Marc Emery arrested for the USA

rectifier · Post by **rectifier** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 10:43 pm

Well, it's not distilling related really, but it has a lot in common with our community...

I'm sure many have heard by now, but in case you haven't.
Marc Emery, marijuana activist extraordinare, has been arrested IN CANADA by the RCMP on the orders of an American police force (I can't remember which one). They want to extradite him to the USA for "conspiracy to grow marijuana in America" for selling seeds to growers in the US, and imprison him for life.

I stopped smoking marijuana a long time ago, but I am still angry, angry that another country's police force has resulted in the arrest of a man who is breaking a law that is as unjust as the one against distilling in North America.

Everyone should be worried about this. Could, for example, the people who run Still Spirits be extradited to the USA for shipping their stills there? What about turbo yeast manufacturers? These products are just as guilty as cannabis seeds. Fortunately, there is no "War on Alcohol" going on anymore.

Ok, I'm done speaking my piece. Tell your friends, tell your congressman, tell whoever will listen - Marc Emery belongs in his home country, Canada!

The Chemist · Post by **The Chemist** » Sat Jul 30, 2005 9:10 am

What did they arrest him for? Just because the US said to?

rectifier · Post by **rectifier** » Sat Jul 30, 2005 11:00 am

Pretty much. "Conspiracy to grow marijuana" is going to be the official charge I believe.

The Canadian police have pretty much left him and other marijuana smokers/growers alone for 10 years... smoking, growing and seed trading is illegal, but enforcement is usually very weak and focuses only on the large and violent gangs - and now, i guess, on who the USA wants to put in jail.

Post by **Fourway** » Sat Jul 30, 2005 11:13 am

I'm never able to get too excited about stuff like this.
he had to know he was running a big risk right?
this wasn't a complete shock was it?

the way I figure it... you dont change bad laws by breaking the law, rubbing people's noses in the fact that you are breaking the law, getting arrested both for breaking the law and for being a dick about breaking it and then screaming about it being a bad law and acting like you didn't know what was gonna happen.

you change bad laws by either fighting against the law within the system (for folks with lots of stamina and fortitude) or by ignoring the law and not getting caught... rendering the law unimportant and eventually eroding it to the point where it is no longer recognised.

in 1875 in new york a man could be arrested for indecency and lewness for removing his jacket in a closed carriage with a woman who was not his wife and appearing in a waistcoat and shirtsleeves.
that law is still on the books.
nobody fought it, nobody waved their shirt sleeved arms out the windows at cops and got arrested and protested it.
People just ignored it, times changed, eventually it became irrelevant.

AkCoyote · Post by **AkCoyote** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 10:14 am

Well said Fourway. I too quit smoking pot about 18 years ago after smoking the stuff for about 17 years. Never arrested or even hassled during that time. Reason? Didn't flaunt it or try to draw attention to myself. Same as I do with distilling now.

The 'war on drugs' is and always has been a lost cause and this is some bureacrat's attempt at grabbing a headline. If you don't want to get shot, keep your head in your foxhole.

AkCoyote

Post by **Fourway** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 6:32 am

I don't mean to get political about it... I'm just submitting that I almost always temper my views with a heaping helping of mistrust as soon as I hear the word "activist".

Billy Joe Jim Bob · Post by **Billy Joe Jim Bob** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 9:13 am

When it comes to smokin' or drinkin', my vote is for drinkin', but if you want to be smokin' thats fine too. As long as you don't hurt yourself or others, I think you should be able to do as you please.
After readin' up on this feller, it should come as no surprise that he would get busted (again).
Check this link out....http://www.cannabisculture.com/articles/2644.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
It's one thing to be a midnight toker and another to run for mayor on the marijuana platform. I'm with foreway, this guy knew it would come eventually....BJJB

rectifier · Post by **rectifier** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 1:29 pm

Yeah, I agree with you all that he was asking for it. He's always been more than a bit of a jackass. And I wouldn't be angry if the RCMP had arrested him here in Canada, and put him in jail here.

The thing that pisses me off in this case is the extradition order from the USA, and the fact that we will just hand him over. He's a Canadian citizen, he should be tried in Canada as he has been before. What gives the USA more rights to him than us?

No man should spend his life in jail for smoking/selling cannabis. And if Canada legalises it (we keep trying...), are the DEA going to give him back? I highly doubt it.

Billy Joe Jim Bob · Post by **Billy Joe Jim Bob** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 8:33 am

Hi Rectifier: I agree that the US shouldn't be reaching out for something so stupid, it's not like the guy blew up a building or anything. I saw in the news yesterday that the US wants a Briton extradited for hacking into the US Military computers and deleting a bunch of stuff. I could see going after him as a national threat, but not a pot seed dealer. I'll get off my soap box now....BJJB

KatoFong · Post by **KatoFong** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 9:01 am

No no...do continue. This is the stupidest thing I think I've heard of so far in the "war on drugs".

I like that our wars tend to be on abstractions these days. I personally am declaring a war on Pointalism. You're either with me, or you're with the Pointalists!

level Joe · Post by **level Joe** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:34 pm

KatoFong wrote: I personally am declaring a war on Pointalism. You're either with me, or you're with the Pointalists!

Should I tell him I just read the news paper and looked at a few pictures? I cant say I saw the forest for the trees though. Oh God, I dont know where I stand ?!

KatoFong · Post by **KatoFong** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:40 pm

Do you see? These Pointalists hate our way of viewing the world. They hate hard lines that converge in the distance.

Brett · Post by **Brett** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:47 pm

im lost,

Post by **Fourway** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 2:04 pm

They hate our perspective!

Virginia Gentleman · Post by **Virginia Gentleman** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 9:19 pm

Just caught up on this thread. If the guy is an "activist" isn't part of his mission to create civil disobedience (in a non-civil manner) to further his cause, even if it means taking it to its farthest end which could be arrest, jail, even death? That's what our stillin' brethern did during the Whiskey Rebellion. Thank God Jefferson had some sense and stepped in. So what's Emery complaining about?

On the other hand, it's total crap that the U.S. is trying to extradite him and has exteneded its meddling arm into the Great White North. Let Canada deal with it how they see fit, which would hopefully be to leave the guy alone (unless he wants to be locked up for the cause).

I have a good friend who made up some great T-shirts that read:

Conceintous Objector to the War on Drugs

Has an american flag on it, and lists about 15 reasons why on the back.

Virginia Gentleman · Post by **Virginia Gentleman** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 9:42 pm

Could get ugly if the Dadaists and Cubists get invloved. Talk about warped perspectives.

There's an old New Yorker cartoon showing a typical New Yorker pipe & tweed type saying "I am neither for canned preserves, nor against them and I greatly resent the implication that I am."

Home Distiller

Marc Emery arrested for the USA

Marc Emery arrested for the USA

Busted for pot

Extradition