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Gouveia: Marijuana Bill Not Liberal Plot
Bill Gouveia | Mansfield News | 03/03/2006

Memo to state representatives Betty Poirier, Phil Travis and John Lepper:

Stop trying to blame liberals and liberal philosophies for your failure to accomplish your legislative goals, never mind all the ills of society. Stop being hypocrites by pandering to what you see as your conservative base.

These three legislators took stands recently when a legislative committee voted overwhelmingly to recommend a bill that would decriminalize the possession of less than ounce of marijuana. Instead of being a criminal offense, the violation would be civil in nature and carry a $250 fine. Several states have passed similar bills in recent years.

Rep. Travis called the proposal going "...down that liberal route again." Rep. Poirier said she was not surprised at the committee's recommendation because the chairman, Rep. Ruth Balser, has "a very liberal view." Although acknowledging that Balser is a psychologist and "well versed" in mental health, she said reducing marijuana to a civil infraction would be wrong.

"It sends a terrible message to everyone, especially our youth, to say marijuana is not a big deal," Poirier told a local paper. "Any kind of substance abuse that is tolerated by our society is going to be the downfall of our society."

Poirier doesn't seem to understand that marijuana use is not being condoned by this proposed law. It would still be illegal, and carry a fine. What would change is people found in possession of less than one single ounce of the fairly common substance would not be branded a criminal. That is neither liberal nor conservative - it is just common sense.

Abuse of any substance is a bad thing. But the fact of the matter is marijuana is a common drug that has been used in this country by millions of Americans for generations. I am neither condoning its use nor promoting it - I am merely commenting on the obvious.

Does marijuana lead to the use of narcotics and stronger drugs? Yes, it sometimes does - just as alcohol and tobacco do. But since the generation that is now making the laws in this society grew up with alcohol and tobacco, but not marijuana, they consider what they do not understand as the greater evil.

The committee's purpose in recommending the law is "to develop programs of prevention, education and treatment and shift away from an involvement with the criminal justice system," according to Chairman Balser.

Unfortunately, our local legislators seem incapable of viewing it as anything but a liberal ploy to undermine this country's values. That is a shortsighted view, and one that serves their political careers more than the people they represent.

Representatives Lepper and Poirier say social issues such as this are being advanced by the legislature instead of the important, critical issues of the day. "The story of the past year has been all these social issues instead of the Legislature doing its job," Poirier stated.

This is funny, coming from some of the largest proponents of a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage and write discrimination into our state Constitution. That issue has dominated the political landscape for the past several years, while issues like health insurance, education and the budget have languished in legislative purgatory.

You have to wonder if our local legislators really believe keeping people who love each other from marrying, and making criminals out of those who use marijuana in moderation, are the most important issues for Massachusetts.

But let's be clear on one thing. I don't think these legislators are wrong because they are conservatives. I just think they are wrong.

I guess that must mean I'm in on the liberal plot too.
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Bill Gouveia is a columnist for the Mansfield News. He can be reached at AnInsideLook@aol.com.

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Dennis

I would really like to see the marijuana prohibitionists booted from office. They really like to play the Liberal card, not realizing yet that being called a Conservative these days is an insult too.

Reforming marijuana laws is as much supported by Conservatives as Liberals and it will have zero impact on our values as a Society. Marijuana use is already prevalent, it's just a matter now of treating marijuana consumers fairly and not with cruel and unusual punishment.

TheNewGuy

A real conservative (not a pussy pinko-commie Neo-Con) would hate any law that tells a man what he can and can't do with his own body.

If you don't own the rights to your own body, who does? If you support the prohibition of any substance known to mankind (except those designed ONLY as weapons to be used against other human beings besides yourself) then the government officially owns your body. How do people not understand that?

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"Anyway, no drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. If we're looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn't test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power." ~P.J. O'Rourke