Hello Friends and Readers,
It has been a busy time since I last wrote. I went to the Veteran's March in Austin. We had a even bigger crowd then the year before!
The new year is over a month in, and we now have less then 4 months to try and change the laws here in Texas. I have been busy in the off season though! In December I was elected to be Deputy Director of Houston NORML, and I joined Montgomery Country NORML, and became the Veteran's Outreach Director there. It has keeps me busy going to meetings and preparing fellow citizens for this
session,
The above graphic is from a article that came out in the Dallas Observer. It was on the cover! The article was called "Onward Cannabis Soldiers" and interviews some of my veteran friends.
During the fall, Madesyn Mueller tracked me around to several events I was at, and also spoke with other members of the Texas cannabis moment. Her documentary about Operation Trapped is called The Texas Fight. Please take a few minutes to watch it. She did a super job!
Earlier this week I went to Austin for the Constituent Advocacy Day. Numbers of attendees is between 350-375. Last year was 300. There are some excellent bills that have been introduced as well. Especially SB369, a full medical cannabis bill, that has PTSD and chronic pain as two of the qualifiers.
Here is some helpful info and links to news reports:
Alert!
Our bills in the Senate have been referred to the following committees:
Civil Penalties, SB 170 --> Criminal Justice (email the chairman and committee members here to ask for
a hearing).Medical Cannabis, SB 269 --> Health and Human Services
(email the chairman and committee members here to ask for a hearing).
BREAKING NEWS: Rep. Joe Moody, the author of HB 81 (Civil Penalties) has been appointed Chairman of the
House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee! This is very good for us as it ensures that we will have a timely hearing
by that committee. The bill has not yet been referred, but
when it is, we'll send you a notification. For now,
when it is, we'll send you a notification. For now,
please email your legislators in support of this bill. (Once it's referred to committee, we can begin contacting
committee members about supporting the bill.)
Attached you'll find a few photos from the event. If you have photos you'd like to share, please send
them to me or post them in our Facebook event page.
Here are links to some of the news stories about the event:
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I got to meet with Brian in Representative Metcalf's office, and Stephen in
Senator Nicols office. Both gentlemen were very kind and understanding.
I appreciated their taking notes.
Senator Nicols office. Both gentlemen were very kind and understanding.
I appreciated their taking notes.
It is always extremely difficult to tell my story to new people. It is.. triggering
and emotionally charged. But I have to turn the negatives of the past in to a
positive now. I had a group of 'newbies' with me, who had never met nor
talked with their legislator before. I had lots of anxiety built up around
meeting them and having to 'tell strange men my story'.
and emotionally charged. But I have to turn the negatives of the past in to a
positive now. I had a group of 'newbies' with me, who had never met nor
talked with their legislator before. I had lots of anxiety built up around
meeting them and having to 'tell strange men my story'.
So I am greatly relived that first visit it over. BUT... I didn't get to meet with
either of my actual legislators, so I have to go back and face the lions again, and
tell more strange men my story. <sigh> It really is.. so.. hard. to have to
remember what was done to me, what was taken from me.. and why.. and how.
All of it. Cannabis allows me to participate in life. It was an exit drug from so
many things. And now, it allows me to tell my story in a way to help others. But
DAMN, it gets hard. I long for the day I can garden like I used to, and know that
my fellow citizens are able to use a botanical that eases pain, sorrow and give me
the ability to talk and not be in constant pain from my shattered limbs without
being a pharmaceutical zombie.
either of my actual legislators, so I have to go back and face the lions again, and
tell more strange men my story. <sigh> It really is.. so.. hard. to have to
remember what was done to me, what was taken from me.. and why.. and how.
All of it. Cannabis allows me to participate in life. It was an exit drug from so
many things. And now, it allows me to tell my story in a way to help others. But
DAMN, it gets hard. I long for the day I can garden like I used to, and know that
my fellow citizens are able to use a botanical that eases pain, sorrow and give me
the ability to talk and not be in constant pain from my shattered limbs without
being a pharmaceutical zombie.
I did have a bed day yesterday as my shattered ankle was throbbing like crazy..
and I had set an appointment with Crystal my Vet Center therapist before I went
to Austin. I knew I would need to decompress. As always, Crystal was very helpful.
She is very proud of the progress I am making. She can see that my work as a
cannabis activist here in Texas is both taxing and helping me externalize those
But.. there is more..
and I had set an appointment with Crystal my Vet Center therapist before I went
to Austin. I knew I would need to decompress. As always, Crystal was very helpful.
She is very proud of the progress I am making. She can see that my work as a
cannabis activist here in Texas is both taxing and helping me externalize those
But.. there is more..
it is Manya...
But.. I will write about her in a bit in a separate posting. I have been in
communication with her a lot since just before Christmas. Manya and I have
been best friends since we were in the Navy together on Corry Station back in 1977.
I am a survivor, but she is still a victim,
communication with her a lot since just before Christmas. Manya and I have
been best friends since we were in the Navy together on Corry Station back in 1977.
I am a survivor, but she is still a victim,
over 30 years later, and she has never gotten therapy. She needs it badly.
More about this soon.
Pray for her, pray for Texas, pray for our great nation and pray for our world
planet. Pray for
COMPASSION
Over and out,
Myst
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