Do something effective

The founding fathers would be ashamed of the use of their amendment to give every American citizen free speech and self-expression.\nI\'m not talking about Hustler Magazine, Jerry Springer or Def Comedy Jam -- they already get plenty of attention in this subject.\nI'll go ahead and attack a couple of local freedom fighters.\nWhy? Because they have too much time on their hands, and they use that time by looking, acting and sounding stupid.\nI love it when I come out of the Wright food court and see an amazing spectacle before me.\nThree or four "leaders," dressed up in tie-dyed t-shirts and cargo pants stand behind a table. Their hair is unwashed and some are in dreadlocks. A stereo on the table plays Bob Marley. And their reasons for the legalization of the drug are on a cardboard display that looks a lot like the kind of presentation I gave for my fifth-grade science project.\nI doubt any of the people behind the table use marijuana to treat the eye disease glaucoma. I would be incredibly surprised if any of them knew anyone with it.\nThey also point out the practical uses of hemp. It can be used to make rope and cloth.\nIt's true that the rope made of wood kills trees, but plenty of rope today is plastic or metallic.\nCloth isn't a problem like the oil supply in Alaska. Cotton is very plentiful and a substitute isn't really needed. While I personally believe marijuana should be legalized, these people aren't helping their cause at all. Right now, they aren't fooling anyone with their reasoning. Their appearance alone automatically tells me the only reason they are even there with a clipboard is so they can get high more easily in the future.\nThey need to take a shower, put on a suit and present their argument to people who can make a difference.\nOr they can videotape themselves as they are now. Then they can sell the broadcast rights to NBC, because they're actually funnier than any episode of "Friends" this year. They can use the proceeds to buy a one-way ticket to Amsterdam. I hope they have a blast.\nI also hate hearing about the "heroic" acts of tree-sitters, but they usually give me a good chuckle.\nI find it very humorous to see an adult American spending weeks -- even months -- sitting in a tree. What kind of person can take a month off of school or work to do absolutely nothing?\nIf my employer ever gave me that kind of time off, I would probably leave my job to find one with a more legitimate company.\nWhy can't these guys do something meaningful?\nMaybe the sitters should lobby for stricter laws on preserving wildlife. Maybe help make laws mandating recycling or an efficient use of wood. Wouldn't they be better off researching the harmful effects of the destruction of wildlife and presenting the information to important policy makers?\nInstead, the "heroes" struggle to accomplish a single thing. The tree lives an extra 30-60 days and they are promptly arrested when they cannot stand performing their "heroics" any longer. I hope everyone turns into tree-huggers like these people. Then they can complain about the massive amounts of wood used for the construction of drums and acoustic guitars. I already said I would like these freedom fighters to find something more productive to do, but I would be happy to see them suck an egg. They'll look more intelligent than they do now.