Ashamed

My "soul sister" in Germany, Srilatha Neitzel (I have a "soul brother" there, too), has sent me links to three articles in Der Spiegel on drugs. The articles are in English.

The first says that as far as ganja-charas are concerned, Berlin is set to become freer than Amsterdam, with possession of 15 grams being legally permissible. Great news. But why do I feel ashamed?

I feel ashamed because this herb is of Indian origin. Its botanical name is cannabis indica - and we in India have outlawed it in favour of the miserable Tata Indica. In India, the State Police harass anyone possessing even the smallest quantity. And in India, the poorest people in our cities smoke ganja, while the wealthy drink whiskey. I have smoked ganja with rickshaw-wallahs and with day-labourers. In Karnataka, the State Police harassed me endlessly merely because I am a smoker of the Noble Herb.

I am ashamed that no one in India speaks out against this tyranny. Our media circus harps endlessly about Democracy (ugh!). Even their ring-master never utters the word Liberty. Our Hindoo chauvinists never speak of the Lord Shiva - and this is his favourite high. We are speedily becoming an alcohol culture. Foreign tourists appreciate our ganja and charas. Our own people are all alcoholics. And our Total Chacha State is nothing but an ugly tyranny. I am ashamed of our government; I am ashamed of our State Police; and I am equally ashamed of our spineless society. Kudos to the Germans - and the Dutch, who showed Europe the way.

The second link Srilatha sent me is on the failed "War on Drugs" in Latin America. The author asks: Is De-Criminalization the answer? This war on drugs is a war sponsored by the USSA. I am ashamed that our government has kissed the ass of this corrupt and evil State in order to oppress our own people. Just as our ancient culture is about cannabis, in Latin America the indigenous people have been using coca leaves for millennia. The USSA must be put in its place. If Americans want to live under oppressive legislation, it is up to them. But their government cannot be allowed to interfere in the affairs of other sovereign nations. I am ashamed that our own sovereign nation has bowed so low before Uncle Sam.

As in Latin America, where the poorest people grow coca, so too in India, poor people grow cannabis. These are important cash crops. I am ashamed that in a country whose peasants are wretchedly poor, and where they have dozens of political "leaders" claiming to represent them, none has spoken one word about State oppression on ganja and charas farmers.

The third article Srilatha sent me is on a curious situation that is developing in Europe, as millions of foreigners drive over to the Netherlands to smoke cannabis. There are many who want the Dutch to stop selling holy smoke to these foreigners. But this goes against the free trade principles of the EU, and the matter is soon to come up before the European Court. May Liberty prevail.

I am ashamed that our nation does not want to be a Holland of the East, and is complicit in the oppression of the Afghans, who grow fine charas.

I am totally and thoroughly ashamed of India and Indians.