August 18, 2011

Oregon Marijuana Policy Alliance Targets Mailchimp with Change.Org Petition

August 18, 2011
mailchimp

mailchimpThe Oregon Marijuana Policy Alliance today targeted email management provider Mailchimp with an online petition from Change.Org. Mailchimp denied OMPI an account, because their emails contain marijuana-related content. OMPI is a registered political committee in the state of Oregon, currently gathering signatures for two initiative petitions to decriminalize marijuana in Oregon, and to create a supply and distribution system for Oregon’s medical marijuana patients.

The online petition targets the CEO of Mailchimp, and can be found here: https://www.change.org/petitions/mailchimpcom-dont-ban-marijuana-activists

“Mailchimp is a terrific service, but they made the wrong call here,” says OMPI Director Robert Wolfe. “They accused us of selling illegal goods first, and then simply banned us for political speech regarding marijuana. Mailchimp should learn the difference between selling weed and legitimate political speech.”

The online petition is being hosted by Change.Org, Change.org is a free and easy way to start a petition and make your voice heard by government and business leaders. Their system has hosted hundreds of petitions, some accumulating many tens of thousands of signatures, and been instrumental in creating important changes in many areas of civil and political activism.

OMPI’s ban by Mailchimp began on Friday, August 12 as their compliance department blocked a campaign email. “Unfortunately, we cannot support sending any marijuana related content through our servers. While we do understand you are a legitimate organization and are not selling products, the risk associated with this type of content is too great for us to shoulder,” company representatives wrote in an email.

This explanation came after OMPI Director Robert Wolfe received an email from Mailchimp declaring that ““Your account falls under this prohibited content and / or industry noted in ours Terms of Use under exhibit (f): Illegal goods or services.”

Wolfe objected to that characterization, writing to company reps that “You’ve gotten this wrong. We are not offering ANY goods or services. We are a legitimate political campaign, registered with the Oregon Secretary of State, busy collecting signatures for an initiative petition. We do not sell marijuana — or anything else. We are promoting POLITICAL CHANGE and this is a professional political campaign.”

OMPI has an email list of nearly 10,000 names, all opt-in email recipients who have expressly consented to receiving emails regarding pro-cannabis political activity. OMPI is promoting two citizen initiatives for the 2012 general election in Oregon, and is registered with the Oregon Secretary of State as a Petition Committee, a 501(c)(4) organization.

Contact: Robert Wolfe, Director, 503-477-8052 [email protected]

Oregon Marijuana Policy Initiative

 

Go to NotDwightHolton.Com to find out why you should not vote for Dwight Holton for Oregon Attorney General, and ‘like’ the Not Dwight Holton Facebook Page!

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