LL>SR> Appreciate your input on this, really kind of thought it was
  >SR> just my imagination.  Come to think of it, I'll bet that's
  >SR> what Bob Dylan meant when he said "to live outside the law
  >SR> you must be honest" or something just like that.
LL>Nope, it ain't yur imagination.....although they would prefer to
  >have you THINK that it's only you...
Hi Les,
Yeah, that "divide & conquer" mentality.  They use it because it works.
I spoke to a slightly higher-up IRS guy (I paid 'em their $5000, right
on time, and got a snotty handwritten "we'll levy your bank account"
letter right after that, because I still had a $30.00 balance) this
morning; he assured me they spoke/wrote to everybody that way, and it
was for my own protection/benefit.  Please don't take that as the
attitude of our agent, we make 'em act like that.
So I think I'll stay away from those guys, and I told him so.  He wished
me good luck.
LL>With more and more government attempts at intimidation and strong armed
  >tactics in SO-CALLED law enforcement I've found that a whole lot of
  >folks don't want to voice their opinions for fear of some evil power
  >which will come swooping down on them and make their lives a living
  >hell.
Me too.  I've had HUNDREDS of people through my used-to-be-(again)
headshop since The City passed their local anti-paraphernalia ordinance,
who are not suprisingly outraged that they can't buy a six dollar
Mexican onyx pipe from me anymore.  I'm a little pissed off it about
myself, and I've taken to asking them if they'd consider flapping their
mouths, or finding out who their councilman is and ragging at them,
stuff like that.  And one reaction prevails: fear.
BUT, hee, hee, hee, the City Attorney and the Chief of Police, or
somebody just like them will be in Thursday, and we're going to have a
little tour and a chat.  I've asked them to come in and make sure I'm in
compliance with their ordinance, and I'm anxious for them to find my new
display case full of hemp merchandise, and to spot the newspaper article
about my girlfriend (legal marijuana user) on my sales-counter, along
with the form I drew up for joining Iowa NORML.
I AM in compliance with their ordinance, yet I have removed very little
from the store (six bongs & an Aqua pipe).  Most of the "drug
paraphernalia" that we sold, we assembled ourselves, and you know, those
same parts make some pretty groovy incense burners.  In fact, I came up
with a functional design for the cone burners that I haven't seen
anywhere else, and I'm thinking of learning more about the patent
process so I'll have something I can call uniquely my own.  I expect the
city fathers to point out that it's possible to buy a few things from
me, leave the store and rearrange them, and whammo, blammo, instant
pipe.  That's when I point out that I'm just like the hardware store,
and they can contemplate blowing part of their precious city budget
bickering about it in court, which I believe is their worst nightmare.
I'll keep you posted.
Steve
 * SLMR 2.1a *  Law come to get you if you don't walk right- G. Dead
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