Recently an Alaskan ABC news reporter, who is also the owner of a medical marijuana dispensary quit on air. It's not why she quit, but how she quit that people are talking about. Upon her resignation she said, "I, the actual owner of the Alaska Cannabis Club, will be dedicating all of my energy toward fighting for freedom and fairness, which begins with legalizing marijuana here in Alaska. And as for this job, well, not that I have a choice, but fuck it. I quit. "
While I admire her passion, and completely agree with her point of view, I think the way she resigned does more to hurt than to help. The anti-legalization people might say,"Of course the foul-mouthed, black anchor woman wants to legalize recreational marijuana. "
I think the fight to legalize marijuana, not only Alaska, but nationwide, is going to take coolness, calmness and a certain degree of restraint, if we're going to break the stereotype of marijuana users.
I was on the internet the other day, when I came across a video featuring Lenore Skenazy. She was talking about a book she'd written called "Free Range Kids". Essentially, Lenore's opinion is that today's parents are too scared of images of child kidnappers and other horrific news stories. Basically her point is that parents have become so afraid of the 24-hour news cycle with kidnappings, molestation, and school shootings, that they don't want to let their kids outside or out of their sight. But she has come under immense criticism, even being labeled "World's Worst Mom" by several blogs. But I agree with her on some things, such as her opinion that the obesity epidemic is perpetuated by the same fear. I think there's a fine line between protecting your kids and putting them in virtual straight jackets. It keeps them from experiencing the dangers of life, but it also keeps them from the joys of life. Yes, bad people are out there, but I don't think that keeping your kids locked up, and by default depriving them of a healthy lifestyle, is the way to keep your children safe. And, I do believe that if we keep going the way we're going, we're going to raise a generation that is scared of everything and can't think for themselves.
