Peter Reynolds

The life and times of Peter Reynolds

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Bigotry, Prejudice, Hatred And Prohibitionists Come In Many Disguises

with 39 comments

Ask yourself, why would anyone go to such lengths to discredit me?

Why, at a time when the cannabis campaign is enjoying more success than ever with thousands of people joining together as never before, why do a few individuals go to such extraordinary lengths to smear my reputation.?

Out of 477 articles on my personal website, written over a period of three and a half years, two articles have been held up and misrepresented in the most despicable and dishonest way to accuse me of being a racist and a homophobe.  Laughably I’ve also been accused of being a member of the EDL, attending an EDL demonstration in Weymouth and of selling Nazi memorabilia on a Swansea market stall!  These are lies and nonsense.

Of course, in a civilised, adult world what people do in response to articles they disagree with is post comments and discuss – and some of those discussions become pretty heated.  I’ve been accused of being anti-Muslim, anti-Jewish and for and against just about every issue you care to mention.   My writing was intended to be provocative and controversial.  Cannabis was only one of the subjects that I covered on my website and when I was elected leader of CLEAR I wrote:

My thoughts here will be few and far between now. My focus is on CLEAR and I am learning to moderate my opinion because I have chosen a single issue. If  I strike out in a particular direction I divert my own and others’ energy from the cause.

The accusations of racisim and homophobia are entirely false.  I could present a host of evidence to prove my “innocence” but the trolls and liars twist everything.  My oldest and best friend IS a Jamaican.  If Terry got his hands on some of the individuals that have been making foul slurs against me, they would not enjoy Jamaican justice.  Two examples though – I used to live on a road called The Chase, just off Clapham Common.  When the Gay Pride event was held there in, I think it was 95 or 96, I was a steward.  When more recently I lived in Notting Hill and all my friends and neighbours were black, they used to call me a “wigga”, a “propa black white man”.

So, I say again, ask  yourself why would anyone go to such lengths to discredit me at a time when under my leadership, CLEAR is achieving so much success?  Why would they set up websites, multiple Facebook pages and groups and engage in hours and hours of trolling, abuse and misrepresentation?

I’ll tell you why.  It’s because the individuals behind this are big time growers and dealers who rely on prohibition to maintain the ludicrously high price of cannabis and fill their own greedy pockets.

They pretend to be pro-cannabis because they seek to subvert, disrupt and undermine the cannabis campaign.  They’ve been doing it for years.

Many believe that the main protagonist has an even more sinister role because he appears to be teflon coated when it comes to the criminal justice system.  For all the times he has been arrested and charged, he has always walked away while others round him have been sent to prison.

He claims not to live in Britain anymore but the man is a liar and a fraud.  He lives off his past reputation when he claims to have been growing and providing cannabis to medicinal users free of charge (a good cover story!).  This is false.  I have several emails from people who he used to supply who tell me that he used to charge them £5.00 per gram plus, believe it or not, next day delivery and packaging charges. At the time that price was top whack if not more.

It is extraordinary that over many years, every single time there has been disruption and conflict in the cannabis community he has been there, goading, provoking and fermenting divisiveness.  Back in 2010 , when I managed to get MPs, members of the House of Lords and even the government’s chief drugs advisor to sign up to the BMCR medicinal cannabis initiative, he waded straight in and did all he could to destroy it by snide insinuation, bickering and negativity.

The man is a charlatan.  Why would anyone go to such extraordinary efforts and lengths to disrupt the CLEAR campaign?  Now you know.  Grass is an old term for weed but perhaps one that is most appropriate in this case.

Tribalism Is the Enemy Of Reform

Some of the more gullible members of the cannabis community have been taken in by these attacks against me but I am greatly encouraged that by far the majority have not.  The messages, emails and comments supporting me have far outweighed those against.  Thank you to all.  I WILL stay strong.  I will stay focused. The idea is to distract and divert me from the campaign.  That is not going to happen.

Being at at the centre of a trollstorm during the season of goodwill has not been pleasant.  My mother and my sons have been very upset to see the abuse, lies and hate filled propaganda about me and my leadership of CLEAR posted on the internet.

These people aren’t engaged in campaigning for cannabis.  They’re pursuing their own selfish, jealous and truly pitiful agendas by attacking the success that CLEAR has achieved under my leadership.

The cannabis campaign has failed to make any progress over the last 10 years.  A lot of this is due to sheer incompetence and laziness.  When I was elected leader I discovered that literally nothing was being done by the LCA and any initiative that was proposed was shut down by the “co-ordinator” he that “does not want to lead and does not want to be led”.   The darker, subversive forces set out to fragment and cause conflict within the campaign and that suits their wallets very well indeed, thank you very much.

Most of all though it’s about tribalism.   This is what has held us back for so long.  The idea that if you’re in favour of cannabis being legally available then you must be on the left of politics, you must be anti-Thatcher and you must have at least three piercings – oh and you must not, under any circumstances, wear a tie – plus many other ridiculous prejudices.  These people think they’re cool and hip and smart but they’re not, they’re dumb, bigoted and prejudiced, just like a Daily Mail journalist only they’ve got a joint hanging off their lip.  Not so much Andy Capp, more Hopeless Hypocritical Hippy.

This is why so many were confused when back in Cardiff at the Million Marijuana march in May CLEAR launched the idea of “Hippies in suits”.  These politically incompetent and naive people don’t really want you to be able to smoke a joint if you wear a suit.  They are in fact as prejudiced and discriminatory as the attitudes they pretend to fight against. CLEAR welcomes members and supporters from all points on the political compass. We aim to be mainstream, not “alternative”.

All my life I have stood for liberty, truth and justice and against prejudice, discrimination and bigotry.  Unlike the trolls I am a strong believer in freedom of speech and expression.   However, the foul language that was posted on my and CLEAR’s Facebook page was horrifying. These are people who can’t express themselves without using disgusting swear words.  They are as much victims of the mendacious individuals behind this hate campaign as anyone.

To those who feel offended by my opinions. I don’t mean to cause offence so I am sorry if I have. That doesn’t mean that I retract them though! I am entitled to my opinion as is everyone else.

There are of course many more honourable and decent people who have been involved in the campaign in the past rather than those who work against it but it is this tired, destructive tribalism that has ruined their efforts.

So tomorrow Britain returns to work and so do I.  I shall not make any further comment on the dreadful events of the last few days and I advise all of you not to feed the trolls.  That is the only thing that gives them any power.  Ignore them.  I will fight tirelessly to end the prohibition of cannabis, most particularly for those who need it as medicine.

Written by Peter Reynolds

January 2, 2012 at 6:38 pm

Paradise Valley

with 4 comments

£75 Billion? How Else Could We Spend It?

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The current adult population of the UK is estimated to be 40 million.  If we split the 75 big ones evenly, that’s £1875 each.

I wonder if that would do more or less to get the economy going?

Written by Peter Reynolds

October 6, 2011 at 10:08 pm

When Will They Ever Learn?

with 7 comments

Steve Jobs

The man, the genius, the inspiration that the whole world is feting and eulogising; it turns out he’s just another one of those dirty, disgusting, scumbag drug users.

The estate of Albert Hoffman, inventor of LSD, with exquisite timing, has released correspondence with Steve Jobs, a keen advocate for and user of psychedelic drugs.

David Cameron and Theresa May would have him sent to jail like Casey Hardison for 20 years.

Barack Obama would have him renditioned to wherever he wanted him and subjected to special interrogation techniques.

The Daily Mail and these days, to its eternal shame, even The Independent would have him ostracised, demonised, castigated and excluded.

I know who I think is smart and I know who I know is stupid.

A great man and a great example.  The contrast between his intelligence and the ruling oligarchy is startling.

Written by Peter Reynolds

October 6, 2011 at 9:08 pm

She Did Make It Up. She Is A Liar. She Is Unfit To Be A Minister Of the Crown.

with 7 comments

Theresa May

How to make a twat of yourself over a pussy.

Ms May really is the most dimwitted, out of touch dinosaur, eclipsing even historical relics like George Osborne or Alan Johnson.

Quite how she ever became Home Secretary I do not understand. She appeared from nowhere and was immediately elevated to high office. The most obvious explanation isn’t credible because, without wishing to be unkind, she’s not exactly a honey trap is she?

The Human Rights Act is, in any case, very much a British creation. It is simply false to blame it on Europe. It was drafted by British legislators and, in general, is a proud and noble achievement. The very last thing we need is to abandon it on the say so of some third rate politician. It isn’t going to happen anyway. Ms May is just being used as a stool pigeon to appease the Tory right. She’s a muppet – sorry, I mean a puppet. Actually, I mean both.

Written by Peter Reynolds

October 4, 2011 at 9:20 pm

Cameron On Cannabis Part 8

with 13 comments

Written by Peter Reynolds

September 3, 2011 at 3:23 pm

If Two Boys Get Four Years For “Attempting” To Organise a Riot On Facebook,

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How Long Does Gerald Kaufman Get For “Attempting” To Claim £8000 For A TV?

The Daily Telegraph

By Gordon Rayner, Chief Reporter

7:00AM BST 16 May 2009

The former environment minister was asked to attend a meeting with officials from the parliamentary fees office to discuss details of another claim relating to £28,834 of work on the kitchen and bathroom at his London flat.

He told them that the work was necessary because he was “living in a slum”, though his second home, off Regent’s Park, is in one of the most fashionable areas of the capital. He was eventually reimbursed for £15,329.

On one occasion he asked a civil servant “why are you querying these expenses?” and on another threatened to make a complaint unless a dispute was settled by noon on the day in question. In one document, an official in the fees office noted that invoices Sir Gerald had submitted took him to “within 6p” of his annual limit. He also claimed £1,262 for a gas bill that was £1,055 in credit.

Between 2001 and 2008 the Manchester Gorton MP, one of the Labour party’s longest-serving members, claimed a total of £115,109 in additional costs allowances on his London flat, which he owns outright. In June 2006, he submitted a claim for three months’ expenses totalling £14,301.60, which included £8,865 for a Bang & Olufsen Beovision 40in LCD television.

Full story.

Written by Peter Reynolds

August 18, 2011 at 7:43 pm

The Man Who Broke Britain – Nowhere To be Seen

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James “Broken Britain” Brokenshire has had various titles and job descriptions at the Home Office; crime reduction, crime prevention, anti-social behaviour, etc, etc.

I think we can all agree, by any standards, an abject failure.  Never in modern times has Britain seen such an upswing in crime and anti-social behaviour.

Will Brokenshire’s appalling job performance have any consequences for him?  Is he accountable in any way?

Of course not.   This is no surprise though.  Before he conned the voters of Bexley and Sidcup into voting for him he was a banker, so what do you expect?

Written by Peter Reynolds

August 11, 2011 at 1:31 pm

Gang Culture And Drugs At The Root Of It?

with 4 comments

“They earn money from crime, particularly from drugs…”

So do something about it!  Pull the rug from underneath the gangs and organised crime.  Take away their lifeblood.

Tax and regulate cannabis.  Take a safer, more responsible approach.  Build a properly controlled supply chain.  Create jobs. Protect children.  Stop wasting police time and resources.  Reap the multi-billion pound and immeasurable social benefits of a sensible policy on cannabis.

Written by Peter Reynolds

August 11, 2011 at 10:58 am

The Poodle Is Stupid

with 6 comments

“It is simply ridiculous to say that people have been smashing windows, rioting and looting because of government policy

Deranged, deluded and not fit for office.

Written by Peter Reynolds

August 11, 2011 at 10:28 am

Posted in Politics

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