[420 Girl]

Bill Maher is "a little disillusioned" with NORML.

Maher, who is on NORML's Advisory Board, tells an interviewer:

"I’ve always said, one of the reasons there’s been so little progress on the marijuana front is that what the movement needs more than anything is some kick-ass, take-no-prisoners, Karl Rove-type lobbyist, you know? And that just never happens, because it’s all a bunch of stoners. You got to get up for that 8 a.m. breakfast meeting with the congressman on Capitol Hill!"

Radical Russ, who runs the Audio Stash site and is NORML's outreach coordinator, takes issue with Maher:

"Gee, Bill, thanks for the help. We’ve got NORML Chapter volunteers who drive an hour or two to get to their state capitals by 8 am for those breakfast meetings with representatives, senators, and assemblypersons at the state level. We’ve got Keith Stroup working in close contact with Reps. Barney Franks’ and Ron Paul’s offices at the federal level. We’ve gotten the first marijuana legalization bills introduced in California and Massachusetts and 13 medical marijuana states and 13 decriminalization states all from “kick-ass, take-no-prisoners” lobbying. We’ve got activists who don’t get paid a dime to collect signatures, write letters, and march in protests to show Americans 'there really aren’t any cons' to marijuana legalization. You know, just 'a bunch of stoners.'”

Todd McCormick, who co-produced the recent THC Expo in Los Angeles, defends Maher and his assessment of NORML:

"NORML is about to celebrate (really?) their 39th year in business, but I have to ask my fellow activists: do you really think that 40 years of being in business in a mark of success? I see it as failure; I see it as old stale ideas being tried over and over by the same old men holding onto their egos and little positions of power. The reason MPP is hosting parties in the backyard of one of the founders of NORML is because NORML has not got the organizational capabilities of doing it themselves. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Well, my friends, I think it’s time we demand term limits on the directors and get some fresh ideas and direction in this organization or do we really want to be here in another 38 years wishing NORML was not so normal?"

http://www.420magazine.com/forums/in...les-norml.html