FORUM WAS PROPAGANDA PANEL AGAINST PROPOSITION 19

As a voter in favor of Proposition 19, I attended the forum on "Just
the Facts," sponsored by a Drug-Free Nevada County and the Grass
Valley Chamber of Commerce. The entire seven-member panel were
advocates against Proposition 19. In other words it was a propaganda
panel, i.e., working for the idea of maintaining the status quo by
defeating Proposition 19.

With a little effort perhaps the sponsors could have had at least one
spokesperson on the panel from say NORMAL (National Organization for
the Reform of Marijuana Laws) or LEAP (Law Enforcement Against
Prohibition). If they had, some of the following facts might have been
mentioned: "California, despite having the freest medical marijuana
regime in the nation, ranks 18th among states in marijuana use and
boasts a highway fatality rate well below the national average." (Dale
Gieringer, Sacramento Bee, Aug. 2).

Or, that in 2008, according to the FBI, over 61,000 Californians were
arrested for misdemeanor possession of marijuana. NORMAL reports that
nationwide the FBI also reported 858,408 arrests in 2009 on marijuana
charges.

Or that famous people, like Albert Einstein, have weighed in on the
prohibition topic: "The prestige of government has undoubtedly been
lowered considerably by the prohibition law. For nothing is more
destructive of respect for the government and the law of the land than
passing laws which cannot be enforced. It is an open secret that the
dangerous increase of crime in this country is closely connected with
this."

In the end, Proposition 19 should prevail of fall based on its merits,
presented fairly and balanced.

Leon Anderson

Grass Valley