cannabisnews.com: Rastafarians Hit It Big in Pot Fight





Rastafarians Hit It Big in Pot Fight
Posted by CN Staff on May 30, 2002 at 12:44:21 PT
By David Kiefer of The Examiner Staff
Source: San Francisco Examiner
It's illegal to smoke ganja in Jamaica. At the Presidio, it's a different story. After all, it's freedom of religion -- if you're a Rastafarian, and have the dreadlocks to prove it.   Yep, those days of hiding that certain smell from your landlord are over. Rastafarians can now smoke out in the great outdoors as long as they keep it on federal land -- wink, wink -- and they have Benny Toves Guerrero to thank for the action.
 Guerrero was arrested at the Guam airport for marijuana possession, but his appeal to the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ended favorably Tuesday.  The court ruled that Congress had the power to make religious exemptions to existing laws. The result: A loophole allowing the smoking of weed -- a spiritual offering in the Rastafarian religion -- on federal land.   Around the Rastafarian community Wednesday, the court ruling was being savored like a long, slow toke.   "That's what I was telling you this morning," said a friend trying to help Jamaica native Glendon Codling, who was selling necklaces from a table on Market and Fifth streets Wednesday, fully realize the effect of the decision. "Can I be a Rasta?"  Unfortunately, Codling's Caucasian buddy might not pass muster. In other words, don't expect an influx of new converts.  "A Rasta comes with the hair," said Newton Gordon, Jamaica's honorary consul to San Francisco. "You don't see a Rasta with a nice crew cut."  But they do have pot. It's an integral part of the Rasta religion, and now, they don't have to hide it anymore. They can go to Ocean Beach, Crissy Field, Point Reyes, even the Farallons, and light a doobie.   "In Jamaica, it's a lot like food," Codling said. "It's like relaxation. But in Jamaica you get in big, big trouble."  You mean in the home of Bob Marley it is illegal to smoke pot? Codling was asked.  "Yes," he said, musing about the idea of being able to light one up near the Golden Gate Bridge.  Gordon explained that the law was implemented as a means to avoid a strong dependence on Colombian drug lords.  "But everybody looks the other way," Gordon said. "In Jamaica, no one's going to arrest you for smoking pot."  No one will here either, just watch where you're standing.Source: San Francisco Examiner (CA)Author: David Kiefer of The Examiner StaffPublished: May 30, 2002Copyright: 2002 San Francisco Examiner Contact: letters examiner.com Website: http://www.examiner.com/ Related Articles:Court OKs Use of Religious Pot on Federal Lands http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12983.shtmlU.S. Hears Guam Marijuana Casehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11290.shtmlJamaican Plan To Legalise Use of Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10779.shtml
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Comment #14 posted by paul peterson on June 03, 2002 at 09:43:01 PT:
GOD BLESS THE RASTI'S
These guys are great. They kept going in the worst of the worst days in the darkest dungeons of the darkest era in history the REAGAN BLACKOUT YEARS, or the REAGAN STORM TROOPER YEARS, and they kept going. Now, they are the trend setters that everybody must look to for leadership. But, forgive me if I sound anarchist or something, we need a faith and a leadership to go on further, that does not require dreadlocks for essential membership in a church, just to get federal criminal exemption. The way I see it, even those Hawaiian religions need a new analysis- If the use of pot is the ESSENTIAL CORE OF A RELIGION, without using the connectivity of that "entheogen" to seek your higher maker or power or creator, the inducement of the consciousness is only empty "idol" worship. I say, that this state of mind must LEAD TO YOUR GOD, and if it does (they call this the fruits of the spirit), then this is a true godly religious endeavor. My own savior is Jesus Christ, an Essene (at the time of Christ, there were 3 main groups-the Essenes wrote the "Dead Sea" scrolls and disappeared and morphed into the early church).I say, lets start a church and call it the "Church of the Path in Christ" and if ANY ENTHEOGEN helps you to see more clearly the path to Christ, we'll practice open communion! Of course, since a basic tenet of this religion is to blend into society for the benefit of seeking more converts, physical attributes such as the hair thingy are not required (nor banned, of course, that would be repressive, right?). We're waiting for an important case to come down from Hawaii before we have the precedential support, and since I live right now in the most repressive state in the midwest (West of Indiana, of course), I/m not ready to buy real estate or anything, but stay tuned, sports fans. 312-558-9999 (check out my zine #7 about that Hawaii case).  
http://ILLINOIS-MMI.org
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Comment #13 posted by Rev Jonathan Adler on May 31, 2002 at 10:41:21 PT:
Religion is Unique!
Aloha, Simply put, one man's religion is another man's cult, but isn't it the individual who decides which is right for him? That is what freedom is, the right to choose the religion you ascribe to and wish to experrience; without any intervention. This means free exercise of religion is sacro-sanst. It MUST be respected and protected by law enforcement and government agencies, even superseding their right to protect us from ourselves and each other. I am clearly the only legal cannabis user running for Hawaii Governor. Please support the concept of the first cannabis friendly state, Hawaii. Peace Out! Rev. Jonathan Adler/ Box 742 Hilo, Hi.96721
Adler4 Governor
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Comment #12 posted by dddd on May 30, 2002 at 23:43:30 PT
...What a Weird Story!.....
""A Rasta comes with the hair," said Newton Gordon, Jamaica's honorary consul to San Francisco. "You don't see a
      Rasta with a nice crew cut.""
...so,,are we to somehow assume that a person cannot claim to be a member of the federally exempt group unless they have the proper hair????.....".... - if you're a Rastafarian, and have the dreadlocks to prove it."...
...If this is the case,,that all true Rastafarians are required to sport dreadlocks in order to be eligible for the exemption from federal prosecutioners,,,?????....then,,if this is the case,,,I am going to open up a dreadlock wig company!...SpaceCat knows about the akward realities of maintaining dreadlocks....I know several heavy Rasta guys,who have confided in me about the unpleasant aspects of dreadlocks.....but,,I guess if dreadlocks are required for a person to have legal status with the feds,,and a doctors note is what one needs to legally use Marijuana in the state,,then I guess I will be going to the doctor,with a fresh set of dreadlocks,,or one of my new dreadlock wigs.....
...If I didnt want to go for genuine dreadlocks,I guess I would have to put on a dreadlock wig,and find the nearest qualifying federal property in California,,,perhaps a National Monument like Joshua Tree,,or maybe a military base?,,,,somewhere where I would be immune from being busted by local,state,and federal drugpigs.....dddd
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Comment #11 posted by JHarshaw on May 30, 2002 at 18:49:06 PT
Dick Cowan Indeed
This then is a perfect example of the media spinning a story to promote the "Idea De Jour"!
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Comment #10 posted by mayan on May 30, 2002 at 18:32:02 PT
More Missed Messages...
Terrorist Signs Were Missed, FBI Chief Says:
http://www.truthout.org/docs_02/05.31A.Muller.Bush.htmU.S. Ignored Warnings From French:
http://www.truthout.org/docs_02/05.31B.french.warn.htm
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Comment #9 posted by mayan on May 30, 2002 at 18:02:55 PT
What part...
of the 1st Amendment didn't they understand?"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."unrelated:MISSED MESSAGES - Why The G didn't know what it knew: http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/
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Comment #8 posted by SpaceCat on May 30, 2002 at 14:51:43 PT
Dreadlocks
It wouldn't be worth growing dreads anyway, just for cover. They itch! I had dreads for about a year (got tired of my 14" locks, but didn't want to cut them off, so I got a "dread-perm"). A very "Black Like Me" experience (I am quite white), and it caused wonderful cognitive dissonance in many (non music-biz) people because they couldn't pigeonhole me, but most decided on a bigoted reaction. A real eye-opener for what non-whites in America must experience every day.
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Comment #7 posted by null on May 30, 2002 at 14:36:01 PT
what is likely
While this ruling is very good news, the cynical side of me is supicious of the real implications for this new law's "enforcement".Police will probably still arrest Rastafarians. When the arestee explains about the new ruling and his/her religious freedom, the officer will just retort "Tell it to the judge." So they will still have to waste thousands of dollars in legal fees to be exonerated.
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Comment #6 posted by SpaceCat on May 30, 2002 at 14:31:11 PT
Richard Cowen Moment
It's the same case, with each story focusing on a different part of the ruling. The court said that possession was OK, but that he could be tried for importation.
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Comment #5 posted by JHarshaw on May 30, 2002 at 13:45:02 PT
Memory Lapse
I neglected to mention where the story was posted. Sorryhttp://www.mapinc.org/newscc/v02/n1014/a09.html?397
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Comment #4 posted by JHarshaw on May 30, 2002 at 13:41:18 PT
Minor Confusion
Unless I'm really stoned there is a report of the same story from San Francisco (AP) with the exact opposite verdict.Any idea which story is correct?
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Comment #3 posted by MDG on May 30, 2002 at 13:13:29 PT
Ocean Beach...that would be something.
There is a "mobile police station" (trailer) in the parking lot at the Ocean Beach pier, just a few yards from the sand. I can just imagine a group of Rastas lighting up right there. Imagine the police reaction! Of course, the author is probably talking about some other Ocean Beach than the one I know.
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Comment #2 posted by Dark Star on May 30, 2002 at 13:12:14 PT
Federal Reaction
This one's gonna stick in the federal craw. Expect a challenge to the Supremes. If they're willing to make a stink about 2.5 grams in Oregon, they're not likely to allow reggae bands to have huge spliffs with multiples of 2.5 grams hanging out of their mouths on federal land.
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Comment #1 posted by E_Johnson on May 30, 2002 at 13:10:11 PT
I've always loved the Examiner
Glad it's still around!!!Go Examiner!
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