Remember winning this battle isn't about doing what we want, it is about getting what we want. And right now we want and need more supporters, we are at about a 50/50 split in this country right now and look at how hard we are to ignore, if we can raise that to 60-40 then just like in the Senate we will have a three-fifths supermajority. For those who follow the news, that is a good thing for the side on it because a supermajority is filibuster proof. And all the anti-drones are doing at this point is spinning their wheels in a filibuster, they don't have a leg to stand on so rather than allow change they obstruct for as long as they can to prevent it. So how do we gain support to get our supermajority? As I said before in gaining support or at least quelling dissent, it isn't about what we want it's about getting what we want by making others agree with us. Which means making changes. The vast majority of anti-cannabis people I have had discussions with equate it with hippie culture. They stereotype all cannabis users as hippies. So let's move away from that public image. Retire the tye dyed shirt for a while, get a hair cut, invest in deoderant. Another big pot culture stereotype is the rasta culture. Unless you have heritage to the culture, it's time to abandon the dreds, mon. Remember the kid who sparked a joint during his speech? I'm willing to bet had he been clean cut and in a suit he would still be making the morning talkshow rounds, Good Morning America would have fallen all over him, not because of his views on marijuana but because he was a smart kid who was passionate about something. They eat that shit up, but his look wasn't TV friendly. Another area is crime. Stop carrying herb on you or in your car everywhere you go. If you do anything wrong and then are caught with it guess what headline they use. Not driver gets arrestted for being a drunk idiot, it's cops find marijuana on driver under the influence. This one not only helps the cause but will help you. And now the biggest one, the stupid stoner stereotype. If you fit into this please don't be outspoken on this issue, let the rest of us handle it. Now look, I know some people are going to take issue with this. I will probably get as much neg rep as I will pos rep. But it needs to be said and it needs to be listened to if we are going to get where we want to be. We need to make sure we don't give these people a reason to be agianst us. And yes I know, some of you don't want it legal because you have it set in your minds that corperate American is going to take over and ruin your culture. But understand to the rest of us working our asses off trying to change peoples preseption of cannabis and its users, when you come out screaming these fears and to keep it illegal you sound just as bad the rest of the drones who want it illegal, in fact you sound worse because you are supposed to be on our side and you are hurting us from the inside. But keep in mind that if your fears about big buisness ruining the quality or potency or the scene in general, turn out to be founded, the community will do what it does best, go back underground and continue to operate an illegal blackmarket, we already know how to thrive in it. And for those who only want to keep it illegal because they feel special and cool like they belong to some secret club, grow up. Nearly a million people a year are being busted, some losing their student aide, cars, house and freedom. So if you are really that self important that you think your personal feeling of superiority is worth all that suffering, then I'm afraid you have missed the entire point and if you admitted that to fellow blades you probably wouldn't find yourself very welcomed. The bottom line on it all is to think about who the people we are trying to win over will listen to. A guy who looks like a buisness professional or a burnout who smells funny?
Excellent post. Don't forget, 'Get a job and move out of your parents house', because almost every thread I go into theres gotta be someone saying something like... "I had to sneak into the house cuz my parents were sleeping, tee hee by the way I am 34." We say it isn't addicting and so far we know this as true. One thing we say is that it doesn't make you lazy and careless, but I've never seen a more concentrated place of people who haven't moved out of their parents house. No, it has nothing to do with failing job drug tests and going into a depression. Not even gaming forums can compete. +rep btw. (if it means anything coming from me =P)
*sigh* I must say that i do agree with this, I know that either way he would have been forgotten in a few weeks but his few weeks would have had more impact if it went the way you described Um, well what i want to do is use my herb I agree with this, i mean hey the MPP have been doing excellent work on the issue, and all their major speakers (bruce mirken, rob kampia, etc) are always clean cut and well educated and prepared And their commercial which has been shown on MANY news debates since it aired was good at portraying the average American marijuana user, a simple everyday person, thats what people need to realize - how wrong those stereotypes really are So overall good post, though the title was a bit misleading and made it hard to grasp just what you were saying (dont think i fullly have actually lol )
It draws interest. And for people unwilling to make small personal changes or haven't taken the time to research into why their beliefs are correct to have a positive discussion to try to change someones mind. I'm asking that they just do nothing, just live their lives and don't draw attention to themselves on this issue. I'm talking about people who wouldn't think twice about writing to their congressman and using slang terms instead of cannabis, or not bothering to double check spelling. Really anything that gives people we are hoping to win over a reason to not take us seriously.
There ya bastards I changed the title. I dunno I liked the other one better. I think it would have grabbed the attention of the people who need to read it the most. But I hear ya. I forgot to mention what should be the golden rule. Don't get high before having a debate, discussion, writing a letter. ect. If it's a discussion like this between people who already agree then that's fine. But you wouldn't convince someone you aren't an alcoholic by showing up drunk.
I actually liked the previous one better as well And i do agree, Perception is a key problem our side of debate faces right now. Each generation seems to have their own lingering stereotypes for marijuana users all of which we need to work to overcome to get people to actually pay attention to our viewpoint.
Well this one does seem to work for everyone and is eye-catching, i suppose. I'd +rep if it actually mattered from me. So good job, sir.
Great post! you have some very valid points here. I think that the "stoner stereotype" person hardly exists anymore. Tons of smart college kids are stoners. we just need to change societies perception of us like you said.
i moved out of my parents house EARLY when i was 17 while being a full on stoner. but i wouldnt doubt the stoner community also has the most people that wait to move out. I mean nothin beats sittin around blazed as hell doin nothing.
I agree with the original poster. I would also add as a corrolary, take the cannabis leaf out of your avatars on other forums. It makes you look like a single issue person, and if had been something more generic it would surprise people when you came and argued for legalization.
Very good point. We do tend to catch a lot of flack for being one trick ponies who only want to discuss cannabis. This is the online equivalent of cutting the dreads and retiring the Grateful Dead shirt. When you stick out like that before you even speak they have already formed their opinion of you and the most passionate logical speech in the world will have a hard time changing their opinion.