Proposition 19: Backers of legalizing marijuana say 'the world is watching'

They came not to bury Proposition 19 but to praise it. They left having done a little bit of both.

The final election-day news conference on behalf of legalizing marijuana in California was an odd amalgam of get-out-the-vote effort and wake. There were hopeful exhortations and picket signs, but the polls looked bad, and everyone was clad in somber black.

A yes vote, legalization activists urged from the steps of Oakland City Hall, would create jobs, end racism, make the streets safer and ignite a revolution. “Make no mistake,” said a radiant Dale Sky Jones, executive chancellor of Oaksterdam University, “the world is watching.”

But as speaker after speaker stepped up to the lectern, the comments took an elegiac turn.

“Today is a watershed moment in the decades-long history to end failed marijuana policies in this country,” declared Stephen Gutwillig, California director of the Drug Policy Alliance. “Proposition 19 has impacted the national debate on marijuana policy, firmly placing marijuana legalization itself squarely in the mainstream of American politics.”

Oakland City Atty. John Russo, speaking to activists “from the heart,” told the small assembly gathered in the bright autumn sunshine that “even if we are cheated out of a win today, we have changed the debate from licentious hippies versus straight-arrow cops to one that recognizes this issue in all of its complexity.”

Remember, he said, “like other issues where people are working and have worked for justice and common sense, sometimes it takes a longer road than we would like.”

Richard Lee, founder of Oaksterdam University and the major force behind the measure, didn’t even address the crowd -– although he was billed as a main speaker. After the news conference and rally ended, he raced away from reporters and enthusiasts, only to be briefly stymied in his escape by the locked doors of City Hall.

If the measure loses, he was asked, what will be your take-away?

Lee: “Not enough people voted for it.”

Was it a worthwhile effort?

Lee: “Yeah, we changed the debate.”

Is that enough?

Lee: “Uh huh.”

Will you continue working for legalization?

Lee: “Uh huh.”

And if it wins?

Lee: “Let’s move on to the next battle, ultimately changing federal law.”

Will you be at the forefront of that too?

Lee: “We’ll see.”

-- Maria L. La Ganga in Oakland

Photos: California heads to the polls

Photos: The nation heads to the polls

Comments

[Jay S Reed]

Polls say Parents are the group that is changing from yes on 19 to no.

Don't they realize that marijuana is more available to kids now than alcohol, because illegal pot dealers don't check ID's?

[Lance Feldman]

I'm from New York,
I am watching... "this is a huge step to get the world to wake up... and move forward, from this small box that locks in our own potential... Legalization is one step closer to gaining our personal freedoms back... Cannabis is a beautiful medicinal plant, a sacred plant that spreads its energy, to promote calm relaxation and peace of mind... Do we not deserve this?"- Lance J. Feldman

[DEBI]

So while we are urging our children to not do drugs, and to achieve something with their live and promoting things like this website: http://www.abovetheinfluence.com/the-ads/default.aspx
We are also telling them it's ok to do anything for a buck. CA in financial straits? Legalize pot, more tax dollars. Short on college funds son? It's ok, the ends justifies the means. Do what you must, sell pot, smoke pot to mellow your mood and not stress. Hell why stop there? MONEY-it rules the world. No morals, no ethics to consider. It's all good. As long as it brings in the dough

[Casey Symanski]

Leagalize it

[Melroser]

Prop 19 and its supporters have made me LESS supportive of legalizing marijuana, not more. If the marijuana activists had put together a reasoned and rational initiative, and then supported it with a well-thought-out and professional campaign, I would have voted for it. Instead, they put up a ballot initiative that sounds like it was written by a third grader, and then launched a campaign of invective against anyone who had concerns about their very flawed proposition. That's why I voted No today, along with millions of other people who could not care less if you smoke marijuana in your own home. A word of advice (not that I expect any of the true believers to listen): If you want to persuade people to your side, then you need to understand that people have reasonable concerns about anything related to intoxicating substances, and fully and fairly address those valid concerns. Just yelling and screaming at them, and saying that anyone who disagrees with you is a racist fascist Nazi, does not wind up helping you in the long run....

[cshargeit]

it's a sham. it's a fraud. there is no democracy. i saw electronic voting machines in buena park. first, one may not enjoy or understand democracy when a rich ruling class defies all sense of decency and aborts a fair voting place . and makes the voting place a tactic of opulent oppression. SECOND---go back to first-- this is stockholm syndrome- like patty hearst.

[Richard Long]

Too bad it was a poorly written proposition. It allows everyone to grow it in their own backyard. You can't tax it if everyones growing their own.

the free for all hippies behind this blew it.

they should have gotten the state workers union to represent the would-be pot farmers and it would have passed easily.

[The Question.]

Ask yourself:

Do I smoke cigarettes?
-if Yes, then you should vote Yes on 19.

Do I drink alcohol?
-if Yes, then you should vote Yes on 19.

Do I suffer from frequent headaches, arthritis, glaucoma, or asthma?
-if Yes, you should vote Yes on 19.

If it stays illegal will people still smoke it? Probably not.

If it becomes legal will more people smoke it? Potentially, but probably not.

The largest illegal racket involves the Mexican drug cartels and illegal marijuana importation. Should I:

Allow American individuals to grow the plant for themselves within the proposed changes to cannabis laws?

Should I let American companies produce and sell marijuana?

Should I allow the economy depressed State of California tax the sale of marijuana producing potentially billions of dollars from our economy?

I voted Yes on 19.

Ask yourself some questions, and be honest in your answers, don't let religious or long standing taboo blind you to the cold hard facts of the matter.

If it doesn't pass, it won't go away.
If it does pass, and it doesn't work and everything turns out so terrible and wrong we can always pass a law making it illegal again.

Don't be afraid to step outside the box and try something new California.

[Justin Case]

Come on America, show your real strength and put the government in their place. The government exists to serve us, we don't exist to serve the government. California is my home state and I hope that the people speak with one voice for freedom of choice.

[Chuck]

Seriously people? A vote against prop 19 is a vote against personal choice. Here is a list of things that will and won't change. If you disagree you need to step out of your box and observe the world a little closer.

1)Kids will have less access to cannabis. Sure it will still be around, but guess what it's already there. A vote against prop 19 won't magicly take the pot, that's already there, off the streets...
2)Car accidents will not rise. Guess what people: Hundreds of thousands of people drive stoned everyday. You don't ever hear about the family killed by the stoned driver....
3)People won't start smoking just because it's legal. In states that have no pro-cannabis laws (i.e. no medical MJ, no decriminalization) anyone, and I mean anyone can get pot. Sure you'll see a rise in use, because you'll have the people who are afraid to use, for various reasons, not afraid anymore.
4)The price will drop, there is no risk anymore. It's a plant, not some chemical produced in a lab, it's plant that has been used by humans forever.

If that's not enough, just think a little harder, you should, with logical thought, be able to see, even through the fog, that the government had no right in the first place, to take away our personal choice.

No Victim, No Crime! Get out and vote Yes on 19! The nation (and world) is watching!

[Nick]

I'm from the UK and watching very keenly. I don't care much for marijuana but it would be a great day for Liberty all around the world If California roles back the power of the state to concern itself with what plants people happen to eat or not. Go California!

[Cam Frigon]

pass it

[Nero's Fiddle]

Sounds like Mr. Lee's already tokin' up.

[Andrew]

For the love of liberty, GET OUT THERE AND VOTE YES ON 19!

[JustCause]

What are your thoughts about certain jobs like:teachers, pilots, doctors or cops smoking weed when they are not at work?

[Cruspy Snodgrass]

@Melroser

Yes, it is true that a lot of supporters do not state their case intelligently. This bugs me to no end!!! But, the same can be said of all those opposed. I have yet to hear a valid argument from anyone on why this plant is illegal... ever. All the reasons voiced in opposition are based on fears which have been planted (no pun intended) into their beliefs by unfounded myths and the opinions of uneducated fear-mongers. Decades of studies have proven this plant is harmless... and, in fact, has never been directly linked to causing a single death... ever. I would post links to these studies to back up my statements, but that would ensure this post would be blocked. Please, just research the facts of cannabis and look at the studies. Also, please look up famous and prominent people who admit to indulging themselves in a few tokes now and then (past and present). If you just take 10 minutes to do these things I am asking you to do, you will be able to see through the decades of lies the government and special interest groups (especially pharmaceutical companies, as they cannot patent a plant) have been spreading and, hopefully, ease your personal fears of this plant and those who prefer to partake in its benefits.

Respectfully,
Some dude in Normal Illinois

[Lalo]

Even if you're a marijuana user and are for legalizing it you should vote NO on prop. 19 since it doesn´t legalize it, it actualy puts more restrictions in and paves the way for the monopolisation of marijuana by the big fishes like Richard Lee and Monsanto (George Soros was the second bigest donor) .

MARIJUANA USERS AGAINST PROP. 19

VOTE NO ON 19!

[Dawn]

Does anyone ever think about the people who dont want it legalized for their own reasons? I feel there will be more people out there on the streets selling to kids by schools in front of our homes where we live. I feel this would be a BIG MISTAKE, cuz no one is thinking of the ones who dont want it around their children, homes or them. I dont want to have to worry that someone is going to sell it to my daughter so they can make a quick dollar cuz that is all its about. If this passes its telling kids and other adults its ok to buy and sell drugs to whomever they can push it on and sending a message to kids to go ahead sell it cuz you could make lots of money doing it and not be smart by working a legitimate job. The only things that will come out of it is nothing but drug dealers selling to kids with no concerns for anyone.

I PRAY AND HOPE IT FAILS TO KEEP OUR NEIHBORHOODS AND KIDS SAFE FROM DRUGS NO MATTER WHAT IT IS.

[Dawn]

VOTE AGAINST IT CUZ OUR CHILDREN AND THEIR FUTURE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THEN A QUICK BUCK. THEIR HEALTH AND SAFTEY ARE MORE IMPORTANT THEN A BUNCH OF DRUG DEALERS SELLING THEIR WEED TO OUR KIDS. ITS ABOUT US AGAINST DRUGS NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND

I VOTED HELL NO ON PROP 19
CUZ MY DAUGHTER IS MORE IMPORTANT THEN LEGALIZING WEED TO MAKE A QUICK DOLLAR.
IF IT PASSES CALIFORNIA IS A NOTHING BUT A STATE OF FREAKIN IDIOTS WHO DONT CARE ABOUT WHAT MESSAGE WE ARE TELLING OUR KIDS AND THAT IS

SAY NO TO DRUGS OF EVERY KIND!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[greg gibson]

GET OUT THERE AND VOTE, PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA.
for gods sake, you have the opportunity of a lifetime, a chance to personally change 80 years of failed prohibition, to give yourself the right to smoke a completely harmless drug in your own home if you want to.
im from upstate NY, i would KILL to be in your shoes, DO NOT let this chance slip through your fingers.

[Cruspy Snodgrass]

@Dawn

What type of message are we sending to our kids when we tell them that cannabis is dangerous and to stay away from it? When they finally realize this is a lie, then they will think crack, heroin, etc... are also harmless. Think about it, please.

[Jeramiah]

What people like Dawn fail to realise is that prop 19 takes things a step in the right direction for keeping our kids safe. Prop 19 will run the drug dealers selling to your kids out of business. Drug dealers operate in and around schools dont forget that, take the drug dealers out of the equation and now you have to have a drivers liscence to get it it becomes a bit tougher. Still not impossible but i dont hear dawn calling for a ban on alcohol.

[jloome]

Love that byline -- Ganga in oakland

[James]

yes on prop 19!

[walter kinser]

iam a buckey hope we follow your path,,go ohio,,,tax it