Thank you for your patience! & “What can I do to help?”

Hello Everyone!!

We have a new website in the works, and it will definitely be an improvement over what you have seen in the past.   It will integrate all of our social media into one area, and we believe it will make our interactions much more frequent, user-friendly, informative, and enjoyable.  It will probably be about a month before we’re ready to roll the whole thing out.  We hope you’ll bear with us in the meantime…

We agree with Mark Pipkin’s comment to our last post, that you shouldn’t have to join fb to see what’s going on in the group.  Part of our website plan addresses that issue.  Our posts on fb and the website (and twitter) will all be harmonized in the new website.  It’s going to have the look and feel of the Cleveland NORML webiste (http://clevelandnorml.org/about-us) and Kansas City Missouri website (http://kcnorml.org/).  We are getting help from Tulsa NORML’s Garret Overstreet, who has been an invaluable resource and also does work for national NORML.  This is an ongoing process, but our goal is to launch the new website ahead of the Nov. 12 Capital Cannabis Reform Jam (which doesn’t have its own website, but is searchable as a public even on fb, and if you see Mark Pipkin’s comment to our last post, and click on him and go to his (very informative!) blog – he has posted the event as well. (Thank’s Mark!)

In response to jimbo’s comment – what can I do in the meantime?  There are a few things you can do!

One of our current projects is to find out the stance of every Congressman in Georgia on this issue.  We have asked our members to please write or call their Legislators, then let us know where they stand.  Right now we have requested that the information be sent to georgianorml@facebook.com , which you can email to as a regular email address.  (We will, however, be getting a new email address with the new website that looks something more like “info” or “contactus” at georgianorml.org.)

Right now we have a Representative in District 86 who is for the idea, Lynn A Westmoreland is against, John Lewis said he would probably vote for HB2306 as he believes this is an issue for the states, and Bob Woodall who agrees it is probably a state issue.  I’ve heard rumors of a Rep from Marietta who would probably support us and another from Decatur.  As you can see, we need a lot more information.

“What Can I Do To Help?”

1.  At the federal level, we are writing to our Congressmen and asking them to support HB2306 using the NORML form, and also collected signatures on a petition at our last event to send in support of the Federal Bill to Legalize MJ.  You can send your Congressmen a letter using this handy national NORML form – I find it even more effective if I edit the first few lines with my own message since surely they receive thousands of these — and we want to keep them coming!  Even if you have already written – write again!   It shows our continued support and demonstrates that this is not an issue that is going to go away.  This bill currently has 14 co-sponsors, up from the original 6.   Here is the link to the letter: http://www.capwiz.com/norml2/issues/alert/?alertid=50800581

Right now, the bill is being held up by Rep. Lamar from Texas.  He is the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and in that capacity, he represents ALL Americans.  You don’t have to be from Texas to contact him and tell him to let this bill (HB2306) get a hearing!   His DC office number is 202-225-4236 and his office is open from 8:30a – 6:00p.

2.  At the state level, we enourage you to write to your local respresentatives and tell them your individual story, and your personal reason for supporting this cause.  Whether you are a mother who is concerned about her children, a law enforcement officer who believes crime-fighting resources could be better alocated, whether you believe it is safer than alcohol (which I think is pretty much a fact by now), or any other reason you have — tell them why you support our cause in Georgia, and ask them how they feel about it.   Here is where you can look up your Representatives:  http://www.congress.org/congressorg/state/main/?state=GA&view=myofficials#0 Feel free to write them, email them or call them.  We have heard that written letters are generally the most effective.

Then let us know!  This is information we want to post on the new website so that when election time rolls around, we can vote accordingly!  That is how we will win Georgia.  In the polls. — So don’t forget to make sure you’re registered to vote!

Thank you all so much for you patience and suggestions – we are working to be more effective and responsive and to make change happen for Georgia!