Tyrannical Trudy:
A Monster Against Marijuana-
“I like your Christ. I dislike your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” – Gandhi
Everyone knows the tyrant landlord: He or she complains about every damn thing you do; explains how others don’t like you; speaks in the worst imaginable terms about you in front of other tenants; and demands the rent paid on time, every time, like some sort of religious clockwork. My landlord in Glendora has similar habits, albeit much more unsavory – like trying to shut down your only nearby medical marijuana dispensary. Petty despots always avail themselves to the small task of making everyone else’s life around them miserable.
I’ve met many people like Trudy Jacobs throughout my travels and experiences. It’s the controlling factor that makes her and other like-minded tyrants mobile. The other reason she gets out of the bed in the morning to challenge gravity is the chance to challenge one of other tenants. Gravity wins sometimes; on other days – she does.
My spider-sense went off shortly after moving into the complex. This woman hated all words that even sounded like marijuana. Stoners, bohemians, hippies and activists just wouldn’t make do in this perfect little world where people are confluent with collectivist ideology. That is, don’t be an individual – be one of us. We don’t do “bad things” and wouldn’t even consider smoking a foreign substance. All those who do are “drug addicts” and so on.
In fact, such is most of America on Prozac and Xanax. One in ten, according to a report on CNN. Those people aren’t drug users, their “patients.” If it comes from a laboratory and has horrible side-effects, you’re good to go. If it grows from the earth and has virtually no (I said virtually) side effects, you’re a scumbag. Plain and simple.
A personal story must be mentioned in order to give her crusade a form of vindication, yet still an unreasonable one. Her daughter – name left unmentioned here – had a child with a man she trusted. After moving in with him (I believe in this same complex) she found out that he was selling large quantities of cocaine. The house was soon raided, the guy skipped town, the child was taken from her, and Trudy ended up with full custody.
A sad story. But if, and there’s no chance of the conversation ever taking place, Trudy and her daughter were to listen to the arguments of pro-legalization advocates – like myself – she might discover that criminalization left open the door in which that asshole was allowed to destroy her family. With drugs legal, he wouldn’t be selling them, unless he was a doctor or whatever. Irony is funny to reflect upon at times.
Cocaine is one thing; marijuana quite different. Trudy saw to it that the AMCC dispensary, the “Eighth Wonder of the World” would face some hardships. A quant little place, it’s perfectly situated right across the street from the complex. Engaging in unconventional conversation one say in our Jacuzzi, one of my neighbors told me how Trudy attempted to shut the place down. I don’t know how. AMCC was raided about a year after moving in; eventually forcing it two doors down and making them employ a security guard.
It’s worse than that. Looking outside of my window one night, I spied her giving a packet of paperwork to the police, who were called there by her to check up on one of the houses. “They won’t be needing this anyways” she told them, handing it over. The police opened the folder up and began scribbling notes. I suspect they were records of the rent and whatever else.
People like Ms. Jacobs must be watched, and watched carefully. And they must be challenged; that done subtly. They know who the enemy is, and it’s important to remind them of it. Freedom fighters, libertarians, and true liberals should be made aware: there’s a new breed of tyrant in our midst, and they smile at you and tell you to “have a nice day.” They are not to be trusted. After acquiring some more money, I shall purchase a bumper sticker that reads: “Legalize it!” Just so that she understands what side of the fence we’re on.
Kevin Patten: feature writer for the Cannabis Times
