Community | January 05, 2012 | 262 comments

Gingrich: Founding fathers would have ‘violent’ reaction to pot growers

source: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/01/04/gingrich-founding-fathers-would-have-violent-reaction-...

KB723
By Eric W. Dolan
Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Newt Gingrich said Wednesday that the founders of the United States would have dealt violently with marijuana growers, despite the fact that they grew the plant for commercial purposes themselves.

He said at an town hall event in New Hampshire that decriminalizing drugs like marijuana would increase the rate of addictions and increase crime.

“In general, I’d like us to be as drug free as possible and I think that it requires a much more serious approach.”

Gingrich was later asked if former Presidents Thomas Jefferson or George Washington should have been arrested for growing marijuana.

“I think Jefferson or George Washington would have rather strongly discouraged you from growing marijuana and their techniques with dealing with it would have been rather more violent than our current government,” he responded.

Both Washington and Jefferson grew marijuana on their Virginia farms. At the time, the plant was used to make a number a products, such as rope and textiles. It did not become a widely-used recreational drug in the United States until the 20th century, but some academics have claimed that at least seven early U.S. presidents used the drug in the form of hashish.

Gingrich has previously called for a more aggressive drug policy, including the death penalty for drug smugglers.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/01/04/gingrich-founding-fathers-would-have-viole...

Watch this video from CNN, uploaded Jan. 4, 2012.

"WTF???" Who made Newt a Historian???" I Highly Doubt the Founding Fathers would have done or said anything about the Hemp back in that day, in fact I am sure they used quite a bit of it for ropes, clothing etc....
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262 comments // Gingrich: Founding fathers would have ‘violent’ reaction to pot growers

  • tommic
    • 0
      tommic  

    • Newt is 68, out of touch, out of his mind. he may have been an intelligent conservative at one time but no more. He is an emotional panderer. Nothing more, nothing less. His claims of big government show further his disconnect, the ratio of gov't workers to general population has remained constant for almost a hundred years. Give or take a point or two.

    • 5 months ago
  • Truthitswhatsfordinner
  • Truthitswhatsfordinner
  • Mayeffie
  • tommic
    • +2
      tommic  

    • If you're thinking of the 1619 law from Jamestown Colony, Virginia passes law requiring farmers to grow hemp. America's first marijuana law was enacted at Jamestown Colony, Virginia in 1619. It was a law "ordering" all farmers to grow Indian hempseed.
      However, one of the first state laws outlawing marijuana may have been influenced, not just by Mexicans using the drug, but, oddly enough, because of Mormons using it. Mormons who traveled to Mexico in 1910 came back to Salt Lake City with marijuana. The church's reaction to this may have contributed to the state's marijuana law. Other states quickly followed suit with marijuana prohibition laws, including Wyoming (1915), Texas (1919), Iowa (1923), Nevada (1923), Oregon (1923), Washington (1923), Arkansas (1923), and Nebraska (1927). These laws tended to be specifically targeted against the Mexican-American population.

    • 5 months ago
  • Truthitswhatsfordinner
  • tommic
  • Mayeffie
    • 0
      Mayeffie  

    • No! The founding fathers violent reaction would be directed towards notorious demagogues like Newt and the rest of his gang of thieves who took the system created by the founding fathers and used it for political and financial advantage.

    • 5 months ago
  • letsliveinpeace
  • letsliveinpeace
  • Conniepae
    • +2
      Conniepae  

    • Hemp for Industry
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kybQTtnJjQA

      Video's which can be verified! Politician's should not be able to just move along, as though what they had said wasn't wrong. It's time to throw up our hands and tell them wait, wait, wait! If he doesn't know the history of cannabis hemp, there are a few video's I can recommend.

      Politicians don't dispute the video's. They chose to ignore them. When people like Newt start spinning madness, we should start stating facts. Counter the spin (distortion) with documented facts.

    • 5 months ago
  • Conniepae
  • KB723
  • nursediesel
  • Conniepae
    • 0
      Conniepae  
    • nursediesel:

      Yes, you are correct. But, are farmers allowed to grow it? No. Are companies in America allowed to use it for manufacturing? No. Is it outlawed as well? Yes.

      IMHO, cannabis is outlawed to keep the natural competitor off the market. Hemp is a casualty of the 'war on drugs'. Do you think that has been done by accident? ....

    • 5 months ago
  • Michael____C
    • +1
      Michael____C  

    • Hey @NewtGingrich, the founding fathers grew #HEMP. They grew it and manufactured it for everything, including to get 'HIGH'. Read a book once in a while that does just mention Jesus and Our Savior!

      I love how the GOP candidates all love to rewrite history to go with their agenda. They hate the fact that documented history totally contradicts everything they say.

    • 5 months ago
  • KB723
  • letsliveinpeace
  • tommic
    • +2
      tommic  

    • He must not have ever heard of one of Abe Linclons favorite pastimes, it was " One of my favorite pastimes is sitting on the porch with my Homer Harmonica and a sweet bowl of hemp" Student of history my ass

    • 5 months ago
  • KB723
  • tommic
    • +2
      tommic  
    • KB723:

      If I'm not mistaken one of the primary reasons for making pot illegal to begin with was it was perceived by farmers that migrant workers who smoked it were lazy. Or something to that effect

    • 5 months ago
  • KB723
    • +1
      KB723  
    • tommic:

      That very well could be tommic, I have heard that the Hershfeld (spelling?) was behind lobbying against Hemp as they would have rather cut down forests for their publishing company...

    • 5 months ago
  • nursediesel
  • wally60
    • +2
      wally60  

    • he must own stocks in the prison system.and he is making decisions for our country what are we thinking electing people like this

    • 5 months ago
  • KB723
  • wally60
  • KB723
  • littlwarrior
    • +3
      littlwarrior  

    • Ya that's why they all smoked Opium! Fucking dumb asses, nobody had aught against weed until the cotton kings decided it would be profitable for them to make it illegal. Hence we lost access to a plant that human culture has used universally for everything from medicine to rope, to clothes, to god only knows all the damn things you can use it for.

    • 5 months ago
  • KB723
  • jubal
  • KB723
  • hombre76
    • hombre76  
    • This comment has been hidden for review.
  • KB723
  • freehit
    • +3
      freehit  

    • Don't forget the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution is writen on paper made from HEMP. What a mental turd.

    • 5 months ago
  • KB723
  • Ambill94
    • +2
      Ambill94  

    • Can you imagine...just for a minute...George W and Tom J sitting in front of warm fireplace sharing a blunt and some warm apple cider...???...nice image...oh well...:)=

    • 5 months ago
  • KB723
  • fiberbundle
    • +2
      fiberbundle  

    • C'mon the reason we can't legalize drugs is because it would take all the fun, glamour and romance out of using them. If just anybody can buy, sell and use drugs, I mean that wouldn't be cool. No big profits; you'd be asked to go outside and smoke with the rest of the addicts. A lot of people would lose their self esteem; their cause celebre; and their raison d'etre. Do not legalize drugs.

    • 5 months ago
  • hombre76
  • fiberbundle
    • +1
      fiberbundle  
    • hombre76:

      Oh come on its true that a few people over do it and and up getting raped in jail. A few people lose their jobs; marriages; self respect; freedom (as you pointed out); families; and spend every waking moment as a stoned zombie; but that's not most people; that's only the uncool people, who can't handle it. think of all the people you would put out of business if you legalized it. why the money laundry business alone would wipe out the profits of many Swiss banks.Is there such a thing as Tourette's posting disease? Don't legalize drugs. I'm telling you if you do, it won't be cool anymore. Some people will no longer be "bad" boys and they'll lose their sexual attractiveness. Don't let this happen. How can you be "the rebel" if there's nothing to rebel against. Don't mess up being the misunderstood angst driven teenager for the next generation. Think of the kids.

    • 5 months ago
  • hombre76
  • fiberbundle
  • freecrack
    • +2
      freecrack  

    • yeah,cuz our founders were all about big government now huh?
      i think our founders were very wise men.i dont suppose that marijuana legislation was left out of all their efforts by accident.it seems pretty clear the founders not only didnt have a problem with marijuana, but specificaly didnt mention it.

      but hey newt, you go ahead and tell us our founders flaws as you spin as patheticaly as i spell

    • 5 months ago
  • remanns
  • KB723
  • SIBob
    • +4
      SIBob  
    • Image

    • I think maybe Gingrich is a closet user himself, after statements like these. All we ever hear about is the slave holding, indentured servitude master, woman domineering, Native American killing Founding Fathers. Give it a break already. Yes they did an okay job on the Declaration and the Constitution, but the reality for the poor slobs on the ground more or less stayed the same, like today.
      http://sibob.org/wordpress/

    • 5 months ago
  • KB723
  • SIBob
  • KB723
  • SIBob
  • KB723
  • timelord999
  • KB723
  • Hardytoo
    • +4
      Hardytoo  

    • Really sad. He'd be a way more relaxed, more likeable guy if someone would just pass him the pipe. As it stands, he's just a prickly old snark.

    • 5 months ago
  • KB723
  • dudefromtherock
    • +3
      dudefromtherock  

    • He's only pandering to his ultra conservative audience, mostly seniors...you know the people who actually go out of their homes and vote. Sadly most of you complain, post intelligent comments, but fail to show up on voting day.

    • 5 months ago
  • mybologna
  • dudefromtherock
  • mybologna
  • KB723
  • Persecuted
    • +2
      Persecuted  

    • where exactly does small government fall into this much more serious approach to america being drug free?

      and is he not aware that most of the founding fathers grew their own pot on their plantations, harvested by their slaves, and that it was absolutely normal back in those days?

    • 5 months ago
  • KB723
  • Gordon_Shumway
    • +3
      Gordon_Shumway  

    • Had marijuana's potential as a recreational drug been fully appreciated at the time, the founding fathers would surely have treated it the same way they did tobacco. That is to say, they would have bought more plantation land and more slaves to raise it; and they'd have sold it at a tidy profit.

      Any violence that might have occurred would most likely have been a kin to the Whiskey Rebellion when some Founding Father got the idea to tax the stuff.

      Oh, and any slave smoking the stuff would have been harshly dealt with, along with anyone providing it to them. Got to keep the production from slipping ...

    • 5 months ago
  • PressCore
    • +1
      PressCore  
    • Gordon_Shumway:

      You realy hit the nail squarely on the head in the 3rd part of your comment.
      That's the reason why they don't want us using it. Pretty much sums up what
      they think of all of us people who weren't born into old money-2nd order slaves
      born to be the producers to support the .01%, AND themselves, because
      the invention of money was created to make slavery more even impersonal.

    • 5 months ago
  • Wyley_Wombat
    • +5
      Wyley_Wombat  

    • Do you notice that when a re_Pig wanker wants to pontificate one of their own personal views they always say either their god or the founding fathers would not like this idea. In most religions a common theme is "No man can know the mind of god" and I doubt if any of them have the power to travel back in time and actually ask the founding fathers about anything. The only thing they have to go on is historical texts written by persons long dead, or in the case of religions, texts written by persons who claim to know what their god thinks. In most cases these texts, both historical and religious, reflect to a large part the prejudice and bias of their authors. With that in mind, people like the Newt, use this device because they do not have the balls to say "this is my personal view", thus taking ownership of the idea. In short, Newt is as his name suggests, a slimy creature hiding under a flat rock. The light of day would terrify him.

    • 5 months ago
  • KB723
  • sugarmountian
  • VFORVENDETTA
  • cabinettags
    • +5
      cabinettags  

    • Newt, like my own gov. Mitch McConnell, has no clue. I wrote an email to Mitch about legalization/decriminalization. His reply told me about the lack of FDA approval. Really? These are the very same happy time folks that have been refusing samples for research to large name universities for decades. Their mandate is to find what's wrong with it - not what's right with it. They do that by refusing to supply samples; and they're the only legitimate source for pot in the country.

      And as far as Newt's idea that it would promote addictions and crime my response is; "Newt, it's your hat that goes on your head, not your underwear." Can you imagine somebody this misinformed trying to decide foreign policy? We'd probably end up at war with Taiwan. What planet does this guy come from?

    • 5 months ago
  • EdJoyProductions
    • +3
      EdJoyProductions  
    • cabinettags:

      Not to mention that the FDA has approved almost everything the drug companies throw in front of them no matter what the side effects might be. The FDA is still allowing anti-depressant use in children and teens even though almost every other civilized country in the world has banned the use because of the increase in the suicide rate.

      Yes, FDA approval has got to be the most laughable retort form a politician.

    • 5 months ago
  • QuietPlease
  • cabinettags
    • +2
      cabinettags  
    • QuietPlease:

      Please, I've written the old boy several times - always respectfully, and he's replied every time. Takes a while. My last inquiry was why the Republicans keep blocking the job bills that Obama & Co keep trying to enact. His response was these are radical policies and won't fix the problem. Said promoting business & letting people make their own money is the way to go. Makes a degree of sense - I'm divided. You may not agree with him, but he's trying to do the job as he sees best.

    • 5 months ago
  • dudefromtherock
  • artemis6
  • crash_text_dummy
  • KB723
  • dooder
    • +4
      dooder  

    • who cares what the founding fathers would have done?

      What would they have done to a african american running around the white house acting like the boss , now that they would have handled more violently .

      This douch in the video has a history of drug abuse . I bet he appreciated leniency during his situation.

    • 5 months ago
  • EdJoyProductions
    • +2
      EdJoyProductions  
    • dooder:

      Yes, I could just see the founding fathers embracing a woman a Secretary of State. Ben Franklin probably would have considered Hilary Clinton as some chick that he could hit on and probably nothing more.

    • 5 months ago
  • Persecuted
  • Andover
  • EdJoyProductions
  • GRC54
  • KB723
  • Johnny_Los_Angeles
  • PressCore
    • +13
      PressCore  

    • Gingrich, you are the most ignorant liar the USA has ever suffered
      the disgrace of.. The reason why poor English folk emigrated to the
      New World was to seek opportunity to own land, and self determine
      the course of their own lives to farm as they wanted to. In England
      the Crown used press gangs to hijack sailors to man ships. Many
      of the materials used in constructing Brittish navy sailing frigates
      came from Cannabis plants. The canvas for the sails is actualy a
      slang term for Cannabis. The oily resinous woody annuals we call
      Cannabis or Hemp were ideal for making cord out of to teather the
      sails. These Hemp cords were grouped and twined many times to
      form the thick heavy Hemp anchor rope because they wouldn't rot
      under water. Even the seeds of the Hemp plant were boiled to make
      varnish to weather seal the oak wood that formed the beams & planks.

      Because Hemp is a woody annual weed that proliferates itself under
      harsh conditions, it was ideal to grow in England. The Crown used to
      press farmers to use most of their land to produce it for their Navy.
      The English farmers loathed being Coerced to plant such a poor
      paying crop. Almost anything commanded a better price than Hemp.
      Which is one major reason why they emigrated to what is now the USA.

      Both Cannabis and industrial Hemp were widely grown in the colonies.
      The Cannabis flowers were often bartered to spare precious metal
      coined money because they have extensive, important medicinal uses.
      Because it was faster and cheaper to grow Hemp for the construction
      trades, and to make Hemp parchment into books, and even colonial
      currency, Hemp & Cannabis were extremely valuable commodities.
      So much so that no prosperous farmer from Maine to the Carolinas
      wouldn't devote some portionof their land to cultivating it. In my books
      there are documented accounts of how both George Washington &
      Thomas Jefferson cultivated both Cannabis & Hemp. In one reference
      Washington was sorry he let his female plants' colas go to seed as
      they wouldn't be as potent to smoke. Gingrich, you're a sorry joke.
      Next time you try to get attention like a 2 year old telling whoppers
      like that lie, try reading a book authored by a reputable researcher
      We don't need to hear your truth is lies happy horshit, bozo. " The
      founding fathers would have a violent reaction to pot growers " HA !
      THE FOUNDING FATHERS WERE THE POT GROWERS, JACKASS !!!

    • 5 months ago
  • KB723
  • Dagum
    • +3
      Dagum  
    • PressCore:

      Excellent comment ! Provides a lot of back ground. I am interested in learning more on the subject. What books do you have that can provide more on the subject?

    • 5 months ago
  • artemis6
  • Conniepae
    • +2
      Conniepae  
    • PressCore:

      Excellent comment. Newt isn't really ignorant. His comment was 'strategery' (strategy run amuck). He was playing to his base, while spreading disinformation. ie strategery.

    • 5 months ago
  • Conniepae
  • Day0
    • +5
      Day0  

    • "If people let government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny." - Thomas Jefferson

    • 5 months ago
  • KB723
  • EdJoyProductions
  • KB723
  • cherry5000
  • KB723
  • EdJoyProductions
  • KB723
  • ThirdSection
  • EdJoyProductions
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