Great Petition to sign! Well written, rational and reasonable. I just signed it myself, and encourage everyone to give it support.
Be sure to share it with others. This effort is all about getting people involved, so share it!
Steven F.... Groce, Attorney
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Solar Eclipse, May 20, 2012, Partial Solar, from Springfield, MO. Copyright 5-20-2012, Steven F. Groce. All Rights Reserved. Have to do something besides Criminal Defense, and fighting the battle for Legalization. Enjoy! If you like th ...is, a few more photos from other Eclipses can be found on the Law Web Site.
Steven F. Groce, Atty.
Steven F. Groce, Attorney, Life Member Attorney for NORML
Facebook Community Page: "Missouri Marijuana Law and Reform"
http://www.facebook.com/SupportLegalization
http://www.attorneydwi.com/ (Law Office Web Site)
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"Let’s take a stand for personal freedom.” – Willie Nelson While not encouraging anyone to use, or to violate the law, THIS PAGE HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT TAKING A STAND TO RESTORE PERSONAL FREEDOM AND LIBERTIES, that our Founding Fathers neve r intended to be taken away by the Government. TAKE A STAND. GET INVOLVED. SHARE THIS WITH AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE, and if you are not already a member, JOIN NORML.
Steven F. Groce, Attorney
Steven F. Groce, Attorney, Life Member Attorney for NORML
Facebook Community Page: "Missouri Marijuana Law and Reform"
http://www.facebook.com/SupportLegalization
http://www.attorneydwi.com/ (Law Office Web Site)
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CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO RECORD COPS! U.S. Department of Justice: Defends Public’s Constitutional ‘Right to Record’ Cops. Do you know someone who has had their cell phone seized (or the recordings deleted) by a Law enforcement officer for taking photos or video of the Officer? The Department of Justice has now strongly asserted that officers who seize and destroy such recordings without a warrant o ...r without due process are in strict violation of the individual’s Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights. Full story at link below:
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/05/doj-supports-right-to-record/
Steven F. Groce, Attorney, Life Member Attorney for NORML
Facebook Community Page: "Missouri Marijuana Law and Reform"
http://www.facebook.com/SupportLegalization
http://www.attorneydwi.com/ (Law Office Web Site)
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May 18, 2012
SPRINGFIELD POLICE DESERVE OUR SUPPORT. Political differences of opinion, are not to be confused with our appreciation for the Officers that truly are out there putting their lives on the line to protect and serve the citizens of our commu ...nity.
Sometimes it is easy to want to blame the actual people in law enforcement for laws and policies that many people strongly disagree with. Not only is this inappropriate, and unjust to those who serve on the front line; but it is also unproductive. Two recent incidents, personally experienced in downtown Springfield, during which the Police did respond to help with real crimes, crimes of violence, are only two examples of many in which our local law enforcement community deserves our appreciation and respect. I personally just want to say Thank You! Thanks for being there. You are very much appreciated.
Sincerely,
Steven F. Groce, Attorney, and Alison Stone
Steven F. Groce, Attorney, Life Member Attorney for NORML
Facebook Community Page: "Missouri Marijuana Law and Reform"
http://www.facebook.com/SupportLegalization
http://www.attorneydwi.com/ (Law Office Web Site)
http://www.springfieldmo.gov/spd/
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May 12, 2012
Wake up America. There will never be legalization under Federal Law with Obama or Romney! RON PAUL appears to be the only sane person. Romney is either catering to special interest groups that want to keep Cannabis illegal, or he just d...oesn't understand the fact that it is the illegality that causes the problems and the crimes, and creates the profits for the drug lords in Mexico. If he can't understand that it is Prohibition itself that causes the crime, just as it did with the Prohibition of Alcohol, then you really have to wonder.
For someone who is sane, and who really does understand what causes the problems, check out the Ron Paul videos that are on this page from previous posts. Ron Paul needs our help. RON PAUL FOR PRESIDENT!
SHARE THE FACTS ABOUT ROMNEY!
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May 7, 2012  DEFEAT?.......OR A CALL TO BATTLE. Unfortunately, the Show-Me Cannabis proposal will not make the 2012 ballot. Many of us supported this with our time and efforts, so it is a disappointment as well as a loss, for sure! However, the true ...nature of a Country, or of a single person, is how a loss is handled. Although the Show-Me Cannabis proposal will not make the ballot this year, the seeds have been sown for a possible bigger drive that would possibly put a new State legalization initiative on the 2014 ballot. In addition, this effort has also been an issue of opening minds and making people and society consider the folly of the illegality of Marijuana, and of the War On Drugs in general. So, for everyone, who did something to help, there are victories for your efforts, some seen, and some unseen.
I suggest re-reading the "KNOW WHAT IS VICTORY OR DEFEAT" Post, also on this page, origially posted on April 29th 2012. Reading it in its entirety would be best.
Teddy Roosevelt, Soldier and President of the United States, had this to say:
“It is not the critic, who counts, or how the strong man stumbled and fell, or where the doer of deeds could have done better." "The credit belongs to those who are actually in the arena, who strive valiantly, who know the great enthusiams, the great devotions, and spend themselves in a worthy cause; who, at the best, know the triumph of high achievement and who, at the worst, if they fail, fail while daring greatly so that their place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."
Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States
1858-1919
(Sorry for the repitition, but it is just a great quote.)
Therefore, We should NEVER GIVE UP, and WE WON'T! Remember also, that although the State initiative put forth by Show-Me Cannabis, would have been a huge victory for legalization for the State, and one that we all wish had succeeded; the biggest battle is really the effort to end Prohibition of Marijuana under Federal law. Think of it like the game of Marbles. Each State that passes some type of legalization, sends a State sized message to the Federal government. However, the Federal government is bigger than all the marbles of all the States; and just as important, supersedes State law, which has been a major problem for the States. THEREFORE, IF FEDERAL LAW COULD BE CHANGED, that would send a Federal government sized message to every State, and, just as important, would also end the Federal crackdown currenty being waged against even the States that have only passed limited Medical Marijuana laws. Again, take a careful look at some of the other posts to see what has been happening. There is plenty of work to be done, both on the Federal level, and in Missouri.
CALL TO BATTLE: Do not give up. Continue the effort. Talk to and educate as many people as you can. See the "Contact The White House" post from April 25,2012, also on this page, and use it to write President Obama. I suggest a real letter with a stamp. Start with Obama, and then continue from the top down, including back down to your local and State representatives in Missouri. Most important, is continuing to get others involved. Prohibition of Alcohol did not end without our ancestors standing together, so the more people that each of us can get involved, the more successful the Legalization movement will be. In addition to informing people and stimulating thought on the issues, getting more people involved has been a major purpose of this Community page; and for those that are involved, taking action, and continuing to take action, is critical. The failure of the Show-Me Cannabis initiative to make the Nov. 2012 ballot, may be a set back; but it is not a defeat. MAKE A PLEDGE TO SHARE THIS WITH OTHERS. If the total signatures being reported are correct, then more than 65,000 Missouri registered voters did speak out for legalization! So, if each person that did speak out, and that includes each person reading this, just got 5 more people each, to also get involved, then the next Legalization Petition initiative WILL make the ballot. Why not start that effort now. If you are reading this, then SHARE IT! Get those other friends and contacts involved, and then also be the one to continue to encourage and ask them to do the same. This is how we can grow the Legalization movement. DON'T WAIT. START THE EFFORT NOW. JUST TRY FOR 5 NEW PEOPLE, AND THEN WORK FROM THERE.
As I stated in the April 29th, 2012 post:
WE HAVE A WORTHY CAUSE; BUT IT IS A CAUSE THAT REQUIRES EACH AND EVERY PERSON TO TAKE PART, AND TAKE ACTION.
Steven F. Groce, Attorney, Life Member Attorney for NORML
Facebook Community Page: "Missouri Marijuana Law and Reform"
http://www.facebook.com/SupportLegalization
http://www.attorneydwi.com/ (Law Office Web Site)
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May 4, 2012
Sounds a lot like some of the benefits of Cannabis, and another reason why the Government should not be making Life forms that could have huge benefits to many people illegal. Cannabis, Psilocybin or anything else. Once again, it should be noted that neither Steven F. Groce, or Missouri Marijuana Law and Reform, or NORML, encourages anyone to use anything. It is an issue of Freedom, and the harm caused by the failed policies of of the war on drugs.
Steven F. Groce, Attorney
Permanent Link to the Impact Lab article:
http://www.impactlab.net/2011/06/16/magic-mushrooms-could-have-medical-benefits-researchers-say/
Second, different story from May 2012, from CNN, also regarding benefits of Psilocybin
http://edition.cnn.com/video/?hpt=hp_c3#/video/us/2012/05/03/feyerick-psychedelic-therapy.cnn
Steven F. Groce, Attorney, Life Member Attorney for NORML
Facebook Community Page: "Missouri Marijuana Law and Reform"
http://www.facebook.com/SupportLegalization
http://www.attorneydwi.com/ (Law Office Web Site)
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May 2, 2012
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: When our Founding fathers wrote the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution of the United States, they did so with the premise and belief that the Citizens should no longer have to live in fear of their government. Freedom and Individual rights represented the cornerstone of the new Country.
Thomas Jefferson, one of the Founding fathers, put it this way:
"WHEN GOVERNMENTS FEAR THE PEOPLE, THERE IS LIBERTY. WHEN THE PEOPLE FEAR THE GOVERNMENT, THERE IS TYRANNY."
Thomas Jefferson - 3rd United States President - 1801-1809
Think of the many ways in which the Citizen population once again lives in fear of its own Government. I would argue that as a Country, the Government has in many ways lost sight of the great principles upon which our country was founded. As many of you probably know, the Prohibition against Marijuana did not always exist. The Constitution was even written on paper made from Hemp.
Putting an end to the Prohibition of Marijuana, is truly an issue of restoring a Freedom that has been taken away by the Government.
Steven F. Groce, Attorney
Steven F. Groce, Attorney, Life Member Attorney for NORML
Facebook Community Page: "Missouri Marijuana Law and Reform"
http://www.facebook.com/SupportLegalization
http://www.attorneydwi.com/ (Law Office Web Site)
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April 29, 2012
KNOW WHAT IS VICTORY OR DEFEAT.
For all of you who may feel discouraged with our government, this message is to lift up the heart of every person who does something to help with the cause.
“It is not the critic, who counts, or how the strong man stumbled and fell, or where the doer of deeds could have done better."
"The credit belongs to those who are actually in the arena, who strive valiantly, who know the great enthusiams, the great devotions, and spend themselves in a worthy cause; who, at the best, know the triumph of high achievement and who, at the worst, if they fail, fail while daring greatly so that their place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."
Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States
1858-1919
THEREFORE, GO FORTH AND ENTER THE ARENA MY FRIENDS. It is important that each and every person does something, and continues the fight. Other posts on this site will give you the information and ability to write letters. For example, see the Post to contact the Whitehouse below, at Whitehouse.gov; and take a look at the Marijuana Defense page on the Law Website below (scroll to bottom of that page) for a list of local and State officials that you can call or write to. As Roosevelt would have said, strive valiantly, with enthusiasm and devotion. WE HAVE A WORTHY CAUSE; BUT IT IS A CAUSE THAT REQUIRES EACH AND EVERY PERSON TO TAKE PART, AND TAKE ACTION.
Steven F. Groce, Attorney, Life Member Attorney for NORML
Facebook Community Page: "Missouri Marijuana Law and Reform"
http://www.facebook.com/SupportLegalization
http://www.attorneydwi.com/ (Law Office Web Site)
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HOW ABOUT A POLL FOR LEGALIZATION INSTEAD?
Just read the article, and this poll is not helpful. I just finished doing 7 cases today. 3 in State Court in the Morning, and 4 in City Court in the afternoon. Had one Misdemeanor Possession case in each jurisdiction. I was able to get an SIS (Suspended Imposition of Sentence) on each (WHICH IS NOT A CONVICTION). However, Alternative Sentencing, or Penalties is what we already have. If you get an SIS you avoid the conviction, and it is usually conditioned on Community Service and/or Drug Education. Hopefully, as a Lawyer, I can get my client an SIS. Many times defendants without counsel, and some with cousel, can't get an SIS. They may get an SES (Suspended Execution of Sentence), where they take the conviction and still have to do Community Service and a Drug Program, again Alternative Penalties. My point is that Alternative Penalties or sentencing, does not equal in any way to Legalization. So, for NORML to publish a pole that says 74% favor Alternative PENALTIES, really is of very little help. IT IS AN END TO PROHIBITION, AND DECRIMINALIZATION OF MARIJUANA THAT THIS COUNTRY MUST HAVE. It would appear that the organization that did the poll, (which was not NORML), did not bother to ask the question as to whether the person being polled would Support Legalization. The only other conclusion is that this 74% favors maintaining the illegality and Criminal Offense status of Marijuana, and that one should still face Penalties in the Judicial system for it. Sadly, if any of the people polled, replied that they favored Legalization, rather than any penalties, or maintaining the Criminal offense status of Marijuana, that was not reported at all.
Steven F. Groce, Attorney & Missouri Marijuana Law and Reform: facebook.com/SupportLegalization
Steven F. Groce, Attorney
1200 E. Woodhurst Dr., Suite B-100
Springfield, MO. 65804
Tel. 417-883-4950 Office
WWW.ATTORNEYDWI.COM Law Office Web Site
Life Member Attorney: NORML (National Org. for Reform of Marijuana Laws)
Life Member Attorney: NACDL (National Assoc. of Criminal Defense Lawyers)
Member: Missouri Bar
Member: Texas Bar
Member: Federal District Court Bar
Member: Bar of The United States Supreme Court
NEW POLL: 74% of Americans Support Alternative Penalties for Marijuana | NORML Blog, Marijuana Law R
blog.norml.org
A new poll, published today by Angus
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http://www.whitehouse.gov/contactTell President Obama it is time to end the Prohibition of Marijuana under Federal Law. We are doing everything we can in Missouri, and we will continue to do so. It is also time to start working for chang e from the top down, starting with President Obama. At this link, you can write the President online, you can send a letter and you can even call.
If you would like to call, here are two numbers:
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
REMEMBER: President Obama, and all elected officials, are in office to represent The People, and that includes YOU.
Steven F. Groce, Attorney, Life Member Attorney for NORML
Facebook Community Page: "Missouri Marijuana Law and Reform"
http://www.facebook.com/SupportLegalization
http://www.attorneydwi.com/ (Law Office Web Site)
Contact the White House | The White House
www.whitehouse.gov
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April 27, 2012
Obama Not Going "To Turn The Other Way" Regarding Medical Marijuana DispensariesWashington, DC: President Barack Obama is defending his administration's recent crackdown upon medicinal cannabis providers in states that allow for its use in a just-published Rolling Stone Magazine interview.
In recent months, federal justice officials have executed raids on dozens of medical marijuana providers and related businesses, including Oaksterdam University in Oakland, in various states. In some cases, federal authorities have even targeted establishments that were operating in accordance with a state license.
The Justice Department has also ordered lawmakers in various states - including Delaware, Rhode Island, and Washington - to suspend plans to authorize cannabis providers under state law. To date, three states - Colorado, Maine, and New Mexico - have issued licenses to allow for the state-sanctioned production and distribution of cannabis. Similar licensing legislation approved in Arizona, New Jersey, Vermont, and Washington, DC has yet to be implemented by local lawmakers.
Obama's statements appear to contradict those he made in March 2009, as a Presidential candidate, when he pledged to cease utilizing "Justice Department resources to try and circumvent state laws" regarding medical cannabis.
SOURCE: NORML.ORG (Rolling Stone Mag. Interview)
Steven F. Groce, Attorney, Life Member Attorney for NORML
Facebook Community Page: "Missouri Marijuana Law and Reform"
http://www.facebook.com/SupportLegalization
http://www.attorneydwi.com/ (Law Office Web Site)
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April 25, 2012
 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: The Petition signature drive is basically over. No more events at our office, and most Canvassers have already turned in their Signature pages. The information from the: "Show-Me Cannabis Regulation" Legalization initiative, just out today, is that signatures must be turned in to the Secretary of State by May 6. Technically, they can still be taken, but the Petition pages have to be notarized and in the mail not later than Monday, April 30. For anyone that has waited this long to sign, you may be able to still do so for a couple of more days at a fixed location. It is my understanding that Mr. Eddies in Springfield will have it for perhaps 3-4 more days. There will not be any more signing events at the office and we have notarized all of our Petition pages and those of the other Canvassers that brought them in to the signing event on Saturday, April 21. Therefore, if you have yet to sign, suggest you stop by Mr. Eddies immediately!!! It is a great place to visit regardless.
As to whether or not enough signatures were gathered, STAY POSTED. It was very apparent that most Canvassers saved up all of their pages of signatures and brought them in to be notarized at the end. We believe that this is probably the case all over the State. As to when a count will be made and the results published, I have been advised that the Secretary of State will probably not publish an official result until around July 30. We hoped that it would be sooner, and if it is, the results will certainly be posted on this page as soon as they are available.
In the meantime, there is always more to do. For example, writing letters is very important. A short list of people to send letters to expressing your thoughts about legalization, can be found on the Law web site (from the Home page, see menu on left and click on: Marijuana Defense page). Just scroll down to the bottom of the page and you will find the names and addresses. This really does make a difference.
http://www.AttorneyDwi.com/
(From Home Page, click on Marijuana Defense page)
Also, remember to continue to get other people involved. It took the people of the United States STANDING TOGETHER AND DEMANDING CHANGE to get the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, that ended the Prohibition of Alcohol. Therefore, it is essential to still try to convince everyone to take part in this cause. There is a good chance that this initiative will make the Ballot. That will only be the first stage of the effort. Next will be getting people to actually go out and vote in November for Legalization. So, if the people of Missouri do not stand together on this, then even if it makes the November Ballot, it could still fail when it comes time for the vote. This is why we should not stop our efforts to pass this on to others and to convince as many of our fellow citizens and public officials that this change for legalization is so important. Keep up the effort.
Steven F. Groce, Attorney, Life Member Attorney for NORML
Facebook Community Page: "Missouri Marijuana Law and Reform"
http://www.facebook.com/SupportLegalization
http://www.attorneydwi.com/ (Law Office Web Site)
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April 20, 2012
CALLING ON ALL SUPPORTERS. ONLY DAYS LEFT TO GET THE REQUIRED SIGNATURES. PLEASE DO YOUR PART TO HELP. If we fail, the effort will continue; but none of us will be able to Vote For Legalization on the November Ballot. FORWARD THIS TO ALL YOUR CONTACTS.
PETITION SIGNING DAY for anyone who has not yet had a chance to sign, AND PETITION PAGE NOTARY FOR ALL CANVASSERS, Saturday APRIL 21, 2012 from 12:00 Noon to 3:00PM ONLY (SEE LOCATION BELOW).
MISSOURI MARIJUANA LAW AND REFORM, sponsored by Attorney Steven F. Groce, AND co-sponsored by Springfield NORML, is pleased to anounce that on Saturday, April 21, 2012, from 12:00 Noon to 3:00PM only, any qualified registered voter can sign the Petition to get the Vote for Legalization of Marijuana on the November election ballot. Many people have been asking where they can sign the Petition. Springfield NORML has many people who have made great efforts to gather signatures. If you have not yet met one of the signature gatherers, then this is another chance. You must be registered to vote, and in addition to signing the Petition, you will also have to provide the address under which you last registered to vote. This is not where you vote, but your residence address as a voter. This must be provided for your signature to count, otherwise it will be thrown out by the State when signatures are verified. If you are not registered, it is a simple process which can be done either at the Greene County Clerk's office, or at any of the Driver's license offices around the City where you would go to register a vehicle or renew your tags, etc. REMEMBER, IF YOU DON'T REGISTER, THEN YOU ALSO WON'T BE ABLE TO VOTE FOR LEGALIZATION IN NOVEMBER! Signatures must be taken by the end of April 2012, so not much time is left to gather the remaining signatures which are still needed!
LOCATION: The Signature drive, and the Petition Page Notary process available to all Canvassers, will be held at the Law office of Attorney Steven F. Groce, located in the Woodhurst Office Park. 1200 E. Woodhurst Drive, Bldg. B, Suite 100, Springfield, MO. 65804. (Block South of Battlefield, and 1 Block East of National, off Montclair Street.) If you know where the Skybox Sports Bar is on Montclair, then the Woodhurst Office Park is directly across the Street.
PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND CONTACTS ON FACEBOOK AND ELSEWHERE. THOUSANDS OF SIGNATURES ARE STILL NEEDED!
EVERYONE'S HELP IN THIS EFFORT IS APPRECIATED. THANK YOU.
Steven F. Groce, Attorney, Life Member Attorney for NORML
Facebook Community Page: "Missouri Marijuana Law and Reform"
http://www.facebook.com/SupportLegalization
http://www.attorneydwi.com/ (Law Office Web Site)
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April 17, 2012
 LEAP: http://www.leap.cc/LAW ENFORCMENT AGAINST PROHIBITIONBelieve it or not, there is actually a huge growing number of individuals and organizations within the Law Enforcement community, that not only want to end the Prohibition of Marijuana, but also end the War On Drugs completely. Unfortunately, Obama is not one of them; but the numbers are growing! Now, with that said, don't assume that the local Law enforcement officer on the corner, or in the car behind you, is one of them; but they might be, or at least (possibly), with some logical rational persuasion, could be convinced to join forces with the Legalization movement. Anything is possible, and this site proves it. Check out the link above, and if you know anyone in Law Enforcement, consider passing the Link on to them. Obama would be a good start. The organization also has a Facebook page.http://www.facebook.com/CopsSayLegalizeDrugs?v=wall
Steven F. Groce, Atty.
http://www.AttorneyDwi.com/
LASTLY, DON'T FORGET THE PETITION SIGNATURE DRIVE AND PETITION PAGE NOTARY FOR CANVASSERS, THIS SATURDAY, APRIL 21, NOON TILL 3:00PM.
LOCATION: The Signature drive, (FOR ANY REGISTERED VOTER WHO HAS NOT YET SIGNED), and the Petition Page Notary process available to all Canvassers, will be held at the Law office of Attorney Steven F. Groce, located in the Woodhurst Office Park. 1200 E. Woodhurst Drive, Bldg. B, Suite 100, Springfield, MO. 65804. (Block South of Battlefield, and 1 Block East of National, off Montclair Street.) If you know where the Skybox Sports Bar is on Montclair, then the Woodhurst Office Park is directly across the Street.
PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND CONTACTS ON FACEBOOK AND ELSEWHERE. THOUSANDS OF SIGNATURES ARE STILL NEEDED!
EVERYONE'S HELP IN THIS EFFORT IS APPRECIATED. THANK YOU.
Steven F. Groce, Attorney, Life Member Attorney for NORML
Facebook Community Page: "Missouri Marijuana Law and Reform"
http://www.facebook.com/SupportLegalization
http://www.attorneydwi.com/ (Law Office Web Site)
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April 10, 2012
 PETITION SIGNING DAY for anyone who has not yet had a chance to sign, AND PETITION PAGE NOTARY FOR ALL CANVASSERS, Saturday APRIL 21, 2012 from 12:00 Noon to 3:00PM ONLY (SEE LOCATION BELOW).Missouri Marijuana Law & Reform, sponsored by Attorney Steven F. Groce, AND co-sponsored by Springfield NORML, is pleased to anounce that on Saturday, April 21, 2012, from 12:00 Noon to 3:00PM only, any qualified registered voter can sign the Petition to get the Vote for Legalization of Marijuana on the November election ballot. Many people have been asking where they can sign the Petition. Springfield NORML has many people who have made great efforts to gather signatures. If you have not yet met one of the signature gatherers, then this is another chance. You must be registered to vote, and in addition to signing the Petition, you will also have to provide the address under which you last registered to vote. This is not where you vote, but your residence address as a voter. This must be provided for your signature to count, otherwise it will be thrown out by the State when signatures are verified. If you are not registered, it is a simple process which can be done either at the Greene County Clerk's office, or at any of the Driver's license offices around the City where you would go to register a vehicle or renew your tags, etc. REMEMBER, IF YOU DON'T REGISTER, THEN YOU ALSO WON'T BE ABLE TO VOTE FOR LEGALIZATION IN NOVEMBER! Signatures must be taken by the end of April 2012, so not much time is left to gather the remaining signatures which are still needed!
LOCATION: The Signature drive, and the Petition Page Notary process available to all Canvassers, will be held at the Law office of Attorney Steven F. Groce, located in the Woodhurst Office Park. 1200 E. Woodhurst Drive, Bldg. B, Suite 100, Springfield, MO. 65804. (Block South of Battlefield, and 1 Block East of National, off Montclair Street.) If you know where the Skybox Sports Bar is on Montclair, then the Woodhurst Office Park is directly across the Street.
PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND CONTACTS ON FACEBOOK AND ELSEWHERE. THOUSANDS OF SIGNATURES ARE STILL NEEDED!
EVERYONE'S HELP IN THIS EFFORT IS APPRECIATED. THANK YOU.
Steven F. Groce, Attorney, Life Member Attorney for NORML
Facebook Community Page: "Missouri Marijuana Law and Reform"
http://www.facebook.com/SupportLegalization
http://www.attorneydwi.com/ (Law Office Web Site)
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April 4, 2012
Obama has no respect for Individual rights, let alone any understanding of the concept of Personal Freedoms which the Country he is currently president of was founded on. If the Government really represented the people, then the current polls that favor legalization should dictate that Federal Prohibition against Cannabis should END! Perhaps Obama just likes spending more Tax payer money to pay all those DEA agents. Perhaps every State will end up having to secede from the United States, until there is no Federal government. It is no wonder why Ron Paul would like to see Texas secede from the United States, and as everyone knows, one reason is that he also supports legalization of Marijuana, as well as all other drugs for the same basic reasons. Basic Personal Liberty and Freedom, and because the War on Drug is senseless and only creates crime, just as the prohibition of Alcohol did.
Steven F. Groce, Attorney
Steven F. Groce, Attorney, Life Member Attorney for NORML
Facebook Community Page: "Missouri Marijuana Law and Reform"
http://www.facebook.com/SupportLegalization
http://www.attorneydwi.com/ (Law Office Web Site)
Obama's DEA Steals Medical Marijuana from Oaksterdam
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March 25, 2012
 Barack Obama enjoys a Guinness at Ollie Hayes pub in Moneygall, Ireland, on Monday. 'Youre keeping all the best stuff here!' he joked. Photograph: AP
Had to post this also, just in case anyone wonders if Obama drinks. Perhaps he has forgotten that if it was not for our Great grandparents who stood up to the Federal Government to end the Prohibition of Alcohol, that he would still be committing a Federal crime for drinking that wonderful Guinness. (And yes, he does it back home in the States as well). The point: Obama enjoys the results of the heroic efforts of those that came before him. Perhaps everyone should send our President a letter, and remind him.
Our efforts to change the laws in Missouri are extrememly important, and such a change would also send a message to the Federal Government. We must not forget however that until Federal Laws are also changed, regardless of what laws are changed in Missouri, or other States, everyone will still be subject to Federal prosecution, which is going on right now in Medical Marijuana states like California.
Steven F. Groce, Attorney
Steven F. Groce, Attorney, Life Member Attorney for NORML
Facebook Community Page: "Missouri Marijuana Law and Reform"
http://www.facebook.com/SupportLegalization
http://www.attorneydwi.com/ (Law Office Web Site)
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March 11, 2012
 YESTERDAY'S MOONSHINER, TODAY'S MICRODISTILLER.This was the title of an article published online from the New York Times, a week ago. The title immediately caught my attention, as a recurring analogy keeps popping up between the similarities of the struggle of a society and its citizens against the oppression, and often iron fist, of its government, in the form of PROHIBITION, (at the time, of Alcohol), and now the same battle must be fought against the prohibition of Marijuana. Once again, the price that many citizens will pay in the form of criminal convictions and often severe punishment, will not end until the Prohibition of Marijuana has ended!
Steven Groce, Attorney, Sponsor Missouri Marijuana Law and Reform
http://www.AttorneyDwi.Com/
The story is about Marvin Sutton. His nickname was Popcorn. Marvin, or Popcorn, as he was commonly known, was a Moonshiner in Cocke County, Tenn.
S. Groce, Attorney
Shawn Poynter for The New York Times
By Campbell Robertson: Excerpts from the story are re-printed below:
"This is a story about a man named Marvin Sutton and how he proved that the road from criminality to commodity is sometimes shorter than it looks."
Unfortunately, the road was, and is, still too long, and is littered with casualties. Casualties and the victims of government oppression continue to pile up.
Steven Groce, Attorney
"Until his death in 2009 at the age of 62, Mr. Sutton, known as Popcorn, was a moonshiner. He was not quite the last, as he often claimed, but he was probably the most famous ever to work out of Cocke County, which long had a claim as the nation’s moonshining capital.
It may yet again. As of last Thursday, microdistilleries are legal in Cocke County for the first time. And at the head of the line is a distillery making Mr. Sutton’s recipe.
Nestled in the rocky embrace of the Great Smoky Mountains, Cocke County was a moonshine center for as long as anyone here can recall."
"Thus the complicated legacy of Popcorn Sutton.
A North Carolinian by birth, Mr. Sutton learned to distill in Cocke County, where he was known as an affable rogue and a maker of potent but fine-tasting corn whiskey. He lived in a cluttered cabin on a wooded hill where he also built his stills, gave pistols to the incoming sheriffs and fathered so many children that no one has any idea of the exact accounting.
But perhaps his greatest gift, and his most notable departure from the standard moonshining model, was in the field of marketing.
“He’s very atypical,” said Duay O’Neil, who writes a weekly column in The Newport Plain Talk about the county’s history. “He gave the world what they expected of a moonshiner. He dressed the part and he talked the talk.” Mr. Sutton’s beard and profanity were equally effusive.
“And he made a good product,” Mr. O’Neil added, “which I can say from experience.”
In 1999, Mr. Sutton published “Me and My Likker,” a rambling, obscene and often hilarious account of his life in the trade. Soon after, he was featured in a documentary “This is the Last Dam Run of Likker I’ll Ever Make” (later recut as “The Last One”), which he sold out of a North Carolina junk shop. It became a cult hit, leading to newspaper features, occasional meetings with celebrities and a high-profile role in a 2007 History Channel documentary.
At one point, Mr. Sutton even made business cards.
“I told him, ‘Old man, you can’t be a movie star and make liquor too,’ ” said Mark Ramsey, a close friend. “He said, ‘You can’t sell it if nobody knows you got it.’ I don’t know whether he had a point or not.”
In March 2008, Mr. Sutton, who had had run-ins with the law about once a decade, was arrested by federal authorities after offering to sell nearly 1,000 gallons of moonshine to an undercover agent. Despite a guilty plea, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison by a federal judge plainly displeased with Mr. Sutton’s fondness for publicity. It came as a shock, said his friends, to whom he had sworn he would not go to prison.
While under house arrest, Mr. Sutton befriended a 29-year-old former motocross racer named Jamey Grosser, who came to Tennessee with plans to set up a legal distillery. Mr. Sutton sold Mr. Grosser the recipe for his whiskey and they worked out a partnership deal."
***FOUR DAYS, before Popcorn was to report to prison, to begin serving his lenghty sentence, (March 16, 2009), Popcorn decided he really couldn't live his life locked up in prison in a concrete box. For him the choice was clear. He got into his favorite old Ford, a green Ford Fairlane, and with the windows up, he shut the door. A pipe had been rigged to pump the exhaust from the tailpipe through the back seat of his car. Popcorn Sutton, started his car one last time, and while thinking about all of his life's memories, he killed himself.
FINAL COMMENT: Prohibition of Alcohol, ended in 1933, with the ratification of the 21st Amendment, which repealed the 18th Amendment.
Until the prohibition and illegality of Marijuana comes to a complete end, very very sadly there will still be many more Popcorn Whiskey Suttons.
Another point to consider, is that although the end of Prohibition made a huge difference, the government and Big corporations quickly got control of many facets of the industry, and therefore it did not help the little guy, like Popcorn. Instead, like Medical (ONLY) Marijuana, it only only helped out Big Businesses and Corporations because of their political contributions to Politician's election funds. As a comparison, in regard to Marijuana, with Medical ONLY Marijuana, literally tens of thousands of Doctors, also now have a financially vested interest in NEVER wanting outright legalization because of the huge revenue that they can make off of writing prescriptions for about $250.00 a pop. Other businesses in the industry also have similar financially vested interests. Without complete legalization, the little guy, the average citizen that actually pays the taxes, is still prohibited, and still threatened with the iron fist of long incarceration and other penalties. TAKE A STAND FOR LEGALIZATION! Popcorn symbolized the American spirit for the freedoms that our country was founded upon. STOP LOSING YOUR FRIENDS TO THE IRON FIST. No more Popcorn Whiskey Suttons.
Steven Groce, Attorney
http://www.AttorneyDwi.Com/
Facebook Community Page: Missouri Marijuana Law and Reform, sponsored by Steven Groce, Attorney
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Missouri-Marijuana-Law-and-Reform/183211528385907
In memory of Popcorn, Pam Sutton, his wife, keeps a container of whiskey her husband made.
A great quote that can be found on the law web site, by Abraham Lincoln:
Prohibition will work great injury to the cause of temperance. It is a species of intemperance within itself, for it goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to control a man's appetite by legislation, and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes. A prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our government was founded.
PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN
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January 25, 2012
Steven F. Groce, Attorney:
A VICTORY FOR THE PEOPLE!
This week, in the case of UNITED STATES VS. JONES, the U.S. Supreme Court decided one of the most important liberty and privacy cases in decades, ruling unanimously that government's installation and use of a GPS tracking device on a vehicle constitutes a search that presumptively requires a warrant under the Fourth Amendment. The decision is an important victory for FREEDOM AND PRIVACY. NACDL (National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers), of which I am a Life Member and supporter, was at the forefront of the litigation.
In United States v. Jones, the Justice Department argued that law enforcement has the authority, unsupervised by any court, to install and use GPS technology to monitor and store the movements, 24/7, of whomever it targets, anywhere, anytime, without a warrant. Led by NACDL, a coalition of civil liberties and defense groups filed an amicus brief strongly urging the U.S. Supreme Court to condition GPS installation and monitoring upon judicial issuance of a warrant.
On Monday, January 23, 2012, the Court issued its ruling. All of the Justices rejected the DOJ (Department of Justice) argument and concluded that the placement of a GPS tracking device constituted a search under the Fourth Amendment. The Court reversed Mr. Jones' conviction "because it was obtained with evidence procured in violation of the Fourth Amendment."
Many Thanks to the Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States, who even today, still recognize when the Government has crossed over the line and violated the Constitutional rights of the citizens of this country.
Steven F. Groce, Attorney
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