COP on the Hill: Stories from the week of February 24, 2012

• COP on the Hill

• Your Voice in the United States Congress

• Oppenheimer Show:   I spent the whole week prepping* for the show.  I had to drive to southern New Jersey (160 miles/275KM) for the taping.  Jeff’s camera was of the TV quality needed + we spent three hours taping some short segments to answer FAQs in English and Spanish. 

I was able to express all my main talking points.  My speaking ability was good.    I was frustrated only being able to understand Oppenheimer and one other panelist.  When the others spoke, my oral comprehension was around 30% = terrible. So, I have decided to only improve my Spanish.  This means spending zero time on French and German in which I will always remain fluent, just not sharp.

The program with the President of Guatemala, a member of the United Nations Drug Czar Office, a Florida professor and a rabid prohibitionist should aire this Friday…there are no subtitles in EnglishL:

• Stats for COP’s third year, started on August 1, 2011:
• 254 presentations to Congressional staffers:   0 this week
• 9 Letter to the Editor:  3 this week (at bottom)
• 3 Major Television appearances (Univision, BBC):   this week
• 16 Other media (blogs, cable TV, etc):   this week
• 12 radio shows:    this week
• 12 (Member of Congress or VIP) contacts:   this week
• Permanent invitation to Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 140 conservative VIPs.
  • 3 Major conferences attended: Drug Policy Alliance International, the Congressional Black Caucus September conference & CPAC – Conservative Political Action Conference
  • Consider being a member of COP at $30.00 or more per year.   All contributions are tax-deductible.   Law Enforcement’s voice in opposition to current policy is vital on the Hill to achieve a repeal of federal prohibition.  COP provides that voice.   If you agree that Modern Prohibition/War on Drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional and immoral policy since slavery & Jim Crow…  Go to:
  •  
  • www.CitizensOpposingProhibition.org and click on Donate/Join – by credit card or send a check to: 
  •  
  • COP
  • POB 2902
  • Washington, DC  20013
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  • If you have questions or comments, please send an email to: howard@citizensopposingprohibition.org
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  • COP total stats in first two years:  August 1, 2009 thru July 31, 2011)
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  •  649 Presentations to Congressional staffers
  • 22 Appearances on major TV networks
  • 10 published interviews in newspapers
  • 12 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, etc
  • 57 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $56,000)
  • 19 brief chats with Members of Congress
  • 13 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, etc.
  • 6 major conferences attended (CPAC, LULAC, NRA, etc)
  • Permanent invitation to Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 140 conservative VIPs

This text was published in a Portuguese newspaper. I think is about you.

Kind regards

José A Macedo

«”Conservadores como Rick Santorum acreditam que o governo deve entrar na sua casa e dizer-lhe o que fazer, ao passo que um libertário nunca faria isso”, diz Howard Wooldridge, 60 anos. Howard, um texano, tem botas e um chapéu de cowboy de palha. A T-shirt que veste sobre uma camisa e gravata tem gravada a frase: “Perguntem-me por que é que os polícias dizem: “Legalizem a marijuana.”” Desde que se reformou da polícia, Howard tem-se dedicado à defesa da legalização da marijuana em Washington. Não é a única coisa que o distingue da maioria dos participantes no CPAC: Howard, um libertário, atreve-se a criticar Ronald Reagan, figura heróica do conservadorismo americano. “A ironia é que Ronald Reagan, que toda a gente aqui pensa que é um semideus, disse que as palavras mais assustadoras na América eram: “Olá, sou do governo e estou aqui para o ajudar.” Mas Ronald Reagan também acreditava que o governo devia proteger as pessoas delas próprias. “Como estás a meter uma coisa no teu corpo que eu penso que é má para ti, vamos pôr-te na prisão. Vamos arruinar a tua vida com um cadastro criminal.” Nesse particular aspecto, ele era um liberal [de esquerda], um estadista-providência.” Howard admite, baixinho, que em

• 2008 votou “contra John McCain, em particular Sarah Palin”. “Ou seja, votei no outro tipo [Obama]. Mas não se pode dizer isso aqui, porque estas pessoas são tão fanáticas que preferem votar num neonazi antes de votar num democrata”, diz. O que é que ele faz aqui, se parece tão às avessas do típico frequentador do CPAC? “Para mudar as coisas, é preciso ir onde as pessoas discordam de nós.”»
  http://www.publico.pt/Mundo/um-bom-conservador-e-dificil-de-encontrar-1534484?all=1
• Copyright: Almaguin News 2012
  Contact: news@almaguinnews.com
  Website: http://www.almaguinnews.com/
  Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3732
  Author: Howard Wooldridge, Co-Founder of LEAP – Law Enforcement Against Prohibition
  Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v12/n139/a09.html?1195
  • FORMER DETECTIVE WARNS OF PROHIBITION RISKS

    To the Editor:

    Speaking as a retired police detective, I learned up close and personal the horrific damage done by drug prohibition and the use/abuse of drugs.  My colleague, Rick Dalton, was, I am sure, a fine officer but he must have flunked history and economics.

    Drug prohibition causes the massive crime we must deal with.  The use of marijuana generated zero calls for service during my 18 years on the street.  The use of alcohol generated about 1,300 calls including rape, child abuse, murder, suicide, assault, etc.  Still, marijuana is too dangerous to leave its production and sale in the hands of criminals, gangs and teenagers…as those encouraging prohibition want to do.

    Howard Wooldridge,

    Detective/Officer Howard Wooldridge ( retired ),

    Co-Founder of LEAP – Law Enforcement Against Prohibition

    Washington, DC