Writing Shotgun

BEER & POT & POLITICS–AND A GREAT BURGER WITH A CRAPPYISH NAME

Dave WielengaWed. October 21
 

(UPDATE: THE DISTRICT WEEKLY’S GREGGORY MOORE TO DEBATE CITY PROSECUTOR TOM REEVES)

Medical marijuana, a legal issue which seems to make everybody involved act like they’re loaded, is coming Oct. 27 at 7 p.m.to Beer & Politics—which is sorta funny, you know, if you think about it … no, I mean, if you reaaallly think about it. Aw, dude, hear me out: they’re gonna, like, discuss marijuana in a bar? Where they’re gonna be drinking beer? It’s kind of ironical, isn’t it?

Kinda, although some of us don’t need any better reason go to Gallagher’s Pub & Grill (2751 E. Broadway) than The Dungloe—that’s a hamburger backpacked with cheddar, bacon and Shannon River BBQ Sauce. Ironical, no, but it does happen to be the only thing we’ve ever eaten with the syllable “dung” in it.

Meanwhile, the argument over the legality of medical marijuana continues to burn among federal, state and local politicians, law enforcement officials, civil liberties activists, potheads and—to arrive at the point—some very sick people for whom marijuana alleviates symptoms and/or side effects of their conditions and/or medications.

For the purposes of the Beer & Politics argument, organizer Michael Clements has secured Long Beach City Prosecutor Tom Reeves, whose recent opinion piece on LBPost.com equated medical marijuana dispensaries with “a drug dealer standing on a corner” and disputed the notion of the businesses as caregivers. On the other side? Greggory Moore, a Long Beach freelance writer whose stories on medical marijuana—about dispensary raids in Long Beach and political considerations in Signal Hill—have appeared in The District and on LBpost.com, where he has already responded to Reeves.

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  • Not sure if I can make this one but I encourage all to attend this and all editions of Beer & Politics!

    We've discussed this topic in open forum at B&P recently and there are a lot of good opinions out there that I hope are brought forth on the 27th!

    As a side note: It was probably much easier to name the burger "Dungloe" than "An Clochán Liath"!
  • I just may attend this one. And I'll have to ask those of you who know my id not out me!
  • howardx
    hmmmm, im not seeing the phrase "free pot" anywhere.
  • kjonyou
    More violence and crime is attributed to Alcohol then Marijuana. Since Alcohol is linked to 75,000 deaths per year and Marijuana has a death rate of 0, its obvious which drug is more destructive.
    As both drugs have legal limitations set by age, location and intoxication levels etc, how come Mr. Reevs has not used his same interpitation of the law to put bars, and patrons in the same categories as drug dealers and drug addicts? How is recreational use of the more potent drug alcohol, not an issue for Mr. Reeves while the less dangerous drug with proven medical benefits and legal under specific guidelines completely different to him? The silence is defining.
    If Mr. Reeves is really truly concerned for the people of this city, will he state publicly that all money and assets seized during his raids go directly to drug rehabilitation and NOT to the police department or other city coffers? Surly he would want to help drug addicts.
  • Mike Ruehle
    People who smoke Marijuana don't normally scream, get in fights, urinate in public, vandalize and barf in our front yards like overserved bar patrons. If anything, pot smokers get the munchies and help stimulate the restaurant businesses by satisfying their urge.

    So, why is City Prosecuter Reeves SOOOO up in arms about Pot when he and the police continually turn a blind eye to the problems created by the over concentration of alcohol licenses and entertainment permits in many parts of our city. There are 2-5 new alcohol licenses approved at City Council meetings every week. My Belmont Shore community has 54 alcohol licenses alone and has added 8 licenses since Councilman Delong took office.

    How come Reeves and the police are so focused on Marijuana but don't address the problems associated with over served bar patrons? You don't hear Reeves questioning the increasing number of alcohol licenses in Long Beach. You don't hear Reeves questioning why establishments serving alcohol don't pay a higher business license fee to pay for the increased police presence necessary to offset the problems created by bar owner negligence.

    Doesn't it appear Reeves is grandstanding on a somewhat non-issue? Is this another attempt by a city official to catch positive press before the election, similar to DeLong's claims that he was opposed to the Police Union contract, but failed to say so until after the contract was signed?
  • Dwight K Snider
    Liquor is Legal. Pot is Not.
  • Mike Ruehle
    Not according to California State law which the U.S. Attorney General recently proclaimed he would respect. Have you not heard? Consumption of pot is indeed legal for medicinal purposes according to California State law. As long as a doctor approves and issues a medical Marijuana card, it is legal to consume pot to treat a condition. If the system is being abused, institute safeguards and go after the abusers. But until the law is reversed, POT IS LEGAL despite what you say.
  • Dwight K Snider
    Citizen Journalist Quote of the Day -- Devil's Advocate

    “One who argues against a cause or position either for the sake of argument or to help determine its validity. For example, ‘My role in the campaign is to play devil's advocate to each new policy before it's introduced to the public.’”

    “This term comes from the Roman Catholic Church, where ‘advocatus diaboli’(Latin for “devil's advocate”) signifies an official who is appointed to present arguments against a proposed canonization or beatification. It was transferred to wider use in the mid-1700s.”

    (Source: The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms)
  • Mike Ruehle
    Loud and clear.
  • Dwight K Snider
    Semper Fidelis!
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