cannabisnews.com: 'We'll Rally Everybody,' Pot Activist Says 'We'll Rally Everybody,' Pot Activist Says Posted by CN Staff on March 04, 2004 at 08:11:27 PT By Richard Foot, CanWest News Service Source: Edmonton Journal Canada's pro-marijuana activists are vowing to sabotage federal plans to decriminalize the drug, should Parliament decide to soften the law against small-scale pot users.Angry that the Liberal government wants to simply decriminalize -- but not legalize -- marijuana, activists across the country are threatening to make any decriminalization law unworkable by burying police in paperwork and tying up the courts in red tape. Getting small-time pot growers and smokers out of court and away from the criminal justice system is one of the main purposes of Bill C-10, the revised marijuana legislation being considered by the House of Commons.People caught possessing or growing small amounts of marijuana are now subject to criminal arrest and prosecution.The proposed bill says anyone caught with up to 15 grams of pot, or caught growing up to three marijuana plants, should only receive a simple ticket with fines of between $100 and $500 -- and no accompanying criminal record.The legislation isn't popular with marijuana users and activists, most of whom want the government to fully legalize the stuff. Vancouver's Marc Emery -- the self-proclaimed "Prince of Pot" who is Canada's most high-profile legalization agitator -- says if Bill C-10 becomes law and police start issuing tickets to marijuana users, he will rally the country's pot smokers to dispute their fines in court as part of a deliberate campaign to cripple the system.Emery predicts if police are forced to come to court to justify their tickets -- to prove through lab tests and paperwork the weeds or joints they seize are indeed marijuana -- and judges are forced to adjudicate hours of ticketing hearings, then the courts and police will eventually throw up their hands in frustration.Note: Legalization advocates ready plans to scuttle enforcement of federal decriminalization law. Snipped: Complete Article: http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/activist.htmSource: Edmonton Journal (CN AB)Author: Richard Foot, CanWest News Service Published: Thursday, March 04, 2004Copyright: 2004 The Edmonton JournalContact: letters thejournal.canwest.comWebsite: http://www.edmontonjournal.comRelated Articles & Web Sites:Bloc Pothttp://www.blocpot.qc.ca/Cannabis Culture Magazinehttp://www.cannabisculture.com/CannabisNews Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmMillions of Canadians Inhale Despite Pot Laws http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18438.shtmlSenate Report on Cannabis: Get Whole Story http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14319.shtmlCannabisNews -- Canada Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/Canada.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #7 posted by Virgil on March 04, 2004 at 11:50:30 PT California should end state prohibition I cannot believe that California is not having an iniative to end state CP. They are ready to borrow $15 billion so that prison spending goes unabated, while 30,000 teachers joined the unemployed.Ending prohibition is not a Democratic v Republican or Liberal v Conservative thing. It is about freedom and pragmatism and ending the corruption that throws lies at failure while ignoring real problems. I just do not get California or NORML or MPP either concerning an iniative in California calling for the state to end CP. Why would an organization calling for reform not go for the jugular that would bring quick death to CP across the country. Does anyone think that the iniative would fail? [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by OverwhelmSam on March 04, 2004 at 10:22:04 PT: I Know What You Mean Max Like most people, I have no desire to have a brush with the law. However, I've examined the law in my area and I am prepared for the legal conflict if it comes. If marijuana smokers came out of the closet like gay couples have done receently, it would overwhelm society. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Max Flowers on March 04, 2004 at 09:59:47 PT I agree, but... ...unfortunately the average American is too lazy/afraid to lose time at work and too ignorant of basic legal matters to do this. Most will do anything to avoid jury duty for example. How's that for a sense of civic duty?Just in California alone though, this idea would work very well since the law puts possession of under an ounce at a misdemeanor. If just 25% of everyone in CA who smokes pot were willing to smoke in front of a cop and take on a misdemeanor charge, and insist on a jury trial for it, the game would be over in a week. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by OverwhelmSam on March 04, 2004 at 09:10:21 PT: Perhaps We Should Do The Same Thing In America The punishments may be a little stricter at first, but if 16 million Americans openly smoked in front of law enforcement, the courts would be backed up for years, and punishments would decline to the point where police and prosecutors wouldn't even bother with it anymore. This is the way it's going anyway, we could accelerate the process. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Virgil on March 04, 2004 at 08:51:34 PT Rally around freedom and reason It is time to take it to those that are criminal or stupid enough to continue the CP farce. They need to be removed from office as their loyalty to the people or their mind in general is not worthy of election.The BC scandal keeps growing and calls up the lack of integrity by the government. It may derail the sell of BC railroad- http://tinyurl.com/2onb6 The government needs to turn to pot to reduce the harm that comes with substance abuse or be shown the door. Go NDP.Senator Harkin today blasted the US involvement in overthrowing the Haitian government- http://tinyurl.com/2f4dx This has implications for Jamaica and also harm reductions policies in Venezuela as the imperialistic drive of the US government is highly illuminated by a mindful world. The US has no integrity left and the call for continued prohibition shows that because imperialism is the prime directive of US government that prohibition is the opposite of what democracies should practice.What happened in Haiti was that we used our $30 billion a year farm subsidy to flood their country with food that wiped out their agricultural employment. We get their puppet to sign an a no tariff agreement and write in tough penalties that mean we can do with them as we will as we push them into poverty with our subsidized commodities. I think the US ruined the sugar economy of Jamaica, so there is a lesson in here for the people of Jamaica. Free trade in the American dictionary is just another political euphonism for deception in a plan of World Domination. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Sam Adams on March 04, 2004 at 08:39:41 PT 2 more good ones! The Citizen article even mentions the long-lost 2002 Senate report! My prediction: Parliament stalls until 11/04; if Bush loses they'll move ahead with reform. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on March 04, 2004 at 08:19:33 PT Another Snipped Source Article Here's the link!Fanatics With a Badge:http://www.canada.com/ottawa/ottawacitizen/soundoff/story.html?id=7f209202-d576-4137-ad2c-42b6fd240751 [ Post Comment ] Post Comment