Pubdate: Wed, 26 Mar 2003
Source: Springfield News-Leader (MO)
Copyright: 2003 The Springfield News-Leader
Contact:  http://www.springfieldnews-leader.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1129
Author: Joe Donohue
Note: The author is a Southwest Missouri State University junior

ANTI-MARIJUANA TV ADS RIDICULOUS

I want to address the war on marijuana. I don't smoke pot. I've quit. I 
don't even miss it. However, the ridiculous commercials that I've seen 
lately, which paint a false picture of pot smokers, compel me to dispute 
their accuracy.

For example, pot smokers didn't contribute to the attack on Sept. 11. It's 
appalling that anyone has the audacity to use thousands of dead Americans 
to lay a guilt trip on people who were just as horrified and mournful as 
every other U.S. citizen was. I know I never bought weed that came from out 
of the country.

I've never even heard an al-Qaida member make reference to marijuana. 
Al-Qaida didn't need revenue from marijuana sales to fund its violence. 
Al-Qaida used our tax money to fund a terrorist act. That's an 
exaggeration, but my point is undeniable. American money was used to train 
Osama bin Laden's rebel group.

The newest anti-marijuana commercials, of course, don't mention this. 
Instead, they blame pot and spread their virus of fear throughout our 
country. We're supposed to fear terrorism. No problem. I'm scared. We're 
supposed to fear pot. Sorry, I don't buy it. Fear terrorism so that we can 
drop bombs -- bombs that kill kids -- in the oil-producing region free of 
guilt. Fear pot to remain distracted from the reasons for terrorism.

Another ad shows two kids hitting a bong in the office of one of their 
fathers. One kid gets so stoned that he shoots his friend after he finds 
his father's gun. The flaw in this scenario is that this kid is an 
imbecile. Pot didn't raise a moron; his parents did. Also, this commercial 
makes no mention of the fact that Daddy left accessible a fully loaded, 
shiny pistol for little Johnny to grab.

Finally, the most insulting of all of this propaganda is the ad that shows 
a couple smoking a pipe together. They giggle and giggle. Then he rapes 
her. I'm sorry, what? Grass does not induce violence. I have wasted many 
hours being stoned. It added to my apathy, left me lethargic and bored, 
made it impossible to work my DVD player, but never gave me the slightest 
inclination that rape is an option. But then, I'm not a rapist, nor a 
terrorist, nor simple-minded enough to point a gun at anyone's head. I'm 
just a guy who used to smoke pot.
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MAP posted-by: Alex