Marc Emery Extradition

[Pliny]

Former Vancouver mayor Larry Campbell laid out a pretty good case for legalising and taxing the stuff. Google him.

An argument that gets used over and over is the "leads to hard drugs" red herring. If it leads to hard drugs, it's because the only place to get marijuana is from the same guys who sell heroin and crack. People who smoke crack also drink beer. Does beer lead to crack?

During the last round of hearings on the subject of decriminalization, the RCMP and the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police were both in favour. Many US states have now decriminalized marijuana poessession. These are sober-minded people who see the huge resources that go into policing a law that ruins the lives of many people over something that has yet to be medically proven a major health threat.

Marijuana is illegal and categorized as a narcotic solely due to the efforts of one American crackpot named Anslinger (rhymes with arse-licker). You can Google him for background. Were it not for him, the situation would be very different with respect to pot.

Leads to hard drugs "red-herring". This is true as long as marijuana is illegal. It may be questionable if it were not.

Criminals find company among themselves. Illegal drugs of any sort involve a criminal element. If marijuana were legal it would no longer have a connection to the criminal element. Perhaps if marijuana were legal it would not lead to the use of illegal drugs because it would no longer have a connection to criminality? Perhaps it would lead to the use of harder drugs. We can't tell until the criminal element is removed from it.

I do not like Larry Campbell. His proposals were unworkable and he was a hard left Socialist.

The Canadian association of Chiefs of Police receive funding from the Federal government, as far as I am concerned that discredits their opinion, and let's face it, the association exists for political purposes - if it existed entirely as a co-operative agency it would not make political statements.

[Qwerty]

Spoken like any true blue patriotic Politburo member.

So Qwerty, when you find yourself at a prarie crossroads at midnight with not a single other car in sight do you actually come to a full complete stop at the stop sign?

No doubt you'd also sit tight and fly right if the government passed a law prohibiting using more than three squares of toilet paper.

I have a sense of civic responsibility and respect the laws of my country.

I don't have the need to question authority and rebel constantly.

My life is a little richer than wondering where my next ounce is coming from.

I grew out of my adolescence years ago.

Edited April 19, 2008 by Qwerty

[eyeball]

I have a sense of civic responsibility and respect the laws of my country.

I trust you'll be turning any parents you see smoking with children in their car to the state.

[Qwerty]

I trust you'll be turning any parents you see smoking with children in their car to the state.

I'm confused. I thought you were a communist? They are all about state controlled everything like Cuba. You should be happy...lol.

[Pliny]

I trust you'll be turning any parents you see smoking with children in their car to the state.

I would hope so.

There is a sister chapter of "Children whose parents didn't have a cottage by the lake" called, "Children of parents who did have a cottage by the lake but smoked in the car on the way there", and they would like to know!

[eyeball]

I'm confused. I thought you were a communist? They are all about state controlled everything like Cuba. You should be happy...lol.

I guess you thought wrong. I'm all about controlling the government. I don't think communist governments would be any happier than a capitalist democracy in the light of the total public awareness I advocate.

[Zachary Young]

Marc Emery is a true Canadian hero. It is times like these that remind me of a a quote by Mark Twain.

Quote.

In the beginning of a change, the Patriot is a scarce man, brave, hated, scorned. When his cause succeeds however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot.

End quote.

Change does not occur through political action - because the process is so utterly corrupt and dominated by special interests. The most effective way of bringing change is through civil disobedience. It is in this manner that Marc Emery fought to bring us Sunday shopping and it is in this manner that Marc Emery fights to end the prohibition of marijuana. Emery is a hero, a patriot and a matyr. He has done nothing wrong, and everything right, and it just goes to show that no good deed goes unpunished.

[Wilber]

Marc Emery is a true Canadian hero. It is times like these that remind me of a a quote by Mark Twain.

Quote.

In the beginning of a change, the Patriot is a scarce man, brave, hated, scorned. When his cause succeeds however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot.

End quote.

Change does not occur through political action - because the process is so utterly corrupt and dominated by special interests. The most effective way of bringing change is through civil disobedience. It is in this manner that Marc Emery fought to bring us Sunday shopping and it is in this manner that Marc Emery fights to end the prohibition of marijuana. Emery is a hero, a patriot and a matyr. He has done nothing wrong, and everything right, and it just goes to show that no good deed goes unpunished.

Funny

[Zachary Young]

Funny

Keep laughing chuckles.

[sharkman]

Change does not occur through political action - because the process is so utterly corrupt and dominated by special interests. The most effective way of bringing change is through civil disobedience. It is in this manner that Marc Emery fought to bring us Sunday shopping and it is in this manner that Marc Emery fights to end the prohibition of marijuana. Emery is a hero, a patriot and a matyr. He has done nothing wrong, and everything right, and it just goes to show that no good deed goes unpunished.

You need to read more.

Emery broke the law repeatedly. Just because you don't like a particular law it doesn't mean you can ignore it. BTW, how did Emery "bring us Sunday shopping"? (I think I sense an Al Gore internet moment coming.)

[Zachary Young]

"You need to read more."

I dunno, I'm currently reading 'Failed States', 'Reagan : A Life in Letters', 'The SEcret Mulroney Tapes' as well as a few science fiction novels... I think I read plenty thanks

"Emery broke the law repeatedly. Just because you don't like a particular law it doesn't mean you can ignore it."

Actually you can. To quote St. Thomas Aquinas 'An unjust law is no law', to quote Thoreau 'Anyone in a free society where the laws are unjust has an obligation to break the law'. Einstein weighed in on the subject with 'Never do anything against conscience even if the state demands it'. Even Heinlein, in the 'The Moon is a Harsh Mistress' got it right "I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do."

"BTW, how did Emery "bring us Sunday shopping"? (I think I sense an Al Gore internet moment coming.)"

You need to read more! Here's a good place to start :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Emery

"In 1991, Emery defied the province's Sunday shopping laws, spending time in jail. He also campaigned against London's by-law prohibiting sidewalk signs."

[eyeball]

Emery broke the law repeatedly.

So did Health Canada, why isn't the US extraditing Heath Canada officials?

[Zachary Young]

So did Health Canada, why isn't the US extraditing Heath Canada officials?

I'm not sure, but if anyone wants to pass around a petition extraditing them and all the rest of the bureaucrats that have seized control of our country I'll sign it. It doesn't have to be to the USA either, I mean let's send them to Syria for some extraordinary rendition!

[Wilber]

Keep laughing chuckles.

The thought of priorities so screwed up that a person martyring themselves so that others can get stoned and shop on Sundays is then put on a pedestal as a hero and patriot cracks me up. It either had to be a first class piece of satire or an example of how much we have lowered our standards. I assumed it had to be the former. I guess I was wrong.

[Zachary Young]

The thought of priorities so screwed up that a person martyring themselves so that others can get stoned and shop on Sundays is then put on a pedestal as a hero and patriot cracks me up. It either had to be a first class piece of satire or an example of how much we have lowered our standards. I assumed it had to be the former. I guess I was wrong.

Throughout the ages, mediocre men have always ridiculed the great and the courageous. It is sad, but predictable, to see again that times have not changed.

[Wilber]

Throughout the ages, mediocre men have always ridiculed the great and the courageous. It is sad, but predictable, to see again that times have not changed.

There are people I consider great and courageous. Emery just doesn't happen to be one of them. One would have to be completely stoned to use the same words to describe Emery as a person like Nelson Mandela for instance. When you compare their objectives, price they have paid and the risks they have taken, Emery is a pipsqueak and a joke in comparison.

[Zachary Young]

One would have to be completely stoned to use the same words to describe Emery as a person like Nelson Mandela for instance.

I would NEVER compare Emery to Mandela... that would be a horrendous insult towards the 'Prince of Pot', but it is telling that you have such admiration towards a communist. What other hero's do you worship? Karl Marx?

Perhaps you are the one who is stoned?

[Wilber]

I would NEVER compare Emery to Mandela... that would be a horrendous insult to wards the 'Prince of Pot', but it is telling that you have such admiration to wards a communist. What other hero's do you worship? Karl Marx?

Perhaps you are the one who is stoned?

Hey, you were the one who use the words hero, patriot and martyr to describe Emery, not me. There are very few people who deserve to be described in that manner and Emery isn't one of them. Whether you admire Mandela or not, he had the courage to fight for what he believed in Mano a Mano, facing consequences that Emery will never have to, not by hiding in another country and using it to fight his battles for him. To me Emery is neither a hero or a patriot and using the word martyr to describe him cheapens every person who has really sacrificed their lives for a cause.

[Zachary Young]

"Whether you admire Mandela or not, he had the courage to fight for what he believed in Mano a Mano"

So did Stalin, so did Hitler... being convinced you are right is not a good idea if you are DEAD WRONG. Look what happened to South Africa since Mandela took over. It's in the crapper. But I guess since he "had the courage to fight for what he believed in" it doesn't matter that people's lives in South Africa are a lot worse, right?

"facing consequences that Emery will never have to, not by hiding in another country and using it to fight his battles for him."

Emery is going to jail, in American prison, for a long time. What part of this is not "facing consequences"?

"To me Emery is neither a hero or a patriot and using the word martyr to describe him cheapens every person who has really sacrificed their lives for a cause."

I think your real problem with Emery is that he's not a communist like your hero Mandela... would he be ok with you if he started doing public readings from Dos Kapital? I heard he joined the NDP recently, so he's got be at least part communist, you should go easier on him.

[Wilber]

Emery is going to jail, in American prison, for a long time. What part of this is not "facing consequences"?

Bummer, I'll bet he never expected that. Of course if he was a real man he would have voluntarily faced the music in the country who's law he broke, rather than trying to hide behind this one. After all, it was their law he was supposedly protesting by selling his stuff down there.

I think your real problem with Emery is that he's not a communist like your hero Mandela... would he be ok with you if he started doing public readings from Dos Kapital? I heard he joined the NDP recently, so he's got be at least part communist, you should go easier on him.

I think your problem is that I won't make him out to be something he isn't or feel the need to put down people who have shown real courage in order to build him up.

[Wilber]

So did Stalin, so did Hitler... being convinced you are right is not a good idea if you are DEAD WRONG. Look what happened to South Africa since Mandela took over. It's in the crapper. But I guess since he "had the courage to fight for what he believed in" it doesn't matter that people's lives in South Africa are a lot worse, right?

Unlike Hitler and Stalin, Mandela fought for the peoples right to screw things up. I suppose you think Apartheid was so much more just.

I don't have an issue with what Emery is trying to do. I just don't see him as a hero, patriot or martyr. Frankly, I think the idea of possibly dieing for the right to get stoned is just plain stupid and a real waste. Do something worthwhile for cripes sake.

[eyeball]

Frankly, I think the idea of possibly dieing for the right to get stoned is just plain stupid and a real waste. Do something worthwhile for cripes sake.

When you put it that way it does sound stupid, but what about fighting and possibly dying for the right to be left alone by the state, which is what he's effectively doing? Put that way, what he's doing sounds a little more worthwhile don't you think?

Edited April 20, 2008 by eyeball

[Guest American Woman]

QUOTE=sharkman @ Apr 20 2008, 09:31 AM: Emery broke the law repeatedly.

So did Health Canada, why isn't the US extraditing Heath Canada officials?

How did Health Canada break the law in the U.S.?

[eyeball]

How did Health Canada break the law in the U.S.?

By referring people to Marc Emery they broke international agreements to fight drug use. As I understand it signatory nations like the US, are obliged to charge criminals that conspire to traffic drugs. It sounds like Health Canada conspired to do so.

[HisSelf]

Leads to hard drugs "red-herring". This is true as long as marijuana is illegal. It may be questionable if it were not.

We have an excellent precendent with alcohol and prohibition. How many people have you seen machine-gunned down at the local liquor store?

The Canadian association of Chiefs of Police receive funding from the Federal government, as far as I am concerned that discredits their opinion, and let's face it, the association exists for political purposes - if it existed entirely as a co-operative agency it would not make political statements.

Oh come on. The Association of Chiefs of Police is going to publicly take a stand to please the politicians? Fat chance. It exists for political reasons indeed - to further the political objectives of the Chiefs of Police.

Edited April 20, 2008 by HisSelf