T
The420Guy
Guest
At 3.00 p.m., just under 24 hours after being arrested for half a gram of
marijuana possession, I was released from the Orwellian named 'Public Safety
Building' and then the Remand Centre in Winnipeg.
I appeared before a magistrate this morning who allowed my release on $500
bail and the condition that I not break any laws, not cause a public
disturbance, remain of good character.
I explained that " I would be duty bound to lead my people in
demonstrations" and the judge asked, "who are your people?" and I said "The
oppressed marijuana people." He said , "If you break the law you will be
brought back here."
They clearly did not want me going to Dauphin, Manitoba, where I spoke by
phone an hour after my release to a rally of over 200 people assembled to
meet me at the Dauphin police HQ. Since my plane flight was scheduled this
morning, and a drive takes 4 hours, I was unable to make my Dauphin
apopointment. I was hooked up by telephone to PA system and thanked them for
their support and told them about prison life for half a gram. I told them
"never believe it when politicians tell you no one goes to jail for small
amounts of marijuana." I was searched 5 times, strip searched ("spread your
cheeks & cough!"), there was no veggie food so I ate nothing in the 23 hours
there, water tastes weird, everything is concrete & steel, so there isn't a
comfortable position possible. Of course, this is my 11th arrest for pot,
9th jailing, so its all pretty familiar. Short timers get top bunk where the
light is always on all night so I couldn't sleep, of course, plus its as
uncomfortable as all get out. This morning they delivered newspapers where I
am the entire front page of the Winnipeg Sun and much of the front page of
the Winnipeg Free Press. Great articles, facts are right, photos huge and
the Canucks bong shows up great. The police, alas, have the Canucks bong as
evidence. I autographed 9 copies for fellow inmates, most of whom in my
"pod" are there for drugs, including pot possession for sale, cultivation,
but cocaine & heroin sellers too. Many native people are there. All of the
inmates treated me very well, and the guards are all polite (one asked me
about my sketch with the Trailer Park Boys) but they cut you no slack
because you are well known. I have no complaints about the police behaviour.
Prisons are awful, of course. The system (gov't) demonizes us, then the
prison system dehumanizes us, and then we have a criminal record (no U.S.
travel, not bondable, etc.). I further have these onerous conditions of bail
also so any future civil disobediance can get me in the jail until my charge
is dealt with. Control, control, control. Thats what the cannabis laws are
all about.
The tour however, continues. I am in Regina Saturday, and I will speak to
whomever appears. I am not sure what my strategy will be, but I want to talk
to the people who come to see me, tell them to run for the Marijuana Party
in the federal election, tell them that people do go to jail for a fraction
of a joint (even when 'marijuana is legal!') and continue the fight.
I don't mind jail for a day, two days or seven days, but the court basically
threatened to put in back in for 10 weeks until my set-trial date of
September 27.
Right now, I am going to wash and shave, go to the Winnipeg Folk Festival,
and then see more Winnipeg supporters.
I will go back to Dauphin to support my friends at Sweet Hemptations
sometime soon, and meet the fabulous people there.
More later after I clean up.
By the way, I did many interviews prior to my arrest about the government
selling seeds, weed ($145 an ounce), and cultivating pot now. The government
has been ordered by the courts to remedy the med marijuana paradox (legal to
have, not legal to obtain) and the Health Dept. responded with this
graceless response (which only affects 550 people, after med marijuana
exemptions have been available for 4 years, they are still so difficult to
obtain).
Well, Canadian marijuana politics is a wild time, and I am glad my destiny
in life is to guide it to sanity and humanity.
But I'm tired now, and I need a bit of rest and shower. Thanks for your
support. In truth, I am a little afraid for my future, but I guess that is
normal. I will end up needing more bail money, lawyers money, patience,
forebearance. It's lonely in jail and I may well end up in many more for
longer times, but what is life if not struggle for the greater glory of
individual choice, freedom, autonomy, dignity: to be human & free.
If not me, then who?
by Marc Scott Emery
Thu Jul 10 2003 03:35 PM
marijuana possession, I was released from the Orwellian named 'Public Safety
Building' and then the Remand Centre in Winnipeg.
I appeared before a magistrate this morning who allowed my release on $500
bail and the condition that I not break any laws, not cause a public
disturbance, remain of good character.
I explained that " I would be duty bound to lead my people in
demonstrations" and the judge asked, "who are your people?" and I said "The
oppressed marijuana people." He said , "If you break the law you will be
brought back here."
They clearly did not want me going to Dauphin, Manitoba, where I spoke by
phone an hour after my release to a rally of over 200 people assembled to
meet me at the Dauphin police HQ. Since my plane flight was scheduled this
morning, and a drive takes 4 hours, I was unable to make my Dauphin
apopointment. I was hooked up by telephone to PA system and thanked them for
their support and told them about prison life for half a gram. I told them
"never believe it when politicians tell you no one goes to jail for small
amounts of marijuana." I was searched 5 times, strip searched ("spread your
cheeks & cough!"), there was no veggie food so I ate nothing in the 23 hours
there, water tastes weird, everything is concrete & steel, so there isn't a
comfortable position possible. Of course, this is my 11th arrest for pot,
9th jailing, so its all pretty familiar. Short timers get top bunk where the
light is always on all night so I couldn't sleep, of course, plus its as
uncomfortable as all get out. This morning they delivered newspapers where I
am the entire front page of the Winnipeg Sun and much of the front page of
the Winnipeg Free Press. Great articles, facts are right, photos huge and
the Canucks bong shows up great. The police, alas, have the Canucks bong as
evidence. I autographed 9 copies for fellow inmates, most of whom in my
"pod" are there for drugs, including pot possession for sale, cultivation,
but cocaine & heroin sellers too. Many native people are there. All of the
inmates treated me very well, and the guards are all polite (one asked me
about my sketch with the Trailer Park Boys) but they cut you no slack
because you are well known. I have no complaints about the police behaviour.
Prisons are awful, of course. The system (gov't) demonizes us, then the
prison system dehumanizes us, and then we have a criminal record (no U.S.
travel, not bondable, etc.). I further have these onerous conditions of bail
also so any future civil disobediance can get me in the jail until my charge
is dealt with. Control, control, control. Thats what the cannabis laws are
all about.
The tour however, continues. I am in Regina Saturday, and I will speak to
whomever appears. I am not sure what my strategy will be, but I want to talk
to the people who come to see me, tell them to run for the Marijuana Party
in the federal election, tell them that people do go to jail for a fraction
of a joint (even when 'marijuana is legal!') and continue the fight.
I don't mind jail for a day, two days or seven days, but the court basically
threatened to put in back in for 10 weeks until my set-trial date of
September 27.
Right now, I am going to wash and shave, go to the Winnipeg Folk Festival,
and then see more Winnipeg supporters.
I will go back to Dauphin to support my friends at Sweet Hemptations
sometime soon, and meet the fabulous people there.
More later after I clean up.
By the way, I did many interviews prior to my arrest about the government
selling seeds, weed ($145 an ounce), and cultivating pot now. The government
has been ordered by the courts to remedy the med marijuana paradox (legal to
have, not legal to obtain) and the Health Dept. responded with this
graceless response (which only affects 550 people, after med marijuana
exemptions have been available for 4 years, they are still so difficult to
obtain).
Well, Canadian marijuana politics is a wild time, and I am glad my destiny
in life is to guide it to sanity and humanity.
But I'm tired now, and I need a bit of rest and shower. Thanks for your
support. In truth, I am a little afraid for my future, but I guess that is
normal. I will end up needing more bail money, lawyers money, patience,
forebearance. It's lonely in jail and I may well end up in many more for
longer times, but what is life if not struggle for the greater glory of
individual choice, freedom, autonomy, dignity: to be human & free.
If not me, then who?
by Marc Scott Emery
Thu Jul 10 2003 03:35 PM
