Pubdate: Fri, 04 Jul 2003 Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA) Copyright: 2003 Hearst Communications Inc. Contact: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/388 Author: Brent O. Saupe THOUGHTS ON AMERICA ON THE FOURTH OF JULY Editor -- As our nation prepares for its annual celebration of freedom on the Fourth of July, I can't help but notice how far we've strayed. It seems that not only are we, as a people, restricted from doing what we individually choose, but we are even restricted from doing what we collectively have chosen to allow by majority vote. While I may be most offended by the federal government's assault on legal medical marijuana patients and caregivers right now, it is a bigger issue. It has been said, "This is about marijuana as much as the Boston Tea Party was about tea." Americans, if they drink tea or not, had better start paying attention. BRENT O. SAUPE, San Francisco - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom