Diane Fornbacher with her family in NJ. Photo by Kevin Monko
7/17/2011 by Justin Escher Alpert – Last night may not have seemed unique in New Jersey, another pleasant and clear summer evening the likes of which fill my memories of The Garden State. After a day with the family trolling the shore for bass, or after a day with friends hitting a links in the lush green mountains, or after a day with the kids basking in the sun at the town pool, people gathered together under the stars and a nearly full moon.
Maybe they drank sangria and maybe they made fresh fish tacos. They shared and they talked and they gossiped and maybe they thanked God for the life that they were given, for the friends and family that they have, for their past experiences and future opportunities.
And maybe, as everyone relaxed, the sweet smell of Sensimilla filled the air.
They were your doctors, your lawyers, your bankers, your hairdressers… they were the clerk at that store you love and your trainer at the gym… they were Democrats and they were Republicans (definitely Libertarians), they were gay and straight, they were Christian and Jewish and Muslim and some other religions of which you may or may not have heard. They were parents and grandparents. They were friends and neighbors.
No, last night wasn’t particularly different than any other summer night in The Garden State. Last night was beautiful.
Do you know any of those people who got together last night? Those people who are adults and have lived their lives according to the rules, and studied hard, and married the right person, and are raising their kids properly, and are working real hard but don’t always get it right… do you know any of those folks? The folks navigating their lives pursuant to the sum of their past experiences and doing the best to captain their own ships?… do you know any of those folks?
Come in real close… I have a favor to ask. Do you think you could ask just a few of those folks to write to their State legislators?
We’re not asking them to light up a doobie on the State House steps in protest… No, just a simple email to their legislators.
They can find them and email them here (http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/districts/municipalities.asp).
Just something simple like-
Dear Senator _________, Assemblyman/woman __________, and Assemblyman/woman __________,
I support the intention of the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act and believe that safe, effective, and legal medicinal marijuana ought to be made immediately and readily available to those patients who might benefit upon the recommendation of their physician.
I also support Assembly Bill A4252, which would decriminalize possession of 15 grams or less of marijuana.
I am an adult and believe that other adults are capable of making responsible choices when it comes to the use of marijuana.
Sincerely,
Name
Address
Phone
Do you think you could ask them to do that?… Your friends and neighbors? They are adults now, with real jobs and real families and it is their real destiny to be in the place to make the decisions about the rules that will govern their real lives.
There is no telling what we will be able to accomplish together when we are honest with ourselves, and we ask others to be honest with themselves.
Read it, digest it, talk about it, copy it, paste it, email it, post it, share it, like it.
Today will be another beautiful summer day in The Garden State.
Justin Escher Alpert is an attorney, writer, musician, actor, activist, husband, father, friend, and neighbor, and he lives his life to the best of his abilities with his family in Livingston, New Jersey.
[Editor’s Note – Justin walks-the-walk by keeping up a regular email dialogue to NJ legislators and testifying in Trenton (video below). Freedomisgreen posts commentary and other submitted content that is exclusive to the site. If you are interested in sending text or photos please contact [email protected] .]