QUESTIONING KUBBY'S HEALTH.

In the summer of 1973, I was employed by Steve Kubby as the program
director for Earth Camp One. I lived in intimate contact with Mr. Kubby
during those 75 days and came to know him very well. When he surfaced in
Auburn as the defendant in a drug possession case, I found it ironic. It
was ironic because drugs and alcohol were strictly forbidden in Kubby's
fiefdom at Earth Camp One. He knew then and now that a community is
weakened when substance abuse is tolerated.

While it is true that Mr. Kubby had yet to contract cancer, I do not
believe that his illness led him to discover marijuana. In fact, Steve was
very conversant with the drug culture back in 1973. I distinctly remember
his assertion that LSD was a tool that could be used to "erase the
programming" in one's head, allowing the individual to start over with a
fresh new set of truths. Steve recognized the power of these drugs and
banned them from the community over which he held sway. His personal health
and enjoyment are another matter altogether, and he has valiantly pursued
his right to self-satisfaction.

I will be presumptuous enough to state that the medicinal effects of
marijuana and the current status of Mr. Kubby's cancer are both in
question. He may be sick and he may not be. Marijuana may provide him a
positive individual effect and it may just give him a buzz. I don't think
it matters. I don't think that is the core issue in this case.

The core issue is Steve Kubby's obsessive desire to establish the following
dictum: Any person should be free to produce a medical rationale for
marijuana consumption. That rationale is not to be called into question.
Further, the level of consumption should be open to personal taste.

Such a dictum requires a society of disciplined individuals who put the
common good ahead of individual desire. A society whose members weigh their
actions in light of the impact upon the community as a whole. Our laws and
mores are designed to perpetuate this holistic view. Carte blanche
permission to "medicate" with marijuana does not.

And last, I question Mr. Kubby's character. Steve pleaded for compassion
and patience while he toyed with the court for a year and a half. Now he
has given our district attorney a two-week deadline to capitulate or face a
recall. May God have mercy on us, should he ever govern his fellow
citizens. I am grateful to the juror who maintained the courage of her
convictions, and refused to vote for acquittal.

David Ryland, Meadow Vista