Today, the Whitehouse launched a new petition service called We The People. Its aim is to examine the key issues important to Americans, look at the most compelling issues, and issue an official response on those petitions that receive over 5000 signatures within 30 days.
Today, I attempted to go take a look at the Marijuana petition, which we've heard calls for the decriminalization of marijuana and/or a re-classification of its status to render it on par with alcohol.
When I clicked through to the site, I waited for about two minutes before finally downloading a "Sorry, Undergoing Site Maintenance" page. An information page tells site visitors to send your questions and feedback via Twitter using the hashtag #WHWeb .
I plan to wait a bit and try again, as well as share the link to the Official Whitehouse Marijuana Petition with all our readers, viewers, followers and friends.
While I wait, I want to share with you why adding your name to the petition is so very important.
I do not expect this petition to create a policy change, per se, but hope that it will at least force the Administration to examine the issue of the outrageous prohibition of Cannabis and to issue its official statement on the matter. Given Obama's lack of follow-through and commitment to his earlier statements on the failed "War On Drugs" as it relates to Cannabis, I am among the millions of voters who require some clarification on the Administration's opinion and intentions.
We are a morally sound, well-educated, socially responsible family trying to run a farm. That our farm cultivates legal medical marijuana should be cause for praise and celebration as we contribute a quality, affordable and useful product to a local market using local resources in a responsible, sustainable manner. Instead, we are caste as pariahs of society, vulnerable to incarceration at the hands of the Feds. We are well-aware of the risks, yet choose to farm in support of a sane and humane future for our country.
We straddle a wonky legal line where what we do is sanctioned and supported by our home state of Maine, yet is illegal and subjects us to prosecution by the Federal Government. We farm in a loud and proud, yet intelligent way with a goal to eradicate the stereotypes placed on the marijuana culture and to legitimize its use for personal, philosophical and medical reasons.
If we are raided, arrested, and prosecuted for operating our farm, people will see the persecution of a nice middle-class family with a wonderful children, not unlike their own friends, family, and neighbors. Our goal is to eradicate this threat, enlighten our viewers, and encourage our children, and everyone, to question authority -- because we love our country, believe in its founding principals and feel that in a Democracy, it is the responsibility of every citizen to challenge faulty law and policy that is bad for our fellow citizens and denigrates our American sensibilities.
So, I will wait. The Official Whitehouse Marijuana Petition site will hopefully come back online and I will affix my electronic signature to it. It is my sincere hope that the site glitch is due to the sheer number of hopeful signers trying to login, and not some Government-backed scheme to silence the demand for answers.
I am faithful that anyone waiting to sign the petiton will hang in here with me. As farmers, supporters and advocates of medical marijuana, we have been forced to learn patience and tenacity.
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/!/petition/legalize-and-regulate-marijuana-manner-similar-alcohol/y8l45gb1
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