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these stickers are being stuck all over the county by a “grass” roots movement of concerned growers.
This article appears in Thrift Store Angels.
Ryan Burns worked for the Journal from 2008 to 2013, covering a diverse mix of North Coast subjects,... More by Ryan Burns
Wow. What a selfish message.
From a purely economic viewpoint, I agree. Although legalization would get rid of the pot gangsters and solve some problems, it would seriously damage the local economy.
From a purely economic viewpoint, I agree. Although legalization would get rid of the pot gangsters and solve some problems, it would seriously damage the local economy.
Yeah, it would seriously hurt our economy so let’s keep putting people in jail for growing and distributing it. That’s the best way to make sure people keep making money.
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Sadly, unless we do something to prepare for the probable legalization, Humboldt CO. is going to need saving.
But the fact is, sooner or later it is going to go legal.
As Jailme so bitingly points out, the morality of voting to put people like us in jail so that Humboldt is financially stable is …well, pretty damn appalling.
Why don’t we just grab some random grower’s child, slap one of those bumper stickers on them, and throw their parents’ in jail while tattooing scapegoat on their skin. Because that is what would be happening–Humboldt would be sacrificing these people in order to pay land payments and buy organic food. Basically, we’d become what we hate–snitches–turning against our own kind, in order to profit.
Real peoples’ lives are destroyed because of bad laws. The question we have to ask ourselves is ‘are we Humboldtians willing to support our relatively fine lifestyle at the cost of someone else’s child?
This is UNBELIEVABLY ironic. For years we have heard it should be legal.
And it should. People who have been making $150,000, $300,000. $600,000 Tax free, the equivalent of $300,000. $600,000 and $1,200,000 should have to pay their fair share of taxes. State, Federal, and Self-employment.
They should have to pay all the required withholding on all of their employees, and they should have to pay all the required licensing fees that every other business has to pay. They should have to comply with every single environmental regulation, business and labor regulation just like every other business.
In many cases, grower money has pushed these causes. Time to put you money where your mouth is.
Large commercial grows should be treated like any AG grow, and neighborhood grow houses should be prohibited by law, whilst allowing for those who wish to grow a bit for their own private use.
The ‘medical marijuana’ charade should come to an end.
And if the price plummets – the current crop of criminal growers, sorry Kym, but that’s what tax-cheats and drug dealers are – better have a back-up plan.
I expect you will see a tax-revolt the likes of which this country has never seen – or you’re going to need armed revenuers, because these guys aren’t going to willingly fork over half (+) their incomes just for the privilege of becoming legal.
And, sorry, Kym, but the growers are already risking their childrens’ lives – risking violent crime, risking having them lose their parents, see them imprisoned, risking raising them in an environment where they have to be secretive and fear the government, risking them growing up to lead criminal lives of their own…
Rose, I agree with you, though you don’t make it easy. For what it’s worth, I’ve not met any pot growers who defend the status quo, though I believe they exist. I’ve known a fair few who’ve worked and advocated for legalisation, from the beginning till now, because it’s the moral thing to do.
What’s striking to me is that the county is finally gearing up to consolidate a pot policy just as the need for it gets murky. Who knows what pot realities will be in the near future? So let’s plan for them quick! Got it. I’m glad we can move on to argue about something else.
Longwind, I am surprised it wasn’t legalized long ago.
My question is – will those growers WILLINGLY become law abiding in full, and WILLINGLY fork over over half of their income (and that’s assuming the price holds) – or will they refuse? If the price holds, and they start paying, all that money will certainly help the schools, etc. Right now they are a net loss, not contributing, and costing the community money for law enforcement, for firemen, as well as all the services they use, like schools, roads, etc. It might be easy if it was just a couple grand, but we’re talking serious money here.
Will Joe the Grower happily write a $150,000 check to the IRS? The Franchise Tax Board? Unemployment? Medicare? Social security? Workmen’s Comp?
I think it will be a tough sell, that’s all.
But when the wacky weed us finally legalized, it won’t be worth very much. Only a small handful of local growers will remain in business. All that cash will disappear. Local retailers will see their sales of legitimate goods (clothing, etc. ) decline. They’ll trim their workforce and even more people will be out of work.
read the fine print amianos bill while it legalizes the consumption and makes reference to the taxes of sales it has no prevision for the safty of the farmers or growers from criminal punishment
check it out
food for thought
so dont worry to much you still run the risk of going to jail while the average joe can smoke on the street
this sad sticker highlights the lack of vision that has caused such recent concern in the community. For years and years if not decades there has been easy money flowing in off of marijuana. Yet, clearly, there was no preparation for this day. Instead the non-for-profits (i.e. money laundering outfits) were promoted aimlessly and a non-sustainable lifestyle in terms of stores, facilities and land use was favored.
And so now, when it is far far too late everyone is crying wolf. A continued lack of vision going forward and a continued reliance on the politicians and leaders who got us here can only spell imminent demise. There are clearly powerful forces who have not been so foolish and are eager to “upscale this joint bigtime” in terms of vacation destination, green ports and railroad lines. There’s a good reason why Ark’s pal Buffo bought that railroad 😉 This is no child’s game.