Pubdate: Tue, 01 Sep 2015 Source: Appeal-Democrat (Marysville, CA) Copyright: 2015 Appeal-Democrat Contact: http://www.appeal-democrat.com/sections/services/forms/editorletter.php Website: http://www.appeal-democrat.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1343 Author: Buck Weckman Re: MARIJUANA I clearly remember the day Gary Simpson spoke out against the criminal marijuana industry at a Yuba County Board of Supervisor's meeting. It was the day after his cousin was murdered by marijuana thieves. Now the criminal marijuana industry is trying to make an issue of his letter to Linda residents stating his feelings about his loss. I am not surprised. This destructive element, hiding behind false claims of a "medical marijuana need," will do anything to further their objectives of staying high and growing and trafficking marijuana for the almighty dollar. Almost daily we read about or see the effects: depletion and theft of our ground and surface water, destruction of our environment, home invasions and murders and the infusion of fear into our neighborhoods. Since forming Yuba County FACT (Families Against Cannabis Trafficking), I have personally been subjected to their tactics: numerous threatening and foul-mouthed telephone calls, assaulted by a marijuana guard dog in my own yard, an increase of nearby gunfire (it is not deer season yet), frivolous complaints and screamed at in public meetings. Numerous friends and supporters have expressed many of these same concerns; fear seems to a predominate factor. We don't have to put up with this undesirable element. Your Yuba County Board of Supervisors, Sheriff and Code Enforcement are making great efforts to identify these lawbreakers. Their efforts have already resulted in numerous criminal arrests, code action to shut down illegal marijuana grows and indirectly provided the incentive for marijuana traffickers to move elsewhere. The situation is improving, but there is still much to be done. So what can you do? First, support our Board of Supervisors and encourage them to provide funding for a Sheriff's Office Marijuana Task force. The marijuana industry and their criminal activity creates a substantial drain on our law enforcement resources. Second, don't be indirectly indentified as a marijuana supporter by signing any of their selfserving petitions. They won't tell you their petitions could cost Yuba County (that's you, the taxpayer) from $50 to $130,000 for a special election. Better those funds be spent in finding the murderer or murderers of Gary Simpson's cousin! Buck Weckman Brownsville - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom