I wanted to compliment Doretta Goldberg for the extremely moving, cogent and well researched speeches she gave at both the Dec. 18 and Jan. 8 Town of North Hempstead board meetings.
It took great courage to stand up in front of a hostile board, as well as an equally hostile gallery, and argue for the rights of medical marijuana patients and caregivers and against laws restricting access to their medication.
While every member of the board completely disregarded Goldberg’s comments (they never seriously considered any dissenting viewpoints during this entire process), she spoke truth to power and proved that North Hempstead is not completely devoid of intelligence, leadership or integrity.
On the other end of the spectrum, I was disgusted by the histrionic grandstanding the board engaged in, particularly during the Jan. 8 meeting, when it passed the third in a series of hastily conceived and badly written laws.
Supervisor Bosworth and each member of the council took turns declaring a visceral hatred of marijuana and patting themselves on the back for what they characterized as a sterling example of bipartisan cooperation and good government.
In actuality, this season-long ordeal has been a case study in corruption and dereliction of duty by a town board that has willingly allowed itself to be puppeteered by a shrill, callous and poorly informed minority.
I strongly urge all town residents who feel they could make a difference in their community to consider running against Bosworth or their incumbent members of the town council, whether as primary or general-election opponents.
You don’t need the permission of any political gatekeeper or party boss to make your town a better place; you just have to be willing to pound the pavement and work hard for your constituents.
Let’s take our government back.
Matthew Zeidman
New Hyde Park
