Using the Bible to Argue for Marijuana Legalization
by Bryan Schott
08/13/2012 | 1151 views | 1 1 comments | 5 5 recommendations | email to a friend | print
Totally bizarre. An Oregon ballot initiative says legalizing marijuana is mandated by the Bible.

Washington Monthly's Mark Kleiman says the text of Oregon's Measure 80 quotes scripture to make the case for legalizing marijuana.

Here’s my favorite passage:

Whereas the people hold that cannabis prohibition is a sumptuary law of a nature repugnant to our constitution’s framers and which is so unreasonable and liberticidal as to ….

…. (c) Unnecessarily proscribe consumption of a “herb bearing seed” given to humanity in Genesis 1:29, thereby violating their unqualified religious rights under Article 1, Section 3 and their Natural Rights under Article 1, Section 33 of the Oregon Constitution.

Yep. You read that right. Oregonians are being asked to write into their state’s statute book the idea that marijuana legalization is mandated by the Bible. The proposal also provides that the legal cannabis industry is to be regulated by a seven-member commission, with five of the seven elected by the licensed cannabis growers and processors.
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August 14, 2012
The context of the Biblical quote concerns religious rights under Article 1, Section 3 and their Natural Rights under Article 1, Section 33 of the Oregon Constitution and is mentioned within the framework of the same Constitution and not as a stand-alone expression.

Seeing that the Oregon Constitution contains an Article under Natural Rights, then what is the big deal with an Initiative that speaks about this and seeks to uphold those rights?

After all, "In God We Trust" is the official motto of the United States.

Or do you have a problem with that also???
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Ten Things You Need to Know for Friday
by Bryan Schott
May 24, 2013 | 18317 views | 0 0 comments | 3 3 recommendations | email to a friend | print
Countdown: There are 166 days to the 2013 municipal elections, 249 days until the start of the 2014 Legislature, 525 days until the 2014 midterm elections and 962 days until the 2016 Iowa Caucuses. 

An analysis says expanding Medicaid coverage will save Utah more than $130 million and would give health insurance to 123,000 residents [Tribune].

A new report ranks Utah #1 for economic outlook next year [Utah Policy, Tribune].

House Majority Leader Brad Dee goes on a European vacation with three lobbyists, but Dee insists the trip was above board because everybody paid their own way and they didn’t discuss politics [Tribune].

Former Attorney General Mark Shurtleff is caught on tape offering to get $2 million for Utah Businessman Darl McBride if he would shut down a website critical of another Utah businessman. That money was to come from a third Utah businessman who was in trouble with the Attorney General’s office [Tribune].

Former Legislator and current blogger Holly Richardson says she’s had enough with the “culture of corruption” permeating the Attorney General’s office [Holly on the Hill].

Sen. Orrin Hatch wants to hear from Utahns who think they have been inappropriately targeted by the IRS as part of his investigation into misconduct by the agency [Tribune].

Kennecott lays off 100 workers because of the massive landslide at their Bingham Canyon Mine [Tribune, Deseret News].

The Boy Scouts vote to allow gay members in their ranks [Deseret News].

Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman launches a new political action committee to support Republicans who share his point of view [Tribune].

Gov. Gary Herbert says he is confident the state can work out a deal to avoid taxing the electricity used by the new National Security Agency data center at Camp Williams [Tribune].
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