Pubdate: Mon, 14 Mar 2016 Source: Trentonian, The (NJ) Column: NJ Weedman's Passing the Joint Copyright: 2016 The Trentonian Contact: http://www.trentonian.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1006 Author: Ed Forchion, NJWeedman.com For The Trentonian DO WE HAVE FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR FREEDOM OF RELIGION ACCEPTABLE TO THE POLICE? Well I really wanted to write about the GOP politics and the national election campaigns going on this week but instead - thanks to the Trenton Police Department (TPD). I'll be opinionating my point of view on "FREEDOM of RELIGION" because it obviously differs from TPD's view. In third or fourth grade social studies I was taught at Winslow Twp. School number two that all Americans have the right to choose their own religions. This right was so revered by the founders (sorry natives) of this country that they made it the first right. As most people as a child I followed the faith of my parents. I was brought up in a traditional Baptist church, the First Baptist of Berlin, New Jersey. Most of our services were at traditional hours 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at the latest, but occasionally we had Midnight Mass on special occasions like New Years, and Easter. Black eye peas & pork, hymnals and amens. The Winslow Twp. Police would never had banned this. The Constitution's Bill of Rights was written in the late 1700"s, at that time people went to bed at sundown, people didn't venture far from their homes and they couldn't have imagined the 24 hour world we live in today. But I'd bet my last "spliff" they sure wouldn't have (1) - allowed a Trenton police officer to decide what was religious and what wasn't, (2) - that the Revolutionary War City of Trenton would order the doors closed on a Temple - Sanctuary. Freedom of religion or freedom of belief is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance. It also includes the freedom to change one's religion or belief. Freedom of religion is considered by many people and nations to be a fundamental human right. We as Americans have First Amendment rights to Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Assembly. I openly admit as a teenager I rejected the faith of my parents and sought out other beliefs practices and spirituality. Some of which I came to realize was in violation of law. I've got a current petition before U.S. Supreme Court right now challenging the NJ state marijuana laws on religions grounds. We in America generally think we have "freedom of religion", but most only follow the Government sanctioned religions and wouldn't notice violations of other faiths right to freely practice or assemble. I publicly announced I opened Liberty Bell Temple as a Sanctuary on May 15, 2015 when like minded cannabis consumers could assemble spiritually. Thanks to TPD's insistence on enforcing City Code: Article V: Business Hours of Operations 146-22, the people of Trenton will get to see how the Director of The Liberty Bell Temple (me) publicly defends his "right to assemble after 11 p.m.". On three occasions Feb 28, March 4, and March 5, TPD decided to have my Temple closed showing up with 21 police officers, a dog and blocking both ends of the street. See video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oes9yzAvXog On March 9 I filed a $1M lawsuit against the city and asked for a federal Injunction to prevent the Trenton Police from imposing city business rules on our Temple. That is my legal reaction. My public message to you sirs: Who are you to question how me and my cannabis consuming congregation decides to be spiritual, happy and most importantly for this issue you raised; at what time we can do this? Do you regulate at what times other Religious Organizations can have functions in Trenton? Does the Trenton Police Department regulate at what hours bingo can be held at a church I won't mention? Do you not understand the first amendment exists even here in this drug war torn city? Do I have to ask you at what time I can have karaoke, comedy or men's fellowship at my Temple? Must I have a King James Version of Da Bible (in James Earl Jones Voice) to stay open after 11 p.m.? When I have women's empowerment nights should I ask your permission? If I decide to hold an all night vigil this weekend will you bust in my door and haul off my congregation to the new age concrete plantation system you've been trained to fill with city residences? I'm not dry snitching TPD, but I noticed a few Spanish storefront churches with loud speakers and Spanish music last summer that weren't closed down after 11 p.m. I play Reggae music, it's the Gospel of Rastafarians. I have no reason or requirement to tell you exactly what I practice but I will tell you I follow the preaching's of the last Prophet who walked the earth - Bob Marley who said "Get up, stand up for your rights". Following that "sermon" that's exactly what I'm doing by filing this lawsuit. Standing up for my right to assemble at 11:30 p.m. or 4:20 a.m. Bite me and respond to that lawsuit - imagine being deposed by a pothead with a spiritual sense of rage. Sorry to all City of Trenton residents I usually don't think cities residents should be responsible for the mistakes of its officials but I warned the Trenton Police prior to this outrage. And I've been jailed for exercising my first amendment rights before by Government officials so I must push back hard with this lawsuit. In my lawsuit I asked for $1M in punitive damages but I also promise the city residents if I were to win any monetary funds from this Federal lawsuit I'd donate 75% of it to a local organization acceptable to City Council, the other 25% I'd buy some good weed for my Cannabis Consuming Congregation. Currently I have 667 members and I wonder how many TPD scared off. Hopefully at least 200 will show up for MidNight Mass this Friday and Saturday. You see following my spiritual sense of right and wrong I have no spiritual reason or moral compelling reason to follow his unconstitutional demand that we close our Temple doors. We'll be open at Midnight. In fact, I've installed an "open" neon sign that I will never turn off. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom