The first thing that struck you about the gathering outside the governor's residence Thursday were the families. Young couples pushing strollers, toddlers in pigtails and pretty pink dresses, some adults carrying signs with pictures of loved ones too sick to make it to the protest.
It isn't what you'd picture when you think of a rally in support of legalizing marijuana, but these are the people who think their medical conditions can be improved by the drug.
One of the demonstrators was Sarah McGuiness, a recent widow now taking care of her son, Matthew, 10, who suffers from "severe, profound autism."
Matthew sat in a stroller nearby and played with a toy as adults held up signs that read: "Mark Dayton cares more about special interests than special needs."
McGuiness, of Shoreview, ticked off a list of potentially dangerous drugs Matthew is or has already taken, including Xanax and Valium. They didn't work. But because marijuana remains illegal in Minnesota, Matthew cannot take the cannabis oil that appears to have helped other kids with similar conditions.
"In other states where it's legal, kids are realizing a higher level of function," said McGuiness. "Some can feed and dress themselves, and some are even learning to talk."
Matthew can do none of those daily tasks we take for granted. The most recent bill did not include autism as qualifying for pot use should it be legalized. "But I'm hoping that if you open the door for patients listed in the bill, the door will open for my son," said McGuiness.
By the end of the day Thursday, that door seemed to open just a crack as Dayton's attitude toward legalizing pot for medicinal use had softened, at least a little.