On 2002-05-23 10:22:00, Antigen wrote:
Scott, where'd you see this? I'd love to read the whole thing.
The full article is at
http://www.cannabisculture.com/articles/2072.html It's a long article -- 9 printed pages -- so here is just the part with Betty quotes:
During recent Congressional testimony, Sembler delineated her absolutist views.
"I am the president and founder of Drug Free America Foundation, Inc an organization whose mission is to expose the hidden agenda of those who wish to legalize all Schedule I drugs in our country," Sembler said. "Their agenda includes subverting Federal supremacy, manipulating public opinion, and perpetrating a fraudulent marketing campaign touted as compassion for the sick. We've all witnessed this campaign, some of us agape at the blatant untruths used to convince voters in eight states and the District of Columbia that smoked crude marijuana is really 'medicine' dressed up to look like a weed. These drug pushers in coat and tie are intent on using any means possible to market addictive, unsafe, life-threatening substances to our children.
"In a clear violation of Federal drug laws and the Constitution's supremacy clause," claimed Sembler, "these businessmen disguised as medical experts, using tactics worthy of the Goebbels award, distort truth, eschew legitimate research, manufacture 'facts' and bombard the public with disinformation. We already know what their motivation is. It is documented by their own words, and certainly by their own actions. The only thing standing in their way is the Constitution of the United States of America. To sweep away the protection offered by that august document, the money bags have employed wordsmiths so they can hide behind the First Amendment, and therefore cleverly use the word "recommend" as a euphemism for prescribe.
"If you read the fine print on any of the initiatives," continued Sembler, "or examine the tactics that are being used in states that have no initiative process, it becomes very clear that this is not about compassion, and it is not about medicine. It is about softening public opinion to promote the acceptance that to chemically alter one's mind is an inherent right. The premise is that old excuse about a victimless crime. There is no such thing as a victimless crime. The parents of this nation are helpless without you as our elected representatives stepping up to the plate and telling the American people the truth: 'you have been misled.'"
At the 2001 Florida drug summit, I asked Sembler about critics of Straight and her other anti-drug activities.
"They should get a life," Sembler said impatiently. "I am proud of everything we have done. There's nothing to apologize for. The legalizers are the ones who should be apologizing."
I think ol' Betty needs to lighten up. Maybe drink a Cosmopolitan (old-lady drink) and smoke a J. :wink:
Mindi
_________________
Well-behaved women rarely make history.
[ This Message was edited by: Cleopatra2U on 2002-05-24 14:42 ]