We are councilors who happen to be women- enough already!

We are councilors who happen to be women- enough already!

This is a guest blog post submitted by Ward 6 City Councilor Brenda Noel

After the city council vote on July 9th on #312-18 “Citizens Petition requesting ballot question on recreational marijuana establishments and its subsequent vote to not allow for it to be on the ballot”, I received several emails accusing me of voting “as a block” with the other female councilors. This offends me to my core- so let’s take a moment to

Globe: ‘It’s not supposed to be easy to ban marijuana sales permanently’

A Boston Globe editorial has some harsh words for the “overwhelmingly white and wealthy” suburban communities where voters supported legalizing recreational marijuana but are now trying to ban the stores.

…it’s not supposed to be easy to ban marijuana sales permanently, especially in towns whose residents voted for legalization in the 2016 referendum. 

Later the editorial is talking about Concord, but it seems to apply to Newton as well…

…One is forced to wonder: Which children did the overwhelmingly white and wealthy towns have in mind, and would they have voted differently in 2016 if all state residents were exposed to its consequences equally?

 

Massachusetts is headed toward a two-tier system, strongly correlated to race and privilege, and the law allows it. It’s not a pretty picture — and if towns try to make it even worse through moratoriums, officials should just say no.