Dude, where's my civil liberties?

This year four RCMP officers were shot when busting a marijuana grow-op in Alberta, although it is now clear that it was the work of a deranged mad man and an investigation of stolen cars, the fact is that the criminalization of marijuana results in grow ops run by...that's right, criminals!

Also this year, DaKine Cafe on Commercial Drive was raided after CTV put pressure on police to act. Mayor Larry Campbell went on record as saying it wasn't a big deal and that marijuana should be legalized and taxed.

And of course the latest pre-emptive strike by the DEA in the war on drugs was aimed squarely at high profile pot activist Marc Emery. Now whether or not you agree with the legalisation debate, surely you are alarmed at the attempts by the Americans to impose their laws on our citizens. If you are concerned, there is a rally at the American Consulate (1075 West Pender), September 10th at 2pm. There is also a petition here

But I have to make one thing clear. "The one thing I don't like about pot is the whole subculture it spawned, I think its embarrassing, juvenile and really uncreative...and I think the epitome of this is High Times Magazine. Its the most juvenile, immature magazine...its like a notch intellectually below Highlights for Children, I mean, they're both fun to read when you're baked, but come on. High Times has centrefolds of buds....I mean, I know people who cut these things out and put 'em on their walls, I grew up with these guys: "Awww dude, ch-check out, did you see April's bud of the month man? That shit is awesome man. It is so sweet, and sexy and....look at the red hairs on that thing man." You got grown men jerking off to pictures of weeds." -David Cross

Okay okay, I admit it. I used to smoke a ton of weed and I haven't for almost three years now, but even then I hated the subculture of it. The whole hemp shop alien figurines thing. 'Oh man, I got this bong, its like 10 feet high, and you gotta climb a ladder to toke on it and...'. I mean, how many pipes do you need?

Anyways, so this summer I'm walking down Georgia and see the Pot Day celebrations put on by the Marijuana Party, which is basically a libertarian party. And I see this sign that reads "Fuck Reality" and I thought, yeah man, fuck reality, right after I go and get a bag of chips and a slurpee. Yeah.

Do you think you are rebelling or something? You don't think people like Gordon Campbell are laughing at you? seriously, Bush can talk all he wants about a war on drugs, but he really doesn't care if a million teenagers sit at home and get fried and watch TV. Rather that than they actually did something. Like um, actually checked out reality lately. Pretty soon you'll be drafted asshole. Pretty soon your gonna have no clean air and water's gonna get delivered by the Water Inc. and your vegetables are all made in a factory by Monsanto all because your president isn't concerned about the environment because he believes Jesus is coming back soon. Fuck reality? Fuck off.