FLAG BURNING PROTEST
N.J. Weedman burns U.S. flag in protest of court’s actions

TRENTON – Edward Robert Forchion promised to burn an American flag yesterday at the Statehouse. And he, uh did. Sort of.

Yes, the “NJWeedman” had returned here to the statehouse where he had been previously arrested on May 11, 2005, when state Trooper Rasinsky grabbed him at the main entrance on charges of trespassing and disorderly conducted. He’d been a Senate candidate at the time, as he is now, delivering press releases. (That trial remains in limbo.)

This week, Forchion 42, sent out another of his inimitable press releases, summoning the press/moths to his flame, quoting Congress about the freedom of speech and press and religion and right to assemble and so on. This was prior to a press conference that “will end in his burning the U.S. and New Jersey flag as a protest to Christian State officials who have taken his child,” Weedman warned.

“Because he is openly not a Christian, and openly calls for the LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA.” Because of his, he added, N.J. “has taken my parental rights.”

State Police had also gotten wind of Weedman’s hijinks. At high noon yesterday two groups of a dozen troopers covered Veterans Park just across State Street, where Weedman promised to “hold a ‘flag burning’ session.” One group – Sgt. 1st Class Dave Maruca, Sgt. Eric Fowlkes and Detective Sgt. John Cappetta – was armed with a fire extinguisher. They had already read Weedman the riot act.

There is a statute against desecration of venerated objects – public monument, symbol of structure,” said Cappetta. “Plus, he’ll be arrested for not having a permit for an open fire.”

Weedman was at a picnic table at the back of Veterans Park. He talked about his 11-year-old daughter IN Lumberton, how his ex-fiancé through Burlington County Family Court had changed the girls name from his, and cut off his visits – all because the fiancé is a born-again Christian, and he’s a dope-promotin’ Rastafarian. He called this “an absurd, obscene violation of my rights.”

After a half-hour, Weedman admitted he’d used the flag burning ruse to lure reporters out to discuss his family court case. Said we wouldn’t have come if he hadn’t done otherwise. Reporters eyed the large old flag he’d brought. It lay folded on the table. He said he’d been in the National Guard, the U.S. Marines, the U.S. Army, and he’d brought this flag from an army base in West Germany back in the day.

But at the last minute, as he flicked his light, he admitted that flag was too scared to him. Weedman instead unrolled a tiny flag like the tourist buy – unrolled and lit it. It burned without flamboyance.

“I didn’t want to set the grass on fire,” he said sheepishly. State Police didn’t budge.

“We saw it,” said Sgt. Maruca. “There was nothing that created a public hazard, so therefore, we used some discretion on that.” Obviously, the destruction of the little flag is okay. The Weedman was free to burn again.