2004-06-09
Drug Policy Alliance 1st amendment victory
We try not to forward too much stuff from other lists,
but this is a significant victory.
I donate to Erowid, and have decided that Drug Policy
Alliance will be the other main recipient of my
donations in the future.
I have edited this doc somewhat to remove personal
references.
> > From: Ethan Nadelmann
>
> > Date: June 9, 2004 10:33:31 AM CDT
> > Subject: An Exciting Victory for the Drug Policy
> Alliance
> > An Exciting Victory for the Drug Policy Alliance
> >
> >
> > We won big.
> >
> > Beating the federal government in court is
> something the Drug Policy
> > Alliance does regularly - probably because the
> White House and the
> > Congress seem to have no shame when it comes to
> violating the
> > Constitution in the name of the drug war.
> >
> > Last week we beat them again, winning our lawsuit
> to strike down a
> > recent federal law banning marijuana reform ads in
> public transit
> > systems.
> >
> > You may remember that we filed suit in February to
> have the law
> > declared unconstitutional. The measure, pushed by
> Rep. Ernest Istook
> > (R-Okla.), prohibited federal support for any
> transit system that
> > permits pro-reform advertising. A federal judge in
> Washington last
> > week concluded that the so-called "Istook
> Amendment" does indeed
> > violate the First Amendment.
> >
> > Now that our right to campaign for marijuana
> reform has been restored,
> > we need to exercise it. Together with our allies
> who joined us in the
> > suit -- the ACLU, Marijuana Policy Project and
> Change the Climate --
> > we want to run ads that tell the truth about the
> drug war.
> >
> > Please help us send Ernie Istook a message by
> making a generous
> > donation to our campaign. Your funds will pay not
> just for ads, but
> > for our efforts to stop the government from
> spending your money on
> > drug war propaganda. Donate now via our
> convenient and secure page.
> >
> > Every ad we create sends two messages. First, that
> the "war on drugs"
> > is a disaster for this country that is causing far
> more harm than
> > good. Second, the ads serve notice that we will
> never stand silent in
> > the face of mean-spirited and misguided attacks by
> drug warriors like
> > Ernest Istook or John Ashcroft. They can toss
> taxpayer dollars down
> > the drain on frivolous lawsuits and dishonest
> anti-drug propaganda,
> > but the truth will always win in the end.
> >
> > In declaring the "Istook Amendment"
> unconstitutional, Judge Paul L.
> > Friedman of the U.S. District Court for the
> District of Columbia
> > stated that "there is a clear public interest in
> preventing the
> > chilling of speech on the basis of viewpoint" and
> that "the government
> > articulated no legitimate state interest in the
> suppression of this
> > particular speech other than the fact that it
> disapproves of the
> > message, an illegitimate and constitutionally
> impermissible reason."
> >
> > The Istook ruling is only the latest legal victory
> in our efforts to
> > foster policies based on science and
> compassion. The Alliance won
> > another one for the First Amendment last year in
> the Conant case,
> > which protected the rights of doctors and patients
> to discuss the
> > medicinal benefits of marijuana. We beat the feds
> again in the WAMM
> > case, relying on constitutional limitations on
> what the federal
> > government can tell states to do. There have been
> other wins as well,
> > and there will be more.
> >
> > Meanwhile, Istook and other drug war zealots are
> fighting back,
> > denouncing the ruling and pressing on with their
> crusade against free
> > speech and compassion. John Ashcroft and Drug Czar
> John Walters have
> > more than $100 million in taxpayer dollars
> ear-marked for drug
> > propaganda in the coming year alone.
> >
> > It's amazing how far we've come with the political
> cards stacked
> > against us. I think it speaks to the rightness of
> our cause. It is
> > also why I call on fellow reformers like you to be
> as generous as
> > possible in supporting our efforts.
> >
> > Help us take on Istook and other drug war zealots
> by donating now.
> >
> > Our fight for marijuana and drug reform is
> unfolding in every public
> > forum - the courts, the states, the Congress, and
> thanks to the
> > Constitution, buses and subways. With the
> continued support of folks
> > like you, we'll go all the way.
> >
> > Sincerely,
> >
>
> > P.S. Also, please join us online for a free live
> audio chat on
> > marijuana with renowned author Eric Schlosser on
> June 15th at 3 PM
> > Eastern/Noon Pacific. Watch your inbox or check
> >
> http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/schlosser_chat.cfm
for
> more details.
> > To Contact or Make a Donation by Mail to the Drug
> Policy Alliance:
> >
> > Drug Policy Alliance
> > 70 West 36th Street, 16th Floor
> > New York, NY 10018
> >
> > Get a PDF copy of the Donation Form.
For subscription problems please
> > contact Jeanette Irwin, Director, Internet
> Communications
> > jirwin@drugpolicy.org, 202.216.0035
> > Please visit
> http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/unsubscribe to
> > unsubscribe from all lists. Visit
> >
>
http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/managesubscription.asp
> to learn
> > about other lists you can subscribe to.
> >
> > For problems, please contact Jeanette Irwin at
> jirwin@drugpolicy.org.
> >
> > Please consider joining the Drug Policy Alliance:
>
> > http://www.drugpolicy.org/join
but this is a significant victory.
I donate to Erowid, and have decided that Drug Policy
Alliance will be the other main recipient of my
donations in the future.
I have edited this doc somewhat to remove personal
references.
> > From: Ethan Nadelmann
>
> > Date: June 9, 2004 10:33:31 AM CDT
> > Subject: An Exciting Victory for the Drug Policy
> Alliance
> > An Exciting Victory for the Drug Policy Alliance
> >
> >
> > We won big.
> >
> > Beating the federal government in court is
> something the Drug Policy
> > Alliance does regularly - probably because the
> White House and the
> > Congress seem to have no shame when it comes to
> violating the
> > Constitution in the name of the drug war.
> >
> > Last week we beat them again, winning our lawsuit
> to strike down a
> > recent federal law banning marijuana reform ads in
> public transit
> > systems.
> >
> > You may remember that we filed suit in February to
> have the law
> > declared unconstitutional. The measure, pushed by
> Rep. Ernest Istook
> > (R-Okla.), prohibited federal support for any
> transit system that
> > permits pro-reform advertising. A federal judge in
> Washington last
> > week concluded that the so-called "Istook
> Amendment" does indeed
> > violate the First Amendment.
> >
> > Now that our right to campaign for marijuana
> reform has been restored,
> > we need to exercise it. Together with our allies
> who joined us in the
> > suit -- the ACLU, Marijuana Policy Project and
> Change the Climate --
> > we want to run ads that tell the truth about the
> drug war.
> >
> > Please help us send Ernie Istook a message by
> making a generous
> > donation to our campaign. Your funds will pay not
> just for ads, but
> > for our efforts to stop the government from
> spending your money on
> > drug war propaganda. Donate now via our
> convenient and secure page.
> >
> > Every ad we create sends two messages. First, that
> the "war on drugs"
> > is a disaster for this country that is causing far
> more harm than
> > good. Second, the ads serve notice that we will
> never stand silent in
> > the face of mean-spirited and misguided attacks by
> drug warriors like
> > Ernest Istook or John Ashcroft. They can toss
> taxpayer dollars down
> > the drain on frivolous lawsuits and dishonest
> anti-drug propaganda,
> > but the truth will always win in the end.
> >
> > In declaring the "Istook Amendment"
> unconstitutional, Judge Paul L.
> > Friedman of the U.S. District Court for the
> District of Columbia
> > stated that "there is a clear public interest in
> preventing the
> > chilling of speech on the basis of viewpoint" and
> that "the government
> > articulated no legitimate state interest in the
> suppression of this
> > particular speech other than the fact that it
> disapproves of the
> > message, an illegitimate and constitutionally
> impermissible reason."
> >
> > The Istook ruling is only the latest legal victory
> in our efforts to
> > foster policies based on science and
> compassion. The Alliance won
> > another one for the First Amendment last year in
> the Conant case,
> > which protected the rights of doctors and patients
> to discuss the
> > medicinal benefits of marijuana. We beat the feds
> again in the WAMM
> > case, relying on constitutional limitations on
> what the federal
> > government can tell states to do. There have been
> other wins as well,
> > and there will be more.
> >
> > Meanwhile, Istook and other drug war zealots are
> fighting back,
> > denouncing the ruling and pressing on with their
> crusade against free
> > speech and compassion. John Ashcroft and Drug Czar
> John Walters have
> > more than $100 million in taxpayer dollars
> ear-marked for drug
> > propaganda in the coming year alone.
> >
> > It's amazing how far we've come with the political
> cards stacked
> > against us. I think it speaks to the rightness of
> our cause. It is
> > also why I call on fellow reformers like you to be
> as generous as
> > possible in supporting our efforts.
> >
> > Help us take on Istook and other drug war zealots
> by donating now.
> >
> > Our fight for marijuana and drug reform is
> unfolding in every public
> > forum - the courts, the states, the Congress, and
> thanks to the
> > Constitution, buses and subways. With the
> continued support of folks
> > like you, we'll go all the way.
> >
> > Sincerely,
> >
>
> > P.S. Also, please join us online for a free live
> audio chat on
> > marijuana with renowned author Eric Schlosser on
> June 15th at 3 PM
> > Eastern/Noon Pacific. Watch your inbox or check
> >
> http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/schlosser_chat.cfm
for
> more details.
> > To Contact or Make a Donation by Mail to the Drug
> Policy Alliance:
> >
> > Drug Policy Alliance
> > 70 West 36th Street, 16th Floor
> > New York, NY 10018
> >
> > Get a PDF copy of the Donation Form.
For subscription problems please
> > contact Jeanette Irwin, Director, Internet
> Communications
> > jirwin@drugpolicy.org, 202.216.0035
> > Please visit
> http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/unsubscribe to
> > unsubscribe from all lists. Visit
> >
>
http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/managesubscription.asp
> to learn
> > about other lists you can subscribe to.
> >
> > For problems, please contact Jeanette Irwin at
> jirwin@drugpolicy.org.
> >
> > Please consider joining the Drug Policy Alliance:
>
> > http://www.drugpolicy.org/join
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