I have no event planning experience, nor do I want any so I cant help you there, but I think you should see your city government and get permits or whatever, explaining that it is a friendly gathering to educate about the benefits of marijuana decriminalization, meant specifically not to be violent in any means. Usually your local government might need a little impromptu education on marijuana and you should be armed in such a way as to be eloquent in your approach.
Play the game, talk about the possibility of new jobs and a new commodity to tax therefore increasing individual state revenues, and above all else, increase general constituents' morale so they dont go bonkers. Be smooth, and your protest will go smooth. It is easier to incite emotions, but that is the way our government plays. You will get much better results in individual education of local politicians. Here, speaking from experience.
I think a positive spin on a protest will actually garner more reaction than any with a negative connotation. Not: Marijuana laws suck! but: Give alternative, earth friendly medicines a chance! Change we CAN believe in! I dont know... again, event planning is not my forte. Just do your research.
Sorry guys if you fit the stereotype. A wierd looking white guy with long hair in a tie-dyed shirt is NOT a good representative for marijuana culture, benefits, or whatever... NO ONE of any influence is going to want to listen to you regardless of whether you are eloquent or not. However, if you are under 30 and make them feel you are truly purposefully involved in the marijuana tax law process/medical decriminalization/legalization or whatever the platform you choose... make sure that isnt your only cartridge. You need to have more important things on your agenda than mj laws, because these things are in the far reaches of most politicians minds. #1: unemployment and bringing jobs back to the state/city. Figure out some logical idea for your community, and present it to a local state representative or congressman. #2 tax revenues are down because people are foreclosing on their homes/not buying new homes. A lot of municipal services are taking a hit, which will eventually cause a clusterfuck down the road. Free school lunches are being taken away for example. Let the reps know the people arent going to be too fucking happy in the immediate future. #3 present some kind of green initiative that pertains to your area, even if only photovoltaic cells. I hear next year the solar panel industry will have a breakthrough in efficiency and will have panels in the Gigawatt range. Giving tax breaks on companies who do research and design plants that utilize these very components, and produce to drive down the cost of purchasing said end product. The government could then raise a small tax overall statewide that would go to purchasing at least (1) 1,000watt solar panel for every home in their areas, which could potentially reduce the coal/gas plant production by 1/4 in the first year... Just to give you some ideas...
Basically, you gotta have some kind of logical solutions to real issues to get them to take you seriously, then slide the marijuana legalization as the last issue. Legalizing MJ would create an entire industry, lower organized crime, increase safety by permitting citizens to obtain a state issued permit and aqcuiring their medicine in an inspected, compliant dispensary rather than meeting questionable individuals, would increase tax revenues by whatever % of gross domestic product marijuana is in your area, that it can be made into textiles, paper, fuel, etc etc etc... Marijuana sweetens the deal. It can be grown indoors 24/7 year round, powered by the very photovoltaic cells they were making available through a minor tax, ensuring that every constituent is able to eat and heat their homes at the very least because 1000watts is enough to run their stove and fridge. The revenues for people obtaining permits could be used for whatever purposes they deem. Education, roads, sewage, getting more pv cells to totally remove their cities from the coal/gas electric grid, eventually recouping the cost entirely, in having communities that actually GENERATE electricity and can sell that excess generated electricity to nearby municipalities.... creating a positive rippling effect... from beginning to end.
yeah well those are some ideas, partially what I try to do to whomever I can talk to with any kind of influence. The issues change often due to time constraints, but these are usually the most well-received. I simply get involved where I can and talk to anyone of influence. They like to see people trying to make a positive change. I promise you that.
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Oh, and another thing, and im not trying to be offensive in any way, just realize i speak exactly what is on my mind, because I am entitled to my opinion, whether it is right or wrong in the eyes of others. However, my opinion is subject to new information so a proper rebuttal might assuage my belief. Anyway... Anarchy simply cannot work. Judging by your signature, it appears you are angry at the government, as am i. However, I, being a military veteran and self-proclaimed philosopher* (lol) know that without law there is chaos. People, especially in large numbers, cannot be trusted to maintain complete order. Even at its very smallest, there must be an authoritarian element installed to dole out justice, and that element should be the people. It makes sense that a panel such as a local jury should try and convict if necessary, a "vector" for lack of a better word, to reduce crime due to the fact some people are beyond rehabilitation. Without some justice, if I stole your pot plants, you would be guaranteed NO justice, because I am well-trained (though this is just a general, cocky assumption for example purposes) and if you wanted to try shit to get them back you just might end up potash for an outdoor crop. That's true anarchy. I could take your shit and you would have no say unless you were better trained and better equipped. Thus, I believe that we should have small, city governments, with ONE state office, 6 regional federal offices and one capital. Period. Need to take a year and hire legally trained people to go through law books and abolish dumb shit that doesn't apply anymore. Deprecated laws. Local citizens can vote on anything they decide to keep at all, and if the local people don't think it applies, out it goes. Cut the long arms of the federal government to their correct size; you know... think Tyrannosaurus Rex, with his big ass teeth but diddly little useless arms. The president is a representative, and congress is only REQUIRED to meet like 2 weeks a year. Meaning, they were meant to HAVE TO BE PRODDED INTO THE OFFICE from their yearlong paid vacation. Looks to me like the founding fathers wanted to install provisions that made it feel good to have an important job to make important decisions, but to have your own life first, then throughout the year, address your constituents' concerns. Anyway, sorry... I suggest you smoke a bowl, and then sit back and look outside of the box. I am not saying your way of thinking is wrong, now. I have no idea how you think. I am simply talking broad spectrum on the topic in your signature, so again please don't be offended. You very well could believe every single thing like I do. I am not assuming anything of you. Sitting back, looking at the stars, and thinking outside of the box is very powerful. Consider that everything that anyone has ever told you is a lie, but that if you actually searched for multiple sources of verifiable evidence, you would find that nothing is as you had once known it. Would you continue to believe the things you have known for so long, or would you continue on looking for more truths? It is a path of enslavement in itself, but it is also liberating.
anyways, im incredibly high. apologies is anything was taken offensively, it was not intended.
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