Wading In

Thursday, July 25, 2013 It’s high time marijuana is legalized By Kelvin Wade From page A11 | July 25, 2013 | 5 Comments The Solano County Board of Supervisors will conduct public hearings at 2 p.m. Tuesday on a proposed ordinance to prohibit medical marijuana dispensaries in the unincorporated areas of the county. I suspect it’s a mere formality before they slam the door on medical marijuana. I think it’s obvious that the country is slowly moving toward legalization. This week, the California Democratic Party released a resolution calling on President Barack Obama to end the federal crackdown on marijuana. They note that we spend $20 billion on enforcement. The results are thousands of arrests and thousands dead from battles among Mexican drug smuggling cartels. In addition, The New York Times reported last month that federal data shows racial bias when it comes to marijuana arrests with blacks four times as likely to be arrested as whites and much more likely to be imprisoned. Meanw...

Thursday, July 18, 2013 Lessons from the Zimmerman trial By Kelvin Wade From page A11 | July 18, 2013 | What do we take away from the George Zimmerman trial? There’s real fear among African-American parents who are having discussions with their teens in the aftermath of this verdict. I guess to the same people who think a scantily clad woman is asking to be raped, a black youth in a hoodie is asking to be racially profiled. So there are discussions about dress, about walking with friends and walking away from confrontation. There needs to also be a conversation on how not to breed more George Zimmermans. By successfully morphing an A and B student into a dangerous thug, the trial results vindicates George Zimmerman’s patrol. But we don’t need armed wannabe cops with hero complexes roaming the streets. I’m part of my neighborhood watch group and have called police many times. Never has anyone from our group armed themselves and pursued anyone. That’s not what neighborhood watches do....

Thursday, July 11, 2013 Old enough to know better By Kelvin Wade From page A11 | July 11, 2013 | Leave Comment Several times I’ve had older readers write to me about a column and use racist and homophobic slurs in their emails. Most seemed to be unrepentant bigots. A couple seemed as though they didn’t know any better. Those emails and some recent public incidents make me wonder, should elderly bigots be given a pass?     Recently, butter queen Paula Deen saw her empire crumble after lawsuits that she discriminated against black employees. Before her weepy “Today” show apology, she released a statement to TMZ explaining that she grew up in the racist South and dropping the N-word was commonplace.     This past spring, during CBS’ “Survivor” season finale, former contestant Rudy Boesch, an 85-year-old former Navy SEAL, repeatedly used a homophobic slur on air, which no one condemned.     Former New York Rep. Anthony Weiner, who is running fo...

Don’t have an unsafe and insane Fourth! By Kelvin Wade From page A11 | July 04, 2013 | Leave Comment Today starts a holiday weekend of celebrating. The key is to get through this weekend without seeing anyone in a uniform – whether it’s a cop, fireman or paramedic. Now Suisun City is doing a brisk business selling “safe and sane” fireworks. The proceeds will go toward the American Legion (and the various charities it supports) and two other nonprofits. The city will also receive some of the proceeds. That’s the good part. While these fireworks are legal to use in Suisun City, they’re still illegal in Fairfield. And of course, I couldn’t imagine any Fairfielders purchasing fireworks and using them within the city limits. (Wink, wink.) I hope you scofflaws are safe with those fireworks, because it’s hot and dry. The real problem is that the Fourth always sees its share of illegal fireworks. Illegal fireworks are ones that explode or fly through the air, such as  firecrackers, lady...