Our mission statement
— To be an advocate for social and economic progress, ethical behavior, efficient use of public resources and an improved quality of life. — To act independently and fairly. — To celebrate the successes of Greater Memphis and surrounding areas.
— To be the forum for ideas and opinions of public interest.
One premise of the decriminalization of marijuana proposal is that it would free up police to concentrate on more serious crimes such as robberies and homicides.
When officers enforce drug laws of any amount, they are concentrating on robberies and homicides. Illicit drugs are the reason most of these egregious crimes occur.
Another premise is that the ordinance will keep young people in this city from being subjected to convictions that can affect their futures. Choices can keep young people in this city from being subjected to convictions that can affect their future, as well. Choices are incredible, because you don’t have to work hard to make the right one.
Some Memphians applaude the proposal because they feel it would make medical marijuana more accessible to those who need it. Marijuana is already legal in Tennessee only for limited, nonintoxicating medical use. Possession, delivery, sale and cultivation of marijuana, for any other purpose, is a serious crime.
Gov. Bill Haslam has recently realized that changes to state DUI laws legislators made was a huge fiscal error. The new state ordinance has caused the federal government to withhold $60 million from the state for roads. Memphis could suffer a similar financial loss if the proposed marijuana ordinance is passed.
To differentiate from federal drug standards and the state drug enforcement ordinances could cause federal and state drug enforcement funding to Memphis city government to plummet, or end completely.
I hope the City Council will reject this proposal.
I suggest a new editorial feature, “Idiot of the Month.” My inspiration came last month from Colin Kaepernick and Kanye West. Kaepernick disrespected his country and the national anthem by failing to stand during its playing, as well embarrassing his teamates to bring attention to what he views as “discriminatory” treatment of black Americans by police and society as a whole. That’s ironic coming from a biracial black man who makes a seven-figure income in a league made up of roughly two-thirds black men who all make six- to eight-figure incomes.
West compared himself to Walt Disney, Steve Jobs, Howard Hughes, Harry Truman and Henry Ford as a “thought leader.” Really. And you thought he couldn’t top his inappropriate interruption of Taylor Swift during her acceptance of a Grammy?
Leading the pack for September — gotta be Hillary and Donald.
How about a respite from the steady diet of anti-Trump, anti-conservative material in Viewpoint?
If your goal is to insult and/or offend the majority of your readers, you can stop. You are there.