Although the medical marijuana question in Claremont appears to be decided, city council meeting regulars Dave and Darlene Matteson won't give up their fight.
The couple has attended nearly every city council meeting for over 2 years, often addressing the council about the latest updates in medical marijuana news and court decisions.
Clad in their grey t-shirts with a marijuana leaf on the back and the question "Why not Claremont?" on the front, the couple has been the biggest backers of a medical marijuana facility in Claremont.
Dave is a medical marijuana patient, suffering from diabetic neuropathy, which causes him constant pain and violent seizure-like reactions in his arms and legs.
The two have spiced up a couple of council meetings in the past, once bringing in green marijuana leaf-shaped cookies with red sprinkles that council members Sam Pedroza and Ellen Taylor happily snacked on.
Another time Dave Matteson tried to showoff his marijuana vaporize before the council. His demonstration was abruptly halted by then Mayor Peter Yao.
At last night's council meeting, Matteson again raised some eyebrows by waggling a joint in front of the council.
"This is not illegal. This is not a bad thing," he said. "Stop aligning yourself with people like David Dreier, who's one of the biggest thieves in Washington D.C. All I'm asking you to do is do the right thing."
Of course, he didn't light up at the meeting.
While good for a chuckle, I'm not sure if these kinds of tactics are really helping their cause. It seems to me that council members who had sympathy for patients like Matteson in the past are becoming more annoyed by verbal attacks and accusations of "cowardice" for flip-flopping on the issue.
Councilmember Linda Elderkin, who at one time supported having a dispensary in Claremont, has previously told advocates on the issue to find more constructive ways to help local municipalities work towards a solution.
I don't think joint waving at public meetings is what she had in mind.
This guy gives Dave Matteson's around the world a really bad name. People that want MEDICAL MJ usually do not parade their medicine around in public. This guy is far from sick though he is mentally challenged. Look at what he wears. Typical pothead mentality. What is his ailment? stupidity?
ReplyDelete