|
Written by Richard Muller
|
|
Tuesday, 20 January 2004 |
Ron Crickenberger
Libertarian drug policy reformer Ron Crickenberger being
arrested in a 2002 protest against federal raids on
California medical marijuana patients.
One thing Ron Crickenberger knew for certain was that he
didn't like either of the major political parties or what
they are doing to our Constitutional liberties.
Crickenberger died of metastic melanoma (skin cancer) at
Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, DC, on January 20,
2004, less than two months after being diagnosed with the
disease.
Crickenberger, 48, was Libertarian
Party national political director from 1997 until 2003
and made ending drug prohibition a central plank in the
party's platform. With Crickenberger at the helm, the number
of Libertarians holding elected office more than tripled,
from 180 to about 600, and the party set new records for
candidates on the ballot in both 2002 and 2002. Ron himself
was one of that number in 2000, when he campaigned for
Congress in his home district in Northern Virginia. Before
joining the staff in Washington, DC, Crickenberger was a
member of the Libertarian National Committee, the party's
governing board, from 1989 to 1997.
Crickenberger was a big supporter of medical marijuana in
particular, being arrested in a civil disobedience action at
the US Department of Justice in Washington DC in June 2002.
Ron also produced the Cheryl Miller/Bob Barr ad and
otherwise championed the cause of medical rights.
Ron, and was a Georgia native who lived in Falls Church,
Virginia with his partner of 12 years, Noelle Stettner. Ron
had two adult children, a son, Jason, and daughter, Anna. He
also had a week-old granddaughter, Sabrina, that he got to
see before he died, living in the Atlanta, Georgia area.
Crickenberger was a warrior for the causes he cherished,
a tireless soldier in the fight against marijuana
prohibition, and a man who walked his talk. He was also fun
to spend time with at the drug policy conferences and
conventions that he attended. Ron Crickenberger will be
sorely missed by all who worked with him and admired his
efforts.
For
more about Ron's role in the drug reform movement, click
here.
For
the Advocates for Self-Government's memorial to Ron, click
here. (Has more links.)
|
Thursday, 09 September 2010
Home | About | Contacts | CX Books | Events | Links | Memorial | SAN Documents |