brentandrews
July 10th, 2005, 08:48 PM
Letter from Congress: I Love Drugs No. 5
Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., July 8, 2005 - 9:40 a.m. I'm lined up to buy gas in Santa Rosa Beach, on the Gulf Coast some miles from Destin one way and Panama City the other. It's hard to write, here in line in my car waiting to buy gasoline for my SUV. For lack of anything else to write on, I'm using my letter from Tennessee Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn. "Marsha's the Man," said a bumper sticker from her campaign. She's the man, all right. She doesn't love drugs, Congresswoman Blackburn. She might not appreciate being in a column called I Love Drugs, in The Stranger forums of all places, haunt of queers and leftists and chronic malcontents like me.
I'm sitting here waiting to do this gas deal. I'm low on gas so I'm turning my car off instead of idling during the waits. I don't have to start my car very often and when I move it isn't very far. If this gas deal works out Ginny and Violet and I will flee Hurricane Dennis. Hurricane Dennis is approaching - it's crossing Cuba now - there's general panic on the TV news. People are boarding up. One message scrawled like graffitti on plywood over windows said: "Blow Me, Dennis." People are getting out of Dodge.
I'd be with them, getting my little family out of Dodge; but first I must wait to buy gas. It's not too hot out, for Florida, and my position isn't bad. The line's getting longer all the time. So I'm hopeful. I'm hoping this station doesn't run out of gas like the first one I tried, down the road. If they don't run out of gas I'll get my chance - my big chance to be a customer. These other people with me in this car-line - in the green Dodge Neon in front of me and the white Pontiac Grand Am behind - they'll be customers, too. We will be customers together. Already since I've been writing I've inched along toward my goal - foul, dirty, toxic, noxious gasoline - some 30 yards. Thirty yards is a good play in little-league football. I'll be a customer yet.
9:59 a.m. Maybe I'm half-way to the pumps? As long as this store doesn't run out of gas I should only have to wait a half-hour or so more to do this thing, make this gas deal. I have some time to think about the war on drugs as I inch along. I haven't seen much progress lately. It's been bad news following bad news until I feel desperate. I'm doing what I can to end the war on drugs. My vacation of Boogie boarding and body surfing has been cut short by this hurricane, and this long wait for gas, and soon I'll be headed home to Tennessee to fight some more. A lot of people still need convincing the war on drugs should be over (and is over, because I want it, and Eric Schlosser said "This war is over, if you want it" in Rolling Stone all the way back in 1999). Turn the letter over.
***
Congress of the United States
House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515-4207
Marsha Blackburn
7th District, Tennessee
Assistant Majority Whip
Committee on Energy and Commerce
June 23, 2005
Mr. Thomas Andrews
*** Maplegrove Drive
Franklin, TN 37064-5124
Dear Mr. Andrews:
What a pleasure to hear from you. Thank you for contacting me to express your support for the legalization of marijuana. Hearing from constituents on issues of concern is important to both our office and me as we work to represent our district.
It is often suggested that even if all controlled substances are not made available to the general public, some of them, particularly marijuana, could be used to relieve suffering. The medicinal use of marijuana has been rejected by the American Medical Society, the American Glaucoma Society, the American Academy of Opthalmology, the International Federation of Multiple Sclerosis Societies, and the American Cancer Society. Currently, not one American health association has endorsed using marijuana for medical purposes. I have difficulty supporting a proposal, like this, that is not endorsed by the medical community. Drugs are the number one cause for crime and violence in our nation and have done much to destroy the American family. I feel legalization could reduce the perception of the risks and costs of drug abuse and therefore potentially lead to an increased usage of marijuana and subsequently other illegal drugs as well. Furthermore, on June 6, 2005, the Supreme Court ruled that the federal government can now ban the medical use of marijuana even in states that had eliminated sanctions for its use. Although we do not see eye to eye on this issue, I assure you that your opinion is valuable and I hope to hear from you regarding any future concerns that you may have.
Please know that I appreciate both your interest and your time in contacting us on this issue. As the discussion and the debate moves forward on this and other issues, please feel free to visit our website at www.house.gov/blackburn where you can sign up for our email update - the Blackburn Report, updates on important issues; find information on constituent services; read columns, recent press and the latest legislative news; all of which affect and concern the people of Tennessee.
Sincerely,
SIGNED
Marsha Blackburn
Member of Congress
MB:mp
***
10:55 a.m. I'm next in line for gas. I'll have to call that progress, I guess.
Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., July 8, 2005 - 9:40 a.m. I'm lined up to buy gas in Santa Rosa Beach, on the Gulf Coast some miles from Destin one way and Panama City the other. It's hard to write, here in line in my car waiting to buy gasoline for my SUV. For lack of anything else to write on, I'm using my letter from Tennessee Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn. "Marsha's the Man," said a bumper sticker from her campaign. She's the man, all right. She doesn't love drugs, Congresswoman Blackburn. She might not appreciate being in a column called I Love Drugs, in The Stranger forums of all places, haunt of queers and leftists and chronic malcontents like me.
I'm sitting here waiting to do this gas deal. I'm low on gas so I'm turning my car off instead of idling during the waits. I don't have to start my car very often and when I move it isn't very far. If this gas deal works out Ginny and Violet and I will flee Hurricane Dennis. Hurricane Dennis is approaching - it's crossing Cuba now - there's general panic on the TV news. People are boarding up. One message scrawled like graffitti on plywood over windows said: "Blow Me, Dennis." People are getting out of Dodge.
I'd be with them, getting my little family out of Dodge; but first I must wait to buy gas. It's not too hot out, for Florida, and my position isn't bad. The line's getting longer all the time. So I'm hopeful. I'm hoping this station doesn't run out of gas like the first one I tried, down the road. If they don't run out of gas I'll get my chance - my big chance to be a customer. These other people with me in this car-line - in the green Dodge Neon in front of me and the white Pontiac Grand Am behind - they'll be customers, too. We will be customers together. Already since I've been writing I've inched along toward my goal - foul, dirty, toxic, noxious gasoline - some 30 yards. Thirty yards is a good play in little-league football. I'll be a customer yet.
9:59 a.m. Maybe I'm half-way to the pumps? As long as this store doesn't run out of gas I should only have to wait a half-hour or so more to do this thing, make this gas deal. I have some time to think about the war on drugs as I inch along. I haven't seen much progress lately. It's been bad news following bad news until I feel desperate. I'm doing what I can to end the war on drugs. My vacation of Boogie boarding and body surfing has been cut short by this hurricane, and this long wait for gas, and soon I'll be headed home to Tennessee to fight some more. A lot of people still need convincing the war on drugs should be over (and is over, because I want it, and Eric Schlosser said "This war is over, if you want it" in Rolling Stone all the way back in 1999). Turn the letter over.
***
Congress of the United States
House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515-4207
Marsha Blackburn
7th District, Tennessee
Assistant Majority Whip
Committee on Energy and Commerce
June 23, 2005
Mr. Thomas Andrews
*** Maplegrove Drive
Franklin, TN 37064-5124
Dear Mr. Andrews:
What a pleasure to hear from you. Thank you for contacting me to express your support for the legalization of marijuana. Hearing from constituents on issues of concern is important to both our office and me as we work to represent our district.
It is often suggested that even if all controlled substances are not made available to the general public, some of them, particularly marijuana, could be used to relieve suffering. The medicinal use of marijuana has been rejected by the American Medical Society, the American Glaucoma Society, the American Academy of Opthalmology, the International Federation of Multiple Sclerosis Societies, and the American Cancer Society. Currently, not one American health association has endorsed using marijuana for medical purposes. I have difficulty supporting a proposal, like this, that is not endorsed by the medical community. Drugs are the number one cause for crime and violence in our nation and have done much to destroy the American family. I feel legalization could reduce the perception of the risks and costs of drug abuse and therefore potentially lead to an increased usage of marijuana and subsequently other illegal drugs as well. Furthermore, on June 6, 2005, the Supreme Court ruled that the federal government can now ban the medical use of marijuana even in states that had eliminated sanctions for its use. Although we do not see eye to eye on this issue, I assure you that your opinion is valuable and I hope to hear from you regarding any future concerns that you may have.
Please know that I appreciate both your interest and your time in contacting us on this issue. As the discussion and the debate moves forward on this and other issues, please feel free to visit our website at www.house.gov/blackburn where you can sign up for our email update - the Blackburn Report, updates on important issues; find information on constituent services; read columns, recent press and the latest legislative news; all of which affect and concern the people of Tennessee.
Sincerely,
SIGNED
Marsha Blackburn
Member of Congress
MB:mp
***
10:55 a.m. I'm next in line for gas. I'll have to call that progress, I guess.