The inside joke among New Englanders is that Connecticut is the least worthy of the six-state region known for Ivy League schools and its unique food language.
So pronounced the bullying, that the “Connecticut Sucks” poster on Redbubble.com gets a five-star rating!
And while not originally from New England, as a native of nearby New York state, I was always in on THE joke.
It’s hard to drive 95 north from New York to Boston and see the Nutmeg State as anything other than the region’s rest stop. The gas and soda, between the pastrami and clam chowder!
But there’s more to my newly adopted Connecticut than can get observed while passing through. No matter what comedian Joe Rogan says.
THE Constitution
On January 24th of 1639, THE governing council the Connecticut Colony adopted the Fundamental Orders; arguably the first written document to establish that government is founded on the rights of individuals, and not the other way around.
One-hundred and forty-nine-years before Gouverneur Morris would pen democracy’s opening line: We the People!
With freedom of speech and religion firmly enshrined, New England’s step-child continues to expanding individual rights; THE state legalizing recreational use of marijuana in July of 2021.
Nearly 18-months since legalization, the state has yet to allow authorize dispensaries to sell weed to recreational users, leaving Nutmeggers to schlep to Massachusetts to score a dime bag.
Happy New Year!
But recently the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection announced that medical marijuana dispensaries operating in the state were free to sell cannabis to recreational users beginning on January 10th.
THE word going out via a release on the department’s web site.
In college, a score this big would have been announced on the fraternity house bulletin board. Though a simple “I’ve Got Weed!” would have been more likely, opposed to the state’s wordier style!
Though verbose or concise, THE news is still the same!
Of Afghanistan’s 38,000,000 citizens more than 6,000,000 of them have been displaced since the Taliban's takeover in August of 2021. The mass-homelessness crushing an Afghan society already desolate from decades of war.
For Afghani’s who have not been displaced, life is not much better. While protected from the elements more than half of all Afghani’s suffer with acute hunger. With half of that group experiencing famine, unable to obtain enough food and water to make survival probable.
The United Nations estimates that in the coming months, nearly all Afghani’s will face similar hunger.
And fear of starvation is not an Afghani family's worst nightmare! Amnesty International reports that Taliban rule has brought a unique blend of anarchy and violence with, “Arbitrary detentions, torture, disappearances and summary executions” a fact of everyday life.
A friend in Afghanistan confirming Amnesty’s claims.
Since the Taliban's takeover I've been working to help my friend and his wife escape a life which has become increasingly dangerous. The couple tragically losing a pregnancy due to their inability to access medical care.
Germany, Turkey and the United States all denied our requests for refugee status.
Oh Canada!
But Canada’s refugee policies allow for any organization, community or group of five Canadians to grant refugee status to a qualifying Afghani.
Even, a group of paint dealers!
Which gave me an idea.
If you’re a Canadian citizen and think you may know of an organization, community or individual who can help me advance the cause of these two lives, please email me here.
I hope you enjoyed reading about a part of my life I rarely have reason to share, the paint topics so voluminous as to push all others out. For the remainder of the year I plan to focus my reflections on life, love, music, cars and or any of my other interests not related to paint.
Mark
