Just because someone isn't physically attractive or poor is not reason to disregard their ideas.
My issue with him stems back to his desire to rent tables for caregivers as a farmers market as his source of income. To each his own and I like the idea of farmers markets.
The problem I had was that he was all over the net that they were 'legally compliant' because he had some sort of 'permission' from the local prosecutor. Folks ate this up by the spoonful without questioning it. Dispensaries are not covered in the Act, period, either are farmers markets. They exist strictly at the whim of the local authorities. They can be raided at any time, and those selling, especially large quantities, can be charged with serious crimes. Even if the arguments are successful, and folks don't end up in jail, those arguments are expensive and traumatic to make. We are all adults, we take chances every day, but don't tell people that don't know better there are NO risks when there clearly are.
When I brought this up to him, privately at first, the result was a personal attack against me- I'm a drug addict, an alcoholic, and a criminal. I was banned from the MMMA and couldn't even respond. He kept at it for months. I'd post and he would send people over that forum to attack me. We've seen that here. That is the type of tactic that got him removed from the MMMA. That is why he is considered a buffoon by most of the community (including many here). My issue with him is that he gives bad advice that puts people at risk and viciously attacks anyone that dares to disagree.
I also think his basic understanding of laws, lobbying, and logic are rather deficient. Examples of that basic misunderstanding are his unfocused 'rallies' on the steps of the capital. He is good at getting a crowd, then the outside professionals come in and use the crowd to promote their message- that is how a rally against the recent house bills turned out- no bullet points on what part of each bill was objectionable, no focus. They became NORML rallies for legalization and support groups for dispensaries. A quick review of the news articles and quotes will confirm that, the message of the bills was demoted to general background noise.
These efforts are counter productive. We have to keep in mind that about 4% of the population qualifies for a medical card. Maybe a total of 10% will have a card or a card holder in the family (or a friend). Even if you toss recreational users into the mix, you are dealing with 25-30% of the population of Michigan. That means to get the 63% of the folks that supported the MMMA at the polls, we had to bring more non-users into the fold than we had in our community. ANY cannabis issues will by necessity require the support of those outside of our community and we need to keep that in mind. We need focus. We need a message that they want to relate to. We need an image. Is my 75 year old, non-using mother going to look at a middle aged hippy in tie dye and covered with plastic marijuana leaves screaming into a microphone about 'free the weed you tyrants!' and say 'Hey, that's something I want to be a part of!!!'? After listening to him talk about dispensaries, legalization, etc, is she going to stop by her neighbor's house (her Lansing rep) and say 'I have problems with HB whatever- I don't think the police should be able to access the registry without probable cause and a registry ID number, and I'd appreciate you voting against it?' How are we reaching her?
How are we reaching our reps? With chants of 'who's house, our house', calling them names, making angry phone calls to their interns? How about the email o matic with 5000 copies of the same email demanding they stop their assault on sick people? Or as I suggested, a personal letter to YOUR rep, telling him you trust his judgement to do the right thing for folks like YOU in THEIR district. A personal story of how medical cannabis changed your life for the better, how you have trouble with this or that and hope he can help you with it. Close with a photo of you and your family, so he can put a FACE to medical cannabis in HIS DISTRICT. Make it personal, hope he is so impressed he puts it up on his website, make him want to make your cause his. People go to Lansing for a variety of reasons. Mainly because they want their cause supported, give them a cause to make theirs--- YOURS.
Just a few random thoughts, sorry about the length.
Dr. Bob