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Friedman Calls For Decriminalization Of Marijuana
Janet Elliott & Peggy Fikac | Houston Chronicle | 09/13/2006

AUSTIN — Independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman today called for the decriminalization of marijuana to avoid further clogging state prisons with nonviolent offenders.

He also said he would favor a review of people already imprisoned on marijuana charges to "rehab them, try to get them back into society."

"We've got to clear some of the room out of the prisons so we can put the bad guys in there, like the pedophiles and the politicians," said Friedman, a humorist and author.

Friedman said he doesn't yet have specifics on how decriminalization would work, including what amount of marijuana a person could possess without being charged. He did say that he doesn't favor making marijuana legally available for purchase.

"I'm not talking about like Amsterdam," he said.

"I agree with (U.S. Sen.) John McCain that we've lost the drug war," Friedman said. "Drugs are more available, they're cheaper.

"It's clear to me, if you've lost the War on Drugs then you've got to go some other direction. You can't keep banging your head against the wall."

Friedman's comments on marijuana came one week after he created a controversy in Houston when he said the musicians and artists who fled Hurricane Katrina had returned to New Orleans but the "crackheads and thugs" remained behind. He later added that many evacuees who remain in Houston are good citizens.
The candidate said today that crack cocaine "is a different deal" from marijuana.

"Marijuana is a very different situation. It's not like crack and (other) drugs that create violence," he said.

Friedman discussed his prior cocaine use last week in an interview with the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News. He also has written extensively and talked freely about his cocaine use when he was a satirical musician during the 1970s and early 1980s.

He said the deaths of two close friends spurred him to change his lifestyle and he has not used illegal drugs since 1985, when he left New York to return to Texas and began writing detective novels.

Friedman also added that while he knows most of the New Orleans evacuees are black, "crackheads come in all colors of the rainbow. So do racists."
"I'm not a racist. I'm a realist," said Friedman, adding that he is the only gubernatorial candidate addressing the issue of crime in Houston.

Political scientist Bruce Buchanan of the University of Texas at Austin said Friedman is "off the beaten path. There's no question about that. That's his whole schtick."

"By traditional standards, we would all dismiss this out of hand," Buchanan said. But he said that "given the fluidity (of the governor's race) ... we have to wait awhile. The die has not yet been cast."

"He's new to the political game. He's still thinking it through. He still tends to say what he thinks whenever asked. And because of these special circumstances, it might not undermine his candidacy yet," Buchanan said.

Mark Sanders, spokesman for independent gubernatorial candidate Carole Keeton Strayhorn, said, "She is opposed to the legalization of illegal drugs."

Robert Black, spokesman for incumbent Rick Perry, said, "The governor does not agree with Kinky and does not believe marijuana should be legalized."

Democrat Chris Bell also is not in favor of legalizing marijuana.

"Drugs are illegal for a reason," said Bell's campaign manager, Jason Stanford. "The last thing we need is to give kids the message that drugs are OK. They pose a serious problem to our communities."

Libertarian candidate James Werner, however, said he would go further than decriminalization and support the "legalization, taxation and regulation of drugs in order to reduce the tremendous amount of crime associated with drug use and distribution."

"It will be treated like alcohol," Werner said, adding that he would start with marijuana and move toward legalization of all drugs.

Friedman also said he would like to put inmates to work outside the confines of prison walls.

"Let them paint poor people's houses, fix up the state parks, things like that," he said. "It would be good for them and good for us."

 

dedbr

His music group really swings, too. "Pinky Friedman and The Texas Jewboys!"

Theres a lot of common sense in what this man has to say.......


Bunker Pass, Pinky......You and the guy's can come play here anytime.....


Some Where In Ded Land........

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TenaciousPlant

He's Got my Vote for Gov! Texas could be perfect with Friedman and Willie running it

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walstmonky

I will definitely vote for Kinky for Governer this year! Too bad I don't live in Texas, but he's still better than my other choices. -g-

Buzzby

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LokedOut420

I'm in Texas and will certainly be giving him my vote, as will my roommate.

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TenaciousPlant

Yeah ive gotten many friends Registered including myself for this.
I think i might shed a few tears if he becomes gov. this november .

Fingers Crossed / Pray's said .
Not much left to do but wait and see and hope for the best