Yes, just when you thought you would never hear from any of us again, it is time to
start planning for the next major debacle, the family reunion of 1995. I did not attend
the last reunion in Washington myself and I understand that the turnout was lower than any
time in recent memory, primarily because of a persistent rumor that Bill Henry would show
up. He did not show up, to the great relief of everyone in the family and Washington's
farm animals, too. Laurence is the organizer of the 1995 reunion and says that he has
taken steps to have guards posted to prevent Bill Henry from showing up. Therefore, he
says, we will not have to worry about Bill Henry's ugly mug spoiling any of the group
pictures. He probably would have spent most of his time doing the Morris Moon anyway.
Laurence, as you all know, is now a married man which just goes to prove that the laws
against such things are not tremendously effective. He wrote me to tell me that he had
been laid up recently due to a heart bypass operation (apparently the doctors found that
his heart served no useful purpose) and an operation for a blood clot in his leg. Both of
these problems, he said, were the result of what could be politely described as an overly
strenuous honeymoon, which he related at great length, and was obviously confused with
some things which actually happened in high school. Men really don't need drugs because
they have women. Barbara, his bride tells a somewhat different story, with considerably
fewer disgusting details. In any event, he says that he is recovering nicely now and will
be just as gross and disgusting as we all have gotten used to, and even come to cherish.
Like Don Morris, he is something of a gem in his own right.
I have not been in touch with many of you so I cannot relate a lot of news about other
people. I can assure you it is a great relief. However, on my own front, some significant
things have happened. As far as my campaign to get our drug laws changed, there has been
more success than we had dared hope. Far too much has happened, even in the last six
months, for me to relate it all so I will stick to some of the highlights.
Both the California Medical Association and the Department of Health and Human Services
have issued major reports stating that the undertreatment of pain in the United States is
a major national tragedy. They said that narcotics such as morphine are the cheapest,
safest, and most effective treatments for pain and the reason doctors do not prescribe
them is because they are afraid of prosecution if they do. Both organizations recommended
that narcotics be used as soon as the patients request them and that patients be allowed
to control their own dose. They both said that the risk of addiction is so small that it
is of no practical concern. As the Department of Health and Human Services said,
"Addiction (as the result of medical use of narcotics) almost never happens."
The head of Interpol, the British Association of Chiefs of Police, the Attorney-General
of Colombia, and many other major law enforcement officials have called for either
decriminalization or legalization of drugs and it is apparent that several law enforcement
officials and organizations are now mounting a major push to get drugs decriminalized in
all of Europe.
There have been two TV specials and several radio shows in the last six months which
were based at least in part on the things I have written, one by MTV which aired in
September, and another by the BBC titled "The Drug War, R.I.P.", which aired on
the Arts and Entertainment Channel in September. There will also be a one-hour television
special coming up on ABC which, I understand, will be based largely on the points I have
made and taught others to make.
Our campaign for a Federal commission to review drug policy has been successful.
Language establishing such a commission was included in the recent Crime Bill, which
everyone made such a fuss about. In all the hullabaloo about banning guns, Representative
Don Edwards of San Jose was able to slip the language in during the Conference Committee
and it went unnoticed in the final vote, even though a number of members of Congress had
said they were deadset against it. The commission is due to start its work in 1996 and is
supposed to issue its report by 1998.
A couple of years ago I published a pamphlet I called Persuasive Strategies. The purpose
of it was to teach anyone how to beat the snot out of drug warriors in a debate and do it
so completely that there would be no question in anyone's mind who won the debate. These
strategies were probably the primary reason for the success of all the things we have
done. A lot of other people saw them, liked them, and started using them, including a lot
of fairly famous people. As a result, The Drug Enforcement Administration and their allies
have found that they have been getting their butts kicked every time they showed up to
discuss the subject in public -- all across the nation. They called an emergency meeting
in August, calling in drug warriors from all across the country to discuss what to do
about it.
It must have been an interesting meeting. I can just imagine the conversation, "I got
my butt kicked in LA." "I got my butt kicked in Buffalo", "I got my
ass kicked in Albuquerque" and so forth. Unfortunately, they did not invite me or I
could have given them a few tips myself.
In order to try to combat what I have been doing they have issued a 40 page booklet called
"How to Hold Your Own in a Drug Legalization Debate" which attempts to train
their people how to debate people who are using my tactics. They even lifted paragraphs
from my pamphlet and slightly altered the wording. Imitation is the sincerest form of
flattery. I thought one paragraph from their booklet was particularly flattering:
Legalization proponents are formidable opponents. The group acknowledged that
proponents of legalization are generally well-prepared and credible people whose
arguments, though compelling, are faulty. Proponents effectively use lawyers and public
relations firms to espouse liberalization of drug policies.
Shortly after their booklet was published I got a call from a publisher asking me to do
a book in reply to theirs, which you should see in the bookstores next year.
But enough about politics. Now we will go on to the sordid details of the next reunion.
Reunion Details
WhenJuly 8 and 9, 1995Saturday and SundayWhere Picnic Area C
Finley Park, at the corner of Stony Point Road and College
Avenue
Santa Rosa, California
Directions: From Highway 101, take Highway 12 west one mile and turn
north on Stony Point Road. The park is at the fourth stop
light.
There is a map attached to this newsletter, but it was
based on something drawn by Laurence so I cannot verify
its accuracy.
Any child who is not living within thirty feet of you is
considered a separate household. That's you, Alyssa.
Bring Locals should bring one main dish such as beans, salad,
etc. Laurence always recommends that somebody bring beans
and says that, despite his recent medical problems he will
be "in tune".
Out-of-towners should bring appetizers and desserts.
Where to Sandman Motel -- (707) 544 8570
Stay: Super 8 -- (800) 800-8000
Days Inn -- (800) 325-2525
Los Robles -- (707) 545-6330
Laurence says they are all close and have restaurants
nearby.
Supplies: Safeway, Albertson's, and Longs Drugs are a half milefrom
the park. Safeway has an excellent deli.
Other: The park has swimming pools, which Laurence says cost a
bundle. It also has volley ball, horse shoes (for those
of you who don't have your own shoes), tennis, covered
pavilions with barbecues, handicapped access and restrooms
(I'll bet you are all glad of that!) It also has a very
nice playground.
