Jerry Brown’s prescription for progressive activists: A ‘good joint’ of marijuana

Jerry Brown thinks some people need to smoke more reefer.

In a recent interview with the San Francisco Chronicle’s Joe Garofoli, the former governor appeared to endorse cannabis consumption.

“Maybe they should, in the states where it’s now legal, get a good joint and just chill,” Brown said, laughing. “Just chill.”

What has Brown been getting into up on that Colusa ranch? Has he traded Zen gongs for ganja bongs in the twilight of his life?

Unlikely. I spent years working for Brown and never got the impression that he’d ever toked, even though he lived through the 1960s and later befriended The Eagles (who didn’t write “Life in the Fast Lane” on Coca-Cola) and peyote guru Carlos Castaneda.

No, Brown’s a total square. Coffee, bourbon and politics are his drugs of choice. He probably couldn’t inhale to save his life.

OK, Brown wasn’t suggesting that everyone hightail it to a dispensary. He was, somewhat jokingly, prescribing pot for progressive activists because he believes it might stop them from caring so damn much.

Brown’s been on the interview circuit lately, throwing shade on climate activists and urging President-elect Joe Biden to ignore them. Last month, Brown told KQED that Biden should ignore “folks that have a banner” and who “have their slogans and their framing.”

You know, all of those pesky citizens who take to the streets demanding urgent action because the planet is dying in a fossil fuel-driven extinction event? Brown seems to think they’re hurting, not helping, the cause.

In his Chronicle interview, Brown expanded his critique to include single-payer healthcare activists, the “defund the police” movement and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s “squad” of progressive women leaders. All of these kids should get high, and get off of Biden’s lawn.

Brown gets a few things right. Conservative swing-state voters hold sway in national politics, making progressive policy wins hard for leaders like Biden. It’s a grim reality, but progressive goals will be impossible to achieve if Republicans keep the Senate or take back the House.

In addition, when a slogan repels most voters — as “defund the police” does — it’s wise to find better words. That’s Politics 101.

But Brown’s general antipathy toward activists misses the mark. Activists play a crucial role in our politics. They serve as countervailing powers that prevent wealthy interests and corporate lobbyists from controlling everything. True, they sometimes push leaders and systems past their comfort zones. That’s part of the process. By demanding what seems impossible you get more of what is possible.

Think where society would be today if the abolitionists, the suffragists or the Freedom Riders had taken chill pills instead of taking a stand. A pot-fueled anti-war movement helped shift public opinion against the Vietnam War. Today, radical activists continue to agitate against the death penalty and nuclear weapons — two causes close to Brown’s heart. Should they turn on, tune in and drop out?

Back to weed: Brown has a strange impression of marijuana. It’s based on the outdated stereotype of indolent and apathetic “potheads.” In reality, today’s stoners come from all walks of life. Many wear suits, excel in athletics or hold demanding jobs. Some work in government and — I won’t name names — a few have worked for Brown.

Some people even credit certain marijuana strains with helping increase their energy, focus, health and creativity. In July, with social unrest and protests peaking, California cannabis sales hit a record monthly high of $348 million, according to Marijuana Business Daily.

One rarely sees a protest without pot plumes. Should activists smoke more grass?

“Always a good idea!” one veteran hippie activist in his late 60s told me.

Perhaps Brown should rethink his prescription. Or maybe he should take his own advice, turn over a new leaf and spark fresh consciousness in his formidable brain.

This story was originally published December 7, 2020 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Jerry Brown’s prescription for progressive activists: A ‘good joint’ of marijuana."