X-Message-Number: 13929
From: "Phillip Labry" <>
Subject: Re: CryoNet #13913 - #13924
Date: Tue, 13 Jun 2000 11:07:02 -0400
In New Scientist recently there was an article about developing vaccines
for the addictive
nature of drugs such as heroin and maybe even nicotine. What this
article got me thinking
about however is the nature of drug use and how this could change with
immortality.
If we ever reach the holy grail of cryonics and humanity becomes immortal
what would be
the drawbacks of taking drugs? If smoking, alcohol and the hard drugs
caused no side
effects then why not do them? Current users would surely increase
consumption. Could
immortality create a world of drug-fuelled morons?
I was unaware that smoking turned you into a moron? If there are no side
effects what would be the problem?
Joseph.
First, drug use does not mean you are a moron or will become a moron.
Second, many drugs like MDMA and marajuana have no long term side effects
yet are illegal. Why? Because people enjoy them. That is the simple answer.
If a drug were to come out tomorrow that had no adverse side effects but
gave you a great high you can rest assured that the U.S. Gov't would ban it
and pressure the rest of the world to do the same. Thirdly, since there are
currently drugs available that are very safe and most people who use them do
so responsibly it does not follow that the availability of safe drug use
would entail an increase in usage. Constant recreation at some point becomes
boring.
It could, I guess. It might just as well create a world of people
who do each drug once and call up the resulting brain state at
will (actual drugs cost money, y'know), or who don't do them at all
and recreate the states from a virtual reality simulation. It also
occurs to me that people who don't want to experience their lives
may not care to be immortal. Another possibility is that those of
us who have things to get accomplished may think that drug fueling
may help keep the morons out of our way.
Kennita
Doing drugs does not mean you do not wish to experience your life. For many
it means they want to enhance or experience their life differently for a
short period of time. People who believe the current government propaganda
usually disregard this point.
Since I'm already posting on this topic I should add the following
information. I apologize for the length. I feel this information is germain
to the topic of cryonics for if we have no freedom left, what is the point
in being revived? Will the government even allow it?
On Mon, 5 Jun 2000 18:12:44 -0400 (EDT), Libertarian Party
Announcements < wrote:
Sorry to clutter the list with this but this bill is so offensive I'm
hoping everyone on the list, the ones who live in the USA anyway, will
write or call their vile congresscritter and tell it to vote no on it.
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URGENT ACTION ITEM!
FROM THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY
===============================================
Watergate Office Building
2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Suite 100
Washington DC 20037
Phone: (202) 333-0008 Ext. 222
E-mail:
For information about the party: (800) ELECT-US
Website: www.LP.org
===============================================
June 6 , 2000
===============================================
Anti-Drug Bill Would Allow Secret Searches,
Create New Crime: "Illegal Distribution of Information"
Immediate action required: Stop the "Methamphetamine Anti-
Proliferation Act" now!
A bill that has passed the Senate unanimously and is now
rapidly moving through the House poses a grave threat to your
constitutional rights. This legislation -- HR 2987, also known as the
Methamphetamine Anti-Proliferation Act -- would:
* Expand the government's power to conduct so-called
"sneak-and-
peek searches." Police could search your house and not notify you for
up to six months.
* Make it a federal crime to write about any Internet site
that
provides drug paraphernalia.
* Allow the government to prosecute Americans who teach others
how to grow medical marijuana plants.
Despite the fact that this legislation is a flagrant assault
on
your First and Fourth Amendment rights, it sailed through the Senate
on
November 19 without a single vote against it.
Now we need your help urgently to stop HR 2987 before the
House
approves it as well! HR 2987 is *overdue* for a vote: It was
originally
scheduled to be considered by the Judiciary Committee before the
Memorial Day recess, but that action was postponed.
Now that the House has reconvened, a vote could be scheduled
any day. (The legislation is also being considered by the House
Commerce Committee.)
We are asking you to act now to kill this bill before it gets
out of committee. This "action item" contains:
* Background on HR 2987 and a link to the bill so you can read
it for yourself.
* The names of the politicians on the two House committees
considering this bill, Judiciary and Commerce.
* Information on how to contact them and on what to say.
BACKGROUND: The Methamphetamine Anti-Proliferation Act was
introduced in July, 1999, by Senators Dianne Feinstein, D-CA, and
Orrin
Hatch, R-UT. On November 19, the bill passed the Senate by "unanimous
consent" with no recorded opposition.
Hatch and Feinstein claim their bill merely targets labs that
produce methamphetamine, a form of speed. But the bill goes far beyond
that and gives the federal government sweeping new powers.
Specifically:
* It would allow federal agents to conduct so-called "sneak
and
peek" searches without having to notify you for six months -- if ever.
Current law requires that, if police want to search your home, they
must produce a warrant, and if you're not home, they have to
immediately notify you about the search and give you an inventory of
confiscated items.
But in vague, seemingly innocuous language in the section of
HR
2987 entitled "Notice of Issuance," the legislation says that "any
notice required" to be given for a search "may be delayed pursuant to
the standards, terms, and conditions set forth in section 2705" of
federal law.
That section, according to legal experts, lets police delay
notification for up to 180 days. That means police could conduct a
"black bag" job on your house, search through your belongings -- and
not even inform you they were there for a full six months.
* It would allow federal agents to secretly copy your computer
files and financial documents, and even take photographs of your
belongings without ever notifying you. How did this happen? Lobbyists
for the FBI quietly inserted the word "tangible" before the word
"property" in the following sentence of the bill: "Subdivision (d) of
such rule, as in effect on this date, is amended by inserting
'tangible' before 'property' each place it occurs."
Since copies of your computer's hard drive -- and photographs
of your personal belongings -- technically are not "tangible
property,"
FBI and DEA agents would not have to notify you.
The "sneak and peek" provision is such a blatant violation of
the Fourth Amendment that it even caught the attention of Republican
Rep. Bob Barr -- normally a vociferous supporter of the government's
War on Drugs. Barr called the underhanded maneuver "typical behavior
from the Justice Department and the FBI. That's certainly not the way
to conduct business when you're dealing with people's liberties."
HR 2987 also attacks your First Amendment freedoms by creating
several "communication crimes." It:
* Creates a federal felony -- punishable by a 10-year prison
term -- called "Illegal distribution of information." Section 421 of
the bill says it shall be unlawful to "teach or demonstrate to any
person the manufacture of a controlled substance."
Lawyers say this provision could be used to prosecute, for
example, an individual who told a suffering AIDS or cancer victim how
to grow medical marijuana.
* Makes it illegal to advertise -- even indirectly -- drug
paraphernalia. Section 5 of the bill says it shall be illegal for any
"communications facility" to "post, publicize, transmit, publish, link
to, broadcast or otherwise advertise" any sort of "drug paraphernalia"
or "controlled substances."
So, "if you had links on your web site to sites like High
Times
magazine, you could be threatened with a count of indirect
advertising,"
according to Keith Stroup, executive director of NORML.
Thanks to HR 2987, the War on Drugs has become a War on Words!
That's why your help is urgently needed. We're asking you to
help us kill this unconstitutional, un-American legislation before it
gets out of the House. Please take the action below, then forward this
item to a friend.
WHAT TO DO:
Look at the attached list of the members of the two House
committees that are considering this bill, Judiciary and Commerce.
(Because these two panels are so large -- with a collective total of
90
members -- there's a good chance that your representative is on one of
them.) Then take the following action:
(1) Call the TOLL FREE number for the Congressional
switchboard:
(888) 449-3511. Then ask to speak to the office of your
representative.
If that number is busy, try (202) 225-3121 or (202) 224-3121. The
switchboard is open 24 hours, and most congressional offices have
voice
mail, so please make the call as soon as you get this message.
WHAT TO SAY:
(1) Identify yourself and let them know you are a voter in
their district. Leave your name, address, complete with ZIP code, and
phone number. Please be brief, especially if you are leaving a
message.
(2) Tell them to vote AGAINST the so-called Methamphetamine
Anti-Proliferation Act, HR 2987. (If your representative sits on the
Judiciary Committee, let them know the bill may come up for a vote
within days. If your representative sits on the Commerce Committee,
let
them know that this bill was referred to their committee last
September, and is expected to come up for a vote in June.)
Tell them that this bill contains so many attacks on your
liberty that it can't possibly be amended or improved, it must be
killed immediately!
Let them know you are *angry* that Congress has written a bill
that would give federal agents the power to sneak into your home.
Inform them that you're *appalled* that they're even
considering a law that bans the "criminal distribution of
information."
(3) Ask them to confirm their position on HR 2987, since
you'll
want to show their letter to all of your friends and relatives -- who
are also registered voters in their district.
(4) Finally, E-mail this "action item" to a friend, and ask
them to call their representative, too, if his or her name is on the
list.
Thank you for your help!
Sincerely,
Steve Dasbach
National Director
Libertarian Party
PS: To verify any of the information above, go to
http://thomas.loc.gov/ then type in H.R. 2987 in the box that says
"search by bill number."
Members of the House Judiciary Committee:
Alabama
Spencer Bachus
Arkansas
Asa Hutchinson
California
Howard Berman
Mary Bono
Elton Gallegly
Zoe Lofgren
Ed Rogan
Maxine Waters
Florida
Charles Canady
Bill McCollum
Joe Scarborough
Bob Wexler
Georgia
Bob Barr
Illinois
Henry Hyde (Chairman)
Indiana
Ed Pease
Louisiana
David Vitter
Massachusetts
William Delahunt
Barney Frank
Martin Meehan
Michigan
John Conyers
New Jersey
Steven Rothman
New York
Jerrold Nadler
Anthony Weiner
North Carolina
Steve Chabot
Howard Coble
Melvin Watt
Pennsylvania
George Gekas
South Carolina
Lindsey Graham
Tennessee
William Jenkins
Texas
Sheila Jackson Lee
Lamar Smith
Utah
Chris Cannon
Virginia
Rick Boucher
Robert Goodlatte
Bobby Scott
Wisconsin
Tammy Baldwin
James Sensenbrenner
Members of the House Commerce Committee:
Arizona
John B. Shadegg
California
Brian P. Bilbray
Lois Capps
Christopher Cox
Anna G. Eshoo
James E. Rogan
Henry A. Waxman
Colorado
Diana DeGette
Florida
Michael Bilirakis
Peter Deutsch
Cliff Stearns
Georgia
Nathan Deal
Charlie Norwood
Illinois
Bobby L. Rush
John Shimkus
Iowa
Greg Ganske
Kentucky
Ed Whitfield
Louisiana
Billy Tauzin
Maryland
Robert Ehrlich
Albert Wynn
Massachusetts
Edward J. Markey
Michigan
John D. Dingell
Bart Stupak
Fred Upton
Minnesota
Bill Luther
Mississippi
Charles Pickering
Missouri
Roy Blunt
Karen McCarthy
New Jersey
Frank Pallone
New Mexico
Heather Wilson
New York
Eliot Engel
Vito Fossella
Rick Lazio
Edolphus Towns
North Carolina
Richard Burr
Ohio
Sherrod Brown
Paul E. Gillmor
Michael G. Oxley
Tom Sawyer
Ted Strickland
Oklahoma
Tom A. Coburn
Steve Largent
Pennsylvania
James C. Greenwood
Ron Klink
Tennessee
Ed Bryant
Bart Gordon
Texas
Joe Barton
Gene Green
Ralph M. Hall
Virginia
Tom Bliley (Chairman)
Rick Boucher
Wisconsin
Thomas M. Barrett
Wyoming
Barbara Cubin
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Phillip
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