-- forwarded message -- Below is a statement from the Marijuana Policy Project:
"I've had the opportunity to meet with former Congressman Bob Barr on two occasions this fall. The conversations were quite interesting (and very civil), given that he was one of the three most problematic members of Congress for my organization since I co-founded MPP 12 years ago. While serving in Congress from 1995 to 2003, he (1) prevented our 1998 medical marijuana initiative from taking effect in D.C., (2) took the anti-medical marijuana position while debating me on national TV, and (3) grilled me during my testimony before a congressional subcommittee in 2001. In addition, MPP orchestrated civil disobedience in his office on Capitol Hill, whereby a group of activists holding various signs chanted medical marijuana slogans in his office while we laid the body of a medical marijuana patient (with multiple sclerosis) in the doorway so that no one could get in or out. But that's in the past; he has really come around on drug policy issues. He acknowledges that the drug war is a failure and it cannot be won, he has publicly come out in favor of states' rights for medical marijuana, and he wants to do whatever he can to shrink the size and reach of the federal government, which presumably includes the drug-war bureaucracy (the narcocracy) -- DEA, ONDCP, NIDA. I support the notion of Mr. Barr taking a leadership position with the Libertarian Party; it's a win/win for him and the Party." Rob Kampia, Executive Director Marijuana Policy Project --end-- The below is from my friend Bonnie in New York: --- Hi, there. Didja hear the news about Bob Barr in the debate with Nadelmann Thursday night? I haven't seen it on the web or in email yet, except from someone who was there in NYC. Bob Barr on the Drug War, Jan 18, 2007: "I'm willing to admit that I overlooked a lot of what was going on, and its gotten to the point where I'm not willing to overlook it anymore because the federal government has gotten just way too much power in a whole range of areas, not just this one." [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
