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--- Begin Message ----Caveat Lector-For those last-second year-end contributions... Happier New Year to you... Evan ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2003 00:28:05 -0500 (EST) From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Comcast bans MPP's marijuana ads -- fight back! Dear Friend: Comcast, the largest cable TV provider in the nation, has told the Marijuana Policy Project that it will not run any kind of marijuana policy reform ads, including medical marijuana ads. This national policy, which Comcast refuses to put in writing, was brought about by MPP's campaign in New Hampshire. MPP was seeking to spend approximately $10,000 on "issue ads" in mid- January to pressure the presidential candidates to strengthen their medical marijuana positions before they leave the state on January 27 (the date of New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation presidential primary election). We are fighting back. As a short-term solution, a congressional candidate in New Hampshire said he is willing to run MPP's medical marijuana message in his own TV ads. (Under federal law, TV networks and cable TV providers cannot refuse advertising money from federal candidates!) As a long-term solution, however, MPP must sue Comcast. Would you please visit http://www.mpp.org/donate to help get this unexpected lawsuit off the ground? If you so choose, your donation can be tax- deductible. For the long-term health of MPP and the marijuana policy reform movement, it is absolutely crucial that we change Comcast's policy. If we do not, we will not be able to purchase the necessary airtime to pass ballot initiatives, pressure elected officials, and educate the public about the need to end marijuana prohibition. This year alone, the White House drug czar's office is spending $145,000,000 of taxpayer money to run anti-marijuana scare ads. And, in the meantime, the Partnership for a Drug-Free America is receiving $50,000,000 worth of free airtime to run its own untruthful TV ads. Yes, that's right ... To add insult to injury, Comcast recently announced it is donating $50,000,000 worth of free airtime to PDFA. Please see http://www.mpp.org/releases/nr122203gsmm.html for MPP's news release, which features our protest outside of Comcast's Manchester office on December 22. We have been researching our legal options, and it's pretty clear that the case law makes it very hard for us to win a broad-based lawsuit against Comcast. However, we have a fighting chance in court if (1) Comcast has a virtual monopoly in a geographic region, and (2) this monopoly has been granted by a local or state government (as opposed to a voluntary lack of competition by other companies). In addition, in order to strengthen our First Amendment argument, we plan to sue Comcast in a state where a marijuana policy reform initiative is likely to appear on an upcoming ballot. Please consider visiting http://www.mpp.org/donate to help pay for the MPP staff time and legal fees associated with this lawsuit. Given what's at stake, we absolutely must file this lawsuit -- and soon. One added benefit of this lawsuit is that it is sure to generate a substantial amount of free media coverage. This media coverage will be enormously positive for MPP and the forces of medical marijuana. Newspaper editorial boards across the nation -- which almost universally oppose censorship and support a free and open political debate -- will run editorials against Comcast and in favor of MPP. We are playing to win in court. But, even if we lose in court, we might be able to cause Comcast to buckle because all of this free media coverage will (1) be bad for their business, and (2) help promote a political cause they oppose. To supplement this barrage of publicity, MPP is now also calling for a nationwide boycott of Comcast. The boycott starts with me, as I will be signing up with Starpower at home instead of Comcast in a couple of days. Please visit http://www.mpp.org/donate to fight Comcast's censorship of the marijuana policy reform perspective. Comcast's ban is particularly chilling when one considers that Congress is poised to enact a law banning all marijuana policy reform advertising on public transit systems that receive federal money (which is almost all of them). See http://mpp.org/DC/news_5704.html for details. If you are one of the 31,500 people on this e-mail list who have never donated to our work, your donation to the lawsuit will automatically make you an MPP member. If you are one of the 8,800 supporters who have let their MPP memberships lapse, your donation today will renew your membership. If you are one of MPP's 5,000 current members ... which includes 158 Lifetime Members who have donated $1,000 or more in one calendar year ... as well as 515 people who make automatic credit card donations each month ... thank you, thank you, thank you. Would you please make a year-end donation at http://www.mpp.org/donate so that we can launch our lawsuit against Comcast as soon as possible? Thank you in advance for considering this request. Sincerely, Rob Kampia Executive Director Marijuana Policy Project Washington, D.C. P.S. To mail in a check, please direct it to "MPP" or "MPP Foundation" at P.O. Box 77492, Washington, D.C. 20013. Donations to MPP are not tax-deductible, while donations to MPP Foundation are tax- deductible. ------------------------------------------------- Evan Ravitz 303 440 6838 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Ratify the National Initiative! http://Vote.org Photo Adventures: http://Vote.org/photos Bush vs the Pope! http://Vote.org/Bush Sins of the father Bush http://Vote.org/silence Kucinich: winner of the 2003 Ghandi Peace Award http://kucinich.us ------------------------------------------------- www.ctrl.org DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
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