Pubdate: Tue, 02 Aug 2005 Source: National Post (Canada) Copyright: 2005 Southam Inc. Contact: http://www.nationalpost.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/286 Author: Daniel Johnson Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) INJUSTICE TO THE POT PRINCE Re: Washington Requests Raid On B.C. 'Pot Prince,' July 30. Any student of history knows a witch hunt when they see it. As a long time marijuana activist who has studied history, the arrest of Marc Emery on orders from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency makes me fear for the future, for my country, for democracy, and also for myself and others involved in the growing fight for legalization. The United States government has silenced most of its domestic anti-prohibition activists, but Canadian communication outposts like Mr. Emery have allowed a skeletal movement to stay alive and keep the fight going. It is clear that America's powerful prohibitionist minority resents this and is using it as an opportunity to further consolidate its power over Canada with a show of force. Speaking about Marc Emery as a criminal relies on a definition of marijuana as criminal. But it is only a crime in the same sense that non-Christian religions or homosexuality were once crimes. And it is only a crime to the ruling minority elite -- a majority of Canadians and Americans want marijuana legalized. Further, since it is an indisputable fact that alcohol is exponentially more harmful than marijuana, and since the loudest voices against marijuana are not also calling for prohibition of alcohol, it can only be concluded that these loud voices are that of a minority whose concern is for something other than the health and welfare of the community at large. The arrest of Marc Emery is a warning shot to the silenced majority. Daniel Johnson Regina - --- MAP posted-by: Beth