Marc Emery to be Extradited to the US

[StoneMtn]

I just learned from Jodie Emery that my longtime very close friend, mentor, and freedom fighter Marc Emery will be extradited to the US to spend 5 years in federal prison for selling marijuana seeds over the internet. Marc turned himself in at 9 a.m. Monday morning to await his fate.

It is a sad day for Justice in America and Canada. I talked to Marc Friday evening and he was in good spirits and still holding out some hope that the Canadian Injustice Minister Rob Nicholson would refuse to sign the extradition order. Monday was the last day to sign it.

Marc only sold seeds from a natural plant that grows wild all over the earth. How is it that we have allowed our respective governments to outlaw nature and cruelly persecute those of us who refuse to bow down to their tyranny?

Truth is, Marc's case has nothing to do with selling marijuana seeds over the internet. There are many other Canadian based marijuana seed sellers, located on the exact same block as Marc in Vancouver, B.C. The only difference between those seed sellers and Marc is that Marc used the millions of dollars he made to fund a movement to end marijuana prohibition, which does more harm to society than marijuana will ever do. He was a brilliant, loudmouth, belligerent, indefatigable, non-violent, civil disobedient thorn in the asses of the American and Canadian governments for many, many, years.

Marc used his proceeds from the sales of marijuana seeds to contribute to nearly everyone working on ending marijuana prohibition on every part of the globe. He funded rallies, marches, ballot petitions, organizations, campaigns, and individuals. He founded political parties and ran for office nearly every election and inspired others to do the same. Yours truly, included. He was my sole funder from 2002-2005. He hired me to work for him as news anchor for web based Pot TV News. He sent me all over the US, Canada, and even to Colombia, South America, to study and report on the disastrous consequences of the drug war. He inspired me to stand up and fight marijuana prohibition in the scariest and most difficult place to bring about change in the US, and quite possibly, the entire world. Alabama.

Marc convinced me to run for Governor of Alabama. His influence in getting the conversation started in Alabama about the dire need to end prohibition cannot be overstated. In short, Marc inspired me and thousands of others like me to stand up and fight back against an immoral and deadly government policy that goes against the very principles upon which the United States of America was founded. And the American government hates dissenters.

His success in organizing a global battle against prohibition is why he was arrested. Not because he sold marijuana seeds. But, because he fought the government.

The other seed sellers pocketed their money. Not saying there is a thing wrong with making money or keeping the money you make. I'm just saying that if Marc's arrest was really about selling marijuana seeds then the other marijuana seed sellers, on his same block in Vancouver, would have also been arrested and extradited to the US.

Another thing that confirms that this is political persecution is the very words of former head of the DEA Karen Tandy on the day Marc was arrested.

"Today's DEA arrest of Marc Scott Emery, publisher of Cannabis Culture Magazine, and founder of a marijuana legalization group - is a significant blow not only to the marijuana trafficking trade in the US and Canada but also to the marijuana legalization movement. Hundreds of thousands of Emery's illicit profits are known to have been channeled to marijuana legalization groups active in the US and Canada. Drug legalization lobbyists now have one less pot of money to rely on."

I guess Tandy and the DEA thought that all of the thousands of people Marc inspired to fight back would just pack up our bongs, go home and get back into our smoke-filled closets and hide from the all powerful government. I guess she didn't count on us actually believing in what we are doing and that, while having money to fight against prohibition is nice, lots of it isn't really required. It doesn't cost much to email a letter to the editor, stand on a busy street corner with a sign, talk to your elected officials about the drug war, talk to your family and friends about the drug war, or get involved in the political process. Money is secondary to true freedom fighters. We fight every day whether we have money or not.

What former head of the DEA Tandy and current head Michele Leonheart have done is galvanize a movement. Shit....they thought Marc was a pain in the ass on the outside...just wait til he gets settled in prison and starts organizing from the inside. Heh...my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

To all of those inspired by Marc over the years, hold strong. Marc Emery is the strongest willed individual I have ever encountered. He already has the next five years of his life in prison planned. He is going to learn French and Spanish. He's going to write a book about his amazing life. He's going to communicate with the troops on the outside, and inspire those in federal prison with him. Within a week or two of his arrival I can almost guarantee that there will be a demonstration of some sort outside the prison where he is. No one knows where that will be yet. When he gets out he is going to run for Prime Minister of Canada.

This case was started under the Bush administration and should have been dropped when President Obama took office. I think petitioning President Obama to pardon Marc, or, at the very least, allow him to serve his time in Canada, is in order.

This is America and there should be NO POLITICAL PRISONERS here.

Marc Emery is a Political Prisoner.

We're now on par with the former Soviet Union, China, and many third world despots who have, throughout history, imprisoned their political opponents and political dissenters.

http://cannabisculture.com/v2/node/23557

[localcrew]

Sucks......given the choice of ending up in a country lead by Obama or a country lead by Stephen Harper I'm not sure he's not better off though.....

[SaggyBalls]

the banner ad is for 'remove criminal records' when I read this.

awesome.

[Kanada Kev]

Emery accepts 5-year sentencing. What a complete waste of money.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/05/25/Prince-of-Pot-accepts-5-year-jail-term/UPI-24441274828579/

SEATTLE, May 25 (UPI) -- Canadian Marc Emery has pleaded guilty to charges of selling millions of pot seeds to clients including marijuana legalization advocates, authorities said.

Emery, 52, pleaded guilty Monday to one count of conspiracy to manufacture marijuana and will be sentenced Aug. 27, Seattlepi.com reported. The offenses carry a minimum 5-year jail term, the report said.

Emery was indicted in 2005 but was able to fight extradition to the United States until recently. He arrived Thursday in U.S. District Court in Seattle ahead of the plea hearing Monday.

"Hundreds of thousands of dollars of Emery's illicit profits are known to have been channeled to marijuana legalization groups active in the United States and Canada," former Drug Enforcement Administration head Karen Tandy said at the time of the indictment. "Drug legalization lobbyists now have one less pot of money to rely on."

Tandy led the DEA from 2003 to 2007.