First, let’s all take a breath together. We made it through.
Today marks the official close of the 2007 Atlantic hurricane season, finishing with six hurricanes as opposed to the nine originally predicted by William M. Gray and his associates at Colorado State University. This is the second year in a row in which the number of predicted hurricanes outweighed the actual amount.
Gray, along with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, famously under-predicted on every level in 2005, forecasting 15 tropical storms and eight hurricanes, four of which were predicted to be major storms. There were actually 28 tropical storms, 15 hurricanes – seven major – and a major American city still mending her shattered soul. New Orleanians are still waiting for someone to direct major policy changes in order to repair the wound Hurricane Katrina inflicted.
That someone, however, will not be one of the two candidates for president.
On Nov. 19, the Commission on Presidential Debates announced its collegiate hosts for debates in 2008: The University of Mississippi in Oxford, Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., and Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY. The first debate will center on domestic policy, saving foreign policy for Hempstead after a town hall meets YouTube.com in Nashville. The vice-presidential candidates will debate once at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo.
Also next year, we celebrate the 40th birthday of federal weed.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse began funding the NIDA Marijuana Project at Ole Miss in 1968. Objectives of the project include the cultivation, manufacturing, testing and distribution of marijuana cigarettes, as well as developing new cultivars of marijuana and new methods for marijuana analysis, according to NIDA’s Web site. Project overseer Mahmoud ElSohly’s accomplishments include a patent for a marijuana rectal suppository, eliminating the risk of abuse and lessening psychological effects.
Over the years, alternate horticulturists at other universities have lobbied to end Ole Miss’ monopoly on marijuana. Such requests have been consistently denied by the Drug Enforcement Agency, despite evidence pointing to prescription pot as an efficient treatment for widespread diseases, including but not limited to glaucoma, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, breast cancer and hepatitis C. On April 20 of this past year – I laughed, too – the Food and Drug Administration released an inter-agency advisory, concluding “no sound scientific studies support medical use of marijuana for treatment in the United States.”
Forty munchie-filled years later, the NIDA and FDA are still “blowing smoke.” But they’re not sharing.
Legalizing marijuana won’t be the center of debate when the two contenders enter the University of Mississippi. Centering on domestic policy, the first debate should, but won’t, focus all energy on fully accomplishing the goals left vacant by the current administration. The disingenuousness with which Washington politicians handle (or don’t handle) their responsibilities as American citizens leaves many without a morsel of hope.
I’m not pointing my finger at Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., who toured the Houston Astrodome with former presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush. In a statement on relief efforts, the presidential candidate commented on the ever-present notion that the slow response time by FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security was racially based. As the senator astutely observed, “The ineptitude was colorblind.”
Also, a free pass is awarded to former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., who worked with volunteers after the storm on a newly renovated property, hours before launching his presidential bid from the Lower Ninth Ward. There was no stage, barely any media and a lack of hoopla, but Edwards’ grassroots campaign preaches a commitment to getting New Orleans back on its feet, and he has consistently advocated more events and business to return to the Crescent City in order to salvage arguably America’s greatest city.
Basketball got the message loud and clear. NBA Commissioner David Stern awarded the 57th NBA All-Star Game to the Crescent in May of this past year. The game will be televised on TNT in the United States and will reach a worldwide audience in more than 200 countries on Feb. 17, the same day as my 21st birthday. According to Stern’s comments, “New Orleans will become the basketball capital of the world in February 2008, and demonstrate to a global audience that New Orleans is very much open for business.”
The game will be played a month after the Big Easy becomes the college football capital of the world, as the Louisiana Superdome will play host not only to the Allstate Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day, but also the Allstate BCS Championship game on Jan. 7. The city can accommodate three of the biggest sporting events of the year, but it can’t provide space to have two people argue with each other?
That makes as much sense as red beans mixed with vanilla ice cream and guacamole, unless you’re a fan of Louisiana dessert burritos. I heard they taste better in Oxford.
—-Contact Eric Freeman Jr. at [email protected]