Letter to Senator Biden re: proposed AAS/Prohormone bill

[WeirdAl]

TweetHere's a letter mod MikeS from professional muscle put together. Please print out and mail this to Senator Biden!

Mr Joe Biden
US Senator Deleware
201 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Mr Joe Biden- August 22, 2003

I have read your statements and position regarding Anabolic Steroids (AS) and the future hearings regarding such. And now you propose the new and amended AS Control Act of 2003, citing prohormones and stiffer penalties particularly for the casual user, who is committing one of the least dangerous victimless crimes imaginable. If passed, many average people simply seeking increased cosmetic improvement through these substances and exercise will be turned into hunted criminals, their lives subject to ruin. Is this really what this country desperately needs, more policing of what should be private matters? I must protest your irresponsible crusade against relatively harmless substances in which you likely know little or nothing about. The DEA, HHS, AMA, and all the medical experts opposed the original bill of 1990. What does some fat, high school coach knows in comparison to these experts, since that is with whom the case against these drugs was presented.

I am a bodybuilder, and not even doctors (with a few exceptions), but WE are the experts in this field. I have studied the science of anabolic sports pharmacology for 15yrs. I am well versed on the subject. What credentials do you have that supports your demonization of these relatively harmless substances, and even their basically inert counterparts-prohormones and such? And if you’d like to change the required definition of an illegal steroid so it may blanket substances that do not even promote muscle growth, then actually what in fact do these supplements do that is so terrible and dangerous? Not that steroids are dangerous in comparison to what originally was supposed to classify Scheduled drugs-addictive properties, potential for abuse, harmful psychoactive potential.

I will use a personal friend who’s been around bodybuilding for 20yrs – call him “Mike.” Mike’s wife has been a mortician for 10 years and a nurse for 10 years before that. Neither of them has seen any severe adverse effects from steroids, and certainly not death. NEVER. Actual causes of death, despite the media laying the blame on steroids, including-Lyle Alzado; AIDS related brain cancer. Davey Smith/Rick Rude/Brian Pillman; painkillers and the deterioration from those drugs. Don’t you think there should be some responsibility in investigating facts supported by actual evidence, other than the outrageous, jump on the anti-steroid bandwagon, opinions of some uneducated politician and media, provoked by the needs of Sports Governing Bodies? It is simply sensationalism via journalism, and since the public has no actual knowledge of this subject, they assume the media reporters are knowledgeable, and take that information as fact. Let the Sports Bodies determine their own agenda citing 'unfair advantage,' and not include the general public in its witch-hunt against steroids. It is two separate programs, we citizens should not be bound by the laws of fairness in sports. Here lies the danger in your warfare against these substances. It justifies the legalization of a performance/cosmetic enhancing drug-certainly less harmful than legal lyposuction, plastic surgery, breast enhancement...etc; and with steroids, the performance is only enhanced by honest hard work, proper nutrition, unlike all those surgical procedures. And women can take sex hormones for aging, birth control; both sexes can use hormones if they desire a sex change. If a man required hormone replacement therapy (testosterone) is it viewed as a catastrophe; if a woman goes on HPT (estrogen), the treatment of this condition is totally acceptable. Not to mention the legalization of very harmful drugs such as tobacco and alcohol. Making laws that affect the entire population in order to legislate or govern a minute body of athletes (Olympics, Baseball) is preposterous. The vast majority of athletes is just looking for better bodies, increased strength, and results for their grueling work and nutrition practices; and are NOT professional athletes. These sports are fully capable of determining their own regulations, and we as citizens should not have to be held to standards set in order to govern their sports. It has happened before-the hysteria of Ben Johnson's Olympic incident resulted in the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 1990. It criminalizes these drugs as Schedule III, along with drugs such as cocaine, amphetamines, and morphine. This is a travesty! Courts are treating hard working athletes in the same vein as recreational drug addicts! Do you suggest harsher laws? I surely hope not, and if so - you are a prime example of the need for education PRIOR to comments and decisions being discussed on issues.

I know vast amounts of steroid users - it is the most typical cross section of productive America you will ever see. Lawyers, Doctors, Policemen, Firemen, computer geeks, accountants, I could go on. Your typical neighbors. So why are some of the reasons that steroids are illegal, and otherwise honest taxpaying, working athletes are subject to jail for its use? Steroids don’t cause heart attacks, liver failure, rage. Rage is caused by immature behavior – it’s an excuse to act viscous. The early studies on liver failure was done on sickly, geriatric patients who were on massive (much more than any healthy athlete would use) doses of the steroid Anadrol, and those studies have since been discredited. Some types of steroids can raise blood pressure temporarily, while it will return to normal after cessation of its use. Adolescents should not use them regardless-and that is not effected by their being legal or not. We know the whole 'save our kids' slogan is being used to support this bill. Certainly nobody wants adolescents using these substances-and that should be clear. Why not focus on alcohol and cigarettes if you really want to save the kids from some harmful substances? That would be time and money well spent; not the money wasted in proposed grants and time used to sell this ridiculous anti-supplement campaign. Certainly there are some side effects. If that is reported responsibly people can educate themselves and take precautions, using these drugs in a responsible way. It is very possible - I’ve been doing so for 18yrs. So have many, many people I know. I studied and became responsible for using these substances correctly-as any adult should do before they indulge in any similar type of activity. Most all these adults are leading responsible lives, and can be trusted with handling supplements in a responsible way. They are (again) - lawyers, doctors, construction workers, computer programmers, engineers, policemen, firemen, actors, and politicians (I could name 2 quickly). Get the picture? You will be ruining and interfering with the lives of these otherwise responsible citizens, when they face the legal shackles you present. Mike has no aliments. His condition is amazing for a 44 year old. Learn to drive before you get a car - or you would wreck it immediately; should cars be illegal because of this? No one should spend ONE DAY in jail because of steroids. The unjust laws are a reflection of general public and lawmakers uninformed opinions. Which begins with opinions not supported by facts or knowledge, such as the damaging opinions created from your standpoint. I could recommend a fine web site for education made by a prominent professional, lawyer Rick Collins. His web site is www.steroidlaw.com - examine it with open mind and then I would welcome your further comments in regard to Anabolics.

If you have any questions or comments, I would welcome a reply. I would be willing to discuss this, on any platform, with anyone who cares to share information. Lawyer Rick Collins would surely also welcome any discussion of these matters.

Doesn’t this country have endless REAL (terrorism, crimes with actual victims) issues, other than obsessive concerns on how to interfere with a mans right to create adaptations to his physique through hard work, nutrition, and supplementation, pharmaceutical or otherwise? See Roe vs. Wade-the woman’s right to do as she sees fit in regard to her own body. If anything, the issue at hand should be, why are honest hardworking athletes being crucified, and at risk of incarceration, for the attempt and desire to change their physique for the better? Why not be a pioneer and take that platform?

Please, I am not a residence of Delaware. But this is a National issue, and it requires educated attention. Please reply in email to this issue I present, which you have chosen to become involved with.

Sincerely
(your name)

[superchicken]

Tweetthis should be posted on every board

[3Vandoo]

TweetI will send it myself

saying "Pissed canadian neighbor, leave my brothers alone!"

322

[34pumped]

Tweetheck yea we all need to do it

[spidey]

TweetThere are a few caveots with the letter.

The letter states "I have been using steroids for 18 years" or something to that effect. That is a blanket admission of illegal activity; not smart IMO. Especially if you are going to sign your name to it.

The personal attacks on Senator Biden should be edited out. They will only serve to alienate him and may have the opposite effect as is intended.

If you are going to send an effective letter to congress, it has to have a non-condescending respectful tone or it will most likely just be discarded out of hand. The letter above is full of personal attacks and the overall tone is quite condescending; a " I know about this issue and you are an obvious idiot" kind of tone.

[jacked1]

Tweetspidey has a good point, but I think the intentions of the letter are excellent.

[spidey]

TweetHow's this?

Mr Joe Biden
US Senator Deleware
201 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Mr Joe Biden- August 22, 2003

I have read your statements and position regarding Anabolic Steroids (AS) and the future hearings regarding such. And now you propose the new and amended AS Control Act of 2003, citing prohormones and stiffer penalties particularly for the casual user. If passed, many average people simply seeking increased cosmetic improvement through these substances and exercise will be turned into hunted criminals, their lives subject to ruin. Is this really what this country desperately needs, more policing of what should be private matters?

The DEA, HHS, AMA, and all the medical experts opposed the original bill of 1990. It is a clinical fact that steroids are not physically addictive. They are certainly less fraught with risk than many legal procedures designed to enhance appearance such as liposuction, breast implants and other surgeries. A steroid treatment under the care of a liscensed physician could produce better results with a fraction of the risk associated with these procedures.

It seems as if the main driving force behind steroid legislation is the sports lobby and their need to keep performance enhancing drugs out of sports. However, the vast majority of people who use steroids or who would use them if they were legal are regular everyday people who are not competitive athletes. These people use steroids to enhance their appearance and feelings of well-being. Why should steroids be illegal for those people? Why should otherwise law-abiding, productive members of society be incarcerated, have their lives ruined and their families destroyed all because they wanted to enhance their appearance? Why is their only legal recourse to enhance their appearance risky, even life threatening, surgery when there is a much less risky alternative? That is simply unethical and contrary to the legislation's aim of protecting the people's health.

As for the sports associations, they already have policies banning the use of performance enhancing drugs. Random testing of athletes is the norm to insure they are not "cheating". It is neither necessary nor fair that the entire country of 260 million plus people be subjected to the same policies as the sports associations. Do not people have some fundemental right to their own bodies when others are not affected? Is this not how Rowe vs. Wade was decided? Steroids do not affect anyone but the one using them. Studies have shown that they do not cause uncontrolled aggression. They do not intoxicate or impair one's ability to function. They are not physically addictive. Cigaretts and alcohol are both many times more harmful to health and society than steroids yet they are both legal. No one contracts cancer from second hand smoke caused by someone using steroids and no one kills an entire family by crashing into their minivan because they were driving while impaired by steroids.

I know many steroid users. It is the most typical cross section of productive America you will ever see. Lawyers, Doctors, Policemen, Firemen, computer geeks, accountants, politicians; I could go on. Your typical neighbors. These people are not "cheating" in sports and do not deserve to have their lives and families destroyed simply because they chose a safer alternative than surgery to enhance their appearance.

Senator Biden, there are other more pressing issues of public safety that the legislature could be working on such as terrorism, Iraq, and narcotics enforcement.

Although I am sure you have endeavored to educate yourself on the issue of steroids, I fear you may have only read one side of a very polarized issue and thus may be missing the larger picture. I could recommend a fine web site for education made by a prominent professional, lawyer Rick Collins. His web site is www.steroidlaw.com. If you have any questions or comments, I would welcome a reply. I would be willing to discuss this, on any platform, with anyone who cares to share information. Lawyer Rick Collins would surely also welcome any discussion of these matters.


Sincerely
(your name)]

[WeirdAl]

TweetBiden's contact info including e-mail

Contact Information

Washington DC EMail Address:
senator@biden.senate.gov
Washington DC Web Address:
https://biden.senate.gov/

[3Vandoo]

TweetPS: Add to the letter, your name sound familiar to an ennemy of this country
Biden Bin Laden, sound similar!

[MikeS]

TweetSpidey, I have passed the letter by Rick Collins, and he approved it. I think he knows a little more than you about these matters.
Also I could give a fuck if they know I juiced for 18yrs. Ask me about it-I was busted. So the damage is done. Now Im an activist. I didnt say I was currently juicing; but really, in this matter I dont think it is important-it was there to make a point.
This is about the umteenth letter of importance Ive written, posted most, got several replies. Also had MANY published. Ive written for Muscular Development, and did a good bit of the book Legal Muscle. Your qualifications as an activist-writer are...?

Im sure your intentions are good, but I thought the comments were a little tactless and disrespectful in light of the positive nature of my efforts. But if I need an editor to critic me (who I dont even know) I'll let you know. :2gunsfiri

[spidey]

Tweet

Originally posted by MikeS
Spidey, I have passed the letter by Rick Collins, and he approved it. I think he knows a little more than you about these matters.
Also I could give a fuck if they know I juiced for 18yrs. Ask me about it-I was busted. So the damage is done. Now Im an activist. I didnt say I was currently juicing; but really, in this matter I dont think it is important-it was there to make a point.
This is about the umteenth letter of importance Ive written, posted most, got several replies. Also had MANY published. Ive written for Muscular Development, and did a good bit of the book Legal Muscle. Your qualifications as an activist-writer are...?

Im sure your intentions are good, but I thought the comments were a little tactless and disrespectful in light of the positive nature of my efforts. But if I need an editor to critic me (who I dont even know) I'll let you know. :2gunsfiri

This is exactly what I was talking about. Damn dude, does EVERYTHING you write personally attack someone? Look, I don't know you and you sure as hell don't know me so lets get some things straight here:

1) I am not some 18 year old kid talking out my ass so don't talk down to me like I am. I don't need any qualifications to offer a critique of anything posted on a public forum except to be a US citizen; it's called the first ammendment.

2) I couldn't care less what you have written in the past or what your qualifications are in writing. I was addressing what I saw as potential problems in this letter. I wasn't critiquing any of the articles you wrote for Muscular Development.

3) Tactless? Disrespectful? Where in my post did I put you down or attack you in any way? If you are that insecure you should get some professional help. I was only offering what I saw as helpful advice.

4) This is a quote from your letter: "It is very possible - I’ve been doing so for 18yrs. " That statement implies that you are CURRENTLY using steroids (in a responsible way). It is not written in the past tense. How is admitting ongoing illegal behavior going to help persuade Biden or anyone else to change course?

5) Here are some of the personal attacks on Senator Biden from your letter that I was refering to:
"I must protest your irresponsible crusade against relatively harmless substances in which you likely know little or nothing about."

"you are a prime example of the need for education PRIOR to comments and decisions being discussed on issues."

"Which begins with opinions not supported by facts or knowledge, such as the damaging opinions created from your standpoint." (Translation - you are an uninformed idiot.)

Now, how is insulting the senator going to help your (our) cause? I can only imagine how you would react if someone sent you an insulting, condenscending letter in an attempt to get you to change your viewpoint on some issue; just look how you responded to my previous response to this thread which held no personal attacks of any kind. You spazed out like a child throwing a temper tantrum. If it were an actual paper letter, would you not have just tossed it out of anger? What do you think Biden will do?

Don't get me wrong here. I don't doubt you are sincere and I do appreciate the "positive nature of your efforts". There are many things that are good and even persuasive in your letter. I tried to incorporate a few of those points in the letter I proposed. Maybe I didn't incorporate enough of them.

Also, I do not doubt that Rick Collins knows more about the political realities than I. If you passed that letter by him and he gave his endorsement then, by all means, send anything you want; it's a free country (kinda). I just think it would be more effective if it were not insulting. You know...the old adage about honey and vinager.

[MikeS]

TweetI dont need professional help. In fact I dont need any help. The letter (as you state) "I proposed" is nothing more that your version of my letter-plagerism that is.
Im not even going to get into each specific comment. I regularrly get similar letters published and replied to, without your genius input and editing. The reason you dont feel you need to relate your qualoifications is because you have none. If you want to be active, use you own ideas and writings-dont pick mine apart and redo them as if YOU are doing something constructive and special.

Sorry if this sidetracks the real issue, and its vital that we get back to that. How I feel or Spidey feels about the 'letter' is trivial as compared to its importance.

[chicken hawk]

TweetYou two sound like bickering school girls...enough with the personal attacks. One of you take your HCG and Clomid, grow some balls, and handle this like a real adult(let it go or do it in private).

I hate to see *****ing taking up good space on the board. Use PM's nex time!!!

[chicken hawk]

TweetDamn...you guys even made me sound harsh.

[spidey]

TweetDamn, I had a response all written out and got remote dissconected before I could post it....damn dialup.

OK, here's the short version:

Chickenhawk - you are right. I shouldn't have let this guy get my goat like that. He attacked me and I responded in kind. I should have just either ignored it or gone to PM with my response/counterattack. I apologize to the board for the display.

MikeS - I truly meant no disrespect in my initial response to this thread. Someone should be able to disagree with you without you getting offended. I was assuming from the instructions at the beginning of this thread to "print this out and mail it to Senator Biden." that your letter was a template meant to be modified by the members of this board, signed and mailed into congress as their own. If I was mistaken then I apologise. It was not my intent to plagerize your letter and claim it as my own. Anyone can read the two versions and plainly see that one is just a re-write of the other. I was just following my own advice and editing out what I saw as insulting. As it is obviously against your wishes, I will, of course, not use either version to mail to congress.