Newt Gingrich: Hemp-Growing Founding Fathers Would Crack Down On Pot Farmers
Gingrich said today in New Hampshire that the founding fathers would “strongly discourage” marijuana growers. Didn’t Thomas Jefferson and George Washington both grow hemp?
CONCORD, NH — Newt Gingrich is already in New Hampshire and kicked off his day with a town hall meeting in Concord. Gingrich fielded a number of questions about drug policy, including one from a man who said that many in the Live Free or Die state don’t like the federal government’s involvement in stopping weed growing operations. “Would Thomas Jefferson or George Washington be arrested for growing marijuana?” the man asked.
Gingrich responded, “I think Jefferson and George Washington would strongly discourage you from growing marijuana, and their tactics to stop you would be more violent than they would be today.”
Gingrich, a historian, did not mention that both Washington and Jefferson grew hemp on their plantations.
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Wayne Harrison a year agoComparing marijuana and hemp is like comparing a Chihuahua and a Great Dane. They’re both dogs, but that’s where the similarity ends.
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Habman a year agoNewt is a f#$king arsehat. Growing, smoking and selling weed was 100% legal until 1933 when it was outlawed for racist reasons, mainly to lock up mexicans. As a matter of fact, all drugs where legal before ‘33’, so no Newt our founding fathers would not have cared as they believed in the right to live as one wished without governmental interferance
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turtlefeed a year agoI haven’t seen conclusive historical evidence for Washington and Jefferson growing hemp for recreational purposes, so that’s not really a relevant point.(Massachusetts Historical Society owns Jefferson’s gardening book if anyone is bored enough to follow up on that.) Regardless, Newt Gingrich is a terrible historian. None of us have any idea of what “the Founders” would say about a 21st century issues. I mean, in this scenario, do they have an 18th century mentality or have we brought them up to speed? The reality is that people who lived hundreds of years ago shouldn’t have any bearing on this debate. So if you’re listening Newt, stop claiming political authority by claiming you understand the Founders. You of all people should know better. Also, I highly recommend Jill Lepore’s Whites of their Eyes for an explanation why it’s problematic to use history to justify political stances.
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