06-29-2010, 07:52 AM
Aloha Hawaii4Joe,
Thanks for bringing the topic to the forum for awareness and action. I read through your thoughts and experiences. I understand the arguments, for and against, and I support anyone's right to vote and lobby their conscience.
I took exception only to this:
They will bring big bucks $$$$$$
to the state at a time when, as everyone
knows so well, we need the money.
By increasing truism, an in license fees, and
by Hotel and banquet hall rentals
I do not wish to appear disrespectful but I have to say this argument is getting to be very tiresome. It is being used as justification by all sorts of causes, from civil unions/gay marriage to legalization of Drugs! It is actually somewhat insulting to me to think the only venue of appeal for support of a cause is the 'motivation' a person would have in voting or lobbying on some perceived nebulous financial gain. The merits of any argument are most often won when the person[s] being persuaded believes the presenter is 'confident' and 'convicted' in the central issue. Money is central to a business discussion. Perhaps Civil Unions and Same Sex Marriage and the purchase and sell of drugs is really about business; but, as the mother of a daughter -- who 'married' her partner in August of 2008 in California legally -- money was never a discussion point when she called her father and I to say she and her partner were getting married. She knew it would be a period of adjustment for us to move from our comfort zone to seeing and supporting her in her's. Over the weeks that followed the engagement announcement we had many discussions and private thoughts. Money was never an inducement or consideration. Never. It was a fabulous wedding atop one of the hotels in downtown Los Angeles. They were the first couple to file in LA to get married legally after the law passed in California.
The legalize drugs folk have been hammering the 'money' side of the argument everywhere, yet, when you sit down and truly listen to the money mantra it lacks credibility and perhaps it is because the folks who truly want cannabis legalized themselves do not see it as a topic related to 'money' so much as their right to use, to medicate, to enjoy, etc. I just really prefer to hear the legitimate reason a person wants to do something, or believe something that seems to run against the accepted mores...apart from the hype. JMO
Again, mahalo for bringing the discussion here.
“A penny saved is a government oversight.”
Thanks for bringing the topic to the forum for awareness and action. I read through your thoughts and experiences. I understand the arguments, for and against, and I support anyone's right to vote and lobby their conscience.
I took exception only to this:
They will bring big bucks $$$$$$
to the state at a time when, as everyone
knows so well, we need the money.
By increasing truism, an in license fees, and
by Hotel and banquet hall rentals
I do not wish to appear disrespectful but I have to say this argument is getting to be very tiresome. It is being used as justification by all sorts of causes, from civil unions/gay marriage to legalization of Drugs! It is actually somewhat insulting to me to think the only venue of appeal for support of a cause is the 'motivation' a person would have in voting or lobbying on some perceived nebulous financial gain. The merits of any argument are most often won when the person[s] being persuaded believes the presenter is 'confident' and 'convicted' in the central issue. Money is central to a business discussion. Perhaps Civil Unions and Same Sex Marriage and the purchase and sell of drugs is really about business; but, as the mother of a daughter -- who 'married' her partner in August of 2008 in California legally -- money was never a discussion point when she called her father and I to say she and her partner were getting married. She knew it would be a period of adjustment for us to move from our comfort zone to seeing and supporting her in her's. Over the weeks that followed the engagement announcement we had many discussions and private thoughts. Money was never an inducement or consideration. Never. It was a fabulous wedding atop one of the hotels in downtown Los Angeles. They were the first couple to file in LA to get married legally after the law passed in California.
The legalize drugs folk have been hammering the 'money' side of the argument everywhere, yet, when you sit down and truly listen to the money mantra it lacks credibility and perhaps it is because the folks who truly want cannabis legalized themselves do not see it as a topic related to 'money' so much as their right to use, to medicate, to enjoy, etc. I just really prefer to hear the legitimate reason a person wants to do something, or believe something that seems to run against the accepted mores...apart from the hype. JMO
Again, mahalo for bringing the discussion here.
“A penny saved is a government oversight.”
"Q might have done the right thing for the wrong reason, perhaps we need a good kick in our complacency to get us ready for what's ahead" -- Captain Picard, to Guinan (Q Who?)