COP on the Hill: Stories from the week of March 6 & 13, 2015

Stories from the week of March 6 & 13, 2015

Activity of the week:  UN annual conference on dangerous drugs

 Rockstar?  After a 10 hour flight from DC & a short train ride to the middle of Vienna, I emerged from the tunnel into daylight.  I was orienting myself, when a voice called out, “Are you with LEAP?”   Naturally I was wearing my COPS SAY LEGALIZE POT windbreaker.  The 25 year old made sure I bought the weekly subway ticket guided me to the right level.  Good start to my stay.

We are not crazy!  First day – a guy who remembered me from last year engages me in a chat.  He is essentially a detective/police specialist employed by the United Nations.  I asked if when he is amongst his colleagues, if they chat about the stupidity of the world-wide prohibition of a few drugs.  “Sure.”  He elaborated.  Any chance he and his buddies might mention to others with more authority at the UN?  He started to laugh and I joined in.  He wants to keep his cushy job.

No Frontal Assault:  I had several, serious folks advise me on how to change the world.  As I made contacts on the main floor – handing out the “Cheerful News from Colorado” in 4 languages – I used this strategy/verbal argument:  ‘We are 54 years into a grand experiment in WW drug prohibition.  We hear speaker after speaker, nation after nation, detail the problems they are having caused by the policy.  I believe the UN should – for the first time – do an analysis to see if prohibition is reducing the pain, suffering and death around the world.’

Eyebrows go up and non-verbal behaviors hint that this might be a solid approach to take..the frontal assault = amending the treaty, an admittedly heavy lift

Alice in the UN:  Speaker after speaker uses the term “this controlled substance,” to talk about a prohibited drug.   I have to believe that many truly believe these drugs are actually controlled due to the UN treaties vs. controlled by the Cartels, criminals and terrorists.  Their language strikes one  as almost creepy – so out of touch to reality.

This week’s raw data:               

137 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc.     26 this week  (delegates to UN meeting)

• 22 major conferences attended..   (United Nations drug conf, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review,  etc) 01 this week

    01 meetings this week (Center Right Meeting in Vienna, Austria)

•   COP stats since inception: August 2009

1759 Presentations to Congressional staffers..   this week

61 brief chats with Members of Congress..   0 this week

• 36 published interviews in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… this week

55 Radio Interviews..  0 this week

• 87 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, weekly papers, etc..    0 this week

 38 Appearances on major TV networks..this week (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC)…0 this week (BBC)

12 Conversations (five minutes or longer) with Member of Congress..  0  this week

81 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $80,000).. 0 this week

      *   2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position

• Weekly attendance at Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 150 conservative leaders.   Named the “Grand Central Station of the Conservative Movement.”
• Consider being a member of COP at $30.00 or more per year.   All contributions are tax-deductible.  30 dollars buys all the copy paper COP uses in one year.   Law Enforcement’s voice in opposition to current policy is vital on the Hill to achieve a repeal of federal prohibition.  COP provides that voice.  www.citizensopposingprohibition.org