this is the real deal!
What this number is:
- This number is one of many numbers created by the novelty-number company Humor Hotlines.
- Unlike other numbers from HH, Goldblatt claims this is a legitimate poll being conducted which he plans to compile and give to various contacts within the government in hopes that it will be presented to Congress and President Barack Obama.
- This number is completely free and has apparently no known risks/fees associated with it outside of normal cell phone charges/minutes used/etc.
- If the number reaches a certain amount of votes (1,000,000), HH has every intention to follow through and send the compiled petition to the government.
What this number is NOT:
- A scam.
- This number has no relation with any political group or marijuana advocacy group.
- Endorsed by any politician, political group, advocacy group, or any person/group in a position of political authority.
- This number has no deadline.
- The number has no more power/authority to legalize marijuana than any other petition created by people online (however, every bit helps).
- Though some have claimed to have received charges after calling this number, it must have been coincidence or confusion because the number does not appear to create any charges (though if you can prove to me it does, feel free to contact me).
So… should you call it? If you want to, yes… there doesn’t appear to be any harm in it and it actually may end up being a good petition. But please do not think that you are directly helping to “legalize marijuana”, and
definitely do not tell others it is backed by groups which have no idea what it is.
Honesty is crucial and when people lie to get others to do something–even if they think it is right–things like this happen.
I apologized to Goldblatt for the confusion, however he was very understanding and even admitted that he himself is wary of things that sound “too good to be true” and understands why I was warning others to be cautious. While Humor Hotlines has undoubtedly benefited from the mass confusion regarding their number, it is clear that this is not the fault of Goldblatt’s company… rather, it appears to be the result of some trouble makers online and the ripple-effect of social networking.
I’d like to thank him again for taking the time to clear things up and hopefully now that the mystery is gone surrounding this number people can begin calling it
for what it is, rather than calling it under the false-assumption of it being something
it is not.