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Show Deseret D E A L E R S U N I T E _ PLEDGE FIGHT TO STOP Reefer March 19871 | Page 3 “BONG BAN” LAW $15,000 DEFENCE FUND TO BE RAISED! EVENTUAL BILL MAY BE MUCH HIGHER! APPEAL ISSUED FOR COMMUNITY SUPPORT: “UNITED WE STAND- DIVIDED WE FALL” FIGHTING BACK — ly ‘defunct non-profit corporation called the “Utah Accessories. Trade Association” formed Representatives of several concerned businesses and organizations met Monday, February as a trade association of paraphernalia dealers ft some time ago. All donations will be banked in, @ . 23rd in Salt Lake City, to discuss the recent bill passed by the Utah State Legislature banning the possession, use, distribution, or sale of “drug paraphernalia”. The Headquarters, Cosmic Aeroplane, Village Idiot, Reds Head Shop, Foreign Affairs, the Deseret Reefer, as well as three wholesalers discussed legal strategy, fund-raising, and possible effects of the bill. A lawyer was present. While there was unanimous agreement that the bill can and should be fought, concern was the name of that non-profit organization, and checks (for those interested) should be made out to “UATA’.. All funds raised will go towards fighting the bill (paying legal fees, etc). The officers and Board of Directors of the Utah Accessories Trade Association will’ be chosen in a meeting sometime in the next two - $56,000; Maryland, $30,000 Court on A lawyer present at the meeting then dis- — of Appeals cussed some of the legal ramifications of the bill. He had reviewed the decision of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and stated that it was his legal opinion that the Association had a good _ case; that the bill was unconstitutional and vague, and that — all amendments to the contrary — the bill was substantially the same as $100,000; while Ohio shops appeal and to the Sixth Circuit expect to spend at least another $20,000if the State appeals the decision to the U.S..Supreme Court. As one participant put it,““We aren’t talking about nickels and dimes — we and are talking about that $15,000 to start with their services for a benefit fund. The next meeting from last Tuesday. foe aan “ ae concert will . two weeks eRe pe ne es et mirrors this effort. In such a Despite their competitive relation- | SUPPORT oe : | ACCESSORIES TRADE ASSOCIATION'S FIGHT AGAINST SB 51 — THE ys BONG DONATING SAVE TAY THE BE BY BY YOUR : MEN IARI ) uncompromising goes — we AREN’T are MAD TAKING way. AS .As HELL the — saying AND WE IT ANYMORE! There is a tendency to just sit back and say to ourselves, “Well, all this is going to work out anyway — so why should I be involved?” One reason things aren’t working out the way # they should is because far too many of us have THATS why the Mormons run @ that attitude. this state; THAT’s why we still have pot prohi- bition; THAT’S why the “Moral Majority” and = its Reagan allies are all set to run rough-shod over the remaining rights and liberties of all Americans. And the situation is not going to change on bit until enough ofus get madenough to start doing something. Its as simple — and as | complicated — as that. ‘‘But what can I do? What possible effect can I have?’ Our strength as lovers of. freedom lies in our convictions and in ourunity. We are health? [Pog : irrational ISSUES. Is it right and vive ae CINTA a o “freedom” in this country mean , VeY any other context someone using force to attain their personal goals would be labeled a criminal and locked away for many years. If we take the lowest of several possible estimates of pot smokers (10% of the population), then we are italking about 90,000 people along the Wasatch Front alone—approximately 150,000 people in the entire state. One hundred thousand and fifty people is a lot of people — in our convictions and in our unity lies our strength. | : More practically, there is a lot you can do. First of all, you can dig down into your pocket and donate $5 or $10 dollars to the legal fund established to fight this evil bill. That’s a hell of a lot cheaper than paying a $500 fine — or serving six months in jail — later on simply because you have a pipe with some resin in it. Second, you can sit down — right now'—and (if he hasn’t already signed it) write a letter to Governor Matheson asking that he veto the bill. One hundred thousand letters pouring into his office demanding that he veto the bill might just have an effect on his political mind. Third, you can contact ten friends and ask them to do what you have done. Don’t ask them to do something you haevn’t done, however. If you donated $5 — ask them for $5. If you donated a buck — ask them for a dollar. And finally,— on a more long term basis — when the next election comes along in 1982,remember how your Legislator voted on this issue. That won’t be hard because not one legislator had the political courage or the moral strength to actually vote against the bill. Its about time we started getting rid of each and every one of the moral cowards who voted for the bill out of conviction or fear — or who simply abstained © out of fear of the consequences of a negative vote. rage. We need State Representatives with couMaybe that’s an idealistic approach — but maybe a big part of our problem is that we’ve sold our idealism down the river of political expediency. | In any event, it’s time to stop talking — stop writing — stop reading — and start acting. If you don’t, who will? LJ E DESERET REEFER ARE FULLY COMMITT PIAA LAA A Added “BONG BAN” BILL. HERE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE WILL BE DOING TO HELP IN THE FIGHT: (1) Due to the cost of producing this newspaper, we have been forced to establish a charge of twenty-five cents for each copy. Depending upon the dealer, anywhere from 5 to 12 cents of the purchase price of each copy will be donated to the Defence Fund. ya oad Does WE AT % Ds to act, think, talk, and believe 8 only the freedom to act, believe, and think as the . | “Moral Majority” does? Of course not — and in ys | of someone’s as you do? Is it moral to lock up otherwise innocent individuals simply because they do something you believe is sinful or bad for their 3 fot DEFENCE FUND. very agrees with you | YOU. LEGAL all because moral to use the law to force everyone who dis- a , CANNISTERS. BONG BILL — talking about MORAL FAVORITE D Se aD Drop crac ) MONEY. INTO THE oo baggies, potting soil, pipes, and hand prejudice — it is time for the people to stand up and say NO — in a very loud, very firm, and ships as members of the business community, they are determined to work together on this for the benefit of all concerned. TO Gott x wR ew be for the other and/or watch the Deseret Reefer for more details. The accessory dealers making up the Utah Accessory Trade Association are very united in Utah Accessories Trade Association, and elect- | centrating on fund raising, while a legal committee interviews lawyers. It was pointed out that August and Cow Jazz have offered to donate outlawing fight should drop by their local “head shop” — idiot, Head West (Ogden), the Deseret Reefer, Fibers and Feathers, Ham and Eggs, Discount Head Shop met to further organize the campaign against the Ban the Bong bill. | At that meeting, the group formally re-constituted the will be con- that of case, it was likely that the Supreme Court, would - yefuse to hear the case — in which case that decision would be the law of the land. Individuals interested in helping with the a substantial part For the present, the UATA out reasoned” and Constitutionally firm. On Tuesday, March 3rd, representatives of the Cosmic Aeroplane, Red’s Head Shop, Village group. pointed court while prediction is a somewhat risky business, he stated that the Ohio decision was “well donations to be placed in. The individuals and businesses present appealed to the selfinterest of all.in the “high community” to stop by one of the local head shops and drop a donation into one of the jars. As one shop owner put it, “If everyone donated a couple of dollars ed officers and trustees.. Rick Cricow was elected chairperson and Steve Swanson was elected vice--chairperson. A voting and dues structure was established, and committees were organized to carry on some of the various activities of the He the as the legal precedent unless that precedent is overturned by the Supreme Court. However, etc. While plans have yet to be finalized, each “head shop” will have a jar out this week for raised towards to total amount. shop, Headquarters, stated that whatput into their donation jar would be out of the owner’s pocket. group decided to ‘“‘resurrect”’ a present- Ohio. by sits in Denver) will tend to follow that decision mentioned were: concerts, donation jars in shops and bars, discount cards, special appeals, © be One ever was matched The in unconstitutional the Deseret Reefer, speaks of the anti-paraphernalia law as an “evil law pased by evil legislators.” To the Stoned Gnomes here at the Deseret Reefer, that description is especially apt. For ' far too long we — the people of this state and nation— have allowed our governmental officials to restrict, abrogate, and forbid the exercise’ of our natural and human rights. In a sense, by our apathy and lack of concern we have brought this on ourselves. This time, however, they have simply gone too far. When it gets to the point that supposedly “responsible” legislators of this State are Circuit Courts (Utah’s Circuit Court of Appeals ferent methods of fund-raising. Some of the ideas could ruled appeals maybe more if we have to appeal.” Much of the time was spent discussing dif- a week for the next month, © weeks. expressed over the cost involved. For example, Colorado shops have spent $20,000; Michigan, spent John Ganga, mythical leader of the “Hole in the Universe Gang” in a story in this issue of (2) Ten percent of the cost of each new: subscription sold will be donated to the Defence Fund. | of the price of the ‘‘Deseret Reefer T-shirts’ advertised elsewhere in this issue will (3) 15% be donated to the fund. (4) One-half page of advertising per issue will be donated to the Utah Accessories Trade Association to publicize the Defence Fund and its needs. | (5) We have offered to do typesetting, lay-up, and graphic work for the Fund without charge. 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