Tag Archives: Montana

NYT Weighs In On Montana’s Medical Marijuana Snafu

by D Gregory Smith

Kirk Johnson of the New York Times covers the economic angle of repealing Montana’s medical marijuana referendum:

Questions about who really benefits from medical marijuana are now gripping Montana. In the Legislature, a resurgent Republican majority elected last fall is leading a drive to repeal the six-year-old voter-approved statute permitting the use of marijuana for medical purposes, which opponents argue is promoting recreational use and crime.

If repeal forces succeed — the House last month voted strongly for repeal, and the Senate is now considering it — Montana would be the first to recant among the 15 states and the District of Columbia that have such laws.

In Bozeman, a college and tourism town north of Yellowstone National Park, construction jobs and tax collections dried up just as the marijuana business was blossoming; residents and politicians here say the interconnection of economics and legal drugs would be much more complicated to undo.

Something the morality economy-geared legislature seems to be forgetting. For those with few options, marijuana can be an excellent idea. I do not use it myself, but I know people who have benefitted greatly- with pain management issues, insomnia, low appetite and nausea- all issues persons with chronic illness such as HIV can have as a result of legally prescribed medication. It makes sense that this relief also be legally prescribed.

If it becomes illegal and you knew it had helped you, would you break the law?

Flathead News Alert!

by D Gregory Smith

Cowgirl reports that Frank Miele, editor of the Flathead Daily Interlake is a vitriolic birther, who’s defending Billy Bob Wagner’s bill to require presidential birth certificates to be on the ballot in Montana. Miele also goes after Anderson Cooper, on whose show Wagner was completely unmasked as a redneck jackass (apologies to Democrats).

Must be seen to be believed. Read it here.

 

Enough is Enough. Isn’t It?

by D Gregory Smith

According to Wulfgar it is. I missed this when I was fighting with my internets the past two days. Still so worth reading.

Excerpt:

But, simply put, the Montana online right is getting to the point that even I can’t read them any more.  That’s a sad admission coming on a sad afternoon after many such sad afternoons.  It’s also very true.  The same old lies, the same old ignorance.  It’s kinda pointless.

…It’s pretty obvious at this point that the Montana GOP doesn’t give a flying shit about jobs, or Montana, or even a balanced budget.  And the only thing coming from the Montana “Dextra” is the sad soft whine that these people should be more what they want and less what they don’t want.

Oh, yes, he did.
Read the rest here.

Press Resulting From/Covering Yesterday’s Human Rights Testimony

by D Gregory Smith

I wasn’t prepared for the press covering the GOP’s hijacking of the rights of Montanans to speak in favor of, or against, legislation- I thought it would just be added to the pile of neglected issues stocked in the backrooms of Montana newspapers.

I was wrong.

To quote Dirty Dancing (which is what I’m calling the GOP’s shenanigans): “When I’m wrong, I say I’m wrong” (which is more than they’ll ever do).
From Lee Newspapers:

Social conservatives supported a bill Friday to nullify Missoula’s ordinance that protects residents from discrimination because of their sexual orientation and gender, while human rights advocates lined up against it….Some Democrats also objected to a decision by committee chairman, Rep. Ken Peterson, R-Billings, to not allow people unable to testify because of time constraints to at least stand and say their names. However, they figured out a way around it by having more than 50 opponents stand as Rep. Diane Sands, D-Missoula, read their each of their names from the sign-up list.

From The Associated Press:

Gay rights advocates were pushing to expand discrimination protection statewide — while conservative religious groups were backing a bill that aims to repeal a Missoula ordinance extending discrimination protection in that city based on sexual orientation.

The contentious nature of the issue and very short hearings on the two bills frayed nerves, as many who drove from out of town to testify were told there wasn’t enough time due to the House committee’s workload.

Next, the blogosphere. The most comprehensive I’ve seen so far is from Towleroad– which also has excellent links, including one to the Montana Public Radio coverage:

Testimony at Montana’s legislature got ugly yesterday over a proposed bill that would kill Missoula’s anti-discrimination ordinance and prevent local municipalities in the state from enacting similar ordinances, instead forcing them to recognize state laws, which currently don’t recognize LGBTs.

Intelligent Discontent provides an excellent roundup of Montana Blog coverage of the issue- I’m proud to stand with these folks. I won’t repeat it- just go have a look.

…and I hope it just strengthens your resolve to stand firm in the face of this bullshit.

Shining A Light Into The Scary Scary Dark…

by D Gregory Smith

 

Whether or not you believe the Montana Legislature has lost it (I don’t want to make clinical assessments about persons I haven’t evaluated personally); whether or not you believe some of the tripe that is being considered for legislation (I know- paranoia is hard to ignore); whether or not you are a believer in term-limits (where are the statesmen statespersons who are concerned for the long-term health and well-being of Montana, and not just for the spasmodic pushing through of personal, unscientific and socially ignorant positions? Sorry, bad sentence structure- read again) and whether or not you are a reasonable human being who would rather they just all go away and not come back for another two years (I’m trying to be open to the process, but I’m losing patience fast); this Legislature is doing things that require the voice of reason to increase in volume.

To wit: Nutjob Bills In The Montana Legislature.

And etc.: Natural Disaster: Republican legislators wage war on Montana’s environmental laws.

And just in case you missed it, the poster child of the 2011 Montana Legislature.

There is a chance to make your voice heard. Get involved. Speak.

And if you want some company, go here.

Rehberg’s Smart-ass Bullying Noticed & Etc.

by D Gregory Smith

…by The New York Times. So much for backwater backslapping.

Not that it will change the arrogance of this man. I expect a statement soon which comes far short of an apology- probably further ostracizing the judge (and/or his children- who wrote to the Independent Record) for being a cry-baby or some other ridiculous shit.

Endangered species indeed- the humble representative, I mean.

Speaking of stupidity humility, one of the most painfully embarrassing things I’ve ever watched: Rep Bob Wagner with Anderson Cooper on CNN talking bout the Birther Bill he introduced in the MT Legislature (via Cowgirl).

Stand Up Against Discrimination!

by D Gregory Smith

HB 516, which seeks to overturn the Missoula Ordinance and ban further ordinances of its kind, is coming up in the House Judiciary this Friday at 8 am. Also coming up that session will be HB 514, which seeks to add gender identity and sexual orientation to the Montana Human Rights Act.

Let’s show the legislators how important equality is to Montanans.

For those of you in Missoula, there will be carpooling  to Helena. Meet at the Eastgate Parking Lot at 6 am.

Facebook page here.

Spread the word- PFLAG chapters, parents, siblings, children, allies, come together!

HIV-specific Criminal Laws Popping Up Across Nation

by D Gregory Smith

From The Michigan Messenger:

In opposition to President Barack Obama’s Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP) National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS), HIV-specific criminal law legislation has popped up in three states in the last two months.

Nebraska is considering a medically unsound piece of legislation making it a crime for HIV+ persons to expose law enforcement officials to their body fluids, while in Utah, the legislature is considering a law that would make engaging in prostitution while HIV+ (either as sex worker or client) more easily punishable.

And of course, Montana gets a mention.

And finally, during a debate on keeping the death penalty in Montana, a state law maker said a perfect reason to keep the law in place was because prisoners were making paper darts which they dip their blood in and then shoot them at guards in the prison.

But you know all about that. Read the whole thing here.

An Evening With Dustin Lance Black

by D Gregory Smith

I have to admit, I went in completely biased.

Like many of you, I watched the Academy Award acceptance speech with tears in my eyes.

“…if Harvey had not been taken from us 30 years ago, I think he would want me to say to all of the gay and lesbian kids out there tonight who have been told that they are less than by their churches, or by the government, or by their families, that you are beautiful, wonderful creatures of value, and that no matter what anyone tells you, God does love you and that very soon I promise you, you will have equal rights federally across this great nation of ours.”

Like I said, completely smitten biased.

But when he began talking about not settling for “close, but not there”, and not giving up on the vision of panoramic human rights, and overcoming the paralysis of fear- “put your pencil on the paper and start moving it- something has to happen”, I knew my predisposition toward this gentle, fiery soul was completely justified. He talked not so much about activism as the promotion of reality- the reality that LGBT people are everywhere, they just want to love and be loved, and they’re not going away. And he’s right. We aren’t.

Unless we give up.

I sat in a full Ballroom at Montana State university with students, teachers, parents, cowboys and a few kids. This was a crowd that could have been distributed down Main Street, Bozeman, and it wouldn’t have seemed different from the normal pedestrian traffic. People listened to this young man- whose story of a rural Mormon upbringing probably hit close to home to many in the audience, with rapt attention punctuated by laughter and enthusiastic applause. Here was a non-apologetic gay man standing in front of a group in a (generally) conservative state whose constitution explicitly prohibits him from full equality, and his story was received respectfully, even enthusiastically. His story and vision no different from my own.

I then had a realization.

It wasn’t new, it had been knocking on the back door of my brain for a while, but I was now able to hear it. It was this:

I had turned all these people into the bullies from my childhood and young adulthood. I had created an enemy/threat out of people who were probably neither. I was projecting. (The irony of my professional blind spot is not lost on me here) I had imposed my childhood fears on (almost) every Montanan- and I’m not a child. I had allowed this weird, unarticulated fear to hold me back.

I don’t want to do that anymore. So I’m going to pay attention to the injustice sensor whenever it goes off- not just when it’s safe. That was my gift from Dustin Lance Black.

Well, one of them.

He answered my question about religion’s scarring of some LGBT’s with “every religion has something important to say. Mine taught me love and respect of family. …but religion is not its leaders. I wouldn’t listen to the leaders all the time. And anger and hurt about religion didn’t keep me from being spiritual.” He talked with people afterward, meeting every one who waited to see him. Of course, I stood in line.

I got a hug, a brief chat about my crazy life story and was able to thank him for his availability and candor. He thanked me right back. Gracious. From the word grace, meaning “elegance or beauty of form, manner, motion, or action”.

Elegant activism. I think I can do that.

Thanks, Lance.



Press Release: Positive Justice Project Denounces Montana Legislator’s Uninformed Comments “…ignorance in the first degree…”

by D Gregory Smith

Contact:

Catherine Hanssens, 347.622.1400 chanssens@hivlawandpolicy.org

Sean Strub, 646-642-4915 sstrub@hivlawandpolicy.org

New York, February 9, 2010 – Leading public health officials and advocates for people with HIV responded swiftly to news that a Montana state legislator, while testifying in favor of retaining the state’s death penalty statute, suggested that prisoners with HIV make paper “blow darts”, put their blood or saliva on them and throw them at prison guards in an attempt to kill them.

A video of the legislator’s comments was posted earlier today by blogger Don Pogreba at the Montana-based website intelligentdiscontent.com.

According to the federal Centers for Disease Control, HIV is not transmitted by saliva, and HIV in blood dies quickly after being exposed to air.  HIV-infected blood does not survive outside the body long enough to cause harm, unless it penetrates mucus membranes.

The Positive Justice Project, a program of the New York-based Center for HIV Law & Policy, is a coalition of more than 40 public health, civil liberties and HIV/AIDS organizations combating HIV criminalization and the creation of a “viral underclass”; they oppose laws that treat people with HIV different from how those who do not have HIV, or who do not know their HIV status, are treated.

The Center’s executive director, Catherine Hanssens, said “Rep. Janna Taylor’s remark is ignorance in the first degree.  Quite frankly, it is typical of the ignorance we had to deal with decades ago, early in the epidemic, when little was known about how the virus was transmitted.  It is astonishing that an elected official today could be so fundamentally uninformed.”

Julie M. Scofield, executive director of the National Association of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD), said “My plea to Rep. Taylor and legislators at all levels concerned about HIV is to do your homework, talk with public health officials and get the facts. Spreading fear about HIV transmission will only set us back in the response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Montana and every other state in the U.S.”

Other experts from Montana and national organizations also commented on Rep. Taylor’s remarks:

“Ms Taylor’s statement just shows the need for greater support and funding for HIV education and prevention in the State of Montana. Unfortunately, misinformation such as this is all too prevalent, leading to pointless discrimination and myth-based fears and policies. After 30 years of dealing with HIV, the public should be much better informed about its transmission. No wonder HIV infection rates haven’t stopped.”

— D Gregory Smith, MA co-chair of the Montana HIV/AIDS Community Planning Group, a licensed mental health counselor and a person living with HIV

“I am disturbed and disappointed to hear such misinformation coming from a local government official, but sadly I am not especially surprised. As we enter the 30thyear of this worldwide epidemic I am frequently reminded of the need for continued education and outreach, the facts are still not clearly understood by the general masses. Perhaps if we were more willing as a society to discuss more openly the risk behaviors that transmit the virus we would not find ourselves responding to such an insensitive and false statement.”

— Christa Weathers, Executive Director, Missoula AIDS Council,  missoulaaidscouncil.org

“HIV infected blood cannot infect someone through contact with intact skin or clothing if the skin underneath is intact.”

— Kathy Hall, PA-C, retired American Academy of HIV Medicine-certified HIV Specialist, Billings, MT

“The comments made by the Montana Legislator really demonstrate total ignorance about how HIV is transmitted. If elected officials don’t understand the basic facts, how can we expect young people and those at greatest risk to understand them?”
— Frank J. Oldham, Jr., President, National Association of People with HIV/AIDS, napwa.org

“This is an example of people with HIV, especially those who are incarcerated, being stigmatized and used as fear-fodder by politicians whose ignorance and quickness to demonize people with HIV outweighs common sense and two minutes of Google research. Even when someone is exposed to HIV, a 28-day course of anti-HIV drugs used as post-exposure prophylaxis is effective in preventing HIV infection.  It also isn’t a death sentence; those who acquire HIV today and have access to treatment generally don’t die from AIDS.”

— Sean Strub, founder of POZ Magazine, a 30 year HIV survivor and senior advisor to the Positive Justice Project.

****

The Positive Justice Project is the first coordinated national effort in the United States to address HIV criminalization, and the first multi-organizational and cross-disciplinary effort to do so.  HIV criminalization has often resulted in gross human rights violations, including harsh sentencing for behaviors that pose little or no risk of HIV transmission.

For more information on the Center for HIV Law and Policy’s Positive Justice Project, go tohttp://www.hivlawandpolicy.org/public/initiatives/positivejusticeproject.

To see the Center for HIV Law and Policy’s collection of resources on HIV criminalization, go to:http://www.hivlawandpolicy.org/resourceCategories/view/2

The Positive Justice Project has been made possible by generous support from the M.A.C. AIDS Fund, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, the van Ameringen Foundation and the Elton John AIDS Foundation.  To learn more or join one of the Positive Justice Project working groups, email:pjp@hivlawandpolicy.org