Page A-4 - Mason County Journal - Thursday, Aug. 28, 2014
O'P NmON
"ndoubtedly, you have
already found our
special news section,
"The New State of Mari-
juana," tucked inside this
newspaper. It represents
nine months of work to bring
it from original concept to
this thoughtful and well-
researched section on the
state's legalization of mari-
juana.
When voters in Washing- in Washington and Mason juana in 2013, hasn't beguninto the open in American
ton state passed Initiative County that transcends the legal sales. Washington's society. Whatever your opin-
502 in 2012, they set in mo- sensational. (and Colorado's) populationion on the issue of legaliza-
tion a social experiment with As Kirk Ericson, our lead of pot users and future pottion, turning back seems
global implications, writer and editor for "The users are the test bacteriaunlikely.
We are in the midst of a New State of Marijuana," ex- in a cultural Petri dish, and We hope our special cover-
historic cultural shift - one plains: "Marijuana legaliza- the results of this experi-age will provide readers with
that can be confusing or tion has never been tried on ment will be analyzed and deeper insight into this com-
misunderstood. Our goal for this immense a scale. It's not fought over by governments plex issue as the nation and
this in-depth reporting was legal in Amsterdam -- it's and their citizens around the the world watch, with great
to present solid information only tolerated -- and Uru- world for years to come." interest, the experiment in
about marijuana legalization guay, which legalized mari-Marijuana has come out our own backyard.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Thank you, Forest
Festival volunteers
Editor, the Journal
Although I appreciated the article a
couple weeks ago, I wanted to get into
a bit more detail. What do you think
of when you hear "Forest Festival?"
Hopefully you think of the fun, people
from near and far, clowns, Goldsbor-
ough Creek run, car show, bike rides,
carnival, logging show, parade, fabu-
lous fireworks and history, to name a
few.
It takes a great group of people to
make all this happen year after year.
I've grown up here and was in the pa-
rade more than I wasn't throughout the
years. I didn't really think much about
the history of our town or the work that
goes into it all until recently, and that's
where my story really starts.
Each year, starting around Febru-
ary, high school juniors and seniors
in Mason County may try out for our
Forest Festival Royalty Court and re-
ceive scholarships. It is a lengthy and
serious process in which they meet for
weeks ahead of time, with a mentor.
In March, there is a coronation• It is a
nerve-racking and exciting experience
watching your kid up there on stage
with lights, judges and questions, won-
dering whether she or he make it. Then
it comes to the "crowning~' and you hear
your kid's name called. The cheering,
hooting and hollering starts. With that,
the hard work starts as well. What a
great, fun experience though•
My husband and I volunteered to help
with whatever we could. We were part of
a great float crew. We helped decorate,
put it up, take it down, tow it to parades
and drive it. Jackie Ouellette came up
with ideas, and we all got it done.
Some towns hire their crews and
provide a truck and trailer to haul it.
Even though we are from a small town
and just have volunteers, our efforts
paid off. We went to seven parades
from Sequim to Seattle and got an
award at every one. That was so excit-
ing and rewarding for us. Our float
and royalty court representing Mason
County was outstanding, beautiful
and fun!
Your 2014 court consists of Anna
Liljas, Queen of the Forest; Sarah
Miranda, Princess of Cedar; Shelbie
Garrick, Princess of Hemlock; Gaby
Garcia, Princess of Douglas Fir; Alona
Davis, Princess of Spruce; Alan Me-
dina, Smokey Bear; and Michael So-
botka, Paul Bunyan.
I encourage everyone to be a part
of our county's historic and wonder-
ful tradition. Come to the meeting on
Sept. 17 at Mason County PUD 3'~ of-
rice on Johns Prairie. Stop in any time
between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Be part of
our county's celebration.
I'm just a mom who wanted to help,
and it was very gratifying. If we work
together, we can have many more great
years like we did this year. Thank
you so much Forest Festival for this
extraordinary experience. These are
memories that my daughter and all us
will never forget. I hope everyone is
proud of how these young adults rep-
resented Mason County. I know I am.
Great job, everyone, and thank you to
all who helped. We made a great team.
Jodene Garrick
Shelton
City, leave homeless
issues to churches
Editor, the Journal
I have done business in Shelton
since July 2003, living in Mason Coun-
ty, and have been a resident of Shelton
since July 2005.
I object to the city's involvement
in the homeless situation in the city
because by the definition of justice it
can only take charge of a rebellious
homeless person who is on a public
sidewalk or street of the city. What
goes on within a business or a church
in regard to a rebellious homeless in-
dividual is up to the manager of the
business establishment or the pas-
tor of the church who is serving the
needs of the homeless. If that person
chooses to call the police to take away
a rebellious homeless person, he or
she is calling for justice, and that is
the responsibility of the city - its only
responsibility in this matter.
What I have observed in the local
Shelton newspaper regarding this is-
sue of administrative control by the
city of the homeless shelters is exactly
what I observed in San Jose, Cali-
fornia, during the 1980s and 1990s.
The results were wonderful for big
businesses, the big pharmaceutical
corporations, psychiatrists and psy-
chologists, and friends of the city's
elite. They all made a lot of money for
the supposed good, but it was a disas-
ter for the churches that put up the
money and served the homeless meals
and gave counsel for the many varied
problems the homeless have.
For the homeless, it was a disas-
ter, because they were tricked by the
psychiatric community into taking
psychotropic drugs that further com-
pounded their mental problems and,
in some cases, caused them to commit
suicide.
Many of these homeless people had
already experimented with illegal
drugs, which got them in trouble with
the law, and they became wards of the
court and were placed on legal drugs
by the psychiatric community. This has
been a major scandal across America
for the homeless as well as our children
and youth in the public educational
system for the past 30 years.
We don't need any more commis-
sions to study this issue of what to do
with the homeless. The city should
leave it in the hands of the churches
-- where it belongs.
The job of churches is charity,
whereas the government's job is that
of justice. When individuals refuse
to respond to charity provided by a
church, they should be turned over to
the government for justice on a case-
by-case basis, solely determined by the
pastor of that specific church.
Gary Brumbaugh
Shelton
see LETTERS, page A-5
Mason County
USPS 492-800
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at 227 West Cota St., Shelton, Washington.
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