Emery pushes pot-stirring habit

London Free Press ^ | 2003-08-27 03:44:47 | Ian Gillespie

[jodorowsky]

Marc Emery rubs some people the wrong way. And that's precisely his intention. Yesterday afternoon, Emery showed up on the front steps of London police department headquarters and lit a marijuana cigarette -- or in his words, a "giant bomber" -- that he then passed among about 75 onlookers.

Rub.

As others fired up joints and pipes and pot smoke swirled toward police headquarters, Emery claimed that smoking pot is not only legal, but morally and ethically right.

"Marijuana does not impair," he told the crowd. "Marijuana enhances!"

Rub rub rub.

Emery was here as part of his self-described Summer of Legalization cross- country tour, which has included stops in Winnipeg, Regina and Calgary. Today, he heads to Hamilton. On Saturday, the former owner of the City Lights Book Shop (he left London 11 years ago) plans to speak at Queen's Park in Toronto.

Emery's tour revolves around a recent Ontario Court of Appeal decision, which ruled against overturning a precedent-setting Ontario Superior Court decision that cleared a teenager of marijuana possession charges. The Superior Court judge ruled there is no current ban on possessing pot in Ontario, because the federal government failed to comply with a July 2000 court order to create a new law dealing with the drug.

Under proposed new federal laws, possession of up to 15 grams of pot -- enough for about 20 joints -- would be a minor offence carrying no criminal record. Police forces in Ontario have said they won't lay charges for possession of less than 30 grams of pot until the laws are clarified.

Yesterday, I didn't see a single police officer emerge from the headquarter's front door during the 90-minute demonstration. But though he wasn't charged by London police (he has been charged in six other cities), Emery insists damage is still being done.

"Even though there was no marijuana law in effect in 2002, we had over 50,000 charges laid (in Canada)," said the fast-talking activist during an interview before the Dundas Street demonstration. "And that's staggering. There's no other civil rights violation as massive."

Emery says about two million Canadians have been charged with cannabis- related offences in the last 35 years, and that this so-called "pogrom" has harmed countless Canadians.

"When we incarcerate people for marijuana and take a person away from their family, we're doing incalculable harm," he said. "We spend billions of dollars and we give police incredible authoritarian power . . . causing a generation or two to never trust the police.

"Where does Canada benefit by any of these laws relating to marijuana?" he asked. "We don't. There's no benefit."

But isn't Emery just a selfish pothead who wants nothing more than to get stoned?

"Even if I'm some hedonistic pothead, I shouldn't have to suffer jail," said Emery. "And even if that were true, it doesn't validate the fact that the majority of Canadians who don't smoke marijuana are responsible and explicitly supportive of our oppression."

Rub, rub, rub.

Emery argues legalizing marijuana would bring the government more tax revenue and put criminal traffickers out of business. And because of his crusade, some call Emery a civil-rights crusader.

I see him as a guy who's dedicated his life to rubbing our faces in things we'd rather ignore.

When he was 20 years old, Emery had a vasectomy because he didn't think he could devote enough time to properly raising children. (Rub.)

In 1984, he helped found the Freedom Party of Ontario, but left in 1990 because he said Canada would be better off without any government. (Rub.) In 1991, he protested a London city bylaw prohibiting sidewalk signs. (Rub.) He condemned the public school system as "prisons for children" and taught his stepchildren -- now in their 20s -- at home. (Rub.)

In 1992, he tried (unsuccessfully) to get arrested for selling literature about marijuana. The same year, as part of his attempts to overturn Canada's obscenity laws, Emery was convicted of selling banned copies of an album by the rap group 2 Live Crew. (Emery received a conditional discharge and 12 months probation.)

And yet yesterday, the 45-year-old rabble-rouser admitted he earns $300,000 a year from his Vancouver-based mail-order marijuana seed business -- and pays $144,000 in annual taxes on that declared income.

"But you know what?" he said. "I'm grateful to pay (the taxes). You're talking to a guy who's had his money used against him in five raids, 13 jailings and 17 arrests.

"And I still believe Canada is the greatest place on earth."

Rub, rub, rub.

[jodorowsky]

What can you call this kind of event? I mean, it's not even civil disobedience any more.

'Cause it's legal here ;)

[jodorowsky]

Free Press after action report

[steve50]

What can you call this kind of event?

I'd call it acting as a free man and practicing your God given rights.

[Wolfie]

He condemned the public school system as "prisons for children" and taught his stepchildren -- now in their 20s -- at home.

Uh oh, he's one of them crazy home-schooler types.

[bigfootbob]

ditto

[cake_crumb]

"What can you call this kind of event? I mean, it's not even civil disobedience any more."

A useless one. A phenominal waste of time, proving that pot does indeed enhance...impairment.

[-YYZ-]

What can you say? Maybe it's not an issue of earth-shaking importance, but obviously he considers it important, and I agree with him (although not enough to waste my time pushing for it, but I do like to have a toke occasionally). If it's of so little importance that he's wasting his time, why has the government been wasting our time and money chasing time harmless pot smokers? Hell, a lot of cops would tell you they see it as a waste of their time.

[Wolfie]

Now that the situation has become a little hazy in Canada, people just want him to go away, shut up, and smoke his weed in peace. Until they can get the law changed, then they'll kick in his door and lock him up.

[vin-one]

UN resolutions, but your against someone fighting unjust laws
which is it freedom or UN control over everyone
next they will come for our guns

[steve50]

next they will come for our guns

They really don't need to much more in the way of gun control. You already can't own a weapon capable of performing the intended purpose.

[jmc813]

WOD Ping

[Migraine]

I'm afraid there are untold thousands of people who are just looking for an excuse to drop out even more than they already have. There are those who are alienated by failures and rejections they have had. Some express their alienation through rebellion and even nihilism. Others express theirs by just dropping out entirely, becoming completely unproductive. We have enough of these already. Too many. The legalization of marijuana will, IMHO, double or triple the alienation and unproductivity in the land. Marijuana becomes a culture -- particularly among kids. And it's not because it's illegal. It's because it's marijuana.

Maybe for artists, musicians and libertarians, MJ makes one more creative (kind of like steroids and uppers can make an athlete do extraordinary feats; but before saying "right on" to that, don't we disparage achievements attained through performance-enhancing drugs? Don't we say of a Phil Ochs song, "He must have been on something?"). But for alienated youth, marijuana only enhances the alienation; for unproductive dropouts, marijuana can only enhance the despair and the lack of the loser -- but then, maybe they will die in the gutter with smiles on their faces...

[jmc813]

But for alienated youth, marijuana only enhances the alienation; for unproductive dropouts, marijuana can only enhance the despair and the lack of the loser -- but then, maybe they will die in the gutter with smiles on their faces...

Would you like to see alcohol banned as well?

[Wolfie]

Dang, look at the size of that joint!

[vin-one]

But for alienated youth, marijuana only enhances the alienation; for unproductive dropouts, marijuana can only enhance the despair and the lack of the loser -

Not sure that you know many people that smoke MJ.
just like in every society you have losers, who can't control their addictions
It could be booze, or glue, or huffing gas,
and for those who choose MJ, they are getting it today, with little problem
I know of many, many successful people who smoke MJ regularly, just like people who can enjoy alcohol with out ending up in the gutter.
the problem is you are letting the gov't tell you what you can and can't do. Is this the freedom you want?

[vin-one]

I thought that was Tom Hanks for a minute......

[Migraine]

Would you like to see alcohol banned as well?

No. I am not into banning something already legal, even if it does contribute to social problems. But if we have something banned already that I see as a potential means of bringing about what happened to the Chinese in the 1840s via opium, I'm happy to leave it banned.

At least, it'll be nice to have Canada do the experiment while we watch (for social problems). If I'm wrong, I'd be willing to admit it.

As to alcohol: I am astounded that the left managed to eliminate ads for tobacco, a product that has yet to kill its first teenager, while leaving almost untouched ads for beer, which kills around 15,000 teens a year. That's politics; some things are possible, some aren't.

[Migraine]

and for those who choose MJ, they are getting it today, with little problem

Granted. Good point. But there are tens of thousands who leave it alone now simply because it's illegal. Those are the ones legalization would put in jeopardy. Let's watch Canada and see. If I'm wrong, I'll admit it.

[-YYZ-]

The thing that gets me is that if all the people who still think it should be illegal had any idea just how many of their friends, relatives and co-workers stand to have their lives screwed up by a criminal conviction for posession, I think they'd change their tune. By screwed up I mean lost employment opportunities, lost ability to travel to the US, and similar sanctions - very few if any people have gone to jail in Canada for simple posession.

Never mind the fact that I don't think the criminality of pot has done much if anything to stop anyone from trying and using the stuff, but it does put a lot of profits firmly in the hands of organized (and unorganized criminals) who are mostly the only ones willing to risk the harsher penalties that come with charges of cultivation or trafficking.

[-YYZ-]

"The legalization of marijuana will, IMHO, double or triple the alienation and unproductivity in the land."

IMHO, you're wrong. And I've got about as much to base that on (probably more, actually) as you have for your claim. I know many successful people who use it, and some losers who use it who would probably still be losers (only drinking more instead of toking) if it didn't exist.