Texas Artist Preaches Freedom Philosophy

Colleen McCool is a portrait artist, poet and peace activist who lives deep in the heart of Texas.

McCool recently finished her two yearly awarded portraits dedicated to the freedom philosophy or the American dream. Colleen calls it the, "Rebel with Just Cause Award." It is given to true American patriots; those who stand for freedom against tyranny and injustice. The Dixie Chicks for their 2006 documentary called, "Shut Up and Sing" and Joe Frederick for the media blitz created by the banner "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" are recipients of the 2007 Rebel With Just Cause Award. Both free portrait awards this year are about freedom of speech.

http://mccoolportraits.com/2007rebelwithjustcause.htm http://mccoolportraits.com/chicsrule.htm http://mccoolportraits.com/BongHitsForJesus.htm

Cindy Sheehan founding member of the Gold Star Families for Peace & the Camp Casey Peace Institute and Howard Wooldridge of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition were the recipients of the 2006 Rebel with Just Cause Award!

Ms McCool states, "I taught my children that their bodies are the temples of their souls. However, when my children became young adults I told them the truth about drugs. Including that marijuana or cannabis is a safer health choice in a recreational drug but the collateral damage from arrest can be devastating and life long." http://www.drugwarfacts.org/causes.htm

"Save the children from Prohibition," was a slogan used to end alcohol prohibition. Punishing children or adults for making a safer health choice today is absolute madness. Again, we need to save the children, this time from drug prohibition's collateral damage.

Abstinence from recreational drugs is safest for all, especially youth but few will choose it. Parents do need to set an example for their children. However, most parents who use drugs and alcohol do not abuse them. They are responsible drug users, especially marijuana users as it is the safest choice.

Effective drug education based on medical science builds student's confidence to make informed responsible choices. Present policy falsehoods and scare tactics undermine our credibility. We want to encourage drug free behavior not awaken their curiosity. Truth, trust and reason encourage open communications between youth, parents and faculties.

Over a thousand people die each day due to tobacco use! Close to 300 a day die from prescribed pharmaceuticals. . The tobacco, alcohol and pharmaceuticals gangs deal drugs that kill many more annually than all illicit drugs. We tolerate their salesmen!

Alcohol makes domestic violence 8xs more likely; marijuana does not according to a 2003 study. There is a link between pharmaceutical psychotropic drugs and violence including school violence! http://video.google.com:80/videoplay?docid=-3609599239524875493

It is down right sinister, a crime against humanity, for the medicinal uses of cannabis to be suppressed. Some scientific researchers speculate that cannabinoids play a protective role in the brain, slowing the rate of disease. Ooooops! Who spilled the beans? Scientists and patients all over the world, that's who! http://mccoolportraits.com/2007rebelwithjustcause.htm#Ooooops!

Patients testify to Cannabis' help in treating Alzheimer's, chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, gastrointestinal (GI) tract disorders, Cancer and HIV/AIDS! A 2007 Columbia University in New York study reported smoking average strength cannabis was as effective as taking 8 times the US FDA recommended dose of Marinol!

Drug abuse is a medical problem. We will do a better job preventing overdose deaths, of keeping intoxicated folks off the road and our children drug free with compassionate policy offering helpful treatment.

Remember the Texas Youth Commission scandal. Prisons propagate violence, sexual abuse and crime. Placing non-violent drug users in this "breeding ground" is policy bordering on insanity or reefer madness!

"All men having power ought to be mistrusted," said James Madison the primary author of our Constitution. What we need is narrow-eyed, deeply skeptical attitude, if our concern is a political issue or a health issue.

When will we declare our independence from big government's scandalous waste of our precious lives and resources?

The real visionaries, who laid down our laws, those who defined what an American patriot would be, were rebels with just cause. It's not just our right it's our patriotic duty to rebel against government corruption.

"Give me Liberty or give me death" - Patrick Henry, "Live Free or Die Hard" - Bruce Willis, Americans believe self-government is worth sacrificing our precious lives for. Our founder's believed the best way to spread the freedom philosophy is by being a shining example.

James Madison, the primary author of the Constitution of the United States, said this: "We have staked the whole future of all our political constitutions upon the capacity of each of ourselves to govern ourselves according to the moral principles of the Ten Commandments."

The drug war is unconstitutional. The land of the free has become the most incarcerated nation in modern history.

The Iraq war is, too. We have abandoned our Constitution and the founder's ideal of nonintervention.

Move America out of the dark ages of war by returning to our true north, self-government free of tyranny and oppression. We have freedom of religion, all faiths are welcome here, but we have separation of church and state to keep the government out of moral issues. That is how our founders set things up based on Jesus' teachings.

They were good Christian men led by the holy spirit but money the root of all evil was part of it. They wanted to create the land of abundance. They knew ethics would have to rule for it to work. The Spirit of '76 is the Holy Spirit and our true north.

Leaders responsible for current quagmire will one-day answer to a higher power for their crimes against humanity. It's time to end the terror by changing our intrusive, big-bully policies, both foreign and domestic. The monetary and environmental costs are staggering and the human suffering unconscionable.

Legalizing and regulating drug distribution would immediately cut off the major source of funding for terrorists worldwide. When will we declare our independence from big government's scandalous waste of our precious lives and resources? Our founders believed the best way to spread the freedom philosophy is by being a shining example.

Save the American Dream! Restore justice in the world; construct science based drug policies about saving and rehabilitating instead of ruining lives. Warriors can get their adrenaline rush increasing public safety; chasing murderers and violent sexual predators. Support for the war on drugs is inconsistent with support for individual freedom, small government and the teachings of Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

Contact: mccool@mccoolportraits.com or call 254-965-8849 and speak to Colleen McCool personally

Colleen Minter McCool McCool Portraits and Graphic Design 1797 Timber Wolf Trail Stephenville, Texas 76401

Colleen McCool is a portrait artist, poet and peace activist. http://mccoolportraits.com/2007rebelwithjustcause.htm http://mccoolportraits.com/rebelwithjustcause.htm http://mccoolportraits.com/LatestDrugNEWS.htm

Member Law Enforcement Against Prohibition http://www.leap.cc/

Member Drug Policy Forum of Texas Join the discussion: http://www.dpft.org/contactdpft.htm

Restore justice in America; construct science based drug policies about saving and rehabilitating instead of ruining lives. Support for the federal war on drugs is inconsistent with support for individual freedom, constitutional government and the teachings of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. http://mccoolportraits.com/Spirit.htm

James Madison, the primary author of the Constitution of the United States, said this: "We have staked the whole future of all our political constitutions upon the capacity of each of ourselves to govern ourselves according to the moral principles of the Ten Commandments."

"In the end, however, no constitution can be self enforcing....For the Constitution will live only if it is alive in the hearts and minds of the American people." Roger Pilon, senior fellow and director of CATO's Center for Constitutional Studies.

The Cato Institute offers copies of its popular Constitution booklet. http://www.catostore.org/index.asp?fa=ShowBookIndex&scid=40 Phone Order: 1-800-767-1241

judythpiazza@newsblaze.com