"Guru of Ganja" (Ed Rosenthal) convicted of marijuana cultivation

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 01/31/03 | DAVID KRAVETS

[MikalM]

A federal jury Friday found Ed Rosenthal, the author of how-to-grow books on marijuana and how to avoid the law, guilty of marijuana cultivation and conspiracy charges.

Deliberating for a day, the 12-member jury concluded that Rosenthal, the self described "Guru of Ganja," was growing more than 1,000 plants, conspiring to cultivate marijuana and maintaining a warehouse for a growing operation. He faces a maximum life term when sentenced June 4.

[Roscoe]

Your "clever" cut and paste is not even relevant to the point I was making

"It was a general depository of contraband goods. The Parliament found the evil so great, as to render it necessary to wrest it out of the hands of its possessor."

"The honorable gentleman says that it is a government of force. If he means military force, the clause under consideration proves the contrary. There never was a government without force. What is the meaning of government? An institution to make people do their duty. A government leaving it to a man to do his duty or not, as he pleases, would be a new species of government, or rather no government at all."

-- James Madison

Willful ignorance is crippling.

[Trailerpark Badass]

"For man has in his heart a law inscribed by God....His conscience is man's most secret core and his sanctuary. There he is alone with God whose voice echoes in his depths."

[Trailerpark Badass]

Again: does the force Madison speaks of impose morality, or enforce the law? Is there a difference between the two?

[Roscoe]

"For man has in his heart a law inscribed by God...."

God told Rosenthal to sell pot?

[Roscoe]

"There never was a government without force. What is the meaning of government? An institution to make people do their duty. A government leaving it to a man to do his duty or not, as he pleases, would be a new species of government, or rather no government at all." -- James Madison

Again: does the force Madison speaks of impose morality, or enforce the law?

Rosenthal had a duty to obey the law.

[Trailerpark Badass]

Rosenthal had a duty to obey the law.

I haven't written the first word about Mr. Rosenthal, nor his case.

[Trailerpark Badass]

God told Rosenthal to sell pot?

You aren't very bright, are you?

[Trailerpark Badass]

Rosenthal had a duty to obey the law.

Was that supposed to be an answer to the question I posed?

[Trailerpark Badass]

Rosenthal had a duty to obey the law.

Do we have a duty to obey laws that violate our conscience?

[Bonaparte]

"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

-- John Adams

[Bonaparte]

"...does the force Madison speaks of impose morality, or enforce the law?"

We have on the books laws against public nudity on city streets, laws against engaging in sex acts within public view, laws against pedophilia (even if "consensual"), laws against the sale of alcoholic beverages to minors, laws against screaming profanities in places of worship, etc.

These laws all legislate morality, ie. in the commission of any one of these illegal acts nobody is being deprived of his property, his life or his right to come and go as he pleases.

Which of them, if any, do you oppose?

[unspun]

From a constitutional law perspective, it would be interesting to see this develop in appeals. It would be so 'nice' to see America getting in touch with its Constitution (and vice versa).

As for the how-to marijuana man, let's see, did I have a tear in my eye today? Oh yes, about the shuttle accident.

[unspun]

I think it's a new idea to a-lot of people that the basic purpose of government is to place constraints upon human behavior.

It really causes me to chuckle - but it's a symptom of something very grevious.

[Trailerpark Badass]

You quote states rather clearly that the morality of the people is extra-Constitutional. Thanks for making my point for me.

[Trailerpark Badass]

Those laws regulate public behavior, except for the pedophilia, which involves a minor, who cannot give "consent." I have no problem with a community setting standards for public behavior, such as laws against public drunkeness.

[Trailerpark Badass]

I think it's a new idea to a-lot of people that the basic purpose of government is to place constraints upon human behavior.

Funny. I thought the purpose of our government was to protect our rights.

Wow, learn something new every day.

[TigersEye]

No, my bookie.

Ah, I see. I'm not familiar with gamblers lingo so I don't know what "the over" is. Oh well.

[Trailerpark Badass]

No, my bookie.

Gambling is a pernicious vice that can lead one to ignoring his responsibilities, wasting his money, and neglecting his family. Nothing that a good jail term won't cure.

[unspun]

...protect our rights.

Protect our rights from what?