Context: Nebraska had successfully petitioned to get Medical Marijuana on the November Ballot but was shut down by the Supreme Court due to a lawsuit from a sheriff and special interest groups.
Dear Nebraska Supreme Court Judges,
When I gathered signatures for the Medical Marijuana petition in my rural area, I got signatures from many caring people, people who thought that Nebraskans should get a vote, those with chronic pain or knew those who need this, a man with terminal cancer, and another man who surprised me when he said “I wish this was around two years ago” when his wife died from cancer. The people of Nebraska DESERVE the right to vote on this issue.
I’m trying to understand why the Nebraska Supreme Court approved the petition for Medical Marijuana and, after the signature effort proved 110% successful in all 93 counties, the Supreme Court found fault with the wording of the petition and stripped Nebraskans of our constitutional right to change the laws of our state.
In order for medical marijuana to be legal, there has to be a process by which to regulate it. The petition simply said it’s up to the legislature to figure that out. That is all a single issue, therefore I find the ruling incorrect and unacceptable. I don’t know why the special interest groups and sheriff who unfairly sued couldn’t have waited until it was on the ballot and voted like the rest of us were ready to do, except it seems they don’t play by the same rules as everyone else.
This about-face feels wrong. It feels corrupt. It feels like special interest groups and people in power are denying Nebraskans rights allowed to us in our constitution. It feels like a slap in the face. It feels like a death sentence for those suffering who could have better health with access to this natural medicine. It feels like justice isn’t blind but is looking the other way.
I don’t know how deep this corruption runs, but I recognize it’s there. And I recognize that the people in power do NOT have the best interests of ALL Nebraskans in mind. And I will continue to do anything within my rights to follow my morals and ethics to care about my fellow human beings and work for a more equitable and just world than we have before us.
To put it lightly, I am very disappointed in the political and judicial systems. To those of you who took this away from us, who stifled our voice, Judges Heavican, Freudenberg, Stacy, Cassel, Funke: what stopped you from doing the right thing? What caused you to rule against the people of Nebraska?
To those who dissented and wanted to fulfill the constitutional agreement and the will of the people to have this appear on the ballot, Judge Miller-Lerman and Judge Papik, I THANK YOU.
I do wish there was something that could be done immediately to restore this measure to the ballot because two years is a long time to ask suffering and dying people to wait until we collectively can be disappointed again by seemingly-corrupt people who don’t play fair. Where is OUR Nebraska? Sincerely, XX Volunteer Petition Gatherer, in honor of a friend in need of Medical Marijuana Z County, NE
updates: Letters Received 9/25 & 9/26
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