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Owens drug talk no love-in

Pro-pot protesters give the governor no peace at Capitol

David Montero, Rocky Mountain News

Published October 28, 2006 at midnight

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The scene might've been something Gov. Bill Owens would envision in a bad dream - or in this case, maybe a bad drug trip.

Protestors of all ages - most dressed in green, waving signs and chanting loud enough to drown out what he said - stood on the capitol steps Friday morning to support the legalization of marijuana while mocking Owens.

The Republican governor lined up with Attorney General John Suthers and about a dozen law enforcement officials to explain why they thought the statewide ballot measure was a bad idea.

He tried a soft opening, but the hostilities began before he even started.

"Lie louder, Bill," a lone voice shouted. "We can't hear you."

"I'm really proud to be here with so many people who are concerned about the impact of legalizing marijuana in the state of Colorado," Owens said with a smile, trying to laugh off the taunts before continuing down the rabbit hole.

"Voting yes on Amendment 44 will have the explicit effect of legalizing the possession of an ounce of marijuana in this state," he said. "But a yes vote will have countless, implicit effects that are much more serious than the drug itself."

"Like telling the truth?" another voice derisively yelled from the crowd.

So much for peace, love and understanding.

Owens hurried through the rest of his comments, telling the wall of green shirts and sign wavers they risked dangers from second-hand smoke if the measure passed and that's why his administration signed into law the Clean Indoor Air Act that restricted smoking in restaurants and bars.

"Can we smoke pot in casinos?" a sarcastic voice asked, referring to the exemption under the law that allows cigarettes to be smoked in gambling halls.

The phalanx of uniformed officers behind him shifted nervously in the face of the more than 50 people determined not to listen or accept any point being made by the governor's contingent.

Owens introduced Park County Sheriff Fred Wegener, who had recently become famous for being the face of Bailey - the site of a shooting at Platte Canyon High School in which a 16-year-old girl was killed and several other girls were held hostage and sexually assaulted.

Mason Tvert, campaign manager for Amendment 44, said before the news conference that Wegener had better not try to use that crime for political gain.

Minutes into his comments, Wegener alluded to the tragedy.

"What about the possibilities of this individual being a pilot or a bus driver? The potential consequences of their actions are too horrific to ignore," Wegener said, his voice starting to quiver. "Couldn't happen? That's what was said about a school shooting in Bailey."

The crowd jeered. Tvert huffed. Wegener stared.

Pot smokers will tell you the most intense part of the joint is right at the end - the roach clip, in drug parlance.

The news conference was getting to the roach clip.

Sensing it, the crowd began chanting, "Hey, ho - you say drink, we say no."

The face for the anti-marijuana initiative for several debates slowly took the podium and waited a few seconds to see if the crowd would stop the anti-booze, pro-pot chant.

"Hey, ho - you say drink, we say no," they continued.

Seeing they weren't in a mind to quit, Attorney General John Suthers began talking. He cited his statistics about the level of THC in pot increasing dramatically in the past 17 years.

"Hey, ho - you say drink, we say no," the crowd bellowed.

Suthers plowed ahead with more statistics. At times, he couldn't be heard. After about four minutes, he asked Colorado voters not "to wave the white flag" in the drug war. He moved back to his place amongst the law enforcement officials, and the crowd crowed over its perceived victory.

Owens seethed.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is a sad day for Colorado," Owens said to rising jeers. It got so loud, he had to repeat it. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is a sad day for Colorado."

He said in his decade of political life in Colorado, he had never been shouted down like that before. Owens complained about the lack of civil debate on the matter.

The crowd chanted: "What do we want? A safer choice. When do we want it? Now."

Owens tried to take a question from a television reporter over the chants, and it looked like it might not happen when Tvert raised his arms like Moses over the Red Sea and the crowd immediately stopped.

"Wow. Boy, that's amazing," Owens said sarcastically.

Later, Tvert held his own news conference and noted nobody was trying to shout him down or opposed the amendment. He brought the former Seattle Police Chief to explain why fighting pot with laws made no sense. He expressed indignation at the law enforcement officials and Owens for opposing the measure.

"Clearly they haven't done their jobs. They haven't educated people about drugs. They've simply pushed people from one drug they don't like to the other one they do. I think it's telling that Gov. Owens supported the largest drug dealer in the state of Colorado - and perhaps this country - for the Senate seat in this state," he said, referring to unsuccessful 2004 Senate candidate Pete Coors.

Tvert might be pushing pot, but wasn't passing the peace pipe.

or 303-954-5236

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