Posted May 19th, 2010 by hiwayhowie
COPs on the Hill
Stories from the week of May 7, 2010
What about my profits? I spent my second week of the Oregon speaking tour like the first… speaking to various groups, media etc. The most memorable question of the tour came from a guy in Coos Bay in SW Oregon. He asked what would happen to the price of pot, if California legalizes it this fall.
The price would fall hard I replied, though I admitted to not being an expert. I later learned the questioner and several of his friends were big-time illegal growers.
Reflections on the Oregon tour for MAMA: I spent a thoroughly enjoyable 14 days with 3 dedicated reformers, driving a couple of thousand miles and attending several events everyday. I met dozens of medical cannabis patients who were helping others with advice on product, growing tips, sharing meds and simply being good human beings. After 5 years in the ‘belly of the beast’ = DC, my spirit was renewed by so many unselfish acts.
The tour was capped* by an afternoon at the MAMA house in Portland. 50 odd med cannabis patients enjoyed a perfect spring day. Sandee Burbank whom I met in 2003 as she gained excellent Oregon media coverage on my first Misty trip—-has been a fireball for 30 years in Oregon. What a woman! She only needs to pick up the phone to bring me back.
Wearing my COPs t-shirt everyday was a happy annoyance for my companions. About 10 people a day asked me why, causing a few minor delays on our travels. However, 5 shirts were ordered during the trip, so the shirt lives on. Citizens do want to speak out on the issue and the shirt is a good vehicle.
*was capped = zum Schluss kam
COP stats since August 2009:
348 presentations to Congressional Staffers
7 presentations to VIPs (elected officials)
33 published Letters to the Editor (that we know of)
Numerous conferences, hearings & briefings attended. C-Span broadcast my question at a Senate briefing
11 radio shows
6 TV interviews (Colombian TV, Fox and Univision)
Consider being a member of COPs at $30.00 or more per year. It is tax-deductible. Add your voice to those who 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 check.
Howard
Posted May 2nd, 2010 by hiwayhowie
COPs on the Hill
Teacher becomes the Student: About a year ago I drove my motorcycle to downtown Washington to have coffee with former JAG* officer, federal prosecutor and retired superior court judge James Gray, a LEAP speaker. During our 90 minute chat he scribbled down* two pages of notes, remarking he liked my sound bites and my articulation of the issues.
Thursday this week I was in the studios of the southern Oregon NPR* radio station in Medford, speaking for 30 minutes. Jim followed me with another 30 minutes of discussion on drug prohibition. Jim was eloquent,* especially how he described how kids sell to kids. As the program ended, I was thrilled to realize that he had become a more effective speaker than me. I have adopted his style of describing how‘kids selling to kids’ issue. Smiles all around.
On the road again: This week and next I am on a speaking tour, sponsored by MAMAS.org in western Oregon. Sandee Burbank befriended Misty and me in 2003, generating good media coverage our last 2 weeks of the first trip across America. When she called me late last year to help out, I just asked when I should show up and for how long. We are averaging about 4 events per day, moving the issues of prohibition.
Who brought the donuts?: Yesterday in Eugene I was waiting to speak to a crowd at the federal courthouse. Jackie (our driver) ascertained that two police officers were on our side and then directed them to me. The three of us chatted for five minutes as the local TV crew filmed our conversation. Several in the crowd later remarked it was so inspiring to see me talking to uniformed officers. WTG Jackie!
*JAG – Anwalt beim Bundeswehr
*NPR –National Public Radio
*eloquent – redegewandt; ausdrucksvoll
COP stats since August 2009:
348 presentations to Congressional Staffers
7 presentations to VIPs (elected officials)
33 published Letters to the Editor (that we know of)
Numerous conferences, hearings & briefings attended. C-Span broadcast my question at a Senate briefing
11 radio shows
6 TV interviews (Colombian TV, Fox and Univision)
Consider being a member of COPs at $30.00 or more per year. It is tax-deductible. Add your voice to those who 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 check.
Howard
Posted April 14th, 2010 by hiwayhowie
COPs on the Hill
Stories from the week of April 9, 2010
I do not want to go to work today: Monday was a messy, lousy day. My records were wrong or incomplete and after a couple of embarrassing moments, I pulled the plug at lunch, doing just four presentations. Tuesday morning leaving the train, I had trouble making my boots walk in the direction of the House Office Buildings. It was my lowest moment in four years.
I resolved to never again do as many presentations per day as possible, rather limit myself to a max of 8. No more 11 chats in one day, like last week. My boss (me) will no doubt be upset but c’est la vie. Despite telling myself many years ago this effort is a marathon, I have always strived to achieve as much as possible every day. Wrong thinking. Armed with that resolve, I felt better and moved forward.
That day I had seven chats, including one excellent 30 minute chat with an aide (& former cop) to a top Republican leader. We drifted from drug policy to politics and employing the 10th Amendment more in order to reduce the power of Washington. He said he would pass on to the boss all my ideas, and he meant it. As we parted, I told him I would bring the donuts next April. J
Part One, Second Act: At a strategy session this week I learned that the Webb criminal justice review bill will be introduced into the House this month. The Senate has already voted the bill out of committee. As you know, I have pushed for such a review since my arrival in the Fall of 2005. Feels good. We have medium confidence to see the bill on the President’s desk by August recess.
Part Two, Act One: This will be the passage* of the bill to repeal the federal prohibition of cannabis. Stay tuned.
California here we come: This week we received a nice check which will pay our (Misty and me) gas out to California this September. Now we hope for one to bring us home!
*passage = Verabschiedung
COP stats since August 2009:
348 presentations to Congressional Staffers
7 presentations to VIPs (elected officials)
33 published Letters to the Editor (that we know of)
Numerous conferences, hearings & briefings attended. C-Span broadcast my question at a Senate briefing
8 radio shows
Three TV interviews (Colombian TV, Fox and Univision)
Consider being a member of COPs at $30.00 or more per year. It is tax-deductible. Add your voice to those who 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 check.
Howard
Detective/Officer Howard Wooldridge (retired)
Drug Policy Specialist, COP – www.CitizensOpposingProhibition.org
Washington, DC
817-975-1110 Cell
howard@citizensopposingprohibition.org
Citizens Opposing Prohibition – Become a Member
PO Box 772
Buckeystown, MD 21717-0772
Modern Prohibition/The War on Drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional & immoral domestic policy since slavery & Jim Crow.
Posted March 21st, 2010 by hiwayhowie
COPs on the Hill
Stories from the week of March 19, 2010
Is that all you have to wear? On Tuesday I needed to collect the change of staffers in the Longworth Bldg in preparation to begin my meetings there. To avoid sweating badly, I dressed in my COPs t-shirt to go into 131 offices. I had been in Congressman Hank Johnson’s (D-GA) office for just a few moments, when he came thru the door. Recall he was the Member who saw me at Christamas in my shirt, as I delivered MPP’s Christmas car and we chatted. Recall I asked him a question at the CBC (Congressional Black Caucus) seminar last fall…in my T-shirt.
Anyway, he shook my hand, asked what progress I was making, etc. We had an excellent two minute chat with 7 staffers gathered around us (I am sure in a bit of amazement). I hope Congressman Johnson knows I have more to wear than my t-shirt! Small steps.
We love pack rats:* After last week’s Senate hearing on how the Mexican Drug Cartels are corrupting federal officers, I remembered that Bob Ramsey of Texas (who recruited* me into Drug Reform 13 years ago) had given me a graph showing this type of corruption. Doug Ierley of Senator Webb’s office wanted info on corruption. Bob dug thru his many files of info and located the document, sending it to me. The document is already with Doug and will be in the hands of all the offices of Senators on the committee which held the hearing. Thanks Bob.
Don’t lose your humanity: Last Sunday afternoon I heard the news of the slaughter of innocents in Ciudad Juarez — 3 adults (one pregnant) connected to our consulate and the wounding of two of their children. For 30 seconds my mind raced to understand how this tragedy would help move and end the policy of prohibition. Then BOOM. My thinking process came to a screeching halt. I became horrified that my first thoughts had been about the policy, instead of what a tragedy of huge proportions. 3 children are now orphans, many families are weeping as they make preparations for a funeral, etc. I spoke to Karen and aired out* how I needed to keep all in perspective. Truly I have been drinking too much of the DC water. I need more time with Misty. Something.
COP stats for first year to date:
278 presentations to Congressional Staffers
8 presentations to VIPs (elected officials)
31 published Letters to the Editor (that we know of)
Numerous conferences, hearings & briefings attended. C-Span broadcast my question at a Senate briefing
8 radio shows
Two TV interviews (Colombian TV) & Fox
*pack rat = eine Person, die alles aufbewahrt, nichts weg wirft.
* recruited = hat mich überzeugt tätig zu werden
* aired out = Luft machen, auslüften, etwas wie das.. über alles sprechen und ausdrücken.
Consider being a member of COPs at $30.00 or more per year. It is tax-deductible. Add your voice to those who 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 check.
Detective/Officer Howard Wooldridge (retired)
Drug Policy Specialist, COP – www.CitizensOpposingProhibition.org
Washington, DC
817-975-1110 Cell
howard@citizensopposingprohibition.org
Citizens Opposing Prohibition – Become a Member
PO Box 772
Buckeystown, MD 21717-0772
Modern Prohibition/The War on Drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional & immoral domestic policy since slavery & Jim Crow.
Posted March 8th, 2010 by hiwayhowie
COPs on the Hill
Stories from the week of March 5, 2010
Sign of desperation: It was a radio week, as I was on three shows. The first and longest (2 hours) was on the popular talk radio station here in Frederick, Maryland. The radio guy who invited me was a strong believer in all prohibition, as was the other guest, Charlie Smith the chief prosecutor of this county of 200,000.
In the first 5 minutes the prosecutor, Charlie stated that since I wanted to legalize/regulate marijuana, I must be in favor of 7 year olds girls having sex. We went to commercial and he apologized off-microphone. The slur* was an indicator of how desperate, how lacking in rational talking points the prohibition crowd has become. On Saturday at the coffee shop a gentleman walked up and asked if I were the guy on the radio. He agreed with the COPs position and the other guys’ points were “ridiculous.”
Could you take a look?: This week I was asked by a House staffer to review and comment on a draft* letter which will later go out to all Congressional offices which have an established program for the medicinal use of marijuana. ( 146 Members)
On the flip side I met with the new health and science advisor to the Swiss ambassador to the United States. I asked him to have his colleagues back in Switzerland review my summary of their successful treatment program which includes the use of heroin to addicted patients.
Twenty more years to repeal federal MJ prohibition: This estimate/statement was made during my original presentation to the general counsel* and legislative director to one US Senator on Friday. I countered with five years after the first state repeals its state-wide MJ prohibition. That is THE reason Misty and I are spending 10 weeks in California this fall.
- Slur = Beleidigung
- Draft = erste Versuch
- General counsel = Anwalt
COPs stats for first seven months of its first year:
274 presentations to Congressional Staffers
6 presentations to VIPs (elected officials)
29 published Letters to the Editor (that we know of)
Numerous conferences, hearings & briefings attended. C-Span broadcast my question at a Senate briefing
8 radio shows
Two TV interviews (Colombian TV) & Fox
Consider being a member of COPs at $30.00 or more per year. It is tax-deductible. Add your voice to those who 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 check.
Thank you,
Howard
Modern Prohibition/The War on Drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional & immoral domestic policy since slavery & Jim Crow.
