GUIDEline #1,
(…to the exclusion of the other nine…): 😯
Georgia Guidestones
1 Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature.
2 Guide reproduction wisely – improving fitness and diversity.
3 Unite humanity with a living new language.
4 Rule passion – faith – tradition – and all things with tempered reason.
5 Protect people and nations with fair laws and just courts.
6 Let all nations rule internally resolving external disputes in a world court.
7 Avoid petty laws and useless officials.
8 Balance personal rights with social duties.
9 Prize truth – beauty – love – seeking harmony with the infinite.
10 Be not a cancer on the earth – Leave room for nature – Leave room for nature.
Theres tens of millions of American citizens today in support of either medical marijuana, serious decriminalization or legalization. And we should be able to screen and elect officials that can be held accountable for their pre-elected beliefs/statements with serious repercusions for them if they renege. Like where did this dinosaur come from?
Someone’s missing out big time
RE: #382 – You may be on to something there. Who here knows a lawyer that could/would take on that case?
THE PEOPLE vs. BENTON – in the case of threatening violence against against US citizens for the purpose of Mr. Benton’s personal hatred of others based on prejudice.
this politician is just another republican piece of shit trying yo take away patients civil rights.he deserves to be harassed hes a piece of shit for saying the canning and execution statements.while were at it lets go completely backwards vote bush back in, all be broke,and go back to like it was in the 1700’s where americans had no rights and other people tell them how there going to live.politicians hate weed because often it gives people a chance to say what they think courageously and not care about others points of view made into law and reality.in a nutshell do as i say attitude.You’d think all the republicans would be alot calmer than they act hanging out at c st whorehouse
#316 – jab Says: “I always hear people say vote! I agree, but I vote each and every time against people like this, and somehow they still get in.”
Agreed jab. I’ve seen it throughout my entire life. Ron Paul didn’t get elected because the media Would Not and Did Not give him equal time with the two main players. That, and I mean no disrespect, the world needed a “hero of color” and that was Obama. Plus he’s a really good Motivational Speaker. Unfortunately the voting public has a short attention span.
Leave the angry words alone fellow marijuana activists and REALLY become more active in this movement. And louder. Above all else Be Safe.
just another case of ignorance and stupidity have no limitations.
I completely agree. The web has spawned many pseudo-brave people who hide behind their monitor spewing insults and threats. No one listens to people who choose to express themselves so immaturely.
I much prefer the Christopher Hitchens type of response. i.e.
“If you gave him an enema, he could be buried in a matchbox.”
From CNN:
“Asked if he thought Falwell were in heaven, Hitchens, a contributing editor to Vanity Fair, replied: “No. And I think it’s a pity there isn’t a hell for him to go to.”
No, this man is not dead yet, nor do I wish that upon him. I just wish his critics were a bit less the stereotypical stoner-internet-bashing-threatening types. It hurts the cause.
This is the time where we must reach out to people with these opinions and show them why they just might be wrong. We don’t need to convince the people that agree with us. Therein lies the challenge. Please don’t alienate those who disagree with you. Unless what you really want is to continue this cycle.
#429 Daniel Says:
August 15th, 2009 at 2:20 am
These people call themselves lawmakers,
but they dont even know the laws.
“Excessive bail shall not be required,
nor excessive fines imposed,
nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.”
Eight Amendment, Bill of Rights
seriously,
ANY PUNISHMENT WHATSOEVER for
OWNING A PLANT could be CONSIDERED UNUSUAL…
RE:
– Yes, quite so….Daniel,
This seems SO OBVIOUS,
yet OVERLOOKED / IGNORED when
the press, lawmakers, politicians are discussing
anything “drug-war related”…
– Could anything be more medievally-cruel than humanly-devised
penalties for possessing / owning a specific, God-Given plant-species???
ANY plant species!?!?!
(Whether it’s “jimsonweed”, (datura Stramonium), or
Jim’s on “WEED”, (James IS partaking of cannabis…) ).
– This would be so quaint, laughable,
EXCEPT humanly-devised legal-cruelty continues UNABATED!!!
(Welcome to the 21st Century, MINUS seven-hundred years…).
– Have always thought it antiquated that past societies had
severely penalized, executed its citizens for things construed
as signs of practicing witchcraft,
(such as having, cultivating certain plant-species…),
and, had thought our society was more “advanced” than that…until…
I discovered later, that our so-called modern-day world is not much better…
(Same persecutory-attitudes, different plants….).
Will our idiotic-world EVER grow up???
– Granted, some plants DO contain very powerful, strongly-affecting,
(even deadly), compounds…
– HOWEVER,
this calls for personal-wisdom, accountability for one’s own actions,
not “scapegoating” a plant-species, (nor its partakers),
for the actions of those who have not utilized these responsibly.
NOTE to the BOTANICALLY-IGNORANT:
(who may have stumbled upon NORML-Blog)
Cannabis has ZERO-LETHALITY,
(…though some of us have TRIED to
consume lethal-amounts, to NO AVAIL…!!!),
and many of those plant-species which ARE deadly,
aren’t “scheduled”, and should never be, either!!!
(nor should cannabis…).
Cannabinoids PROMOTE NEUROGENESIS!!!
(and vice-versa…) 😉 :p
Pot-APOLOGETICS, not pot-apologies!!!
I still say we over-hype the situation in our favor.
Try to make him look like an ass for his statement.
Russ, thank you for the update telling everyone to calm down, even though the level of frustration is at a breaking point. I’ve had a hard enough time reading these blogs without throwing my laptop out the window.
Are these extreme suggestions by these representatives (which thats what ALL politicians are, representatives – remind your’s of that) just a sign that they are losing this battle for good? Or are they just trying to secure their next election by sticking to hard core drug sentencing policies and drum up support from their most popular voting base, the older white m/f who sticks to their preconceived notions and fears?
(Stereotypically speaking, of course)
This is scary though, because those who hold onto tradition the most and fear MJ (and all illegal drugs) the most also VOTE the most.
Lemme give you an example of what were dealing with here…
I work as a cashier, and the other day I had a radiologist come in to buy cigarettes. There was an older woman behind him, and after she saw what he was purchasing, asked “you’re work in the hospital but you still smoke?”, to which he replied “yea, what can ya do”.
I then jumped in and said “you know, you can smoke weed.” As they both stared at me puzzled, I continued to tell them about the study that recently came out and NORML had on this blog about the effectiveness of cannabis smoking in reduction of head and neck cancer risks.
To which the woman scoffed, then said “hmmm…just another excuse.”
Really? “Another excuse”? A relatively harmless substance can be protective against CANCER?
Seems like a pretty good fucking excuse to me.
In fact, the radiologist went on to tell the woman and I about a physician he works with who’s WIFE smokes for the medical benifit, and how both himself and the physician who strong advocates for MED MJ
I live in Arizona, we are BY FAR a NON MEDICAL MJ state. In fact, simple possession is a felony here. What this means is that this local physician (or his wife) has to purchase MJ illegally just to achieve an acceptable level of comfort. Marijuana, which he has chosen as a BETTER medication for his wife than ANY he could prescribe her- INCLUDING Marinol!
So this is who were dealing with. Even in the face of irrefutable evidence, they will still shun the proof and vote people into office who do NOT represent America.
Recent polls clearly show this.
Hey I think you are right on, cane the idiots that do marijuana. My granddaughter smoked some of this stuff with an older man and then was raped. This stuff loosens your inhibitions and senses. I think it ought to be illegal as it is.
Worry not! I e-mailed the guy and threatened to come to his town and lobby for a law to prohibit Viagra. This drug is purely recreational and has been the primary cause of death in more than 2,000 cases in the last ten years. It is wholly irresponsible for senior citizens to risk their very lives for a kick that God just must not have intended. There are very real grandchildren without their grandfathers right now bc of Viagra.
Rue the day when anyone preaches a sermon on that, Benton is surely just…sad right now.
We All Need To Form a union, one so huge, that if we all strike, they have to listen to us, i am a serious reformer, and it sickens me that while people believe in this movement, we do nothing except comment furoms blogs and videos. WE NEED TO HAVE AN INFLUENCE. contact friends family, anyone that works and is serious about this movement. people who work at schools, heavy machinery jobs, custodial work, poor, middle, and higher class people. if you are serious, contact me at alfyajw@yahoo.com , if you want to take action now, or update me with any progress, call me at 1-607-644-2091. We need to get serious. typing will not end prohibition. We need serious action, peaceful protest, and a huge union, that if not followed, will cause our already hurt economy to plummet. we must show all those who are against us that we are a powerful people, and are willing to stand up for people who have been wronged unjustly. WE ARE ALL ONE, AND WE MUST UNITE TO ACHIEVE OUR FULL POTENTIAL.
To all of you with Twitter accounts, Myspace, Facebook, etc; please Tweet, Post, Email, or Share this story. While this website if very informative, the word needs to spread further than here.
I did not have a Twitter account prior to this story, but I became so enraged that I made a feeble attempt to start one. http://twitter.com/M_Threezy
I currently have no following, so please add me and help spread NORML’s message of freedom.
United, we stand.
Send a request for this pile of filth to RESIGN!
@ Cherokee Fred
Will you stop with your racist BS. Anyone can spin a statistic to validate their own P.O.V. Ever think the percent of black and hispanic people that are arrested for possesion is because you ding dongs are stupid enough to smoke it out on your porches and sidewalks in your neighborhoods? Everybody knows the smell of pot travels far and even if you see the cop 4 blocks away and ditch the evidence, the smell lingers and will still be evident by the time the patrol car rolls up on your group. I am so sick of the “whoa is me crap” black preach. In this day it’s not a flatering arguement on your part, you people (yes i said you people) have the same chance as anyone else now adays to do something positive, if not more so with EOE, affermatiove action, and the fact that 90% of whites are afraid to say “peep” for fear of being branded a racist. I have read at least 5 posts in this story alone where you are spreading just as much racism as what you are preaching against. grow up, will ya.
Good Gawd this post got people fired up !!
Instead of spewing our frustrations and angers onto these pro-prohibition politicians, why not simply ask each one of them why do they hate Cannabis so much that they’ll be willing to punish their own countrymen/women to the extreme. Put them on the spot by asking them that. They need to know that not all of us Cannabis users are teenagers, there’s a lot of old school folks that used Cannabis for medical reasons. The way I see it, your best bet is to get someone who support Cannabis & Hemp into office. Now you know what Benton’s view on Cannabis, VOTE him out..
Well said Matt (#443).
We really need to have an organized and strong effort to remove and keep these dangerously stupid people from office.
“Please Don’t Threaten Rep. Benton! Just Vote Him Out of Office.”
Wow, did he not just threaten me? I would like to see him get a dose of his own med.
(added by Mobile using Mippin)
H
Hey I’m down to light up this pretty mary jane with benton (added by Mobile using Mippin)
it’s because they been drinkin, and alcohol makes you FUCKIN’ STUPID!
Yea, cuz that’s not cruel or unusual punishment or anything. Him and the Bush Administration with their torture are so much better then the potheads.
Money, money, money, it’s all about the money. that’s the reason for prohibition the conservative capitalists haven’t worked out the kinks of how they can make mmoney on the sale and cultivation of the plant. Our leaders need to take a look around the world to see how other countries deal with similar issues, but hey won’t do that because that might make them lose face(ie. make them seem weak, or not as powerful as they want to be. Just in case one of you crazy conservatives is reading this here is how you do this
1. Allow some people have controlled indoor or outdoor fenced in gardens where plants can be grown to be strictly seedless then cloned. tax the cultivation
2. sell the processed weed in specialty smoke shops to people 21 years or older of course with a sales tax.
finally step 3. use the tax money to benefit the country as a whole and stop voting for your own raises. i can’t do that. you already live in million dollar homes while we live in unsafe house that are half as old as this country.
what happened to the rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness
“— That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
There is so much anger involved in this moron’s comments, but let’s be honest. I see Norml calling for us to be peaceful, not to threaten this guy, not to compare him to a nazi…but that’s why they have won for so long. Do you know why i think prohibition truly failed? Why the kennedy’s are a political family and not gun-toting rum runners anymore? because they WERE violent. They fought back against the government in the one voice that it understood, un-hindred, lustful bloody violence. Peaceful men honor peace. but a violent regime will trample on those who lay down before them, politely asking to be freed. it’s like trying to fight Hitler with a feather duster. How long have people nicely asked for freedom? I mean, we’re being jailed for carrying a dead plant around. People’s lives are destroyed for growing a plant, for Christ’s sake! People like him thrive on our pacifism. I don’t think we’ll ever fully gain freedom, unless you don’t mind moving across country to a place where you can have it as long as the local cops don’t just overlook the state policies and jail you anyway. maybe i’m just bitter from a whole life of hiding.
it’s just unfortunate that most people that i know are so scared that someone WILL hand their name over to the police (just like they did in Nazi germany where my grandfather and his family lived until it became too dangerous to stay) that they won’t even check norml, because they don’t trust that the government can’t trace you back to your irl. if i didn’t have kids, i’d be living in california, farming, doing something right with my life, instead of living in fear in the rural bowels of southwest virginia, a place where they stop and check vehicles routinely just to search through your floor boards for seeds, i’ve had a state trooper shove his hands into my pockets looking for a bag. I hate this country, i hate every thing about its hipocracies, and i’m so tired of having to “pretend” that being an American means being a blind sheep in a flock of goats. To hell with america. To hell with capital hill, and to hell with all of the corruption that makes making legalized marijuana an uphill battle that’s lasted since the early nineteen hundreds. They don’t care if it’s harmful or not. If some ditzy teenage whore can kill her baby just so she doesn’t get fat on a “it’s my body” arguement, then how can’t we fight for our freedom with that same arguement? it was made illegal through lies, and that’s a fact, proven by history, then why is it so hard to repeal it? it would seem that the underhandedness of our government is so deeply run, that no one will ever beg them hard enough to give us our lives back.
as its been said a hundred times already, please please please dont get the idea that GA and the rest of the South are as ignorant as this jerk. This asshole is one of the last of his kind. It may take 10-15 more years but the babies of boom will soon loose control of politics in this country. I’m guessing this dried up dirtbag probably will be singing in church tomorrow morning and preaching peace on earth. This is the MAIN problem in the South…people dont know where to stop with religion and government. Come on people, like me you can believe in God, belong to the NRA, think socialist health care can go to hell, and still think this plant should be legal. Too many scumsuckers in this part of the country think they cant believe in one thing without being called a leftwing nutjob. this also goes both ways. Preaching gun control out one side of your mouth and legalization out the other makes you a dirty hippie hypocrite. This guy probably feels this way about “potheads” because a group of people dressed in tie dyed shirts probably protested about something “leftist” on his doorstep sometime in the past. until the legalization movement gets rid of its leftwing image, it will never gain enough ground. Its all about YOUR rights as one person. Democrats want to take your half your shit just so billy bob next door can buy more natural light. Republicans are too afraid to do anything that might piss off someone’s grandmother. they key is to elect younger people to office, not these same ole gray haired jokes that wouldnt change their view on something if God himself came down and gave them 5 across the face.
If I could drag this bastard to Texas, I’d surely sentence his ass to death.
we have in our declaration of independence and our constitution all kinds of right that protect us and tell us to protect our selves from corrupt government before they take to much power. that’s it that is why we are here on this piece of land. that’s why we are the group of people we are because our founding fathers sought out a new land where they could be free from persecution. there are a ton of people here complaining how it is just not fair and sure you vote so you think you have the right to b*tch well how many of you are willing to actually try to create change. oh speaking of voting somebody tell me what is with the whole electoral college why can’t they actually just count our vote and go by that?tell me thats not fish. if you ask me the hippies had it right peace and love and just try to have a good time. greed and the thirst for power is destroying the world.
i & some might not have 10-15 minutes, let alone 10-15 years! i’m living in a freakin nightmare! thanks uncle sam, thanks a lot
Regarding #459 Rachel
It is a tragedy that anyone is raped and I extend my deepest regards. Let me first say that you have a right to your own opinion, but I will have to disagree that using Marijuana is what got her raped. In fact I’m willing to believe that she agreed to having intercourse with this “older man” and later called it rape. If she used and later got found out for it, sensing trouble on her own part for smoking pot, the word “rape” would make even the most extreme prohibitionist over look the fact that she used.
I understand that you are angry and I may be wrong about the whole situation. If you want people to be beaten for using, well your daughter has admittedly used. Will you allow her to be beaten? Is she an “idiot user” also?
Just chant him out. And I prefer that recreation marijuana should be taken out of any criminal system. I do not support taxing anyone for growing his or her plant at home for personal use only. Pardon me but recalling Rodney King who was beaten up by bunch of L.A. cops. When they were aquited, the hell loosened over Los Angeles. Same idea should apply to this situation which if Congress stubbornly refuses to take out marijuana of criminial system, the marijuana smokers should expose their feelings to Congress. That is what scares me. I suggest that we bring “woodstock” to the front of Congress and they play loud enough Congress people move that anti-marijuana laws to be expired permanently. Again, I support recreation marijuana and not tax on growers for their personal use (not either deliver or sell). Just cast banish spell on him to resign.
Maybe Senator Benton just wants to GET to Singapor for his caning…… by a sexy 12 year old……….boy…..
did you guys know that as long as you pay taxes on the marijuana that you have, you can carry it?? you get a stamp to put on the bag or whatever.. im not sure but i believe that every state has their own stamp..
most people dont know about it because it sounds stupid.. to take your already illegal substance to the government for you to pay tax on it and to put a stamp on it.. most people say that this is stupid and dangerous.. but if you have the stamp, you cant go to jail cause you have paid taxes on it..
its up to you to research it for your state but its true..
[Editor’s note: It is incorrect that in the states with these absurd ‘tax stamps’ you can legally possess cannabis after the tax stamps are purchased. The purchase of a so-called drug tax stamp only stops the accused offender from being prosecuted for tax ‘evasion’, but they still get a criminal conviction for the contraband.
Want or need to know about ‘drug tax stamps’ and why they maybe the ultimate legal sophistry in modern cannabis prohibition? Check out the Drug Stamp section on NORML’s webpage.]
RE:Instead of spewing our frustrations and angers onto these pro-prohibition politicians, why not simply ask each one of them why do they hate Cannabis so much that they’ll be willing to punish their own countrymen/women to the extreme.”
These low lifes don’t care about right and wrong. It is about money and power. Just look at the power of the DEA. What is required to smash in your door today was unthinkable in the not to distant past. Our increasingly militant government is destined for domination if a revolt does not come soon. I feel most Americans don’t care as long as their “sacred cow” does not get poked. Its a divide and concur tactic that has worked for millennia.
Mr. Benton: You are cordially invited to come get me, you diseased gash. Come by yourself or bring the Georgia law enforcement swine that you count on to enforce your verbal diarrhea.
All because of a plant… Unbelievable… I cannot even fathom execution over something that grows in the ground and was put on earth by God.
P E O P L E A R E S T U P I D!!!!
Everyone! Search NORML’s site for EVERYTHING.
Read up so you never lose during debate. Learn your shit.
Bring up MJ EVERY TIME you can.
Even if they don’t want to hear it. Force it down. Be arrogant if necessary.
This is the only way were gonna get this shit done finally.
Just don’t smack ’em upside the head with a newspaper, despite the temptation…
What bothers me about the opinion that marijuana is dangerous is that if we did a survey, more people would say they tried alcohol than pot. Either just a taste or full out drunk. Another thing is why isn’t the government targeting Excited Delerium?! For those of you out there that have never heard of it, it is a condition that users of speed or people with a chemical imbalance experience. They get hypothermic, have almost super human strength (usually requiring 4 or so officers to detain the subject), they hallucinate and are in this aggressive sate until their hearts literally explode in their chests!!! Now that’s some scary stuff. Anyone heard of a marijuana smoker going through that?! Do the research. Several police agencies have been sued for wrongful death as the person dies while either being detained or in police custody, but there is not a single case involving heroin or marijuana. ONLY SPEED!
lol @ all the people who think your vote ACTUALLY MATTERS
How does organizing and uniting work? Should we all get petition signatures from every city that these comments came from b/c we know at least 1 person in each of these cities is on our side? That’s about 10 cities from every state X’s about 1000 signatures per city, that’s 500,000 signatures nationally. I think those are modest estimates. Do signatures get anything done? Do you have to get addresses too, to prove what district constituents are from?
Reps. can have town hall meetings about campaigns and health care, why can’t WE request town hall meetings for whatever WE the people want? After all, they are SUPPOSED to represent OUR interests on the hill, no matter how unpopular in politics.
College campuses would be a hotbed for signatures but I’m not sure if my University would condone me trying to get signatures for legalizing mj. Just like the MSM, you can talk about the bad stuff that comes from mj and the mj satire movies, but speak not of legalizing it! Campuses are often an easier place to get your message out b/c they tend to be standoffish when it comes to freedom of speech b/c they don’t want a lawsuit. Doesn’t Bob Saget still tour colleges talking about weed?
Believe it or not UGA has it’s own Norml chapter and they have done some very tasteful speaking at city hall/council meetings and introduced some initiatives. Nothing has passed to my knowledge but they ARE at least getting out there and getting people to think about it. I have also been able to contact them via Facebook. I think GANORML is having some internal issues b/c I have sent 6 emails in 6 weeks to the 4 different email addresses provided and facebook and have not gotten a response yet (and it’s not from a lack of trying). Although, the site had no trouble taking my money for my membership without even asking my name. I hope GANORML makes itself a little more available so we can get together and do something.
Don’t get me wrong, I think NORML does a fatastic job with everything especially with info and form letters to reps. It makes it very easy and is very user friendly for even a novice to speak their opinion to reps and senators. I just think GANORML is having some issues, maybe they just don’t have enough members or support? I’ve been trying to become a member for over a month now. GANORML chapter is 4 hours away and I am still desperately trying to get involved b/c its the closest chapter w/i my state. Please, if you are reading this GANORML let me help you. I am willing to get out there and do some speaking (I can talk the balls off a pool table), handshaking, get signatures, write initiatives, whatever it takes, I just need a guiding hand. Here in DEEP south GA, nearly everyone smokes (unless 50+) b/c there’s nothing else for the farmers to do here. It would be easy to get signatures, I just need to know how to do it right so my efforts aren’t wasted doing it wrong. The smaller towns are the easiest to get high numbers of support b/c they are tight knit and almost everybody smokes. I have also been scouring these forums and social networking sites searching for other local activists in my area and have found a few.
I would love it if this Tommy Benton thing was the tipping point or the straw that breaks the camel’s back. We have an untapped resource of people with the same beliefs. I hope people at Hempfest this weekend take lessons back to where they came from with some sort of sense of what to do in their own community to help progress the movement. We have the numbers to win, we just need a plan of action to deliver a single combined effort blow to the prohibs. Please help me help you.
465 sick of it all
some people can’t handle truth!!!!
Profiling is alive and well when it comes to cannabis arrest!!
Perhaps most appalling is who the police are arresting for marijuana possession. U.S. government studies have consistently found that young whites use marijuana at higher rates than do young blacks or Latinos. But the NYPD has long arrested young blacks and Latinos for pot possession at much higher rates than whites.
In 2008, blacks were about 26% of New York City’s population, but over 54% of the people arrested for pot possession. Latinos were about 27% of New Yorkers, but 33% of the pot arrestees. Whites were over 35% of the City’s population, but less than 10% of the people arrested for possessing marijuana. In 2008, police arrested Latinos for pot possession at four times the rate of whites, and blacks at seven times the rate of whites.
damon
if ron paul had a chance I would work for him but Obama is our best shot and we got him elected
This guy should be prosecuted for using his office to spread lies and threats…..
CFJ
idiots like him, are the reason i moved to california. i wasnt in georgia but ny, but these types of thoughts flood the govt and its truly disturbing. obama laughing at the most brought up question in that one debate was the boiling point for me. im just a 24 year old disabled war vet trying to survive and get by. school? not really an option for me at this point. job?? i wish, but theres not many companies hiring disgruntled marine infantry at the moment. ill be damned if im gonna let the govt that sent me to the other side of the world to dodge rockets and watch friends die, arrest me for the only thing that helps. sure ive tried the countless meds the VA throws at you by the dozens but those simply turn you into a zombie. i would have been one of the people saying all the hateful comments towards this guy, but war doesnt decide whos right, just whos left and lets be honest norml bloggers, we wont win that war.
in our declaration of independence (which was ironically enough drafted on 100% hemp paper), Jefferson declared to the world the right to live free is self-evident and given by a power higher than the government, and it was the responsibility of the government to protect those freedoms.
according to this founding father, the govts only legitimate function is to protect our freedom. it exists only to prevent one person from intruding on the freedom of another.
our government itself now intrudes on peoples freedom and americans legitimately live in fear of our government every day.
Here is the letter I sent to Glen Richardson the house speaker over tommy benton. I am urging him to do an ethics investigation on that lunatic.
Dear Speaker Richardson, I am writing to you today to tell you about the most violent extreme thing I have heard from an elected official. Tommy Benton recently respondedto a few emails from supporters of Medical Cannabis by saying that he feels that cannabis users should be caned and dealers should be executed. I dont like to compare anyone to Hitler, but Benton is talking about torturing the disabled and sick.
My father is a medical Cannabis user in New Mexico. He is perscribed it as a natural side effect free medicine for his severe nerve damage and COPD. The very thought of him being dragged outside, tied to a post, and Whipped by a bamboo cane untill he bleeds and becomes even more disabled makes me sick.
I always thought that georgia was moving forward to shed the view of being a kkk state. Does this not sound like their tactics? Public whippings for using a plant that grows all over the world? Is he planning on lynchings for people caught with cannabis in their possesion? Think of all the kids and all of the tax paying voters who would be eliminated by his radical views.
Thereshould be an ethics investigation into this lunacy. To have a publicly elected official who is supposed to be in office representing the people of Georgia say things like this, and even have that point of view is unacceptable. I believe that he has lost touch with the public and no longer expresses the collective view of the people. It almost sounds like the beginings of an evil dictator. Please look into this as it is a matter of great concern to myself and many others that I talk too. I have been informing every one that I speak with( I do door to door sales and talk to a lot of people every day) and people are disgusted with this man. Impeachment is a word that keeps getting thrown around.
Not true #478. I’m one of those baby boomers that has always supported Legalization. You say get them out of office will work? Right! Next in line are the manipulated DARE generation.
It appears that many of you would like to “cane” Mr. Benton. This would only serve to bring you down to his level. Just by threatening this you become an oppressor of free speech. What you need to do is flood the Georgia governors office with E-Mail, letters, and phone calls demanding he be removed from his position. If he is an elected official vote him out at the first oppertunity. Simple realy.
I couldn’t help but fall out of my chair laughing after I read this. Who is this Rep. Benton? How on earth did he get so stupid? Who was stupid enough to make this Nazi a law maker?? I have no anger towards this man because for one the law is NEVER going to pass, and two he is clearly too dumb for his own good. I think he sometimes forgets what country he lives in. This is America and caning and execution just are not gonna fly here. Rep Benton you are a dumb ass. You need to go back to school and study the constitution. If you’re gonna make laws in this country you should know what your country stands for. Cruel and unusual punishment Mr. Benton… That is what you are suggesting. As an American law maker you sicken me. You are a disgrace to this nation and the people as well. Go hide in a hole and never come out again. You are a waste of space.
“smoking pot turns you into a raving violent psycho!” Hell, we can say that about all the threats to congressmen by people opposing health care reform via fax, phone, email, and town hall meetings. Health care reform turns opponents into raving violent psychos too! lol All b/c the same companies who stand to lose profits if it is passed, just like if MJ was made legal. Unfortunately, these are the same fools at the ballot boxes shaping our country into something WE don’t want it to be. I transferred my voter registration to my current county yesterday. Not only am I gonna vote like hell, I am not going to convict anybody of an mj offense if elected for jury duty unless violence is involved (and even then its debatable). A crime wasn’t committed if the defendant can’t be convicted!
497 gfunk, I agree with your post.
What I see is that we the people are going to have to repersent ourselves at some point.
Look at these town hall meeting. It didnt matter what political party you were, if you spoke out against,you were labled a nut job, extremist,faker.
They (our leaders) are going to force us to accept their laws,whether we want them or not.Just wait and see. Prohibition is no different,they will keep forcing this law down our throats.
We are NOT being repersented! We are being talked at and ignored! This is nothing new,has been happening for a long long time,just now, people are starting to see it. Those of us that do see this are being marginalized in order to silence our dissent.
How long til real justice is observed! How long til we force our will down their throats?!
When the people fear the government there is tyranny.
when the government fear the people there is freedom.
Which side of fear do you want to be on?
And the LORD said …. Let there be HEMP ! And it was good ! Peace to all !
# 459. first of all, you’re stupid. if you’ve ever used marijuana, you’d know that if anything, it makes you more inclined to be wary of ppl, not “loose your inhibitions” the drug that does that is called alcohol, which, i’d say your “grand daughter” was most likely swigging like a fiend. i don’t even believe the incident even happened at all. people like you pop up dropping fabricated stories like that to try to cause ppl to change their outlook on their own beliefs. if i were a betting man, i’d wager you’re probably associated with the same dumb fuck that called for the caning to begin with. however else would someone not in the legalization realm of influence even find their way to norml.org. not normal.com, or potsmokinhippiesrapewhitegirls.net. it’s that horrid fabrication that pot is associated with rape that allows some individuals stomp all over the God given rights of the rest of us. fuck you. fuck you grand daughter, and fuck off.
at 499… clearly its the boomers in office now and its not working. this “manipulated” Dare generation you speak of is a lot more intelligent than you would think. remember, we grew up with the internet at our disposal. even those dare kids that dont smoke, are a lot more tolerant of those that do, which is NOT what this “boomer” benton is all about.
499
You have the DARE GEN X generation all wrong.
Hate to break it to you but we were not brain washed.
It is the 30 something’s getting these MJ medical bills thru right now.
How old are the people talking about on TV and in documentaries 30’s.
There is millions of GEN x pot smokers the children of the baby boomers.
Law enforcement failed our generation and the MTV generation and generation Y.
Most of us have been smoking since we were 12.
If you didn’t smoke in high school then you just started shortly afterward.
Out of hundreds of people I know I can’t think of one that does not smoke.
They all come from different walks of life not just stoner circles. Everyday people that you would walk by in the mall and would never expect.
The MTV Generation 20 something’s under us are far worse with MJ to them it is nothing no big deal at all. They freely talk about it in public. roll blunts in store parking lots and stand in public circles passing it around
GEN x smokers have always kept quiet about it Out of fear.
Then we have Generation Y who love there MJ to when they put their cell phone down
It is the Greatest Generation and Silent Generation that we should fear Grandma and Grandpa
They were Brain washed
GEN x wants real change and not Just MJ most of us want a government for the people and not for profit.
Maybe we can make those changes
If you want to see the political values of Gen X here is a good link
http://forums.pearljam.com/viewforum.php?f=13&start=30
I think people should protest against this buffoon, by picketing in front of the Georgia State Government building where the 31st House District resides and make him know that the people of this country will not stand for this bullshit tyranny. Also, dont worry about him sicking the law enforcement pigs on you, last time I checked we still have freedom of speech in this country as long as there are no threats of bodily harm. As long as you peacefully protest in every way you can against this piece of shit, law enforcement can’t do a damn thing because you are acting within the law. This guy thinks he has all this tyrannical power, well let us strip the power from him and humiliate him to make him look like the thug that he really is.
First Kirk and now Benton. Maybe the legalization movement really is becoming a voter block threat. Some of this could be deliberate in order to try to break up NORML. We know from Russ that mainstream media will put shows on all day long about pot as long as it is for a laugh and profit, and no serious talk. So NORML is the main avenue for this movement. We know NORML now has a legal challenge over President Barry’s (I refuse to call him by any name but the one a writer referred to if he had been busted for smoking pot, as long as he allows the same to happen to others that didn’t have his luck) “Yes we Cannibus” poster. Now maybe they are hoping NORML will incite violence or something. Like Russ says, don’t give them their chance. Way to go Russ.
And remember what Ghandi said, “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”
marijuana prohibition is racist. simple fact.
it in illegal because the “blacks and mexicans were using it” according to Anslinger
lea,
as a product of the DARE generation, i can say that it has had no impact on the opinions of the people it was meant to influence. All the dare program did was show us how to use drugs. no kid had ever heard of sniffing paint until McGruff the Crime Dog showed us how. The Baby boomer generation were the ones shoving the shit down our throats. All i will say is that a higher % of my generation supports this cause than the people that came before us. They have had their chance to change the world. If you truly support the cause, go out and ask 100 people from your age group their feelings on the matter, a buck says you’ll get a more positive response if you do the same poll with people under the age of 40.
@ 440, NeuroGenesis1:29
I know that Arabia, (and Islamic countries in general), are very strict, draconian about forbidden plant-components and various medications…
How much of this is true??? And to what severity???
If you are non-Muslim (Christian, or any other minority religion) you are NOT allowed to go specific places.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Christian_Bypass.jpg
See this second link for a screen shot of a Saudi website with mention of “alcoholic beverages, pork and pork products, prohibited drugs and narcotics, …”
Then search the page for “drug” and you’ll find more quotes and links.
http://www.middle-east-info.org/league/saudi/saudi.htm
Is this the wonderful life-style Mr. Cane-the-Cannabis-User wistfully wishes for?
These corrupt politicians will continue to push around the public to fufill their own personal adgendas. They have infested our political infastructure like lice. Parasites……….. plane and simple. One person says No you cant and millions are suppose to mindlessly obey no questions asked. They say one thing and get into office and do another. If I am every jailed or charged with a so called crime like this BS and it heavly impacts my life or ruins it. Then I will repay the favor for me and each citizen who has been affected.
That sounds a lot like what the communists did to people who smoked opium in china, last time i checked we lived in the land of the free and I don’t think our parents and grand parents lived through more then 40 years of terror worried about the communist threat just so our own government can do the same things they did but say its for the good of the people, it seems that the good representative has forgotten that he needs us not the other way around.
LISTEN UP PEOPLE ANY PERSON IN POWER AT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL THAT SAYS SOMETHING LIKE THIS MUST BE THROWN OUT OF OFFICE. THIS IS VERY UNJUST AND PLAIN WRONG. WE MUST START A PETITION TO HAVE BENTON THROWN OUT OF OFFICE AND INTO A JAIL. HE WANTS TO EXECUTE PEACEFUL PEOPLE HE IS GOING TO WISH HE NEVER SAID THAT. ILL GIVE HIM LESS THAN 6 MONTHS HE WILL BE CLEANING TOILETS FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE. THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES SHOULD NOT GIVE UP ON IMPEACHING TOMMY BENTON. THERES NO WAY OUT OF THIS FOR YOU BENTON YOU ARE GOING TO WISH YOU HAD NEVER SPOKE. THIS IS OUR CHANCE AMERICA COME TOGETHER AS ONE AND LET YOUR VOICES BE HEARD WE MUST LEGALIZE NOW BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE AND IT’S GETTING TO THAT POINT AGAIN………IT’S NOW OR NEVER…….STOP SITTING AROUND ALL DAY SITTING DOING NOTHING WISHING YOU HAD…..GUESS WHAT STAND UP GET YOUR VOICE OUT THERE GET HEARD……..
TO 475 ZACHARY
BRO HATE TO BREAK IT TO YA THEY DO NOT GIVE A SHIT ABOUT MONEY ALL THE FEDS CARE ABOUT IS THEIR POWER MONEY DON’T MEAN SHIT WHEN YOU GET TO PRINT IT. ALL MONEY IS USED FOR IS ENSLAVING A WHOLE WORLD OF PEOPLE…….THEY DON’T NEED THE TAX OFF MARIJUANA THEY JUST LIKE SEEING PEOPLE SUFFER AND IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE THAT I GUESS YOU CAN ALWAYS GO BACK TO BELIEVING THEM, I MEAN ARENT YOU LOVING THIS PLANNED ECONOMIC BREAKDOWN 2……. WE R SLAVES AND SLAVES CAN ONLY TAKE SOOOOOOOO MUCH…………LEGALIZE TRY 2 SURVIVE (REMEMBER THEY WILL NEVER PASS A BILL THROUGH WASHINGTON LEGALIZING THIS IT WILL NEVER EVER HAPPEN SPEAK TO YOUR STATE REPS AT LEAST YOU MIGHT BE IN A POSITION LIKE CALIFORNIA)
Russ responds: How about simply using the freedoms we still have to protest and vote the guy out of office instead?
—another just takes his place.
Russ responds: No! No home numbers!
—the pigs don’t arrest pot smokers at home?
Russ responds: no $ from Soros/Lewis
—well why not?
Russ responds: Our Founders and their forebears responded to far worse affronts with peaceful negotiations with the British Crown. Only when it was clear they had no reasonable and peaceful way to resolve their differences did they pledge their lives and their sacred honor to a violent revolution against the King.
—they have declared war on us. in war, the object is to distroy / kill the enemy. they are trying to distroy us, and you seem to want to have a discussion with them, as if they were being reasonable.
Russ responds: Again, what’s with the homophobia?
—it is part of the republican platform that they hate gays. that is why it is so very, very funny every time they get caught with a penis inside them. it is about irony and hipocracy, not about homophobia.
Russ responds: There’s the Hitler thing again.
—hitler hid his own faults and rose to power by demonizing a portion of his population, he said tell a big lie, it is more believeable, he said repeat it enough times, and it will convince, classic drug war strategy. need more?
—in “the emperor wears no clothes” reagan’s prohibition policies are compared to some of hitler’s policies. check it yourself. (pg.193, 9th printing, 1993/94 edition)
hitler’s methods have certainly been recycled.
—oh, and a false-flag attack to get unconstitutional “emergency powers” passed, why does that seem so familiar?
re; vote the guy out of office
you can’t just “vote the guy out of office” , another prohibitionist just takes his place, Dem. or Rep.
you have to find someone GOOD and vote them IN.
ONLY the green and libertarian parties have FULL ADULT RECREATIONAL USE on their platform, boldly, brazenly, proudly, with NO SHAME OR APOLOGY, and have for years.
they are on the ballot in all 50 states.
you know the rep.s are against, the dems talk or hint about it during the campaign, then nothing.
if obama wants to get re-elected, and wants to legalize, he is losing at least one million votes per year, every year he waits. (800,000 arrested + family/friends)
the sooner he legalizes, the sooner the benifits kick in, the better his chances for re-election. he could just issue an executive order, based on nixon’s schaffer report. why wait?
because he is not going to do it, ever, and expects us to believe he will in his second term. (dangling a carrot we never seem to reach, it is B.S.)
the rep.s are down to 25 % of the regestered voters.
it is time for them to besome a “third party”.
how about a poll; which way should we vote in the next election, green or libertarian? then all vote together as a BLOCK.
I grew up in Singapore, for him to say there is
no drug problem there is a complete lie even the government whom hides most reports still has a report
on drug use. The only difference it makes is that drugs
that are easier to be snuck around are more in use by the
public Heroin, Ketamine, Crystal meth and MDMA are even more widely used in Singapore compared to a drug less
harmful than the legal drugs alcohol and tobacco. Dont be mad just make sure this guy has his facts right and knows
actually what is going on in the world outside of Georgia people that have grown old must realise people can find out these things now and know the truth about substances and facts.
hahahahaha just go to his site and watch his
interview and laugh haha he is not a factor of
the future he is in the dieing age of the past
maybe him and his family should just stay in that lil
Georgia county and leave good people alone and stick
to the lies he believes because look at the sheep
he believes everything that is told to him
This will take an extended (20 min) amount of time. But you will learn about what I call Orwell’s Boot. And you will learn why most legislators are psychopaths.
I hope to start a discussion on the true nature of the problem, and it is not some conspiracy. It is us. — At least I think that it is.
Orwell’s Boot: our inevitable? descent into tyranny
>From the book 1984
“If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face – forever.”
To paraphrase Sun Tzu: If you do not know the nature of the problem you are dead meat. Please go here,
**http://factotum666.livejournal.com/829.html#cutid1**
read and comment. I would like to start a discussion among people who agree that we do not know why more people do not want freedom, and how we may address the problem of growing government and eroding freedoms.
Here are some ideas to remember.
If (an agency of) the government can tell you what drugs not to take, it can tell what drugs you must take.
If (an agency of) the government can tell you when and where to pray, it can prohibit you from praying
If (an agency of) the government can tell you you can not have an abortion, then it can tell you that you must have an abortion.
If (an agency of) the government can tell you who you can not marry, it can tell you who you must marry.
If (an agency of) the government can tell you who you can not have sex with, then it can tell you who you must have sex with.
All of these agencies consume our resources, and produce nothing useful.
http://factotum666.livejournal.com/829.html#cutid1
Has this asshole ever even read the Constitution? Pull a cane on me and I’ll show you some shit! Thats not the weed either, thats the LEGAL alchohol talking.!
How soon it appears you forget, or have some of you just not done the math? The Woodstock generation are the “Grandmas, and Grandpas” now. Nobody to date has put on a bigger demonstration of the good cannabis can do.
#459 the use of cannabis had nothing to do with the rape of your grandaughter. The pig who did this was intent on rape from the begining. Cannabis will not make you able to committ an act of violence such as this. I have to ask, was this a go to jail crime? Was it statutory rape? Was it consensual sex, and you’re just offended because he saduced your grandaughter, and you are calling it rape because your angry? Your statement leaves too many questions unanswered to give a clear statement on what happened.
Rep. Benton doing this, will not only piss off half of the country (although it’s already getting to be like that). It will also do nothing to stop people from smoking. People will never stop, and having these laws passed will just make it more dangerous for the consumer to get it from the dealer, and the dealer to get it from the supplier; not even mentioning the cops. Riots will take place in cities all over, more violence will take place, and this man will be frowned upon by the entire country. Smooth move Rep. Benton…
yeah does the term cruel and unusual punishment come to mind. it should its part of our constitution. good luck geting past that…..morons
Here I thought that my time in the military defended a great nation, and then some sycophantic curr believes that martial justice should be doled out like snow cones to the kiddies. Perhaps there should be an IRS tax audit of this “representative’s” finances. Perhaps we apply his smae justice to violations of the public’s trust. If its a record keeping mistake, he gets a caning, but if its a fraud then they get the death penalty.
Is not a criminal violation of the public’s trust just as large an infraction as pot possession/distribution in this, obviously deluded, man’s world? How can this person still be in office after advocating the violation of civil rights AND MURDER? I simply do not understand how this isn’t an impeachable offense. I feel great shame that any American, much less an elected rep., could openly condone such actions and remain seated.
Norml I got a question for you about the respond you gave 387 Atlanta Toker.
“you’ll likely keep watching MPP/DPA representatives on the TV representing your interests. Or, are they really representing cannabis consumers, or serving their funders’ needs and wants? Grasstops or grassroots? Only history will be able to inform which reform model provides the most and enduring personal liberties.”
What do mean by this? are you guys competing against each other in trying to be the one to legalize MJ? If there is a couple of organization that out there fighting for this, then why CAN’T WE ALL GET TOGETHER AND FORM ONE BIG ORGANIZATION! I bet if we all get together and form our money together we will be able to move alot faster. You guys can work faster if you just get together. Dont you think?
[Editor’s note: “CAN’T WE ALL GET TOGETHER AND FORM ONE BIG ORGANIZATION” No.]
Other men’s sins are before our eyes; our own are behind our backs. – Seneca
Frequent punishments are always a sign of weakness or laziness on the part of a government. –
Jean Jacques Rousseau
What an uneducated asshole. Seriously, we all have our opinions but he is taking it to the next level. Ridiculous!
NeuroGenesis1:29
R.o.E.
RickSeymore/Tennessee Activest
Can you believe the response to this repsonse.
I’ve got down time.
don’t know if he meant it as hyperbole or if the dude is batshit crazy and really thinks singapore doesn’t have a drug problem and in any case an american politician who idealizes singapore as an example of how America should be run is nuts anyway you look at it I mean if we are going to cane people we might as well bring back slavery so they could cane them dirty niggers and mexicans out in the fields too
but you people need to chill seriously acting like rabid lunatics certainly doesn’t help anything here it makes the holy herb look bad and you all look like big idiots and I’m ashamed if those making these threats claim to be smokers because they do not represent the plant of peace I know
#513 Sorry to Say Says:
August 16th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
@ 440, NeuroGenesis1:29
…Is this the wonderful life-style Mr. Cane-the-Cannabis-User wistfully wishes for?
RE: #513, Sorry To Say,
– Thank you for researching this,
(I ask alot of rhetorical-questions,
already knowing the answers, prior to asking them…).
– This only CONFIRMS my worst suspicions…
(Four years incarceration, is the sentence there,
for even the tiniest-amounts of pot…!!!).
– What a MISERABLE, HORRIBLE PLACE!!!
(Even for Arabians, especially for certain
LESSER-RECOGNIZED Muslim-sects,
especially for
NON-male
Arabians…)
😯
😥
See UAE’s / Saudi’s listings at:
Legality of cannabis by country
and
Legality of Cannabis,
Capitol punishment against the cannabis trade:
Arabia,
(and much of the Middle-East),
is in an area called the
10-40 Window:
(The 10/40 Window is an area of the world that
contains the largest population of non-Christians in the world.
The area extends from 10 degrees to 40 degrees
North of the equator, and stretches from North Africa across to China.)
http://www.1040window.org
(BTW: Singapore’s on the southeast-edge of the 10-40…)
– How can Tommy Benton even call himself a “Christian”
yet aspire to emulate the most repressive laws and penalties
of places HOSTILE-TO the “god” he CLAIMS to serve?!?!?
🙄
See also…NEWS STORY:
12 Years For Saudi Student
Having Cannabis
Kimiko Dreamgirl your breaking my heart!
Why would you say the very same thing Tommy is saying. I agree we need to take the high ground on this issue. Tommy can say what he’s wants and shame on the people who voted him in but this is their right! Use logic and the pen. I am a member of NORML and I will defend your right to enjoy pot. But where do our rights come from? Whats the deference between a right and a privilege? Do our “Rights” come from the Bill of Rights? Are they given to us by God or Government. Alot of people on this sight go on about the Founding Fathers and our “Rights”. But do you know without the 2nd amendment the Bill or Rights is nothing more the a bill of privileges. I want a world without hate and violence, but until then I want all my Rights not just the ones you think I can handle. I’m THE NORML and THE NRA. Dreamgirl and Tommy B. Don’t tread on me. I vote and I will not let people hurt this country if they seek public office. And I will defend Dreamgirl and anyone else from violents if I can anyway I can. STUDY BEFORE YOU OPEN YOUR MOUTH because you just sound stupid.
Addendum to my previous-post,
(i.e. RE: #513):
– If places like Saudi Arabia are antithetical to
traditionally-American ways of freedom, and we’ve been
importing oil from these areas, (id est, OPEC countries),
shouldn’t we become INDEPENDENT
of their OIL SUPPLIES???
HINT:
– There’s a special, very-efficient, self-replicating, “device”
that produces OIL from SUNLIGHT,
(who’d’ve thunkof THIS?!?!?),
that our country COULD
be UTILIZING….
EXCEPT, our so-called “leaders” are too God-damned stupid!!!
(I’m referring to W.H. speaker Robert Gibbs, among others…).
– It appears that, (LONG AGO), we’ve already
IMPORTED their, (the Middle-East’s), repressive-attitudes
about certain plants, though not to the
same degree as them…
– However, it looks like Tommy Benton has
ambitions to catch up with that part of the world in this respect…)
😯
Addendum to my previous-post,
(i.e. POST NUMBER 534
RE to #513):
– If places like Saudi Arabia are antithetical to
traditionally-American ways of freedom, and we’ve been
importing oil from these areas, (id est, OPEC countries),
shouldn’t we become INDEPENDENT
of their OIL SUPPLIES???
HINT:
– There’s a special, very-efficient, self-replicating, “device”
that produces OIL from SUNLIGHT,
(who’d’ve thunkof THIS?!?!?),
that our country COULD
be UTILIZING….
EXCEPT, our so-called “leaders” are too God-damned stupid!!!
(I’m referring to W.H. speaker Robert Gibbs, among others…).
– It appears that, (LONG AGO), we’ve already
IMPORTED their, (the Middle-East’s), repressive-attitudes
about certain plants, though not to the
same degree as them…
– However, it looks like Tommy Benton has
ambitions to catch up with that part of the world in this respect…)
😯
So how does a person like that become a lawmaker if they care not for the public well-being but only to satisfy lies they have been fed by a government, even though, they have been proven wrong? Another reason I will NEVER live in the Bible thumping state of Georgia, everything about that state is corrupt.
Tonight on FOX…
(What I’m watching right now…):
Two favorite topics-of-discussion, contained
within a crime-drama program
(examples of…):
– Deadly, man-made pharma-pseudocal,
– Excessively-punitive policies against a
God-Given spice-plant.
LIE TO ME:
“The Best Policy”
Repeat, 3/18/2009, Reality
Lightman is hired to find a corporate spy at a
pharmaceutical company and uncovers a high-level
conspiracy involving a dangerous new drug;
(Prioxx™ )
the team assists in negotiations for the release
of two Americans held captive in Yemen.
(Who happened to have an oz. of weed on them,
therefore, are facing charges for “trafficking”,
even though the pot was obviously for personal-use only…)
Credits:
Tim Roth, Kelli Williams, Brendan Hines,
Monica Raymund, Alexa Fischer
this guy is a motherfuckin terrorist and should be treated like one.
Definitions (2) the term “terrorism” means premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents;
The United States has defined terrorism under the Federal criminal code. 18 U.S.C. §2331[25] defines terrorism as:
…activities that involve violent… or life-threatening acts… that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State and… appear to be intended (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping….”
re: 465!
Hell Yeah, sick of it all!
I agree totally with your statement.
CFJ,
The reason the numbers turn out the way they do is just because of the reasons he stated. when u got a blunt stuck beind your dumb ear and are walking around with ur pants at your knees down the street. or laid back driving your car from the backseat, damn right the cops are gonna check you out. I used to have to bitch non-stop at my friends who lived above me (who were black) because their dumbass friends wouldnt stop smoking outside on the steps at our apt building in college. Does that make me racist, no, i would have went to war along side those guys in a heartbeat, but i just couldnt ever get the to smoke inside.
also,
take the flower out from behind your ear, put down the harp, stop holding hands with the person next to you in that circle. If most of the grass smokers in this country didn’t spend the other half of their time trying to say the 2nd amendment doesnt exist and got a little fire under their ass, this movement might get pushed along a little faster. get mad about it. The reason its still illegal is because America hates hippies and hippies made this plant their sidekick and ruined it for everyone else. Yes its true that racisim was behind it from the start, mexicans, blacks, and now hippies. The present day root problem, Dick Nixon, gave Elvis a freakin special enforcement badge to combat drug use. Do you think that was given to him because Elvis didnt do drugs……….? no, its because Elvis wasnt a hippie…Go to a baseball game, play some tackle football in the yard this weekend, go to the range and shoot the hell outta some guns. America loves a winner and hates a pussy, sadly at this point in our lives, pot is associated with people who see how many holes they can punch thru their face and how much shit they can hang from them. and if thats what gets you off, fine, no problems with it, but dont expect the rest of the country to welcome your ways so easily. We are almost their because its getting more acceptable to smoke, but our parents and grandparents (the people still running the show) still associate this plant with the kind of people i have stated above.
Thank you Joseph “Ironman” Siler #525: “How soon it appears you forget, or have some of you just not done the math? The Woodstock generation are the “Grandmas, and Grandpas” now. Nobody to date has put on a bigger demonstration of the good cannabis can do”.
gfunk #506, #508 steve, and #512 tired as hell: Then please finish the job and make Prohibition a thing of the past. (and I mean no disrespect towards you).
And it’s MOSTLY the people who are in their 70’s, 80’s and 90’s that created the biggest problems we now face.
Peace my fellow MJ supporter’s.
I would also like to take back my official comment (like in comment #422) and I also agree with comment #533 the 2nd part of it. My emotions got the best of me here, however, Benton is a real jerk because he can’t see that Marijuana is harmless! If he wants to cane people just because of marijuana use, then he might as well cane people for drinking alcohol, smoking tobacco, etc. He is insensitive and uneducated about marijuana smokers. I don’t see how this guy even got voted into office, this is an outrage! I hope this guy gets voted out ASAP! How the hell has pot heads hurt this guy, I don’t understand it, this guy is just a fucking bastard just for making threats against people that haven’t done a god damn thing to him! Threatening citizens over smoking a natural plant is just extremely unethical. So Benton, here’s to you, EPIC FAIL!!!!
Condolences to my brethren in America. It’s a damn shame that you guys have assholes like that in office. My advice is to come visit your friendly neighbors to the north, we’ve got great weed and slack pot laws. 😀
-ONE LOVE
OK Tommy,
How about this: we will consider caning all pot smokers and killing all pot dealers when you consider caning all politicians who are banging someone they are not married to and killing all politicians who lead us into unjust wars and bankrupcy, like your buddy, the chimpanzee GWB, whom you supported BLINDLY in spite of the fact that there is videotape of GWB purchasing cocaine from Manuel Noriega, resulting in the arrest of Noriega while Osama Bin Laden runs free?
Hey Tommy, where there is a will, there is a way.
I say again “REVOLUTION”! But let’s at least try and keep it a peaceful one. It may not be possable but at least we can try. I like the idea of jury nulification. If you get jury duty, never convict anyone for cannabis. It’s your right.I think we have more power in this way than any other next to your vote.And we know we can vote for someone who we think is for us and they do the opposite, sound familier?
Keep up the good fight folks.
529 Vladimir M. Ortega I sometimes wonder about things I’ve heard about NORML and these orginizations not wanting it legal. Why? Because their funding would dry up. The same reason that rheres no incintive for drug companies to find a cure when its more profitable to treat the symptom. If we had a resourse base economy instead of a money based one (check out the venusproject.com for info on that) we wouldn’t have this issue.
I don’t know. About their true motives, but I think their honorable. Sure there may be some people in these orginizations who may have alterior motives but I would think that is rare.
I’m 50 and always thought when my generation got in power it would end prohibition, now I’m not so sure I’ll live to see it, but the REVOLUTION will prevail. Just don’t give up. Freedom has a cost, are you willing to pay it?
“Find the cost of freedom
burried in the ground.
Mother Earth will coveer you
lay your body down.” – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.
459 is probably a troll. But even if every word she said are true the “rape” had nothing to do with cannabis. It’s like saying he offered her candy then raped her so candy should be illegal.
maybe Benton should go to the pres.Oboma and tell him
*over a beer of corse* that he thinks that beating people with a cane is a good way to make them mind.
First of all i’d like to say its sad a person who was elected by the people can be so hateful to another human for simply voicing their concern. The world never changes i guess. Not long ago our government punished those who were thought to be witches. It was a very sad to hear the fate of those individuals who lost their lives over something they did nothing wrong. Right now im a little shaky over what I just read. I cannot believe a government official would even bring up physically harming another person when in general most marijuana users are non violent. Ive never harmed any person in my life. I constantly remind my son that a bigger man does not use his fists he uses his words. A man who raises his fist when self defense or protection of another person is not a factor is a coward and not a man. We live in the 2000s americans have often learned violence is not the answer. It saddens me a government offical would rather see people violently punished regardless if they are violent or not. Such a sad day to see people in our government would rather resort to violence still rather than simply talking to his brother or sister even if he doesnt quite agree. We as the human race have always had conflict like this. If it wasnt for people like us we would be forced into thinking the world was flat and witches are why bad things happen. The problem i see is we are scared to confront our peers for fear of our freedom. We need to stand up and FIGHT for what we believe in. I would go to jail RIGHT NOW if they drafted me.. I would ALSO GO TO JAIL over pot and I dont feel bad admitting it because I am a great father, a great friend, a great husband, and most of all a great human being.I’m a good person i even hold open doors for every person who is behind me.(Im not over exagurating that either it is EVERY PERSON ive held doors open for even a half hour. Im always last to go in anywhere. If i see a fellow american stranded I always help if im able to. The other day a lady was stranded in an intersection blocking 2 lanes with her kids because she ran out of gas. Most americans would not help even if its a female with her 2 kids.I know the government official in georgia would have never stopped to help get that family to safty.
If you smoke it and believe in what we all believe in here WE NEED TO STAND UP..DONT BE COWARDS or they will continue to pick us off one by one. We are Americans we stand tall we are respectable and our government NEEDS TO HEAR IT. If we continue to let our brothers and sisters become prisoners of war and we do not have their back and speak up we will fail. We showed our previous government we deserve freedom please do not allow the united states to continue down this path. Punish those who are violent and those who should be rightfully punished but honest hard working non violent Americans is what we need more of in this country. We dont need more good americans ruined by our government. We need to all come together and lend our americans, your brothers,and your sisters our hands. America is about freedom let freedom ring!I’ll go to jail for what i believe in. Ive seen legal things the government approves of ruin lives. My wife was an alcoholic. She was constantly violent i have had so many things broken. I’m thankful she is no longer drinking and ever since then we have not had 1 fight. That was over a year and a half ago. My dad, my step uncle are currently alcoholics. It hurts me everyday to see them like that. My step dad is a recovering alcoholic. I fortunately do not drink, I have in the past but I don’t like the effects it has on my body and I don’t like not knowing what happened the night before.
We Americans need to unclench our fists and lend a hand to our fellow brothers and sisters. We should not hate things we fully do not understand. We should move forward as a country, a family and focus on America the land of the free. Let us show the world differences can unite and continue the path of our founding fathers because we need to show the world our government and our people care about what the united states means….Freedom…We care for so many other countries where violence is first nature yet we are blindsided in our own country. Americans have made a big impact in the world its time to show the world we are united and united we all stand. Millions of americans suffer because of the marijuana law. Millions of americans do not deserve to be in trouble over that. You cannot allow yourself to believe millions of people should be punished. They are your family. Stop all this hate towards another and show them we all have a heart and soul. I do not hate the government official for his remarks. I would honestly still hold the door open proud for him, I would honestly stop and assist him and his family if they were stranded or were in need of it. He is different than I, we both have different views but he is my brother, he is an american and I would lend my hand to him any day of the week day or night. I would die for his family as his family did for me so many years ago. I believe there is good person inside hopefully one day he realizes this and lends a hand to an american in need.
……………BEWARE ………………….
This is one sick , twisted person .
I guess that is another reason why is taking forever to legalize it. Organizations are not willing to get together to organize a bigger organization. What makes you think ppl will follow like that? If everybody selflishly wants to be the one to legalize marijuana and have their name in history, instead doing it as a team, TOGETHER. I hope you guys know that as a team we can move a lot faster and smarter…but what do I know right? Dont get me wrong I would always be for legalizing, I just want to show you a bigger picture. As you know BIGGER ORGANIZATIONS, CORPORATIONS ECT. moves a lot faster.
I will be writing an article on Tommy Benton. I sent him an email with a lot of questions. If he responds I will post the answers on nicksinternet.com
WOW this is amazing! So many posts! This guy has no idea how his stupid remarks could have been bad for him. People are outraged Mr. Benton.
People Please. Dont threaten this guy. It will only make us look bad. Thats what he and others like him want. Be outraged..but…let cooler heads prevail.
#533 meh Says:
August 17th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
…but you people need to chill seriously
acting like rabid lunatics certainly doesn’t
help anything here it makes the holy herb
look bad and you all look like big idiots and I’m
ashamed if those making these threats claim to
be smokers because they do not represent the plant of peace I know.
RE: meh,
– Though I have not been making any threats against
Bufoon Benton, (not that he isn’t deserving of such…),
– I do agree that we do need to chill…HOWEVER….
for some of us, unfortunately, that isn’t possible.
– The Holy Herb cannot be blamed for the
extreme rancour any more than water can
be blamed for causing dehydration…
– Perhaps, like Lea expressed in their letter to
the Georgia rep, perhaps we, I, should, at least, initially,
give him the “benefit of the doubt”;
– Perhaps,
he is unaware of the history and negative side-effects
of MJ Prohibition ITSELF; Perhaps he’s ignorant of the contrasts
and differences between cannabis and hard-drugs, (including alcohol…).
– Perhaps he is angry / p.o.’d at truly-criminal, low-life, shady, scumbags
who just happen to deal in pot because they’re a criminal, and wouldn’t even be
involved in such if it weren’t an artificially-overpriced, lucrative, outlawed-herb.
(These types of persons are a product of Prohibition II,
not of cannabis, per-se…, and would, (counter-intuitively),
diminish in number, under a system of legal, regulated herb-sales)
– Then again…What if Tommy Benton is not ignorant / unaware,
but conciously-complicit in keeping things “as they are”,
a corrupt-player in the drug-war system???
– What are his true-motives for maintaining, escalating and
continuing prohibition against a plant-compound less-deleterious
than alcohol??? What does he have to gain???
How many fingers does he have in the drug-war “pie”???
– If this is the case, let come what may to him,
preferably at the hands of enraged drunks, or better yet,
IRONICALLY, by those who are “straight-edged” / “drug-free”.
#532 BEHIND THE GREEN DOOR Says:
August 17th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
NeuroGenesis1:29
R.o.E.
RickSeymore/Tennessee Activest
Can you believe the response to this repsonse.
I’ve got down time.
RE: What are you referring to exactly?
(Something to do with California, or
something to do with NORML-Blog “downtime”???)
Facts- pot is not addictive. Alcohol, which is so legal, causes more pain and destruction than any amount of pot will. Not to mention its proven positive effects on cancer, aids, glaucoma and other serious illnesses. I have tried to find a reason why it is meeting with such bad press. Its seems it comes from the people who think of pot smokers as dirty, lazy hippies who just want to get high. I have HIV and smoking pot virtually eliminates the bad side effects of all the drugs and helps me maintain a tenuous weight. I am going to court in Aug. for possession of less than 1/3 of an ounce found in my car, i wasnt smoking while driving, i was feling rally nautious and went to a friends to get a little and got popped on my way home. This is my first offense, second offense gets more of a sentence than morpheine and cocaine. It makes no sense and i am living in fear that ill be jailed along with the overr 800K people in the country for an offense that helps me have a somewhat tolerable existence. Things have to change. I dont drink , but if i wanted to, icould go buy liquour and get all fucked up and thats ok, but to relax and use it for my disease, i could very well go to jail on a very serious drug offense. Yrs ago, i tried to move to Amsterdam but was tied down with red tape. its 2009 for gods sake.. wake up. The same people who are so irrevent about pot, regularly get drunk and sloppy and aggressive. Its like we are living in a alternate universe. And caning? Who is this guy? How did he get elected? Please NORML, keep up the fight.
Your right we should allow these idiots to continue to put us in jail and take our slavery like a man…..NOT
Every time I leave one more comment on this most excellent thread I swear to myself that it’s the last comment. Heavy sigh … here I go again.
#557 – NeuroGenesis1:29: Thanks for the compliment, as that’s the way I see it. When I started to read all the “threats” directed at T.Benton (gag-me-with-a-shovel) I thought about it and decided to write to him to try and level out the emails he was getting. I didn’t want to write to him, but I did it anyway as I do hope most who read NORML did.
This has been an incredible thread and I’d actually like to say Thanks T. Benton you scum bag for reminding us what all the Prohibitionists hold dear to their heart. And that would be to continue to ignore nearly half the Law Abiding Citizens in the U.S.A. who now support Decriminalization and Legalization of Marijuana.
Peace my fellow MJ supporters. Love to all of you. Be Safe, please.
In my personal opinion, I think this guy is fucked..Marijuana should be lagalized; not only is it safe, it would help our economy. The Marijuana plant has many other uses besides being smoked. Furthermore, I think its appalling and disgusting how twisted our government and its officials have become. In a perfect world, marijuana would be legalized…and assholes like Mr. Benton would be shoveling our…….. 🙂 LEGALIZE IT!
So, Mr. Benton, when’s the last time cannabis use (not to be confused with the war on cannabis) caused someone to get killed in Georgia? How many people has alcohol abuse killed in Georgia lately? Why don’t you give up your bigotry against marijuana users and focus your crime fighting on dead serious problems like that killer drug alcohol?
No red blooded American is going to give up their cannabis use because they are ordered to use alcohol if they want to get high. Americans don’t take orders, they debate and discuss, and demand fairness.
No need for any threats, that is stupid and self-indulgent, but if he or someone he loved were to be maimed or killed by a drunk driver like so many people are, it might help this sick puppy to understand what is at stake.
Everybody leaving their complaints on here doesnt do any good. Tommy benton and his boss speaker richardson probably wont be reading these. If you want to make your voice heard simply shoot them an email. you dont have to live in georgia. just send them emails letting them know how benton needs to be removed from office by the government or removed by votes this fall. there are links to contact them on this webpage. also, email cnn, fox news, cnbc, all those. enough people demand action and someone will listen. Take the 10 minutes and send the emails. Its easy and it will surely more of an impact than complaining to eathother.
You are quite Roofer, preaching to the chior doesn’t help at all.
549 John I hear you and I hope that is not their true motives to do this. An you know I think the pharma industry should be a non-profit org, cause all they really care is about making money, you know WTF, It should not be that way! An you know I also to though your generation will be the one to take care of this problem after all you guys are from 60’s an 70’s and by now you guys should be in office?
An just to let you know, I will never give this fight up. I will be standing next to NORML, MPP, DPA, and all those other organizations for when the times comes weather is peaceful or in war. I will be there. By the way Im only 22 and a POTHEAD FOR LIF3…….
Thats just funny. I can’t help but laugh at the pathetic guy that comes up with this kind of bull. I almost feel sorry for him, thinks Americans are just going to let that kind of shit happen here.
Hey Dear Deeply Disturbed ,
Take a break .
Send an e- mail to the ” no bullshit Tommy Benton ” , esteemed govt. rep and convey your concerns .
NeuroGenesis
Downtime: Moving and computer crashed. Be back soon
NeuroGenesis
R.O.E.
Rick Seymore
rsvpmanfordmantis@earthlink.net
overcoming much crap. Talk to you soon
#564
Why don’t you get “deeply disturbed over the almost one million young, poor, mainly people of color that have their lives destroyed every year???? Rather than posting your little statement ever 10 post??? Or if your a racist and don’t care if we continue to destroy and enslave our fellow Americans. At least look at the issue of wasting almost 100 billion of our money they use ever year. To allow them to shove their right wing, unpopular, fanatical ideas down our throat.
Or if you wish I can send you stories of people while in their own home have been killed. By drug task forces upholding prohibition laws.
How about losing our rights one by one. A cop can now search your car if you are wearing after shave. Its called probable cause and after shave is considered a masking agent. So if you wear after shave and a cop stops you he can search your car because you are covering the fact you smoke cannabis??? And heaven forbid you give the cop a hard time and his quota is not met. He may plant cannabis on you to insure he has a job.
Or how about the judges convicted for accepting millions in bribes for insuring a for profit jail stays full!!!
I would have to think hard. If caught for growing one cannabis plant in GA you get 5 years in jail mandatory and are labeled a “Drug Dealer”. Maybe caning would be better! Wait no you would be a dealer for growing one plant so per this guy you should be KILLED!!
I here the for profit jails love old hippies they are passive and easy to keep in a cage. At the rate of 45K a year per head they make billions warehousing old hippies..They also share the profits with or lawmakers!! Am I the only on that can see the connection???
I do not advocate violence or will I become violent unless assaulted first. Unlike the laws used against us. But I will respect the right of some to go off on these ass holes. Perhaps they were pressed into slavery using these laws. Maybe they had to serve hard time for making a personal choice, that harmed no one. If that were the case they have a right to ask for an eye for an eye.
I say it is time to end this slavery and selling of our representation to the highest bidder. No one seems to be looking at the personal suffering caused by our leaders/lawmakers….
CFHJ
I just got a call asking me to be state representative for American Cannabis a grass roots group. Anything I can do to end slaver in the 21st Century…
I hope this site will help in our fight to restore our rights and country to us not greedy corporations…
Here is the website more to come….
http://americancannabis.org/
CFHJ
Norml what happened to that national advertisement? you should air it for the representative benton’s area hell i like to see it on my tv what happened to that norml?I was hoping to see that commercial would have made some people see
#576; I saw it on Fox, during the Glenn Beck show.
They cling to their guns and their bibles, and to their caning and executing.
Mankind’s only hope is genetic engineering. When people as screwed up in the head as Tommy Benton can make it into public office, it certainly sheds light on just how screwed up the human race really is. This guy should be stripped of his U.S. citizenship and sent to some third world shit hole where they actually have the kind of law he is suggesting.
#577
Why don’t you get “deeply disturbed over the almost one million young, poor, mainly people of color that have their lives destroyed every year???? Rather than posting your little statement ever 10 post??? Or if your a racist and don’t care if we continue to destroy and enslave our fellow Americans. At least look at the issue of wasting almost 100 billion of our money they use ever year. To allow them to shove their right wing, unpopular, fanatical ideas down our throat.
Or if you wish I can send you stories of people while in their own home have been killed. By drug task forces upholding prohibition laws.
How about losing our rights one by one. A cop can now search your car if you are wearing after shave. Its called probable cause and after shave is considered a masking agent. So if you wear after shave and a cop stops you he can search your car because you are covering the fact you smoke cannabis??? And heaven forbid you give the cop a hard time and his quota is not met. He may plant cannabis on you to insure he has a job.
Or how about the judges convicted for accepting millions in bribes for insuring a for profit jail stays full!!!
I would have to think hard. If caught for growing one cannabis plant in GA you get 5 years in jail mandatory and are labeled a “Drug Dealer”. Maybe caning would be better! Wait no you would be a dealer for growing one plant so per this guy you should be KILLED!!
I here the for profit jails love old hippies they are passive and easy to keep in a cage. At the rate of 45K a year per head they make billions warehousing old hippies..They also share the profits with or lawmakers!! Am I the only on that can see the connection???
I do not advocate violence or will I become violent unless assaulted first. Unlike the laws used against us. But I will respect the right of some to go off on these ass holes. Perhaps they were pressed into slavery using these laws. Maybe they had to serve hard time for making a personal choice, that harmed no one. If that were the case they have a right to ask for an eye for an eye.
I say it is time to end this slavery and selling of our representation to the highest bidder. No one seems to be looking at the personal suffering caused by our leaders/lawmakers….
CFHJ
335 Tommy Benton
I want to believe you. What I’m having trouble with is wether “you” wrote this post, or someone is having fun at your expense. If you’re the guy we are all talking about…take care…especially with what you say. “A loose lip will sink a ship.” Sorry for your problem. I wouldn’t want it. If cannabis were legal, this may have been avoided.
#580 Chrokee Fred Jesus Says:
August 20th, 2009 at 9:59 am
#577
Why don’t you get “deeply disturbed” over…???
RE: Cherokee Fred Jesus,
– I believe you’re taking #577’s
message “out-of-context”.
#577 was posting
an invitation-link to the
Weedmaps Blog
and…
“QUOTING”
Russ Belville’s UPDATE to
the original
Tommy Benton news-story…
I shall elaborate HERE:
“UPDATE from Russ Belville, NORML Outreach Coordinator – Please Don’t Threaten Rep. Benton! Just Vote Him Out of Office.
Since we began covering the story of Georgia Rep. Tommy “Caning for Potheads” Benton on July 29, the story has spread like wildfire. We issued an official press release today and featured the story here and the NORML front page just yesterday and already the story has been covered from the libertarian/right Reason blog to the liberal/left TalkLeft blog.
However, I am deeply disturbed at some of the nearly 250 comments the story has gotten at the NORML Blog. There are threats of assassinating, shooting, caning, and kicking the ass of Rep. Benton, as well as comparisons to Adolf Hitler. Some have even threatened his wife, children, and family dog and published Rep. Benton’s home telephone number (which I’ve scrubbed).”
#581 BEHIND THE GREEN DOOR Says:
August 20th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
”
…335 Tommy Benton
I want to believe you. What I’m having trouble with is wether “you” wrote this post, or someone is having fun at your expense…”
RE: BTGD / MM,
– Considering #335 post’s vernacular,
I believe it’s the LATTER.
(Would / does the real
Tommy Benton talk like that???).
– Sounds more like a brotha from the hood,
rather than a suthurn-bumpkin from Jawjah…
😆
#585
Why don’t you get “deeply disturbed over the almost one million young, poor, mainly people of color that have their lives destroyed every year???? Rather than posting your little statement ever 10 post??? Or if your a racist and don’t care if we continue to destroy and enslave our fellow Americans. At least look at the issue of wasting almost 100 billion of our money they use ever year. To allow them to shove their right wing, unpopular, fanatical ideas down our throat.
Or if you wish I can send you stories of people while in their own home have been killed. By drug task forces upholding prohibition laws.
How about losing our rights one by one. A cop can now search your car if you are wearing after shave. Its called probable cause and after shave is considered a masking agent. So if you wear after shave and a cop stops you he can search your car because you are covering the fact you smoke cannabis??? And heaven forbid you give the cop a hard time and his quota is not met. He may plant cannabis on you to insure he has a job.
Or how about the judges convicted for accepting millions in bribes for insuring a for profit jail stays full!!!
I would have to think hard. If caught for growing one cannabis plant in GA you get 5 years in jail mandatory and are labeled a “Drug Dealer”. Maybe caning would be better! Wait no you would be a dealer for growing one plant so per this guy you should be KILLED!!
I here the for profit jails love old hippies they are passive and easy to keep in a cage. At the rate of 45K a year per head they make billions warehousing old hippies..They also share the profits with or lawmakers!! Am I the only on that can see the connection???
I do not advocate violence or will I become violent unless assaulted first. Unlike the laws used against us. But I will respect the right of some to go off on these ass holes. Perhaps they were pressed into slavery using these laws. Maybe they had to serve hard time for making a personal choice, that harmed no one. If that were the case they have a right to ask for an eye for an eye.
I say it is time to end this slavery and selling of our representation to the highest bidder. No one seems to be looking at the personal suffering caused by our leaders/lawmakers….
CFHJ
Folks, we are making an impact.
The main reason we cannot officially coalesce our organizations is that a movement without a name, or a leader is much harder to vilify and make into an ‘enemy of the state’ which is what our opposition would do if they could. As I said before, don’t discount the comparisons to fascism. the term “DU” for ‘drug user’, ironically pronounced ‘jew’, is being targeted to be dispossessed, relocated to privately owned (Dick Cheney and Co) concentration camps, oops, prisons. Given a record and turned into ‘prison fodder’ unable to obtain regular employment or credit, recycled through prisons who are paid by the inmate. Law enforcement and prison guard unions as well as those employed in the legal system like this and work very actively to realize and maintain this as the status quo.
On a Mike Cann post I found the organization ‘Just say no to Pot’ (very slick and well organized, likely funded with DEA money) has posted their propaganda all over the place. I posted the following on their website, though I doubt they will publish it.
I invite you all to drop them a line and set the poor deluded people straight, (as it were), gently please, we don’t want to justify any of the other sides claims about us
Let them know what you think.
http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=161119084408&h=HxYTB&u=L7yIR&ref=nf
http://saynotopot.com/contact-us/
(my comment…)
“The continued PROHIBITION of cannabis jeopardizes the health and well-being of Canadians MUCH MORE than does the substance itself.”
• Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs, 2002
It is NOT addictive as you claim.
There has never been any demonstrable justification for prohibition in the first place and it is therefore unconstitutional
People who smoke it religiously are being illegally discriminated against. Some people believe Moses inhaled before he heard the voice of God.
Freedom of every individual to believe and practice whatever doesn’t harm anyone else must become universal
I started smoking joints when I was thirteen. Being a kid, and not knowing any better, it led to more dangerous substances such as alcohol and tobacco. It took me 25 years to become tobacco free. (10 yrs now) As a mentally ill youngster, (severe bipolar disorder), I discovered that marijuana enabled me to function on a higher level. (I have a genius IQ, yet was extremely sensitive and socially retarded). I am currently prescribed very high doses of lithium and quetiapine, which leaves me pretty much useless for 12hrs/day. (Used as directed) Marijuana allows me to use much, much less of the prescribed meds saving me from extreme kidney pain from accumulated lithium in my system. Marijuana is of great health benefit to me, however I do not lobby much for medical marijuana as there is so much ignorance and prejudice educated into physicians. As I said and it bears repeating, Freedom of every individual to believe and practice whatever doesn’t harm anyone else must become universal, whether you have a prescription or not. Why would I ask for anyone’s permission or approval to do what I need to do?
Of course. The Status quo generates so much inertia to slow or prevent change…wouldn’t it be nice if all those police, guards lawyers politicians bureaucrats and otherwise unnecessary social workers, etc., could have jobs that actually contributed value to society instead of being paid out of the values generated by others. None of those people produce any good or commodity, (which is what the GDP consists of) marijuana growers, on the other hand produce billions of dollars for the global economy every year, even if it an underground economy it fuels the ‘legitimate’ economy too. Unfortunately, the ‘prison industrial complex’ consumes even more values than their counterparts produce.
I wonder why i am wasting my breath why would an evil entity publish any comment that was contradictory or disproved its hideously corrupt and malicious, nefariously wicked propaganda that marijuana has EVER been in any way harmful to anyone. Those unfortunate testimonials are from the same types who would develop issues with or without the help of marijuana. In fact in some cases it is clear they were in fact being helped for a time before they were convinced it was bad for them. Other than the effects of prohibition, there is no downside.
I do not advocate abusing any drug or substance, but properly used, drugs of all sorts can be very powerful tools. But a person can gain more damage from getting carried away on the donuts after the toke than from the toke. Want to outlaw donuts too? Why not ? They do more harm.
As I said 35 years of daily use. Lucid enough for you?
Your website full of lies and propaganda will be reported to the PROPER Authorities.
I pray the good Lord grants you wisdom, a heart filled with Peace, and the courage to do the right thing.
God Bless.
The ideas that have come out of this man’s mouth are statements of ignorance and fear. Harsher punishments for marijuana possession would be a huge waste of money for the government. Whether legalization is currently an option or not these people need to either leave their laws alone or they need to look towards decriminalization. Marijuana is a virtually harmless drug and people need to realize that. However, saying that people should be harmed for posessing a harmless druig is ludicrous. Pot smokers and straight edge people alike are humans and deserve to not live in fear that their government will abuse them in such a way. My faith in this country has died a little inside after reading what this man has said. How he ever came to be in any sort of government office is beyond my understanding. If any sort of these barbaric deeds begin to be used on marijuana posession “offenders”, then this government has lost all of its principles and respect ofor its citizens.
Like we do all the time, let this die. Something needs to be done to keep this alive. This guy needs to taken out of government.
#588
Why don’t you get “deeply disturbed over the almost one million young, poor, mainly people of color that have their lives destroyed every year???? Rather than posting your little statement ever 10 post??? Or if your a racist and don’t care if we continue to destroy and enslave our fellow Americans. At least look at the issue of wasting almost 100 billion of our money they use ever year. To allow them to shove their right wing, unpopular, fanatical ideas down our throat.
Or if you wish I can send you stories of people while in their own home have been killed. By drug task forces upholding prohibition laws.
How about losing our rights one by one. A cop can now search your car if you are wearing after shave. Its called probable cause and after shave is considered a masking agent. So if you wear after shave and a cop stops you he can search your car because you are covering the fact you smoke cannabis??? And heaven forbid you give the cop a hard time and his quota is not met. He may plant cannabis on you to insure he has a job.
Or how about the judges convicted for accepting millions in bribes for insuring a for profit jail stays full!!!
I would have to think hard. If caught for growing one cannabis plant in GA you get 5 years in jail mandatory and are labeled a “Drug Dealer”. Maybe caning would be better! Wait no you would be a dealer for growing one plant so per this guy you should be KILLED!!
I here the for profit jails love old hippies they are passive and easy to keep in a cage. At the rate of 45K a year per head they make billions warehousing old hippies..They also share the profits with or lawmakers!! Am I the only on that can see the connection???
I do not advocate violence or will I become violent unless assaulted first. Unlike the laws used against us. But I will respect the right of some to go off on these ass holes. Perhaps they were pressed into slavery using these laws. Maybe they had to serve hard time for making a personal choice, that harmed no one. If that were the case they have a right to ask for an eye for an eye.
I say it is time to end this slavery and selling of our representation to the highest bidder. No one seems to be looking at the personal suffering caused by our leaders/lawmakers….
CFHJ
seriously now more than ever is when we must use our voices. Goverm’t czars, using the term lightly more like elected dictators, can’t fight the number of the masses.
Don’t worry about words , their lack of intelligence and lack of personal confidence is rained thru the people they can’t control. Write your Congressman, shoot proposals, be active in the political games. Seriously physical harm for a freedom. Yeah that won’t end up in revolt. It’s all about power, they don’t care about money its population control to a molded vision of the twisted and undercover devisions.
People like this Tommy Benton should be taken out back and cained and then then let all the potheads have their way with him.Whatever happens to him, well I guess he gets what he deserves!!! How could this goverment even assholes like this guy into office. I guess this is his freedom of speach and this is mine get this jerk out of office we dont need his fuckink kind. This is one sick fucker!!!!!
Hey Mr,Benton toke up and chill out dude. Maybe if you relax, whatever is up your ass
will come out. As it is your already full of shit, what an idiot.
RE: #591 Chrokee Fried Jeezus,
HOLLOW bee THY NAME..,.
Get a fucking CLUE, CHFJ!!!
You’re ranting against a fucking ROBO-POST
who is QUOTING NORML daily Audio Stashe’s
Russ Belville:
RUSS BELVILLE is the one who is saying that they
are “Deeply Disturbed”…
THIS is SO God damned laughable, except…
Are you really THAT daft???
Get a fucking CLUE…Chrokee Fried Jeezsus!!!
You’re making the rest of us look bad!!!
Really!!! I think its time to march. Time? Place?
Well , that proves it ! Georgia is just another ignorant Southern state full of HILLBILLIES just like that poor ole’ ugly Mr. Benton . He probally wouldn’t be so ugly if he’d smoke marijuana instead of taking hard drugs like alcohol .Looks like he hasn’t gotten over that hangover from last month . Hey Ugly ! Didn’t you hear that marijuana can actually grow hair ?
NeuroGenesis1:29
Hay dude fuc- you I post what I want just like you. Except your post are the only ones I skip don’t make sense to me….
Why don’t you get “deeply disturbed over the almost one million young, poor, mainly people of color that have their lives destroyed every year???? Rather than posting your little statement ever 10 post??? Or if your a racist and don’t care if we continue to destroy and enslave our fellow Americans. At least look at the issue of wasting almost 100 billion of our money they use ever year. To allow them to shove their right wing, unpopular, fanatical ideas down our throat.
Or if you wish I can send you stories of people while in their own home have been killed. By drug task forces upholding prohibition laws.
How about losing our rights one by one. A cop can now search your car if you are wearing after shave. Its called probable cause and after shave is considered a masking agent. So if you wear after shave and a cop stops you he can search your car because you are covering the fact you smoke cannabis??? And heaven forbid you give the cop a hard time and his quota is not met. He may plant cannabis on you to insure he has a job.
Or how about the judges convicted for accepting millions in bribes for insuring a for profit jail stays full!!!
I would have to think hard. If caught for growing one cannabis plant in GA you get 5 years in jail mandatory and are labeled a “Drug Dealer”. Maybe caning would be better! Wait no you would be a dealer for growing one plant so per this guy you should be KILLED!!
I here the for profit jails love old hippies they are passive and easy to keep in a cage. At the rate of 45K a year per head they make billions warehousing old hippies..They also share the profits with or lawmakers!! Am I the only on that can see the connection???
I do not advocate violence or will I become violent unless assaulted first. Unlike the laws used against us. But I will respect the right of some to go off on these ass holes. Perhaps they were pressed into slavery using these laws. Maybe they had to serve hard time for making a personal choice, that harmed no one. If that were the case they have a right to ask for an eye for an eye.
I say it is time to end this slavery and selling of our representation to the highest bidder. No one seems to be looking at the personal suffering caused by our leaders/lawmakers….
CFHJ
why the hell is this a big deal?!
you all have the right to your own opinions, why cant he have his?! they may be flawed, but its not like he’s passing a law like it!!! dont get so mad!!!
I consider the massive retaliation of threats to violence to be entirely expected (although of course entirely wrong). It is ironic that these outbursts are so “disturbing” when an elected official, to whom we are expected to place our trust and our governments future, is so consumed in his hatred for marijuana that he would resort to such extremes.
Our failing EVERYTHING right now, and all he can think about is bullying hippies!? It’s not OUR fault that YOUR barbaric obsession is only helping shoot our economy to hell.
I believe that the greatest resolution to this problem is to get that dude good and high, and if that’s ever a possibility, I would be happy to roll his first joint.
How do we get this fool out of office? I’ll sign it! Just post a link.
“why the hell is this a big deal?!
you all have the right to your own opinions, why cant he have his?! they may be flawed, but its not like he’s passing a law like it!!! don’t get so mad!!!”
-You seriously don’t see whats wrong with this guy’s opinion?! Every backwards, ignorant person should have an opinion, they should just not be representing me!
*We The People*
like in court they tell you, you have a right to a jury trial and to be proven without a reasonable doubt, yet if you lose your trial you get off worse than if you just told them you’re guilty. . . might as well call it Land of the Rights (with harsher consequences if proven guilty.) ban alcohol if marijuana’s illegal makes sense . Every story i read will say driver was impaired by drinking and marijuana wtf is that they jus wanna add the marijuana in for society who looks down on it not even knowing it only helped delay the accident. but w.e f it not voting for him.
what i would like to understand is just why does he feel it to be neccessary to punish these small crime offenders in such a harsh and large crimed way????!!!!!
you know it would make more sense to try his method of madness upon a crazy nut who takes a life of another human being..sure, then he deserves every bit of it. but how US AMERICANS IN OFFICE seem to think. its ok for a murderer to live the rest of his life leisurely behind cell walls is perfectly ok but yet someone like a marijuana dealer shud suffer from A.being caned!!!! or B. dying..now how does that compare up?? sell an herb and dye? or kill another human being and live? you tell me…this is ridiculus
Just a quick note: I hate this stuff too guys, but getting angry just makes us it easier to paint us as left wing wingnuts and “dangerous drug addicts.” I got the shit kicked out of me a lot and got raped in jail for posession of less than an ounce. Six months after it ended MA. went decrim and I’m *mostly* safe now. Get mad in private, but when you post things publicly or write or call a politician act in a way which becomes you. I even got some of my charges dropped after the fact by representing myself as a straight A student who shuts up and and is polite to judges. Maybe you think being polite to assholes makes you a bitch, but remember the Sophist wisdom that you should speak in a way which appeals to your audience. Our audience is mainstream America and some of that audience won’t listen if you talk like an angry jerk.
I certainly do not agree that marijuana should be legalized. Anyone that does is a selfish self centered jerk off. Do you really want pot smokers on the road driving too ? We have enough drunks already on the road now killing folks daily. Marijuana is a bad thing for people to get invloved with. If you think you have to smoke the stuff to escape reality then you need to see a shrink.Something is wrong with you. Grow up a face reality, you are a coward.
Martha, I do not agree with your comments. Go drink alochol and see if you care about the reality. Maybe it is time for you to move out of our country. It does not belong to you anyone.
I support legalizing marijuana for recreation as much as anyone would for drinking wine. You anti-marijuana people have no business telling us how to live. it is our choice. Not yours! Time for you to move out of USA please.
Dear Mary;
I suspect most responses to your post have been too over the top to print. None of us wishes any offence. But I shall endeavor to save face by explaining to the folks that don’t know, that you are not entirely without the right to express your opinion, however, when your opinion amounts to spreading racism, religious hostility toward those of other faiths, or favouring the absurdly wrong practices like torture and interfering with freedoms of other to believe and practice whatever does no harm to others, you are a bigot. Perhaps you hadn’t realized you are a bigot because the society you grew up condoned the casual use of racial slurs or demeaning people because of their personal sexual choices. Bigots hate others who are what they are not. Intolerance WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. Bigots are not acceptable to society.
You said,“Anyone that does is a selfish self centered jerk off”, Now, is that a nice way to talk? It sounds like something a self centered jerk off would say, doesn’t it? Perhaps you are just in need of a toke to raise your cannabinoids Perhaps I am one, too, but I know a lot of people who use pot, and they are not all like me. I am here to help you. It appears you have been misinformed, which for those of us “in the business’ as they say for thirty seven years now, I have to assure you we are in possession of more than just a controlled substance. We are in possession of the Truth. I am long term study in my own right, but I have also digested the case studies of thousands, and am quite confident in responding that, unequivocally, what you have been taught your whole life about marijuana being bad for you is a lie.
The good ladies at MADD, (Mothers against Drunk Driving) are good people. Many of them have lost loved ones to impaired driving. My own best friend, his fiancé and three of the wedding party were killed when a drunk in truck crossed the line a few days before the wedding. I have no mercy personally, for those who dare drink and drive. However, you have been misinformed about this, that marijuana impairs the ability to drive as alcohol does. It does not. Unlike alcohol, the International Olympic Committee has marijuana classed as a ‘performance enhancing substance’, while booze is not. If pot were legal, people wouldn’t suddenly change their lives and start driving with a buzz on, they already do! Always have and will, legal or not, we hear about lots of booze related accidents but as our friends and first responders at LEAP will attest to, that is not the case with marijuana. If a demonstration is required I would be happy to smoke two joints for every drink and we’ll do the obstacle course, or if precision mental acuity is in question a game of chess should solve your query’s there. I would even make myself available for testing as a long term case subject. The only negative consequences of smoking marijuana in my life have been directly from prohibition.
Prohibitionists are Bigots pure and simple. They must be taught to mind their own business. We need to make it socially unacceptable to interfere with anybody’s Right to believe and practice whatever does no harm to others, anywhere. Everywhere. As for escaping reality, let alone being cowards, millions of marijuana users are jailed for their beliefs and practices every year. As a friend was fond of saying, ‘Reality is for people who can’t handle drugs.’ of course we were kidding around, but with perfectly law abiding people, other than the fact they choose to use, are being persecuted and lives destroyed, and have never harmed anyone, doesn’t this reality need escaping?
Don’t assume something is wrong with someone just because they believe or practice something different to what you accustomed to yourself. Newsflash; God doesn’t punish the persecuted, but persecutor gets his reward.. SAFER is dedicated to promoting Marijuana and even the highest ranking bodies of many governments advocate repeal of prohibition.
“The continued PROHIBITION of cannabis jeopardizes the health and well-being of Canadians MUCH MORE than does the substance itself.”
• Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs, 2002
It is NOT addictive as has been claimed. It doesn’t make you lazy or stupid, or any of the other stereotypes in the propaganda. I Bogarted two cannons before I wrote this, do I appear to have any of the characteristics you listed in your statement of your opinion?
There has never been any demonstrable justification for prohibition in the first place and it is therefore unconstitutional
People who smoke it religiously are being illegally discriminated against. Some people believe Moses inhaled before he heard the voice of God. You may believe otherwise, however we are to do unto others as we are to have done to ourselves, how would you like it if some one with a gun said you were no longer allowed to enter in to your way of belief or practice?
Freedom of everyone to believe and practice whatever does no harm to others must become universal
Something may be wrong with me, that’s what I smoke the pot for. It would be wrong to take medicine away from anyone who needs it, or to make any other person suffer harm or hurt in any way. Do no harm. Cannabis prohibition is harmful. There is also something wrong a person who is unaware of the benefits of anything who puts their energy into forbidding others the right to do as they please.
You are cool, really, aren’t you, Mary? You don’t want to be a bigot like those good people who didn’t know any better when they burned crosses on the lawns of black families, do you Mary? As for being selfish, in my experience, marijuana users are exactly the opposite. Whenever you see one, don’t be shy, chances are, they will share with you. God bless Mary. Namaste everyone
The idea of EXECUTING SOMEONE WHO SELLS MARIJUANA baffles me beyond belief. The fact that somebody in 2009 thought it might be a productive modern policy…? I feel like I’m going insane. What country is this again?
Way to go, Georgians…
rep. benton should be made an example of how an elected rep of his stature is thrown out of office come some election day when the vast majority of his base voters coming up are possibly going to be current or future pot smoking younger voters and baby boomers. Stick together because the older non smoking voters are dying off raising the odds as the years go by towards total legalization…. even in GA. especially as other great states show profits from there sucsessful regulation of medical mj and even state wide integration of this lifestyle and its potential prosperity for state coffers. Big mistake talking about a future cash cow of the state of Al like that. twenty years from now, this incident will be laughed at
It is a shame people like this getting into office here, Ive lived and grown up in Ga all my life, I love this state, but this is one of the biggest prohibition states and I know when the time comes for marijuana legalization we’ll be near the end of the line in states to get it, until then we just got to try and keep guys like this out of office.
It’s anal gapes like Tommy Benton that pot looks bad. I agree with DaniBlue787 we need to keep douchers like this out of office.
I’d like to tell this scumbag what I would like to do to him, but I’m afraid it would make people faint.
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How he could even open his mouth and say something so ignorant is beyond belief.. So sad that these are the people in control of our County. OK GEORGIA, THIS IS THE DEAL. HE HAS BEEN IN OFFICE SINCE 2005 AND HIS TERM EXPIRES IN THE GEORGIA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE IN JAN OF 2013. REMEMBER THE NAME TOMMY BENTON FOLKS AND VOTE!!!
Billions of people have died from smoking tobacco cigarettes. each day another one dies . Yet the War is on a herb that cures the cancer Tobacco creates. and there are many other medical uses for Marijuana that help people. Not to mention all the other uses like making clothing, paper, fuel, building material. Which if we used would save our forest’s, and our planet.