Kinky Friedman, Democratic primary candidate for Texas Agricultural Commissioner, visited Texas A&M on Monday to discuss his main campaign platform – the end of marijuana and hemp prohibition in Texas – with members of Texas Aggie Democrats.
At the student organization’s meeting last night, Friedman expounded on the positive effects he hoped to bring to Texas through the legalization of marijuana and hemp and explained how he believes his policies would fortify Texas agriculture against drought, end the war on drugs and change cancer medicine.
“Cotton is the number one cash crop [in Texas] right now, and it should be pot and hemp,” Friedman said. “Hemp requires half the water that cotton does. Hemp delivers 2.5 times the fiber.”
Friedman said he has spoken to law enforcement officers and found none who supported the war on drugs. If elected, Friedman said he would work to legalize marijuana as a means of succeeding against drug cartels where current policies have failed.
“We will effectively castrate the Mexican drug cartels, and the new cartel will be us – the taxpayers, the people of Texas,” Friedman said.
Friedman’s appearance on campus attracted students and local citizens to hear his campaign platform and witness his take on political issues.
“I just think he’s such a character and he kind of speaks his own thoughts, so that’s why I really enjoy seeing him,” said Haley Jones, senior industrial distribution major. “He doesn’t really side with a party, he just speaks what’s on his mind and what he really, truly believes.”
Jones said she supports Friedman’s stance on legalizing hemp and marijuana and his campaign stance is a sign of changing political attitudes across the nation.
“I think in the next ten to twenty years we’ll all be in that position anyways where almost all the states will have accepted the production of hemp and weed,” Jones said. “I think if he does get voted on in the primary election, he has a great idea because it’s what we’re moving towards.”
Andrew Payne, junior history major, said Friedman’s refusal to follow the political status quo was his most remarkable trait.
“This is a man who is a comedian, a country music artist,” Payne said. “He’s got a career already. Something drew him out of his career and into politics. The man was attracted based on principle. And that’s a rare thing, a refreshing thing, in politics, and it inspires me.”
Payne said Friedman’s message was especially striking when compared to the messages touted by current political parties.
“He’s able to transcend the old, warn out, tired debates,” Payne said. “You could almost script a republican-democratic debate by yourself, you’ve heard every argument the other side’s got; he’s above that.”
Friedman spoke at the Texas Aggie Democrats meeting as part of the Texas Aggie Democrats’ Candidate Series. Justin Carpenter, political director of Texas Aggie Democrats and senior political science major, said bringing Friedman to talk on campus was a way to introduce students to the people who may represent them in political office.
“Back in December, I thought it would be a good idea to bring some candidates because we had some elections coming up, and I thought it would be good to expose students to the candidates who were running for them,” Carpenter said.
Democratic primary elections will take place March 4.