A reader writes:

I'm getting tired of the self-congratulatory notes from potheads. Sure, probably marijuana should be legalized. But how is this issue a major priority? In a world where we have climate change, peak oil, species extinction, geopolitical instability, nuclear proliferation, economic collapse, religious extremism, not to mention the issues of education and health care to concern ourselves with, shouldn't we try to focus on things at that level first -- the really important things? Then stuff like gay marriage and the poor whiny pot smokers.

The first is one of the most basic civil rights enumerated in Constitutional history, and civil rights, in my book, are far more important than the economy. The second is a core freedom - the right to grow a frigging plant in your own backyard. For me, freedom is always primary. It is the core political value. The Dish will continue to cover the economy, climate change (my last column was on the subject), Iraq, Afghanistan, and all sorts of other issues. But the attacks on core freedoms in America are my priority and covering them is my prerogative. And I'm tired of hearing that the basic rights of Americans are unimportant - just because those Americans are gay or, God forbid, smoke a little weed.

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