Pubdate: Wed, 10 Aug 2005
Source: Comox Valley Record (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 Comox Valley Record
Contact:  http://www.comoxvalleyrecord.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/784
Author: Russell Barth
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

TAKE DOWN THE FLAGS

Russell Barth, Federal Medical Marijuana Licence Holder

Sir,

RE: Canadian Sovereignty is Gone

U.S. officials had Canadian officers arrest internet marijuana seed dealer 
Marc Emery. It seems clear that the U.S. thinks Emery and his seeds are a 
much bigger threat to the status quo than, say, Osama Bin Laden.

While police in the UK are rounding up Pakistani-born bombing suspects, the 
U.S. is rounding up Canadian-born marijuana-law reform activists. When they 
searched the home and business of Mr. Emery, by the way, they failed to 
find any weapons of mass destruction, or Osama.

Does this mean that the U.S. can also extradite Canadians for speaking out 
against the Bush Administration? Bush made it clear that "You are either 
with us, or with the terrorists." Since most Canadians are against both, 
exactly what qualifies as being "criminal" in the eyes of the White House? 
Can publicly disagreeing with certain U.S. laws and policies get Canadians 
sent to Gitmo? Just how far does their Patriot Act reach, and why do their 
laws reach into our country? Should Canadians be more careful what we say 
on the phone, over the Internet, or to our friends in public? Could we be 
extradited for things we have written or said publicly? Could having 
anti-U.S. thoughts be considered an "act of terrorism"?

How soon before the U.S. extradites Carolyn Parrish for her comments? Will 
we see U.S. police or military personnel walking around Vancouver like they 
do in Iraq, searching for "suspects"? I have been an outspoken 
drug-law-reform activist who has publicly criticized the Bush 
Administration, their illegal war, and their insane foreign polices. Could 
I be extradited for that?

It looks like the time has finally come where we should just take down all 
the Canadian flags from courthouses and Parliament Hill and all government 
buildings, and put Old Glory up in its place. Because if U.S. officials can 
just come to Canada and arrest people for something that may or may not 
even be a crime in here, our sovereignty is now officially gone.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth