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Angry Cop Insults Voters for Supporting Marijuana Reform

Jim Carnell of the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association has come completely unhinged in the aftermath of the decisive victory for marijuana decrim in Massachusetts. Just listen to him trashing Massachusetts voters in The Boston Herald:

Many starry-eyed nitwits wearing rose-colored glasses, who obviously comprise the majority of our electorate, fell hook, line and sinker for this.

Sir, you work for these people. If you hate the community, then quit your job as a public servant. Seriously, it is not everyday that one sees police in the newspaper just talking shit about everybody. It’s ugly and inappropriate, but perfectly illustrative of the enemy mentality our marijuana laws have nurtured between police and almost everyone else.

Carnell goes on to claim that the new law effectively legalizes smoking pot in the streets, because the rules of search and seizure will be turned on their head (and everyone knows police would never circumvent those rules). And he concludes by urging the people of Massachusetts to choke on the miserable smoldering hell they’ve built for themselves.

The great irony of all this is that, while Jim Carnell insists that it’s now legal to smoke marijuana in the streets of Massachusetts, he sounds more than a little inclined to punch you in the face if he sees you doing it.
In The Trenches

Job Opportunity: Arizona Campaign Manager, Marijuana Policy Project

The Marijuana Policy Project is seeking a Campaign Manager for MPP's Arizona ballot initiative campaign to legalize the possession and cultivation of small amounts of marijuana for patients who have a doctor's recommendation. The overarching goal of the Campaign Manager is to successfully implement the campaign strategy from the campaign’s inception through Election Day and ensure that every possible measure is taken to win the campaign. All aspects of the campaign will be overseen by MPP’s Director of State Campaigns, with the Campaign Manager playing a key supporting role to the Director of State Campaigns and the campaign consultants. This position is based in Arizona and runs through November 2010. The Campaign Manager’s salary is $50,000 to $60,000, plus full health insurance and a modest retirement plan. [Courtesy of MPP] Qualifications include a minimum of two years of statewide campaign experience in a senior management position, though five or more years are preferred. The ideal candidate will be a goal-oriented, fastidious, hands-on manager. The Campaign Manager must be hardworking, get along well with people, and have excellent communication and management skills. Applicants who have ties to the Arizona political community will be given priority, although such ties are not a requirement. Responsibilities include overseeing and successfully completing the signature drive to place the initiative on the November 2010 statewide ballot; managing all day-to-day campaign operations; acting as first point of contact for the general public and the local activist community; ensuring that the local activist community is happy and engaged; identifying, training, and successfully managing and utilizing regional volunteer spokespeople; overseeing the distribution of all written campaign materials, such as campaign literature, Web site updates, etc.; working closely with MPP’s State Campaigns office in Las Vegas to ensure that the campaign complies with all applicable campaign laws and successfully files all campaign finance reports; working closely with the campaign’s in-state consultants; conducting fundraising meetings with potentially major donors; assisting in-state, paid consultants with coalition-building efforts as requested, resulting in a substantial number of community leaders and organizations publicly backing the campaign; and assisting the consultants with media operations, as requested. To apply, please see http://www.mpp.org/jobs/process.html and follow the instructions there. Interviews are being conducted on a rolling basis, so interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
In The Trenches

420 Drug News 11/10/08

Drug Truth Network Update: 4:20 Drug War NEWS from 90.1 FM in Houston and dozens of radio affiliates in the US, Canada and Australis & on the web at www.kpft.org. We provide the "unvarnished truth about the drug war" to scores of broadcast affiliates in the US, Canada and Australia. 4:20 Drug War NEWS 11/10/08 to 11/16/08 now online (3:00 ea:) Select online at www.drugtruth.net Sun - Bruce Mirken of the Marijuana Policy Project reports on marijuana laws passed this election Sat - Sanho Tree reports on Plan Colombia, courtesy BBC Fri - If it quacks, it must be drug czar Walters 2/2 Thu - Australian Federal Police commissioner seeks better way in drug war, courtesy ABC Australia Wed - Adam Assenberg of KRFP radio interview Dean Becker of Drug Truth Network Tue - Terry Nelson reports for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Mon - John Walters, US Drug Czar 1/2 Next - Century of Lies on Tues, Cutural Baggage on Wed (Now With Transcripts): - Cultural Baggage 12:30 PM ET, 11:30 AM CT, 10:30 AM MT & 9:30 AM PT: Rev. Eddy Lepp & Carl Olson: sacramental Marijuana - Century of Lies 12:30 PM ET, 11:30 AM CT, 10:30 AM MT, 9:30 AM PT: Cele Castillo, Iran/Contra whistle blower Hundreds of our programs are available online at www.drugtruth.net, and www.audioport.org Check out our latest videos via www.youtube.com/fdbecker: Please become part of the solution, visit our website: www.endprohibition.org for links to the best of reform. "Prohibition is evil." - Reverend Dean Becker, Drug Truth Network Producer Dean Becker 713-849-6869 www.drugtruth.net
Event

SSDP's 10th Annual Conference & Alumni Reunion

Students for Sensible Drug Policy invites you to join hundreds of students, alumni and drug policy reform advocates from around the world in creating our future – a future that includes an informed
In The Trenches

Press Release -- Advocates Denounce Gov. Paterson's Cuts to Drug Treatment: Jail is More Expensive and Less Effective

For Immediate Release: November 7, 2008 For more info: Gabriel Sayegh at (646) 335-2264 or Tony Newman at (646) 335-5384 Gov. Paterson Announces $8.6 Million in Cuts to Drug Treatment in Response to Budget Crisis Advocates: Gov. Paterson Should be Doing the Opposite and Expanding Cost-Effective Treatment With Democrats in Control of Senate and Assembly, Gov. Paterson Should Keep His Pledge and Reform Draconian Rockefeller Drug Laws with Treatment to Save Lives and Money Health advocates and treatment providers were shocked to learn that New York Governor Paterson is cutting $8.6 million from its substance abuse programs in response to the state's current budget crisis. "This is penny wise and pound foolish and exactly the opposite of what the governor should be doing," said Howard Josepher, President of the Exponents treatment programs. "Treatment is less expensive and more effective than the lock-them-up strategy that costs taxpayers $29,000 per person to incarcerate someone with an addiction. Treatment also offers a better opportunity to prevent recidivism" The Rockefeller Drug Laws have been a miserable failure. These draconian laws have not delivered on their promise to rid our streets of drugs or keep people from using them, but they have drained New York of hundreds of millions of dollars and destroyed tens of thousands of lives. Treatment providers, family members, policy experts and newspaper editorials have been calling for change for years but have been stifled due to Republican control of the State Senate and the lack of leadership from Governors Pataki and Spitzer. When Gov. Paterson took over there was an expectation that there might be reform of these laws as the governor has been a long-time voice for change of the laws. "The time is right to move from away from inhumane, costly and ineffective mass incarceration to a health approach to our drug problems," said Gabriel Sayegh of the Drug Policy Alliance. "The Democrats have a majority of the Senate, Assembly and the Governorship. Helping people with drug problems get community based treatment instead of jail does not cost money, it saves money. The governor is in the difficult position of needing to cut programs and costs. Reforming the drug laws is a rare win-win: you can save hundreds of millions of dollars and help keep families together."