News (Media Awareness Project) - US CO: Pro-Pot Crowd Shouts Down Owens |
| Title: | US CO: Pro-Pot Crowd Shouts Down Owens |
| Published On: | 2006-10-27 |
| Source: | Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-01-12 23:30:05 |
PRO-POT CROWD SHOUTS DOWN OWENS
They weren't mellow or takin' it easy when Gov. Bill Owens talked on
the Capitol steps Friday morning in opposition to a statewide ballot
measure seeking to legalize marijuana possession.
About 50 people of all ages shouted him down as he and Attorney
General John Suthers cited statistics declaring pot dangerous.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is a sad day for Colorado," Owens said.
And then he had to repeat what he said over the chant, "What do we
want? A safer choice. When do we want it? Now."
Suthers couldn't even be heard much of the time he
spoke.
For about four minutes, he plowed through data showing the dangers of
marijuana, but it was lost in the din of another chant, "Hey, ho, you
say drink, we say no."
The crowd never let up and cheered when Suthers finished his speech.
They taunted the governor: "Lie louder Bill, we can't hear you."
Owens and Suthers were also joined by Park County Sheriff Fred
Wegener, who became famous during the Platt Canyon High School
shooting in Bailey that resulted in the sexual assault of several
girls and the murder of 16-year-old Emily Keyes.
Wegener tried to link the amendment to the tragedy.
"What about the possibilities of this individual being a pilot or a
bus driver?" he asked the crowd. "The potential consequences of their
actions are too horrific to ignore. Couldn't happen? That's what was
said about a school shooting in Bailey."
The crowd jeered.
Amendment 44, the ballot measure that seeks to legalize possession of
up to an ounce of marijuana for adults 21 and older, has been largely
opposed by law enforcement officials. On the steps, a line of
uniformed officers, including sheriff's and police chiefs, watched the
chanting crowd mock most of the speakers.
Amendment 44 sponsor Mason Tvert said the elected officials and law
enforcement officers were being disingenuous.
"Clearly they haven't done their jobs. They haven't educated people
about drugs," Tvert said. "They've simply pushed people from one drug
they don't like to the other one they do."
They weren't mellow or takin' it easy when Gov. Bill Owens talked on
the Capitol steps Friday morning in opposition to a statewide ballot
measure seeking to legalize marijuana possession.
About 50 people of all ages shouted him down as he and Attorney
General John Suthers cited statistics declaring pot dangerous.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is a sad day for Colorado," Owens said.
And then he had to repeat what he said over the chant, "What do we
want? A safer choice. When do we want it? Now."
Suthers couldn't even be heard much of the time he
spoke.
For about four minutes, he plowed through data showing the dangers of
marijuana, but it was lost in the din of another chant, "Hey, ho, you
say drink, we say no."
The crowd never let up and cheered when Suthers finished his speech.
They taunted the governor: "Lie louder Bill, we can't hear you."
Owens and Suthers were also joined by Park County Sheriff Fred
Wegener, who became famous during the Platt Canyon High School
shooting in Bailey that resulted in the sexual assault of several
girls and the murder of 16-year-old Emily Keyes.
Wegener tried to link the amendment to the tragedy.
"What about the possibilities of this individual being a pilot or a
bus driver?" he asked the crowd. "The potential consequences of their
actions are too horrific to ignore. Couldn't happen? That's what was
said about a school shooting in Bailey."
The crowd jeered.
Amendment 44, the ballot measure that seeks to legalize possession of
up to an ounce of marijuana for adults 21 and older, has been largely
opposed by law enforcement officials. On the steps, a line of
uniformed officers, including sheriff's and police chiefs, watched the
chanting crowd mock most of the speakers.
Amendment 44 sponsor Mason Tvert said the elected officials and law
enforcement officers were being disingenuous.
"Clearly they haven't done their jobs. They haven't educated people
about drugs," Tvert said. "They've simply pushed people from one drug
they don't like to the other one they do."
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