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Dressage, World Cup Finals, 2007
Ann Romney, the wife of the Republican President candidate Mitt Romney, has suffered from multiple sclerosis for years. She claims taking part in dressage, aka horse ballet, has greatly helped relieve the debilitating symptoms of her disease. Fortunately for her, the Romneys own several such horses, each valued at roughly $100,000, including one that may go to the Olympics.
I’m happy that Ann Romney found something that works for her, because I personally want everyone suffering from an illness to be able to get the best relief they can. Unfortunately, Mitt Romney apparently doesn’t share my view.
Mitt Romney has repeatedly stated that he opposes medical marijuana and believes it should be illegal. This is in spite of the fact that multiple scientific studies have proven that medical marijuana helps relieve the pain and muscle tightness caused by multiple sclerosis. For many Americans medical marijuana provides a similar relief from the pain and muscle problems of MS that Ann claims to get from taking part in dressage.
Unlike the Romneys, very few Americans suffering from MS can afford to buy and keep horses, let alone $100,000 dressage horses, to try to reduce their symptoms. Even if they could, many can’t ride horses nor is there any scientific guarantee that taking part in horse ballet would significantly help them. What we do know from scientific studies is that for many people with this particular disease, medical marijuana can help improve their quality of life. Yet Mitt Romney thinks those who grow and/or use medical marijuana for this purpose should be treated like criminals.
While I’m glad Ann has found something that helps her deal with MS, I’m sickened that Mitt Romney thinks it is acceptable to deny a proven way to provide this same relief to others by opposing medical marijuana.
12 Comments
Are you thinking she doesn’t use it? Because if it works for her, she certainly can get it easier than most people.
Obama is no different.
Horseback riding AND marijuana.
Kelly you may have stumbled upon something.
sounds a bit dangerous, at least doing both at the exact same moment.
I’d bet lots more people can afford marijuana than can afford a $100,000 trained dressage horse.
I’m assuming that just the purchase price, not the upkeep too.
Good point Jon.
Perhaps one shouldn’t do the one whilst performinbg the other, and vice-versa.
Declaration of Rights of Cannabis Users
Mission Statement: To bring an end to cannabis prohibition in 2013 by gathering signatory members through promotion and declaring our rights through the document, “Declaration of Rights of Cannabis Users”. Giving prohibitionists reasonable opportunity to affect appropriate, timely and agreed upon change and, if necessary enforcing our rights in a peaceful way. After April 20 2013 adopting a zero tolerance for acts of brutality and injustice by prohibitionists.
The laws regarding cannabis were born on the wings of lies and pampered by propaganda such that now the tightly held belief systems are going to have to reckon with the desire of all humanity to live with dignity, free from the oppressive tyranny that ignorance and bigotry have spawned.
http://www.change.org/petitions/all-elected-represenitives-and-the-united-nations-recognize-the-rights-of-cannabis-users
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/obamas-war-on-pot-20120216
If he needed it, he wouldn’t be any different. Most people against legalizing would smoke it in a heartbeat if they needed it and it helped them with a medical issue.
Why don’t a bunch of MS patients get together, compose a letter asking if Romney–personally or as president–would subsidize dressage horses for all MS patients who care to participate. Think he would get the picture that allowing medical marijuana is a more cost-effective route??? Nahhh!
$100K for a dressage horse and rider?
What are you, a cheapskate.
I’m betting that by the time you add in all the expenses, a competitive dressage programs is more than double that. (They FLY these horses to many competitions in private planes.)
I believe it would be far less dangerous or problematic than alcohol while riding or most any other activity requiring a steady hand. And that could be a far more productive point to pursue. Many right wing type people are very protective of their favorite beverages.