Woman's Christian Temperance Union Targeting Marijuana

[RandySF]

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The mansion that serves as Maine headquarters of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union lay largely fallow until recently, with drug needles, liquor bottles and pornographic magazines littering the grounds. Now, in the state where Prohibition had its roots and in a city that just legalized recreational marijuana, the WCTU is overhauling the building and looking to reinvent itself.

Leaders of the organization, which is committed to abstinence, plan to take a lower-key approach, compared with the old days when crusading women terrorized saloon owners.

"We just want to bring a new passion here. It's not that we want to be self-righteous and condemn you because you're drinking or drugging or you're smoking pot," said the Rev. David Perkins, who is working with his wife to restore the WCTU's Portland chapter. "It's not that. We want to love you but tell you that there are ill effects."

Last week marked both the 80th anniversary of the end of Prohibition and the legalization of marijuana in Portland, Maine's largest city.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/08/womans-christian-temperance-union_n_4408568.html?utm_hp_ref=green&ir=Green

[marsis]

1. "It's not that we want to be self-righteous and condemn

you because you're drinking or drugging or you're smoking pot,"

we just want to be judgemental because you're drinking or drugging or you're smoking pot.
JHC

[NaturalHigh]

2. Didn't these people learn anything from Prohibition?

"It's not that we want to be self-righteous and condemn you because you're drinking or drugging or you're smoking pot..."

Forgive me if I'm a bit skeptical.

[eShirl]

3. ugh

They need to drop the "W" IMO.

[hobbit709]

7. More like the "C"

[pangaia]

4. "It's not that. We want to love you but tell you that there are ill effects."

No, Perkins. You love yourself. Or rather you THINK you love yourself. Actually, you hate yourself and want to project that hate on to others hoping the pain will go away. It won't. There WILL definitely be 'ill effects' of that behavior. And at the time of your death you will, unfortunately, reap the results of your hatred and negativity.

[TexasProgresive]

5. A funny story about my G.Grandmother.

She suffered from wicked sick headaches- would have to stay in the dark for up to 3 days accompanied by nausea. Her doc had her make infusions of marijuana- it was legal at that time. The effect was miraculous- no headache, no light sensitivity and no more throwing up.

Here's the irony - G.Grandma was a founding member of the WCTU in her town.

[Warren DeMontague]

6. Don't forget porn!

And cussin', and gum chewing.

[NaturalHigh]

8. Well, there is that too.

Ban em all! And dancing too!

[Warren DeMontague]

9. We all know what dancing leads to

[NaturalHigh]

10. Well that dancing banana you have there...

undoubtedly needs to be banned. Think about all the harm people are doing just by watching it!

[AverageJoe90]

11. What's ironic about all this is.....

80 years ago, a very large majority of progressives were either opposed to, or even ambivalent towards(usually the former though), the banning of pot. And yet, many of the people who supported pot were also in favor of the Alcohol Prohibition laws initially(yes, there were exceptions, but not many as far as current history tells us).