This morning, Change.org -- the "social action site where you can 1) learn about causes, 2) connect to good people and nonprofits and 3) take action" -- presented its Winners of the Ideas for Change in America Competition. (There was supposed to be a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., though last time I checked, I didn't see any video footage or transcripts.)
Anyway, taking its cue from the new president -- Change.org quotes Barack Obama saying "I will open the doors of America and ask you to be involved in your own Democracy again" -- the site's activists put a litany of ideas up for a vote of their readers. Now they've listed the Top 10 vote getters:
-- Pass the DREAM Act
-- Appoint a Secretary of Peace in a Department of Peace and Non-Violence
-- Provide free health care through a single-payer system
-- Develop and implement a National Strategy for Sustainability
-- Pass marriage quality rights for lesbian, gay, transgendered and bisexual couples nationwide
-- Make the grid green in 10 years
-- Legalize the medicinal and medical use of marijuana
-- Get FISA right, repeal the PATRIOT Act, and restore civil liberties
-- Save small business from the CPSIA [the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act]
-- Adopt the tenets of "health freedom is our first freedom"
Tellingly, these are listed "in no particular order."
Maybe that's because the voting was rigged! I mean, sure, clean energy ought to be a huge priority; same with fixing the health care system. But legalizing pot is one of the country's top ten priorities? I'm for legalizing pot -- and all drugs! -- but c'mon, people. And gay marriage? Please. As a gay woman who might get married whenever Missouri finally allows it, I still think it's far from our country's most pressing issue.
I'm not the best person to make the change.org voter fraud argument, though. A much more thoughtful and informative analysis comes from the KC blogger who writes Resistance is Fruitful.
"It should be known the Ideas finalists did not result from grass-roots
driven democracy. Rather, the process has been tainted by unfair tactics and
strategies by participants and organizers alike," Resistance writes, before going on to show how and why.
If you find that post thought-provoking, may I recommend moving on to "I survived AIDS without drugs," which leads back to the whole problem with our seemingly beyond-help health care system. Resistance is Fruitful says the point of his blog is "Questioning life in general and HIV/AIDS in particular." It's a new blog from someone who used to be one of Kansas City's coolest activists. I hope he keeps it going.
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"But legalizing pot is one of the country's top ten priorities?"
According to change.org legalizing cannabis is not only one of the top 10, but it was THE #1 MOST IMPORTANT priority voted on.
It was also the highest priority on change.gov both of the times on "open for questions"
Theres definintely more important things than legalizing cannabis. But its not like it costs alot of money or takes alot of work to just legalize a plant. Legalizing it will also severly boost todays horrible economy. Cannabis being legalized is just rediculous, theres no reason for it. Its every persons right to decide what they put into there body
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