Tracker Pixel for Entry

The Rest of the World and Us - Rick Steves and Measure 3

News | October 24th, 2018


by Jacques Harvieux
jacquesthejock@gmail.com

Last Friday national travel host celebrity, activist, and philanthropist Rick Steves paid a visit to North Dakota in order to show his support and to help educate more people on Measure 3 and the coming election in November.

“Guidebook author and travel TV host Rick Steves is America's most respected authority on European travel. Rick took his first trip to Europe in 1969, visiting piano factories with his father, a piano importer. As an 18-year-old, Rick began traveling on his own, funding his trips by teaching piano lessons. In 1976, he started his business, Rick Steves' Europe, which has grown from a one-man operation to a company with a staff of 100 full-time, well-travelled employees at his headquarters in Washington state. There he produces more than 50 guidebooks on European travel, America's most popular travel series on public television, a weekly hour-long national public radio show, a weekly syndicated column, and free travel information available through his travel center and ricksteves.com. Rick Steves' Europe also runs a successful European tour program. Rick Steves lives and works in his hometown of Edmonds, Washington. His office window overlooks his old junior high school.”

The idea for some that legal marijuana will harm communities and send the States that legalize on a path of destruction is a fading concern in recent years, but is still prominent here in North Dakota and a major rallying cry for those against recreational legalization. Steves was quite outspoken when it came to this notion.

“I live in a State (Washington) that legalized marijuana 6 years ago. I just think a lot of people in a place like North Dakota are thinking like it’s 2010, what will happen if we legalize marijuana? And the fact is, we know what will happen if we legalize marijuana. What will happen here is what happened in Washington State. We take a booming black market industry and we turn it into a highly regulated and highly taxed legal industry, and you recognize the civil liberties of mature adults who might want to smoke marijuana recreationally. It’s smart policy.”

Among other major concerns, citizens of North Dakota are worried about the gateway marijuana might create for its young people and youth usage.

“A lot of people are worried that teen use will go up or crime will go up, or the roads will become less safe and 8-10 years ago that would be a reasonable concern, but right now we know what happens, use does not go up, use is essentially the same among mature adults, no society anywhere in the world has ever seen a correlation between how much is consumed and how strict the laws are. In Europe, the Netherlands has the least strict marijuana laws, and they smoke less than the European average, and Europeans smoke less than the American average and you can do hard time for it here in the States.”

How North Dakota legalizes marijuana, and the context of Measure 3 is a major concern for many North Dakotans. How the new laws will affect the State seem to be the number one issue over legalization, Rick commented on this as well.

“In Washington, and Colorado and other states where marijuana is legal when you legalize smartly; Use does not go up, teen use certainly does not go up, DUIs do not go up, crime does not go up. What goes up is; the exercise of civil liberties, we decimate a black market, you get to redirect law enforcement, precious law enforcement resources in the most serious issues instead of cutting down petty pot smokers and you generate a lot of tax revenue instead of black market revenue.”

Public safety is one of the largest concerns of North Dakotans, considering the legalization of recreational marijuana. Steves is was clear on how he felt on public safety compared to the legalization of marijuana.

“I do want to stress I’m not pro-marijuana, I don’t go to states that have pro-marijuana laws, I go to states that have public safety laws. In the United States we are into demoralizing and inconcerating. In Europe they are into what is called pragmatic harm reduction, and I just feel pragmatic harm reduction is smarter.”

Measure 3 for many including Rick Steves is not only a public safety law, but a “smart and pragmatic law.” Voting day is November 6th

, for those that require a residency change or license renewal NDDOT requires you to schedule an appointment. They are currently scheduled out until October 30th, real close to the election. So if you have not scheduled your appointment yet, now is the time to do it!

Recently in:

By Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.com Ten North Dakota communities will participate in the nationwide No Kings Day of Peaceful Action on October 18. The grassroots movement is a nonviolent protest against President Trump’s…

By Michael M. Millermichael.miller@ndsu.edu I would like to recognize some of the scholarly Germans from Russia from Canada and USA shared on the GRHC website. There are additional names not included here. If you have suggestions…

Friday, October 31, doors 8 p.m. show starts at 8:30 p.m.The Aquarium above Dempey’s, 226 N. Broadway, FargoThe annual Aquarium Halloween Cover Show is back and it is stacked. And this time there are a limited amount of presale…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com At the end of September, downtown Fargo said goodbye to another old friend; the Spirit Room closed its doors, marking the end of an era. The Spirit Room room has been a fixture downtown for the…

By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comThat old time religion, filled with love, is no longer good enough In the first “Inherit the Wind” movie about religion and evolution starring Spencer Tracy, Fredric March, and Gene Kelly, the…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…

By Rick Gion and Nichole Hensenrickgion@gmail.com The wait is finally over. Those who have visited Nichole’s Fine Pastry & Cafe lately know about the recent major additions and renovations that have taken place over the past…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com Dakotah Faye is a hip-hop artist from Minot, North Dakota, and he’s had a busy year. He’s released two albums. This summer he opened for Tech N9ne in Sturgis and will be opening for Bone…

By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.com Now available on Amazon Prime following its world premiere last month as the opening night selection of the Toronto International Film Festival’s golden anniversary, “John Candy: I Like…

By HPR staffsubmit@hpr1.com Mark the first weekend of October on your calendar. It’s the weekend of the Studio Crawl, which takes us all on a wonderful, metro-wide tour of our talented (and often wacky) arts community. On October…

Press release“Shakespeare with a sharpened edge.” To launch its 2025 – 2026 season, Theatre NDSU is thrilled to team up with Moorhead-based organization Theatre B to perform a co-production of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and…

By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…

By Ellie Liveranieli.liverani.ra@gmail.com When we are sick, all we want is a cure. You go to the doctor, they give you a pill, you take it for a bit, then you are cured. It happens. But unfortunately, it is not always the case. …

By Alicia Underlee NelsonProtests against President Trump’s policies and the cuts made by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are planned across North Dakota and western Minnesota Friday, April 4 and…

By Vern Thompsonvern.thompson@rocketmail.comMoral accountability and the crisis of leadership  As a recovering person living one day at a time for the last 35 years, I have learned not to judge others because I have not walked in…