A PLEA FOR HELP with an important issue!

MikeS · Aug 22, 2003

Hey bros-

An opportunity has arrisen to present our case against the AS Control Act of 1990. Which, incidentally, is being reintroduced by dickhead Joe Biden as the AS Control Act of 2003, to include much stiffer penalties for personal use and reclassification of prohormones. We must fight this issue!

Anyway here is the pitch. Rick Collins is working to arrange a very favorable platform with HBO Real Sports for a story which we will be able to introduce our position against these horrible laws.
Interviews may be done to include people who have been arrested for possession only (no distribution charges), so we may show how the average citizen using AS for purely personal and cosmetic means can endure life altering trauma. We would like to show unjust suffering in loss of - freedom (incarceration), family crisis (raids in front of family, resulting marital problems),
employment (loss of job, or specific liscencing) and any other lasting emotional injury. May need to travel (NYC) for interview.

So if you feel you fit this profile, and would be willing to possibly help the cause against the ridiculous and progressively harmful laws, please PM me with your brief story.

MikeS

LATS · Aug 23, 2003

guys, we talk about this all the time..now it is time to do something and quickly. help out and contact mikes if you fit the profile..remember..they weill make the penalties stiffer if they can can sneak it through.. i think it is great to have collins get directly intoi the thick of it as he always does. NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT!!

wolverine · Aug 23, 2003

I would be glad to help if I could. My question though, and I know Rick is a smart man so it may be a dumb question, is he SURE real sports can do a favorable spot on AAS? They have been rigidly against thier use in the past from what I've seen.

MikeS · Aug 23, 2003

Thank for the push LATS.

Wolverine-according to Rick, this is the most proimising opportunity he has gotten yet. They are basically letting him have free reign. There may be opponents of our views interviewed also.
But their idea is to show the real truths-which is obviously in our favor. It wont be a 2min clip either, it will likely be pretty through.
Hey, Rick is very non-trusting of the media. With good reason-they are a huge part of the problem in their portrayal of this issue from a sensational standpoint. But he is really psyched about this chance. He was much more skeptical about the previous spot we did in the fall on NBC nightly news.

The way I look at it, we cant afford to waste any chances to explain our position. If it means taking a chance, so be it. Agree?

crackerjack414 · Aug 23, 2003

honestly I dont think america will understand the world we live. I feel our most effective way of reaching the masses would to maybe do a documentry of being busted or a short movie that shows how the average joe is treated like a herioin junky for wanting nothing more than self improvement. I mean the other side uses the media against us in a negative manner lets use the media in our favor to sway public opinion

wolverine · Aug 23, 2003

MikeS said:
Thank for the push LATS.

Wolverine-according to Rick, this is the most proimising opportunity he has gotten yet. They are basically letting him have free reign. There may be opponents of our views interviewed also.
But their idea is to show the real truths-which is obviously in our favor. It wont be a 2min clip either, it will likely be pretty through.
Hey, Rick is very non-trusting of the media. With good reason-they are a huge part of the problem in their portrayal of this issue from a sensational standpoint. But he is really psyched about this chance. He was much more skeptical about the previous spot we did in the fall on NBC nightly news.

The way I look at it, we cant afford to waste any chances to explain our position. If it means taking a chance, so be it. Agree?

That sounds great then. Hopefully they will live up to thier word and give us fair representation. As always, big respect for everyone involved. Rick and Mike really put thier ass on th eline for all of us, and they deserve alot of props for that.

patk · Aug 23, 2003

Mike this is awesome. My best friend that got nailed last year might be a good story for you. I'll fill you in later when I call. Again Rick and MikeS deserve huge props for this as they're constantly working for all of us. There dedication to the cause must not go unrecognized. Thanks guys....you ROCK! Take care.

patk

kjigga · Aug 23, 2003

is it just people that have been caught/punished (ie persecuted) for using AAS that they are looking for?

How about getting a guy s who uses AAS with a script from doc...like maybe one of Dr. Scruggs clients?

MikeS · Aug 23, 2003

No we are attempting to show the horrors that an otherwise normal, law abiding person must endure from the reprocussions of a raid and the legal/life crisis that follow. The more shocking and disasterous, the better.

kjigga · Aug 24, 2003

MikeS said:
No we are attempting to show the horrors that an otherwise normal, law abiding person must endure from the reprocussions of a raid and the legal/life crisis that follow. The more shocking and disasterous, the better.

I appreciate your standpoint but that is fighting fire with fire. I recognize this will draw a shock and awe crowd....but are those the people that are ever going to have an IMPACT on anything?

Ideally, some of the airtime will be devoted to people that are living better lives thru AAS. Any potential there?

And I say this all with the utmost respect. This is one of the few times (ie posts) that an individual is drawing attention to an important subject at hand .......as opposed to running into the shadows about it.

wishing the best bro.

Fathead · Aug 24, 2003

MIKE

I hate to say it but I am against this and quite frankly don't buy into all that Rick Collins pretends to be. I know he was your lawyer and a few others have used him but to be honest I don't see Rick any differently than the " I CAN GET YOU A CASH SETTLEMENT” lawyers that you see on TV every day. I am sure this will anger you but I have watched Rick slowly build up his reputation mostly over the INTERNET on the backs of scared meatheads. I see Rick as a media hog and is using the defender of the " innocent Bodybuilder" tact to just build a power practice as some lawyers refer this to.

I would rather this not ever air because the less attention the better. I know it sucks to be busted for something that’s less dangerous than driving under the influence of alcohol but getting more time. In some cases as much jail time can be given as if you sold crack but right now this is not good in my opinion.

The general populace does not care if you or I are going to jail for taking just testosterone, they see no plight to be fought for because the media as well as every other pro sports organization has painted steroids as bad as narcotics and should be banned.

Remember most steroid bust are almost always tied in to some type of narcotic bust first and the juice is just a added bonus.

The last HBO special did nothing to help and I don't think a lawyer who defends steroid users will be able to help any either.

This is a no win situation and until the AMA, FDA( hold your breath), The supplement industry, doctors joining together saying no this is untrue here are the facts here are the side affects will there be a very slim chance in changing the laws for the use and sell of steroids and growth hormones.

I am sorry to say it's never going to come from a grass roots campaign with no money to lobby.

sorry fellas I know this won't sit well with some but I do always admire MIKE for trying.

xcelbeyond · Aug 24, 2003

My hat's off to MikeS!

Part of my job is following the state legislature and specific proposed bills. I've been involved and see how laws get implemented. While they may begin life with good intentions they can oftentimes turn 100% from what they originated as.

The lobbying (big money) is what make bills go or not. There are certain parties that play key roles in each issue. I think Fathead may have hit the nail on the head by listing some of those groups.

I'm not saying give up. We need to get organizations (with powerful lobbys) on board to remotely have a real chance. Unfortunately, that's the way government works - it sucks and I hate it but it's a fact of life.

xcel

MikeS · Aug 24, 2003

To the few naysayers who posted (done tactfully), I will make a broad statement, rather than pick at each detail.

We are trying. Its the best and maybe the only thing we have going, along with MuscularDev (which is Rick and Romono).

If you can devise a better plan, institute it, and show it works equally well or better (or even at all) than our efforts-there is no point being an 'armchair' critic.

Apathy and negativity accomplishes nothing and gets you nowhere. Action does.
********************************
Just a PS-this is no personal attack on anyone in particular, who as I said spoke politely and respectfully in their comments.

Fathead · Aug 24, 2003

Mike

I am just glad you can take it and glad you did not take it personally. I am not nay saying just stating facts people don't want to hear. I think You'd have a better chance 10 years ago than you do now but I still wish your efforts the best of luck.

patk · Aug 25, 2003

I'm with ya Mike!!!

Fathead....I understand what you say, but some may lay down and just let politicians walk all over them and some will always stand up and fight for what they believe in. MikeS is someone who will stand up for what they believe in and so am I. If everyone let politics decide the outcome of there personal life and beliefs and didn't fight for what they believe in, then how much worse off may we all be. Thank you for be tactful Fathead and your point is understood, but not to discourage those who wish to stand up and fight for what they believe in. Take care.

patk

Chuck999 · Aug 25, 2003

I'm a trial lawyer (about 2/3's criminal defense) and former federal prosecutor. I know both MikeS and Rick real well. I've been practicing law for over 25 years, and do know something about the different types of lawyers out there. Ther're just like everybody else - they're people (human beings) and some are good some are just OK and some are bad. Like Mike said Fathead, I appreciate your tactfullness in just saying what you believe. However, I can tell you from personal knowledge Rick is the "real thing". Sure, like everybody else (lawyers and all the rest of us) he's trying to make a living, but he is really committed on the issue of trying to roll back some of the godawful crazy laws that have gotten put on the books. Think about it for a second - a lot of his practice is defending AS charges - getting the laws to be a little more sane in that area won't help him make more money! Personally I think anything that Rick and anybody who is willing to help him however they can certainly won't hurt anything. I do understand the fact that to have much clout with public opinion and/or legislators you need MONEY.

MikeS · Aug 25, 2003

Ive known Rick for almost 4yrs, and like Chuck said, unless Im the worst judge of character on earth, Rick is a good honerable guy and he is selfless in his attempts to shed some light on this issue.
Also as Chuck said, he makes money representing those unfortunate to be charged with breaking these unjust laws. His book is about how to NOT get busted, and his plight is to stop or minimize the laws and penalties. Basically thats contridictory to his actual legal business. But he has, first and formost, the 'cause' as his basic priority.

We were talking the other day about getting ahold of Jessee Ventura to help in the congress. He is a Libetarian and is not afraid to go 'outside' the normal political lines.

Then maybe Jessee could challenge Joe Biden to a no-holds-barred cage match on pay per view and kick the shit out of him!
Ok, wait, sorry-Im getting a little carried away here.