It's a matter of Respect

To the Editor
Re: It’s a matter of Respect

What happened to the value of “Respect”? I have heard endless repetitions of the same arguments by the NO on B advocates. Unfortunately marijuana/supporter/growers just don’t get it! Growers have not monitored their own.

Instead the grower community is in denial about what has happened to civility, neighborhood cohesiveness, safe and healthy environment. They have lost the respect and trust from those who compassionately supported true medical need.

I respected the rights of patients needing medical marijuana by voting for legal medical use. Now I have the right to vote YES on B to undo my prior Measure G vote.

Here are some examples of the gross disrespect I observe and hear. I have owned my property and paid taxes for 34 years. I sadly watched my diverse Robinson Creek neighborhood go from a cohesive, helpful, safe, trusting community to the divisive status of “Them” and “Us”. Mom and Pop’s got the incentive to increase modest gardens thanks to the loose parameters of Measure G. They suck water from the creek so now we “old-timers” watch the creek diminish to dry in May rather than August. They dug wells that impact down-slope springs so neighbors do not have an adequate supply of water for vegetable gardens.

Affluent San Francisco realtors / business people and other non-resident investors bought up property which they never visit. Instead “share croppers” move in to grow pot. The marijuana is shipped out of county. The city dwellers do not introduce themselves to the neighbors nor contribute anything whatsoever to the neighborhood. Instead they drive ATV’s over dry grass and gerry-rig electrical service, threatening wildfires. They travel easements for which they have no legal authority. They fire guns for unknown reasons. Wildlife decreases. They burn bright lights all night in greenhouses that annoy neighbors across canyon. They do not pay annual road maintenance fees, yet traffic associated with their properties increases expedientially. Traffic, especially during and post harvest, moves up the country roads at all hours night and early morning.

I heard radio callers cynically say, “Smell never killed anyone”, as though stink of marijuana was not disrespectful to those who lived nearby or were allergic. This attitude of disrespect exemplifies to me the prevailing grower notion of “You, my neighbor, have no rights to peace, health, civility and safety.”

The theft and vandalism of the YES on B signage (over 144) exemplifies the disrespect shown by the grower community. To my knowledge no one from the No on B coalition has made a public apology. It also indicates that the grower community does not monitor its own.

This invasive culture of Greed and Opportunism has clashed dramatically with neighborhood RESPECT for others as well the environment. The history of our canyon Culture during prior years was to value civility, trust, and mutual aid. . We were committed to the protection and appreciation of our beautiful canyon environment and resources. Our neighborhood is fed up with the disrespectful, selfish appropriation of environmental resources for personal profit and the degradation of our lives and property.

This phrase “low hanging fruit” is a farce. The average “medical patient” with a medical need is a joke. The idea that law enforcement should just focus on the “big time” criminals is ludicrous. The abuse of medical marijuana is common among next-door neighbors who flaunt local laws and human rights for material gain. No on B suggests that “those others”, i.e. those “illegals” doing public land grows, or the locals (“low hanging fruit”?) who get caught with major infractions, are the criminals. Respect for the intent of compassionate care is betrayed.

The out right disrespect that jeopardizes my safety and well-being has dramatically hurt my neighborhood as well at Mendocino County.

SAVE MENDOCINO COUNTY is about restoring Respect for People, Environment, Civility, Resources, Laws and Human Rights.