Day 21: California Under Martial Law Lite (Fuck Armageddon, This Is Hell)

By the end of day 19, Humboldt county hit the half century mark of people testing positive for Covid-19, the little virus that could. 50. That's anniversary material. Unfortunately, not many are wanting to celebrate this milestone. An odd proclamation from Humboldt's Health Officer, Dr. Frankovich, came on the heels of the number reveal party. She stated we were just at the beginning of the pandemic. Obviously, this caused some questions.

We were at day 19 of the shelter in place order. The virus' incubation period is 14 days. I understand that not everyone follows the order to the letter, but . . . Humboldt's been pretty much like a ghost town since it went into effect because people have, for the most part, taken it very seriously. I'm not expecting the number of infected to go away, but logic dictates that there should not be any massive spikes or even a drastic increase over time. If anything, it should be pretty steady sailing from here on out, though the numbers will most likely increase before they decrease . . . unless the shelter in place order did not really mean much at all.

Some have surmised that Frankovich knew a shelter in place order would not make any difference at all, and that it was a power play, an end run around Constitutional rights. I believe, however, that it does matter and she just wants people to remain vigilant. She wants people to continue taking precautions. After all, she just got her position at the end of January 2020, and probably fears losing it if she makes a bad decision and instead of 50 cases we have 5,000. Saying we are just at the start of it, however, makes one wonder just how bad she thinks it will get.

California says, "You get to go out when I say so."

Humboldt enacted its shelter in place order right before the state enacted its order. Humboldt is usually pretty proactive in these things. It wasn't much before the state, though. Not that it matters either way because California acted early. While other states' leaders were busy jerking off the public, California decided to play the dominatrix who would not grant you sexual release. It was time to get serious. Time to act responsible. Time to hoard toilet paper. We acted early, and it is, by all counts, saving lives.

Some have said that Dr. Frankovich is power hungry. I've never met her, so I can't say. She does wield some power, and she has plenty to lose. If people violate the shelter in place and get sick, she still gets blamed. She is in one of those no-win situations. Damned if she does. Damned if she doesn't. Saying we are just at the beginning of the pandemic, though, causes the more rational among us to question her motives and her numbers. Obviously not all information is being released to the public, but is the behind-the-scenes action so bad that her proclamation will seem prophetic in the weeks to come? Is she positioning herself to take more control away from the people? These are the questions being asked, but the most obvious answer is that she is being cautious, and that is probably correct. But . . . this is also about control and an experiment in how easy it is to pull off.

With all that in mind, guess what happened on day 20, where Humboldt was just at the "beginning" of the pandemic. Nothing. No new cases. Still only three unfortunate souls hospitalized. An amended order about essential businesses did come out earlier in the day, however. Bookstores can't be open, but pot shops can. What does that tell you about the natural order of things? It tells me everything I need to know.

An educated public is dangerous. A stoned public is easily controlled. Actions speak louder than words.

Day 1: California Under Martial Law Lite (Humboldt Style)

As of midnight last night Humboldt County, in all its pot haze glory, was under martial law lite. Actually they call it a shelter in place order but the effect is nearly the same. Humboldt's citizens have to -- wait! We interrupt this program to bring you Gavin Newsom.

Newsom is California's well-groomed, liberal without a cause, politician posing as governor. He, despite the many poorly rationalized petitions demanding his recall, ordered a statewide martial law lite order, stealing Humboldt's thunder much to the chagrin of many a local government policymaker.

So what can we do in Humboldt? Well, it's extremely important to keep spending money, so essential businesses will remain open. One can hardly argue that keeping grocery stores and banks open is bad, but pot shops? Computer repair shops? Burger King?

While spending money is okay (and necessary to keep the gears of capitalism grinding), social isolation is the norm. Stay six feet from strangers ... if you have to be near them in the first place. Only associate with your family. Don't walk around outside aimlessly. Jog, instead.

Newsom: He's looking out for you.

For some it seems almost like business as usual without all the inane small talk. Others look at it more like a divide and conquer tactic where some businesses get to keep their dough, while citizens get to feel isolated, desperate, and scared. I don't buy into Covid-19 (a very robot-sounding name) being a government conspiracy, but I do feel like governments are taking advantage of a situation to see how easily they can control masses of people before they are pushed to the breaking point. If everything seems normal, while it really isn't, is it conceivable to keep people docile and compliant? It sure looks that way.

Humboldt is a resourceful area. It was one of the poorest counties in California back in the day. It attracted hippies and homesteaders. Self-reliance became the norm. Few have any doubt we won't weather this storm, but there are those, myself included, who think life will never look quite the same after it blows by. If kids can be educated at home . . . If society doesn't fall apart because movie theaters are closed . . .  What's the harm in playing out a crisis for two months? Six months? Eighteen months? Four years? Manufacture one after another, or, better yet, take advantage of what is already there.

I started out fearing the virus more than elected officials. After watching how quickly things unfolded, how numbers kept changing (along with the stories that went with them), and how paranoid they tried to make us, it seemed very obvious that people like Trump (the worst person to be in charge at a time like this) and Newsom were going to use this to their advantage. Their moment to shine, as it were.

Trump ignored the virus. Race baited it. Got exposed to it. Newsom said he would invoke martial law if needed. What justification would he use? People not following the shelter in place order that still lets you shop, grab some take out (not Chinese), and lets your kids roam in the park (don't touch the slides)? Large gatherings are verboten . . . unless Newsom throws a press conference. But please continue to go to the bank. Please.

Our "leaders" are leading us into a cesspool, all while the fiddler plays. Everything is fine. Stay in your homes. Nothing is normal. Go grab some snacks at the grocery store. Over half of California's population could get the virus. Enjoy a hike.

Outside, though, there is a different tale to tell. The streets are emptier. People are wearing gloves. They aren't standing six feet away from each other, but they do seem hesitant. A cough gets you all kinds of looks while in line waiting to get into Winco. As there is no longer the constant din of traffic, a thought, once too quiet to be heard over the noise, enters the mind. Who do you fear more: A virus? Your neighbor? Those in control?

The following days will be telling.

Murder Mountain

You may or may not have seen the Netflix Murder Mountain series. If you haven't, it details the efforts to find a missing man on Humboldt's notorious "Murder Mountain," which is a pot grower's haven. The police are shown as ineffectual or uncaring, and then it is up to a few men to take justice in their own hands when they learn of the missing man's fate. It is Humboldt at its finest, as usual.

When I traveled to Fresno for a convention, that was all people asked me about. "Humboldt? Really? I saw this Murder Mountain show. Is it really like that?" It is, and I would say so, but was also quick to point out it was an edited show, and that it is going for viewers. The reality of it is, though, is that Humboldt is pretty proud of its pot and the pot growing community ... no matter how ugly it gets ... and it has gotten ugly these past few years as foreigners have come into the county and have brought some pretty scary strong arm tactics to establish a foothold. And then there are our Humboldt natives who are just really shit sorry excuses of humanity who think all this is just really oh-so-cool. They take a sense of pride in being one-note and easily read and led. It's equal parts amusing and sad.

I don't think the Murder Mountain series will act as a tourist magnet, but I believe it will attract those who think of themselves as some type of outlaw while they are really just criminals. They will come here thinking it's the Wild West where anything goes and everything is for the taking. The cops will do what they can, but let's face it, that is limited. Vigilante justice, however, still exists here. So if you are one of those "dudes" thinking you can come to Humboldt and shit wherever you please, watch the end of that show one more time. Realize there is a community here that will fight that and, if need be, put a bullet in your head. Come for the crime. Stay as the fertilizer. Now I'd like to see that on a t-shirt.

Forget it, Jim, it's Pot Town

Arcata, California.  The smell of weed is as prevalent as the white boy dreads, transients, tie dye, Earth tones and Vanagons.  I avoid the place whenever possible, the same way most people avoid the public toilet with the mess on the seat.  When I can’t help but visit, I try to make it a short trip.  It’s a “college town.”  It’s an “artist community.”  Yeah.  I suppose those terms are right.  More than that, though, it is Pot Central, USA.

Arcata has some things worth noting.  Good stores.  Good food.  Even a few good people.  It’s a throwback to the ‘60s while still maintaining a façade of progressive leanings.  The motto tends to be, “Green is good.”  Green, of course, represents money, Mother Earth and Mary Jane.  Green is good.  Yes, it is.  If you can mix and master all three, why that’s called the ArcataOrgasmic Swirl.

Pot rules the roost in Arcata, as it does for most of Humboldt.  Non-native, smaller-time growers took over and jacked up the real estate prices a few years back, though.  Then, sensing the way the wind was blowing, spoke out against the legalization of the drug as black market prices would tumble and a once-sure would become an oh-so-uncertain.  Their laments even started to crossover to the more “refined” growers who, as they like to think, aren’t in it for the buck but for the principle.  The risk of jail (almost nil) is worth the prize … now.  Crime is king because it pays.  While Colorado opens stores dedicated to the one-time devil weed, Humboldt’s natives are scratching their heads and saying, “Why weren’t we first?”  A lot of those queries are coming from Arcata.  Why weren’t they first?  Ask the growers.

Back in the day when I saw what was happening with the legalization movement, I was going to trademark a Humboldt brand for smoking devices and then sue the holy fuck out of anyone who used it.  I figured once it was (inevitably) legal, some of the bigger corporations would find a way to weasel on in.  Since it is only really legal by the grace of a “progressive” Fed in places like Colorado, those corporations haven’t banged down the door yet.  After all, they have stockholders, and stockholders have this fear of the Feds.  Plus, if you follow politics you know that if the Republicans take over, things as we know them will be radically different.  You can bet that they won’t be proponents of states’ rights when it comes to this subject.  Stockholders may be fearful, but they’re also a kind of smart.  They are waiting to see how things pan out because as of now it’s still too early to tell.  Proponents, however, are already claiming victory.  Proponents.  Not growers.  Not all of them.  Not the ones who operate in the secretive world of underground grows, well-hidden outdoor grows, and the less-than-rare gutted house grows.  The native growers with big operations operate well outside of Arcata.  Arcata has its mom and pops, but it also has those late arrivals to the party who took over and slightly altered the course of the town.

So Arcata’s residents ride a wave of Humboldt quasi-legalization, a curl that suits the non-native perfectly well, thank you.  Pot is legal to use and grow if you have a doctor giving the nod (and they all do around here).  You most likely won’t get busted if you don’t have the card giving you that right, though.  You could be.  You probably won’t be.  The police have better things to do, as it should be.  For the capitalist grower, this keeps the prices high and the risk low.  Any student of capitalism knows this is the “sweet spot.”

I imagine if pot ever gets the full-scale legal treatment, Arcata is going to look a lot different.  That low- end, psychedelic vibe that it has now is going to subtly change in a way its residents may not like too much.  While there are folks there who maintain that capitalism is king, there is a decidedly larger group that feels much the opposite, and the idea of pot becoming a commodity like a McDonald’s hamburger or hip hop leaves them with a bad taste in their mouths.  The purity of God’s gift will be violated, and violation will not be tolerated.  Green isn’t always good when it denotes rot. 

Arcata has its charms.  It’s not the people or the product, though.  It’s the idea that the various philosophies can work if given the proper foundation and structure.  It’s the idea of hope.  It’s a place where art wants to rule over commerce.  All of that, however, has been ruined by a population of people who only think they know what makes it special.  It’s not the pot or the entitled fucks playing at being homeless.  Those two things can be tossed out with the unused bathwater.  These people think they and their love of the weed is what keeps the town held together.  That social glue is as weak as their will, though.  What makes Arcata different is that underneath the sticky veneer is an experiment that kind of works as it maintains that delicate balance.  People care about where they live.  They care about what comes in.  They care about their way of life being destroyed by the very thing that gives so many of their lives meaning.

It’s admirable.  It’s honorable.  In the end, though, it will be wasted.  The tolerance Arcata’s citizens have shown to non-native growers (and the scumbag landlords who profit from them) will be its undoing.      

Humboldt Pot Smokers Unite

The push to decriminalize or "semi-legalize" pot in California is growing. While the effects of legalization on the Humboldt County economy are largely unknown (will it destroy the black market for it that pumps inflated dollars into the local businesses?) it is known that if it were taxed there would be over a billion dollars in tax money in the states coffers. Maybe then old people could get their doctors bills paid.

This move is a good thing, and it seems inevitable that it will happen. I'd like to see it happen with all drugs, but pot is a good start. I don't smoke it. I am not fond of the whole loser/lazy vibe that goes along with it, and interviewing people who suffer from short-term memory loss is a huge pain in the ass, but I'm all for people being able to use it without fear of jail (not that that is a huge fear in Humboldt as we typically don't pursue legal action when it comes to pot). It makes good business and social sense.

Local Republicans, a group always in touch with reality, are concerned that minors may have easy access to it if it were legal. Of course, minors have easy access to it now, so how that will change is unknown. Republicans often seem to be behind the times when it comes to social concerns. (What if whites can marry blacks? Then what? What kind of baby will that produce? This is 2009! The science hasn't caught up to the carnal yet!)

I'll sign the petition to get this initiative on the ballot if asked. I'm all for the idea and will, of course, vote yes on it assuming it is worded correctly. It's obvious that some drastic measures need to be taken to bail this state of the financial swamp it has found itself in, and green energies just aren't moving fast enough (or are being taken seriously enough).

Besides, our governor smoked it! It has to be good.

Humboldt Green

Once again there are talks of decriminalizing pot in California in order to grab those almighty tax dollars. As to be expected, there will be opposition.

I personally think all drugs should be decriminalized along with a host of other things, though my feelings have less to do with taxation and more to do with freedom. I think people have the right to be stupid and harm their bodies, and they should be left to suffer the consequences. It's called responsibility. There's that word again, and that's one of the reasons we may never see the day when someone can walk into Walgreens and come out with Wal Green.

Religious leaders, many social advocates, and some politicians have nothing but fear when it comes to responsibility. For whatever reasons, mostly those of control issues, they are scared shitless about what would happen if people were made to responsible for their actions. I think it's obvious what would happen the first few years.

When parents stifle their children, protecting them from the outside world and restricting everything they can do, those kids eventually lose it when they hit the "real world." Binge drinking, questionable sex (thanks!), drugs and so on. When the chains come off, the animals run free. It will be the same with society, and that's why we have to do our best to make sure people really are responsible for their actions because that's how they learn.

When it comes to drugs it seems we are slowly easing the restrictions, which is a good thing, but I want it all now. I think the way we are doing it is slowly teaching responsibility, but I don't think we should be making social/legal policy for the people who can't handle responsibility. We need to make it for the people who can and let the "law of the wild" deal with the rest.

I don't know anyone who says they don't smoke pot because it's illegal. We all know it's next to impossible to get in any kind of trouble if you are smart about it. Why should pot smokers have to hide it, though? Some of them have jobs and pay taxes. Some of them profit off the taxes of others. Some of them do neither. Pot smokers, like cigarette smokers, soldiers, and office executives, are just like everyone else. It's time to start treating what they do as nothing more than a personal choice issue, like dating someone with a different skin color or the same genitalia. But they need to be responsible or suffer the consequences.

That's where people will have problems. Lately it seems like any kind of consequences for your actions are met with pleads for mercy or to be treated as the exception. That's weak and doesn't deserve a response. Be proud of who you are and your actions or don't do them. It's pretty simple.

Our governor, Mr. Schwarzenegger, has enjoyed pot. My guess is there are plenty of other politicians who have who would not admit it out of fear or guilt. Again, cowardly. Arnie should be pushing this idea of decriminalizing pot, as should the Obama Administration. The situation is bad, more freedom is not a horrible idea. Tax revenue is necessary ... unless we all think that cash-aid and medical benefits disappearing is a good thing, and I am far from convinced of that -- and that's not just me trying to protect my job (I have nothing to do with cash-aid). This is me looking at the long-term picture, something politicians seem unable to do. Why should they be any different from the rest of society, though?

I refuse to beg politicians for anything. I'll write letters when I think they are being out of line, but I refuse to plead for my freedom, as I wouldn't deserve it if I did that. If I want to smoke pot (and I don't -- I ain't no stinkin' hippie), I'll do it. If I want to snort a line (and I don't -- I ain't no stinkin' Wall Street drone), I'll do it. I think all of you are the same. Maybe, just maybe, enough politicians will get their heads out their asses and realize the country can profit off others idiotic behavior. It's better to get their tax money than to put them in jail and feed them with our tax money. It doesn't take a genius to see that.

Wake Up Dead

You can read the story here. A drug deal in McKinleyville (often referred to by locals as McKlanleyville) goes bad. Weapons are drawn. Two men end up pursued by police. One is dead of a gunshot wound to the head (possibly self-inflicted), the other survives, but also has a gunshot wound to his head, which he states was self-inflicted. They were both wearing bullet-proof vests. From what I hear, the dead one had a three-year-old.

Classic.

People at my job seemed stunned and actually kind of sad about the whole thing. Who cares that weapons were drawn and body armor worn. Consequences be damned! Nobody should be dead over the entire thing.

I beg to differ.

These two young guys came ready for action. It seemed inevitable that violence was going to occur. It seems dumb that it was over pot and not some political thing, but to each their own. Nobody should be stunned like this, but I must say that suicide (if that's what it was) seems like an over reaction.

The drug violence in this county is getting worse. People growing because they have their 215 card has also contributed to some nasty home invasions (you go where the drugs are). It's bad, but it's also to be expected. High speed chases and death are concomitant.

I don't know any of the people named in the story. I saw a picture on the news of the dead man, his woman and their child (I assume it's their child). They looked happy. That, of course, sucks. But this is the culture. This is life in Humboldt County. This is life in a world where pot culture meets thug culture. Life is cheap, pot is plentiful, money rules.

Surprised? Not at all.