Dear Editor,
With regards to the present consideration of allowing medical
marijuana dispensaries within the City of Gilroy, such dispensaries
should not in any case be allowed anywhere within the City of
Gilroy.
Although I can be somewhat sympathetic to the
”
compassionate use
”
of marijuana for certain bona fide illnesses, it is all too
evident that adequate safeguards and controls do not exist under
present state laws to prevent misuse of this product. Until such
time as adequate safeguards exist, I am unalterably opposed to
introduction of such dispensaries in Gilroy. The potential negative
effects far outweigh any positive effects.
Marijuana dispensary in Gilroy? Is the Council kidding? Just say NO!
Dear Editor,
With regards to the present consideration of allowing medical marijuana dispensaries within the City of Gilroy, such dispensaries should not in any case be allowed anywhere within the City of Gilroy.
Although I can be somewhat sympathetic to the “compassionate use” of marijuana for certain bona fide illnesses, it is all too evident that adequate safeguards and controls do not exist under present state laws to prevent misuse of this product. Until such time as adequate safeguards exist, I am unalterably opposed to introduction of such dispensaries in Gilroy. The potential negative effects far outweigh any positive effects.
Some of my specific concerns are:
-There is no evidence of the extent of need of “compassionate use” by residents of Gilroy. There is not a need for Gilroy to satisfy the needs of other communities and shoulder the burden of possible negative effects on city image, crime, city staff effort, city financial burdens, etc.
-Under current city codes, enactment of this ordinance is not permitted since maijuana use is contrary to federal law. I totally support Councilman Bob Dillon’s rationale that Gilroy action is simply not permitted due to conflict with federal law.
-It is well known that under the current procedures for obtaining a California Medical Marijuana Card, nearly anyone of sufficient age and providing an annual amount of approximately $200, can obtain a card through the ubiquitous Internet. This certainly does not in any way amount to any form of stringent control for “compassionate use.”
-It is already evident that the location of a marijuana dispensary cannot be classified as a desirable neighbor to existing businesses. In this economy, existing businesses already operate on a fragile basis. There is no need for Gilroy City Council to impose more fragility on these existing businesses.
-I am most concerned about the negative effect on the youth posed by a dispensary. Drug use is totally contrary to all academic, sports, charitable, religious and special programs supported by virtually all organizations within the city. Even though our elementary and high school youth may be under age to obtain a marijuana card, the availability of marijuana, marijuana products and probably other drugs will most assuredly increase to our youth population.
-The image of Gilroy is unquestionably heightened by our worldwide reputation surrounding that precious, delightful bulb, garlic. It is naive to think that enterprising print, vocal, visual and, yes, Internet media personalities will not soon draw “cute”, “attention getting” comparisons such as: Gilroy, The Garlic Capital of the World and Now the Marijuana Capital of the Bay Area; or, How about a Cook-Off between Don Gage’s Garlic Italian Sausages, Aunt Sarah’s tasty MJ Brownies and Saka-Bozzo’s Garlic Stir Fry. I close with this thoughtful question: IS THIS TRIP NECESSARY?
Paul V. Kloecker, Gilroy
Teacher: Christopher High School isn’t getting enough coverage
Dear Editor,
It is quite astonishing and disconcerting that the Gilroy Dispatch has managed to create an editorial alienation of Gilroy’s new comprehensive high school, Christopher High School.
During the planning and construction phases of the school’s development, one of the major concerns of the people of Gilroy was the idea that Christopher High School might indeed create a fissure within a traditionally unified community.
That fissure, the community thought, would be profound enough to create chasms of inequity and social division. Unfortunately, as the fear of a dangerous potentiality of geography has ebbed, selective journalistic endeavors have entered into the picture.
For example, as of this letter, 11 out of 12 articles found in the Gilroy Dispatch’s October sports section were about Gilroy High School – none about CHS. September does not fare any better as 25 out of 28 articles are exclusively about GHS, while three are about either CHS or joint issues between both.
It seems odd that Gilroy’s only newspaper would accidentally choose such proportions, especially considering that CHS has done a spectacular job at amassing so many quality sports teams within a few months … something that should be lauded on its own. More disturbing is the lack of journalistic interest in Christopher High School’s homecoming week, something for which students spent hours of dedication and planning to prepare.
I, as a teacher, have never seen a student leadership team pull together festivities, activities and a direction of school culture development in such a short time. It is even more impressive when taking into account that these students are no older than 16 and have no on-campus juniors and seniors to mentor and direct tradition. The development of a new school culture and climate are tasks that CHS’s students are not only taking head on, but uniquely molding into something that the community can truly be proud of.
The night rally that my wife and I attended was a testament to their creative fortitude and leadership. In contrast, it was amazing to see that the Gilroy Dispatch failed to – as of this letter – have one piece of coverage of this new tradition. As I read the online version of our local newspaper, I noticed that its reporters decided to dedicate several articles and video clips full of interviews and day-by-day coverage of homecoming festivities at GHS.
Sadly, CHS was ignored.
Choosing to focus literary and journalistic attention on one particular segment of a population is not only wrong, but represents undemocratic practices, something that newspapers at their core attempt to thwart.
I encourage this city’s only local newspaper to take an interest in CHS’s incredible students, students who help represent the intellectual and creative power of the future of Gilroy.
Paul Winslow, English teacher, Christopher High School
