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THE WEEK OF

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 18.2011

THEPAPERPAGE.COM

THE WEEK OF

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 18.2011

OPINION

Milton Friedman was adamantly opposed to criminal

prohibition, emphasizing that prohibition created a
criminal black market, which vastly increased the
profits of cartels and drug gangs.

In Support of Proposition 19
By Joseph McNamara
The Paper Contributor

About the Author:

Joseph McNamara is
a research fellow at the
Hoover Institution at
Stanford University. Previously, he had been chief
of police for the cities of
San Jose, California, and
Kansas City, Missouri.
McNamara has served as
an instructor and adjunct
professor at four different
colleges and has lectured
at many of the nations
top universities, including
Harvard, Stanford, and
the University of California at Berkeley. He has
been a consultant for the
United States Department
of Justice, the State Department, and the Federal
Bureau of Investigation.

y colleague here at the Hoover Institution,

the late Milton Friedman, once asked me
how, in a democracy, a senseless policy of
using criminal law in an attempt to suppress the use of marijuana, a comparatively harmless drug, could continue for so long. Milton,
an economic Nobel Laureate, wrote that he had never
tried the drug, and doubted that he would, but reserved the right to do so. He was adamantly opposed
to criminal prohibition, emphasizing that prohibition
created a criminal black market, which vastly increased
the profits of cartels and drug gangs.
In his writings and speeches, he continuously
noted that demand for illegal marijuana in the United
States inevitably is met by criminals and gangs which
resort to corruption and violence because the artificially
inflated black market operates outside the law. Milton knew that the law of supply and demand trumped
hypocritical laws passed by politicians. My experience
during 35 years in policing as well as my own doctoral
research at Harvard confirmed everything that Milton
Friedman said about drugs.
Despite a fairly low turnout, almost three and a
half million Californians voted in favor of Proposition
19 on November 2, legalizing, controlling and taxing
marijuana. This indicates California voters are increasingly agreeing that the marijuana black market has
caused more harm than the drug ever could. The common sense of the voters indicates that they know that
the criminal approach is failing anyone in California
who wants marijuana can get all the marijuana they
desire. People are not terrified of pot smoking in their
neighborhoods. Understandably, they do fear murders,
shootings, rapes, burglaries and other crimes dangerous to them and their families. The public wants

Version 2012

the police to focus on those crimes, not pursuing an

impossible goal of preventing from 4 to 12 million Californians from smoking of marijuana. Everyone knows
that pot smokers dont go out and rob gas stations
and banks, or shoot up neighborhoods. Marijuana
consumers are overwhelmingly law-abiding, successful individuals who get mellow, not violent. It imposes
great fiscal and social costs to turn millions of them
into law-breakers solely on the basis of marijuana use.
It is noteworthy that The California NAACP, The
League of United Latin American Citizens of California,
The National Black Police Association, and The National Latino Police Officers Association all endorsed
Proposition 19 because they know that its enforcement
unfairly discriminates against minorities and that the
consequent community hostility toward the police impedes efforts to prevent other crime. People desire that
the police focus on their fundamental duty, the protection of life and property. Clearly, marijuana enforcement creates a highly lucrative black market, which
creates the very violence and social disintegration that
the police should be combating.
Legalizing, controlling and taxing marijuana will
lead to better policing. Opponents of Proposition 19
had nothing to offer other than continuing a drug war
by doing more of what has not worked in the past and
imposes vast fiscal and human costs on society. It is
an enormous irony to see criminal drug cartels united
with law enforcement organizations in their determination to keep marijuana illegal and the black market
thriving. Nevertheless, a last minute surge of October
Surprises by opponents of Prop. 19 - false charges
leveled just two weeks before the election - reflected a
desperate attempt to confuse and intimidate California
voters at the last hour. It is especially demeaning to

WE HAVE MOVED TO
1295 EL CAMINO REAL
MENLO PARK, 94025

Sammy and crew

look forward to seeing you soon!

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THE WEEK OF

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 18.2011

17

WOODSIDE HIGH SCHOOL BAND

SERIOUS ABOUT MUSIC
Foreign Soil provides hope for all-ages music
on the Peninsula
BY SAM CROCKER, WOODSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

Woodside High School band Foreign Soil is a

cymbals chimed, the audience let out a collective

portray.

group of dedicated musicians with a shared goal:

cry of excitement. The lights went up to a enthu-

have fun creating serious music. Foreign Soil

siastic cheer as Moores bass meshed perfectly

during his time in the Woodside Jazz Band. He

began with a post on Facebook. John McLucas,

with the building drums. Cagles guitar, soaked

speaks highly of the schools music department,

a drummer in the class of 2012, was looking for

in reverb, was answered by Ferraris harmonics.

stating, theres a lot of talent in the Woodside

other musicians interested in playing progressive

McLucass drum solo elevated the sound, and

music department, the jazz band, marching band.

metal - an experimental and complex form of

as the band rejoined the song, Ferrari played an

Being in the jazz band has really helped my play-

rock music, often defined by heavy guitar, bass,

impressive solo. Foreign Soil left the audience

ing and knowledge about music.

drums, and sometimes keyboard. Woodside

impressed with their fresh new sound, unlike the

Senior Rocky Cagle, a guitarist, noticed the post

acts that had gone before them.

and was immediately interested. McLucas had

Now the band plans to record the songs they

Moore says his own playing has improved

After the success of their live debut, the

band hopes to play at open mic nights in the area

already been jamming with Woodside senior Max

have been writing, instrumental epics inspired

like The Grind coffee bar in downtown Redwood

Moore, a bassist, for nearly a year. After one jam

by bands such as Dream Theater, Led Zeppelin,

City on the second Thursday of every month. It

session with Cagle and his friend, fellow guitarist

Metallica, and Rush. The band experiments with

was started by local musician Zen Zenith, whose

and Woodside Priory senior Arturo Ferrari, For-

unusual tempos and timings, much like jazz. It

band, Please Do Not Fight, emcees the event. The

eign Soil was born.

pushes the limits of music, Cagle explains. He

Riekes Center For Human Enhancement, a com-

describes the songs as organized improvisation.

munity center in Menlo Park, provides the equip-

this years talent show, on October 14 in Wood-

When asked whether he is interested in adding

ment, and the Grind provides the space. Zenith

sides Performing Arts Center. As the first notes

a singer, he emphatically responds, no...I think

felt a strong need in the community for a music-

floated from Cagles guitar, and McLucass

words limit the message that were trying to

and youth-oriented event.

The band made their debut performance at

FIGHTING HUNGER - CONTINUED...PAGE 8

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AARONS STORY - CONTINUED...PAGE 11

have enough food to eat has been the most challenging part of the program for Aaron. Being the motivated, caring person that he is, however, this only
fueled Aaron to do more. He and his family are now
involved in the annual M-A food drive.
Every November and December, M-A teams up
with Second Harvest Food Bank and local businesses to collect over 60,000 pounds of food the Ecumenical Hunger Program in East Palo Alto, which
serves roughly 1,500, under resourced families.
Just as Aaron and the other volunteers learn
many lessons and gain wisdom from the volunteer
experience, the students at Willow benefit from the
interaction in many different ways as well. According to Andy, the mentors give them hope for their
future and the kids can see young peoplegiving

themselves and their time to lend a hand.This act

of kindness is something these kids will remember
when they get anopportunity to give back. Helping others creates people who will also help others.
They also get a boost on their academics, which
doesnt hurt either.
Mauricio agrees. The Mentor Program has
provided us with an invaluable resource of support,
both academically and socially for our students, he
said. With the mentors, the students seem more
encouraged to do their schoolwork. This has to do
with the one-on-one support the students receive,
as well as the energy that these mentor bring to the
classroom.
As Margaret Mead famously said, Never doubt
that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens

can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing

that ever has.
Aaron Oros ability to start a critical volunteer
movement that engaged and served the citizens of
our community is exactly what Mead meant.
If you are an M-A student and want to be a mentor, send an email to ravenswoodmentorprogram@
gmail.com. If you go to another school and are
interested in creating a similar program, the best
place to start would be to work with your schools
community service group. For guidance or advice,
please email us at editor@thepaperpage.com and we
will put you in touch with Aaron who has generouslybut not surprisinglyoffered his time to provide
support to emerging programs.