Supports Measure B - VOTE YES on Mendocino County, Vote YES on B

To the Editor:

There seems to be a lot of talk in the community about the political leanings of those in support of Measure B—that the Measure is a part of a broader conservative, right-wing agenda.

For example, in a letter published in the May 18, 2008 edition of the Ukiah Daily Journal, Gary T. Moraga states that “we have Prop. B placed on the ballot at the urging of a handful of ultra conservatives…”

I am one of those folks who passionately support the placement of Measure B on the June ballot. Indeed, I cannot wait to cast my vote. But what I’d like the opponents of Measure B to understand is that I am NOT an ultra conservative.

What I am is a fourth generation Mendocino County resident and lifelong Democrat.
I've supported several of my party's candidate's runs for the Senate, Congress and President.
I've volunteered for Planned Parenthood.
I have demonstrated against the war in Iraq.
I would pay higher taxes to fund programs in our schools.
I voted for Proposition 215 in 1996.

But guess what?

Like many Mendocino County residents, I am dismayed by the unintended consequences of Proposition 215, SB 420, and Measure G for our community. The bottom line is, my “neighbors” are armed and growing hundreds of marijuana plants, and because of that, my kids can’t explore and play in the same woods in which I spent my childhood. And sadly, my situation is not the exception … it is the reality for many, many residents across the County.

I’d love to invite our county and state legislative representatives and opponents of Measure B to sit on my deck and discuss this issue during an evening in August. I’d encourage them to take a whiff of the breeze blowing in from the southwest while doing so—they won’t miss it; its odor is so strong that we have to close our windows in spite of the summer heat. I’d like them to walk my property line with my kids—they won’t help but notice huge marijuana plants growing right up to the old wire fence. This is not a grow in the national forest or on BLM land; while technically outside of the city limits, it is five-minute walk from downtown Willits.

After our time together, I’m certain that we’d agree on two things:

1) while we should continue to support medical marijuana for those with a legitimate medical need,
2) we require a different, common-sense solution for providing those in need with access to their medicine.

This is why bleeding-heart liberals like me support Measure B. It’s one small step in a different, common-sense direction.

Jennifer Schuster
Willits