cannabisnews.com: Gilbert Reveals Private Thoughts Gilbert Reveals Private Thoughts Posted by CN Staff on November 16, 2002 at 21:08:40 PT By Patrick Sullivan, Record-Eagle Staff Writer Source: Traverse City Record-Eagle District Judge Thomas Gilbert spent much of last week grappling with how to recover from what he calls "the most stupid thing" he's done in his life. As of Thursday, Gilbert had not had a drink in two and a half weeks. He was preparing to travel to Minnesota to attend a world-renowned 28-day alcohol abuse program. Much of last week was consumed by meetings with family and friends, delivering apologies to supporters and preparing for his eventual return to the bench. An ordinary citizen spotted taking a puff of marijuana at a Rolling Stones concert in Detroit might get kicked out of the concert. Gilbert's folly has generated headlines across the country, discussion on Fox News and a quip from Jay Leno. "That's a punishment that an average person might not have to endure," Gilbert said, uncomfortable at the mention of the Tonight Show. "I understand that you can't be a judge and break the law - I understand that 100 percent - I just hope and pray that at some point this community will come to forgiveness and realize that beyond that I'm a good judge." About 30 cards and letters from supporters sit in a bowl that is a centerpiece on his dining room table. He says he has received 60 phone calls from supporters. On Thursday morning, the phone at his home rang every few minutes. "That's a close circle of friends. Those were people that wanted me to be judge that I've let down," he said. "But they also know that Tom Gilbert is an honorable man and will do a good job." Almost two weeks ago, Gilbert admitted to district judges Michael Haley and Thomas J. Phillips that he smoked marijuana at the concert in October. "I had to look him in the eye and say I can't lie to you, I can't lie to my friends," he said. "This community wouldn't have known about this unless they heard it directly from me, an honest and heartfelt admission." Several days later, the news made the Record-Eagle and was traveling across the country via the Associated Press. Gilbert said he scrambled to let his family know before they read it in a newspaper or heard it on the radio. Gilbert especially wanted to warn his parents, who he visited after a late-night drive to Saginaw a day before the news broke. Gilbert's father, a retired circuit judge for Saginaw County, was furious. His mother was disappointed. But both soon came around to support their son. Gilbert's father had some suggestions: "His advice is to be honest and, I don't know that these are his words, but, 'Fix what's broken and move on.' " How do you undo damage to a reputation? Gilbert's first step was to get a professional assessment for alcohol abuse and then get a second opinion. Both assessments, he said, determined he has an alcohol problem. Gilbert stressed that the assessments did not conclude that he has a drug problem or that he is an alcoholic. He says his problem is that he sometimes drinks to excess and his judgment becomes impaired. "The assessment says that I'm not an alcoholic, but I'm as close as you can get without being one and since it's a progressive disease I'm going to not let it progress any further," he said. Gilbert has vowed give up alcohol. He hopes that may lead him to avoid in the future something like what he did on Oct. 12. "If I hadn't been drinking alcohol that night I wouldn't have done the most stupid thing I've done in my life, which was taking a couple of hits off a marijuana cigarette," Gilbert said. "Not only should I have known better, I did know better." Gilbert stresses that he has always been only a social drinker. He never drank in the morning. He never hid a bottle in his office. "When I drink, I don't make good decisions. this is an example of one of those times," he said. Those bad decisions include unfortunate remarks at cocktail parties, he said, but were not so serious as to include something like drinking and driving. "That's where it was maybe kind of headed, to maybe getting behind the wheel of a car after having too much to drink," he said. "So you stop that immediately, once you become aware of it." He hopes 28 days of treatment at the Hazelden Clinic in Minnesota will put him on a sober track, but he doesn't want to discus the future of his recovery, maintaining that even if it is a matter of public discussion now, in the future he hopes to be given some privacy. "Any time you change your lifestyle and make a significant change, it's not easy," he said. "There will be challenges down the road as there are with anybody that has a drinking problem." Gilbert also has words for those who support marijuana legalization and want to use his case as fodder for their campaign. "I don't want to be the poster child for recovering judges and I will not be the poster child for reform of marijuana laws. It's against the law and it should remain against the law." Although it remains an open question whether Gilbert will be allowed to preside over marijuana cases when he returns to the bench, Gilbert said he looks forward to getting back to work. A review of several of the 60 use of marijuana cases and 137 possession of marijuana cases Gilbert has presided over in Grand Traverse County shows Gilbert has not been averse to sending marijuana users to jail. "It's illegal, it's unhealthy, and to a lot of citizens, it's morally wrong," he said. Asked whether he expects his experience will make him more sympathetic to defendants with drug or alcohol problems, Gilbert said he hopes he can remain balanced, but that he isn't sure what effect this transformation will have. "I have no idea," he said. "I've asked myself that question also." Gilbert said he has not considered handing in a resignation. "If I was elected to fulfill this job and I made one momentary bad decision, but the decisions I've made from the bench have been good and solid, I've been a good a good judge and I'm on the road to becoming a great judge." Patrick Sullivan is the reporter for crime, courts and public safety. Source: Traverse City Record-Eagle (MI)Author: Patrick Sullivan, Record-Eagle Staff WriterPublished: November 17, 2002Copyright: 2002 The Traverse City Record-EagleContact: letters record-eagle.comWebsite: http://www.record-eagle.com/Related Articles: Judge To Enter Rehab Program http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14756.shtmlAnonymity a Myth for Toking Judge http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14748.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #4 posted by krutch on November 19, 2002 at 13:54:35 PT: Thomas Gilbert is an ass Talk about rolling over. Nothing is worse than a guy who gets caught doing something that he must believe should not be a crime, and then puts on a big phoney show of remorse. Hey Gilbert, people don't change in a few days. Be honest. You don't believe that toking should be a crime. If you did you would have turned the guy who passed you the joint in to security. The only thing that changed your mind is you got caught. You are coward. I pray for your disbarment. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by goneposthole on November 17, 2002 at 13:25:40 PT Mutineer Captain Bly has my permission to flog him 39 times and keelhauled for good measure.Feed him breadfruit, he's a rehab slave.Applied Digital Solutions need to sink their digital fangs into the soft underbelly of Judge Gilbert. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by billos on November 17, 2002 at 04:53:16 PT: booze Looks like the poor judge is another victim of the biggest gateway drug of them all: Booze. If booze led him to the evil devil weed, I can't imagine what the devil weed may have led him to. Lucky for him he had the sense to rehab himself. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by DdC on November 17, 2002 at 02:18:40 PT New Addition to the D.E.A.th list... District Judge Thomas Gilbert spent much of last week grappling. How to recover from what he calls "the most stupid thing" he's done in his life. As of Thursday, Gilbert had not had a drink in two and a half weeks. neuroprotection http://www.cannabis.net/neuroprotectant/index.html He was preparing to travel to Minnesota to attend a world-renowned 28-day alcohol abuse program. cannabis, cannabinoids and the brain http://www.cannabis.net/refs/index.html Much of last week was consumed by meetings with family and friends, delivering apologies to supporters and preparing for his eventual return to the park bench. cannabis/dopamine http://biopsychiatry.com/canher.htm An ordinary citizen spotted taking a puff of marijuana at a Rolling Stones concert in Detroit might get kicked out of the concert. James Geddes-47- - -90 YEARS-5 PLANTS! Release Petition http://hr95.org/geddes.petition.htm Free James Geddes http://hr95.org/Geddes,J.html Gilbert's folly has generated headlines across the country, Too bad the Rainbow Farm Massacre didn't. http://www.mapinc.org/find?200 discussion on Fox News and a quip from Jay Leno. Food Stamps Become a Weapon in the War on Drugs http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread9965.shtml "That's a punishment that an average person might not have to endure," Gilbert said, uncomfortable at the mention of the Tonight Show. I'm sure many would love the opportunity to receive awareness from Leno.. F.A.M.M. Foundation http://www.famm.org F.E.A.R. http://www.fear.org November Coalition http://www.november.org Narco News http://www.narconews.com"I understand that you can't be a judge and break the law - francis young http://www.ahemp.org/quote.gif I understand that 100 percent - 99% Annual Ditchweed Eradication Boondoggle Underway Again... http://www.drcnet.org/wol/194.html#ditchweed I just hope and pray that at some point this community will come to forgiveness and realize that beyond that I'm a good judge." Media Scan: MotherJones.com Prison Growth Report, Twisted Badge Racial Profiling Series, Chicago Tribune on Prohibition and the Drug War http://www.drcnet.org/wol/194.html#mediascan About 30 supporters sit in a bowl that is a centerpiece on his dining room table. He says he has received calls from supporters in the bowl. On Thursday morning, the phone at his home rang every few minutes from the bowl. That's a close circle of friends. Those were people that wanted me to be judge that I've let down," he said. Monsanto and the drug war http://www.corpwatch.org STOP Monsanto's Terminator Seed http://www.rafi.orgSeizures By Police Help Fund Drug War http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread10223.shtml "But they also know that Tom Gilbert is an honorable man and will do a good job." A review of several of the 60 use of marijuana cases and 137 possession of marijuana cases Gilbert has presided over in Grand Traverse County shows Gilbert has not been averse to sending marijuana users to jail. "It's illegal, it's unhealthy, and to a lot of citizens, it's morally wrong," he said. Almost two weeks ago, Gilbert admitted to district judges Michael Haley and Thomas J. Phillips that he smoked marijuana at the concert in October. "When I drink, I don't make good decisions. this is an example of one of those times," he said."I had to look him in the eye and say I can't lie to you, I can't lie to my friends," he said. I'm a slob and a drunk and I hate the heathern devil weed marihuana! "This community wouldn't have known about this unless they heard it directly from me, an honest and heartfelt admission." Slave Labor Means Big Bucks For U.S. Corporations http://pub3.ezboard.com/fendingcannabisprohibitionwhyitstimetolegalize.showMessage?topicID=233.topic UNICORE http://www.unicor.gov Several days later, the news made the Record-Eagle and was traveling across the country via the Associated Press. Free the Prisoners of WoD? Of coarse not... http://boards.marihemp.com/boards/politics/media/37/37460.gif Gilbert said he scrambled. (Several days later, the news made the Record-Eagle, thats more of a saute.) To let his family know before they heard it in a newspaper or read it on the radio. Gilbert specially wanted to warn his parents, everyone always got to warn them now it was his turn. Who he visited after a late-night drive to Saginaw on a west bound train high up in the sky the day before the news broke we may never know.Gilbert's father, a retarded circuit judge for Saginaw County, was furious. His mother was disappointed his two tokes inturupted his drunkeness. But both soon came around to support their now, heathen son. Gilbert's father had some suggestions: I LOST MY FREEDOM Linx http://pub3.ezboard.com/fendingcannabisprohibitionlinx.showMessage?topicID=22.topic "His advice is to be honest and, I don't know that these are his words, but what the hell its yellow just us propaganda anyway. 'Fix what's broken and move on.' Asa Isa Assa http://pub3.ezboard.com/fendingcannabisprohibitionprohibitionistwodjunkies.showMessage?topicID=31.topic The Toxic Alternative to Natural Fiber http://fornits.com/curiosity/hemp/fibre.htm How do you undo damage to a reputation? COINTELPRO http://www.icdc.com/~paulwolf/cointel.htm MKULTRA: CIA Mind Control http://www.parascope.com/ds/mkultra0.htm Gilbert's first step was to get a professional assassen for alcohol abuse and then get a second opinion. Both assessments, he said, determined he has an alcohol problem.Gilbert stressed.That the assassens did not conclude that he has a drug problem with two tokes or for $3999.99 that he is an alcoholic. He says now his problem is that he sometimes drinks to excess and his judgment becomes impaired he won't be taking two more tokes deterring him, from his problem that he sometimes drinks to excess and his judgment becomes impaired. "The assessment says that I'm not an alcoholic damn it! I'm as close as you can get but this pot kept me from being one and since drinking to excess and impaired judgment becomes a progressive disease I'm going to not let it progress any further," he said. Gilbert has vowed give up alcohol. He hopes that may lead him to avoid in the future something like what he did on Oct. 12. when he took two tokes. Had fun. Danced! The news made his father furious and his mother disapointed."If I hadn't been drinking alcohol that night I wouldn't have done the most stupid thing I've done in my life, which was the lame statement of taking a couple of hits off a marijuana cigarette being the most stupid thing I've done in my life Gilbert said. "The assessment says that I'm not an alcoholic damn it! I just sometimes drinks to excess and my judgment becomes impaired. Not only should I have known better, I did know better. If I only learned Latin when I was in school I could have conversed with the Latin Americans and the 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, mostly Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music, stones, jazz and swing, result from marijuana usage. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers and any others." Gilbert stresses that he has always been only a socialist drinker to excess and impaired judgment. He never drank in the morning. He never hid a bottle in his office. Those bad decisions. Remarks at cocktail parties, he said were not so serious as to include something like drinking and driving. "That's where it was maybe kind of headed after two tokes... Maybe in the futur getting behind the wheel of a car after having too much to drink. But not the times in excess when my judgment became impaired. So you stop that immediately give or take 60 days in "rehab", from drinking to prevent two tokes. Once someone er you becomes aware of it. He hopes 28 days of treatment at the Hazelden Clinic in Minnesota will put him on a sober track if he can't get the 60 day cure from booze, the stepping stone to the roots from hell!But he doesn't want to discus the future. His recovery, maintaining dysfunction that even if it public discussion is a matter of law now, he hopes not in the future. "Any time you change your lifestyle toking twice and make a significant change, it's not easy," he said. "There will be challenges down the road for those who don't support marijuana legalization as there are with anybody that has a drinking problem. Gilbert also has words and want to use his case as fodder for their campaign. I don't want to be the poster child for recovering judges and I will not be the poster child for reform of marijuana laws. It's against the profits of the Hazelden Clinic in Minnesota and it should remain against the law. Although it remains an open question whether Gilbert will be allowed to preside over marijuana cases when he returns to the bench after two tokes. Gilbert said he looks forward to getting back to having too much to drink in excess when his judgment became impaired.. Asked whether he expects his experience will make him more sympathetic to defendants with drug or alcohol problems, Gilbert said he hopes he can remain as balanced as the times drinking in excess when his judgment became impaired. But that he isn't sure what effect this transformation will have. It was afterall, two tokes."I have no idea," he said. "I've asked myself that question also." Two tokes. Gilbert said he has not considered handing in a resignation for drinking in excess when his judgment became impaired trying marijuana cases.. I was selected to fill this job. Bigotry and Aparteid http://www.electricemperor.com/eecdrom/HTML/EMP/04/ECH04_08.HTM#bigotry Self Perpetuating Lies http://www.electricemperor.com/eecdrom/HTML/EMP/04/ECH04_13.HTM#liesAnd I made one momentary bad decision getting caught. But the decisions I've made from the bench have been good and sold to the highest bidder. I've been a goody good judge and I'm on the road again. Becoming a great judge having too much to drink in excess with impaired judgment jailing marijuana users. Patrick Sullivan is the reporter for other fabricated crimes, court jesters and pubic safety. Source: Traverse Record-Eagle One Kanobi Judge To Enter Multiple Toke Rehab Program http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14756.shtmlAnonymity tips, mandatory sentencing, midnight pillage, violence, rape deterrents, child abduction by courts for advocating Myth for Toking Judge http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14748.shtml New Addition to the D.E.A.th list... Belly up to the bar boyz! Yee Haw the most stupid thing he ever done was stop drinking for two week? He'd a never toked that joint if he wasn't jonzin on booze! Hear that kids? Scurrying to his hole, like Klintoon, shamed into perpetuating the insanity of the Ganjawar. He was preparing to travel to Minnesota to attend a world-renowned 28-day alcohol abuse program. "When I drink, I don't make good decisions. this is an example of one of those times," he said. "When I toke, I still make good decisions. this is an example of one of those times," I said.He was preparing to travel to Minnesota to attend a world-renowned 28-day alcohol abuse program. Much of last week was consumed by meetings with family and friends, delivering apologies to supporters and preparing for his eventual return to the bench. "But they also know that Tom Gilbert is an honorable man and will do a good job." Gilbert admitted to district judges Michael Haley and Thomas J. Phillips that he smoked marijuana at the concert in October. "This community wouldn't have known about this unless they heard it directly from me, an honest and heartfelt admission." DuPont is killing our environment with their global research and techn... http://www.dupontsucks.com/DuPont Performance Lubricants, featuring Krytox® http://www.lubricants.dupont.com/ The Real Price of Prisons http://www.motherjones.com/prisons George Bush:The Unauthorized Biography http://www.tarpley.net/bushb.htm#3 Ashcroft's Moral Stand Out of Line http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11332.shtml The Hitler Project Bush Property Seized--Trading with the Enemy http://www.tarpley.net/bush2.htm Those were people that wanted me to be judge that I've let down.. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment