Thanks to Twitter, had a very interesting Email exchange with a major player in the movement to Legalize Medical Marijuana. Got some really great technical advice on tracking my posts, measuring the success of my message which I am looking forward to implementing as I learn these new found tricks of the trade. (Will start my homework later this evening.) Also received were suggestions on Medical Marijuana Society and the presentation of the site. The advice suggests I need too get rid of some of the Joe Toker, social marijuana smoker feel and information on my site, and instead zoom in on and specifically address ONLY MEDICAL MARIJUANA if I expect the major players (such as NORML and ASA) to take me seriously. (420 Hemp Energy Drink)Not discounting the advice, though will admit to being a bit saddened by it. It would be my hope that the casual smokers, the Cannabis DUDES and DUDETTES, 420 hempsters if you will and the more serious folks who are concerned only about, or primarily with Legalization of Medical Marijuana all realize working for one goal helps accomplish the other, and to reach our long range hopes and targets, we must work together, two halves of a whole? Am I wrong in that assumption?
Part of the reason for my own little Medical Marijuana Society, for the Budding Blogger Network was to create a means to A) activate the grassroots, and make them feel more hands on actively involved in the movement for legalization, and B) create a active, vibrant ground force of Cannabis Activists capable of not just pushing news stories out onto the world wide web, but by joining them into a group being capable of making the news, shaping local, state and federal politics with our ability to be on top of a story, having the capabilities to push a story or Cannabis Political news into being mainstream news on the nightly Network and Cable channels.
Obama laughed off the feat that our Cannabis Community accomplished when we laid siege to the White House web site, and pushed the Legalization of Marijuana question to the top of the boards. Publicly, he and FOX News might have laughed that feat off, attempted to label us as Internet Trolls, but secretly behind closed doors they are both impressed, and more than a little scared that the Cannabis Community is finding its collective voice...or at least I like to think we are finding our collective voice. This event in some ways drove my decision to launch a group of Cannabis Blogs all linked together, thus the Budding Bloggers Network.
With today's advice, find myself hesitating, trying to gather my thoughts before moving forward...it is as if I have come to a fork in the road much sooner than I had imagined was possible. Can I blend together some of the fun that is the Social Smokers reality, incorporate some of their approaches to Legalization with the much more conservative Medical Marijuana agenda and its very conservative approach and create a Medical Marijuana Society that sees Legalization of Medical Marijuana as one of the train stops along the way, but not the ultimate destination, and in doing so marry together the two camps? Is it possible to find 500 or even 1000 Budding Bloggers to join up and Blog for Legalization as part of a TEAM? Would love to see a discussion on this, as I could really use some direction this evening.
One voice crying in the wilderness will not be heard, but if all those singular voices join together in song, we can move moountains.
Bud
ReplyDeleteI have thought about this too. At what point do the efforts of some who favor outright legalization alienate the middle ground and become detrimental to the medical movement?
I only pondered this question for an afternoon, then I came to my senses. There is no movement without the casual smoker. It can't be beneficial for a movement to exclude or want to censor the majority of supporters.
The top question on Obama'sVirtual Townhall doesn't even mention medical marijuana. It's a noble cause, the path of least resistance, but it'll only help the sick, outright legalization will benefit everyone.
If your goal is to have 500 or even 1000 budding bloggers, these bloggers are going to play a critical part in determining the direction of your organization. It'd be hard tone down and filter out all the 420 references of 500 bloggers and all the blogs they link to, and so on.
What's most disheartening is the statement you make about Norml not taking you seriously. I think thats true, but I try not to base decisions about moving forward on current opinions and precedents. Joe smoker has to be taken seriously in order to have our ultimate goals achieved, so perhaps he has to be a bit more serious yes, but not hide the fact that he smokes for fun.
But please try not to worry about this issue so prematurely. You have only just began and I think you've done quite a fine job already. Once you get more bloggers and get a flavor for what they report, and how they report it, you'll have a better guage of what level of 420ness suits you best.
Hi Kana
ReplyDeleteGREAT comments. I am like you....do not think we can or should separate the issues, nor am I sure we should completely disavow ourselves from the rich past and pop culture that is and surrounds Marijuana. I have always thought of marijuana as naughty, verse Tabboo...the kind of thing that even the glee club members in High School try (and enjoy).
The 500 bloggers will play a big role, and in many ways...If I can reach my goals, it gives us the ability to put fast breaking news into the hands of smokers instantly across the entire United States and Canada, if not the world. In three weeks, I have already covered five states, and have one Canadian Blogger...I want to run faster, but with no funding and only one person steering the ship right now, I have to be patient.
Thanks for your post...it gives me the energy boost I needed right now.