By Sam Sabzehzar | Published in Belmont Shore-Naples Patch
The Long Beach and Orange County Congressman spoke eloquently on his fortunate avoidance of law enforcement encounter during his cannabis use in his youth. (Photo credit: MedicalMarijuana411.com)
Congressman Dana Rohrabacher was one of the featured speakers at the Newport Beach Vineyard & Winery to endorse the Regulate Marijuana Like Wine Initiative.
Retired Superior Court Judge Jim Gray was another featured speaker, as was Retired LAPD Deputy Chief Stephen Downing, as the Judicial and Legislative branches of government threw their weight behind what Judge Gray calls “a historic initiative.”
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition‘s Diane Goldstein, who is a Retired Lieutenant from the South Bay, also spoke at the event that was attended by some of the most well-respected citizens from both LA and Orange County, including Fullerton City Councilman Bruce Whitaker.
Whitaker, who is also the District Director for Assemblyman Chris Norby, who was unable to attend due to a scheduling conflict, spoke on his behalf.
While adding that the Assemblyman was instrumental in implementing the Medical Marijuana ID Program while he was with at County Supervisor position, he also is proud to be behind such a groundbreaking step in the right direction.
While Whitaker told the audience he hopes to see this initiative pass, the Councilman and Director said he also believes “we have post-prohibition wine and beer problems, and I believe we’d all benefit if we had a more European attitude towards some of these things.”
Newport Beach Vineyard & Winery Owner Richard Moriarty (left), showing the Congressman and his family the Koi pond. (Photo credit: MedicalMarijuana411.com)
As for the Congressman, who was accompanied by his wife and daughter, Mr. Rohrabacher reflected on the time in his life when he smoked marijuana rather frequently, and thankfully he was never caught, noting that prohibition has made it very difficult for people who have had such misfortune for being busted with a bag of pot.
“This idea, that in our society, which is based on individual rights and freedom and respect for people living their lives in the way they choose to live, that for us to be taking people for smoking weed and putting them in prison and jail, for that, is a travesty. It’s against everything our Founding Fathers believed in, and somehow our country got away from that.”
Food was donated by Billy’s Naked Chicken, and volunteers from OC NORML and The Human Solution helped Hemp Radio’s PatiCakes put many of the details into motion, literally, as Richard Moriarty’s Lamborghini engine was fired up while the car itself was hanging on the wall.
For being a historic initiative, it was certainly a historic event.
