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Ed Forchion - American Dissident ask's:
         Does the first amendment apply to all religions? -
        I know it does read below!
Or just too Christian acceptable religions! ( CLICK HERE )

RASTAFARIAN NEWS - WORLD-WIDE

(click link above)

 

 

WRITTEN, November 25, 1999

 

EDWARD "njweedman" FORCHION 
use's these instant messenger service's: 
njweedman@yahoo.com

 

I choose religion, that is illegal in the USA

“RASTAFARI”

For this my child was taken

 

 

In 1994 when I began embracing RASTAFARI I had no idea that I would one day have my child taken from me, my freedom, my life, and the lives of my family threatened because of the religion  I freely was choosing. I have chosen RASTAFARI an illegal religion in the USA. A religion made illegal with the RACIST “WAR ON DRUGS”. At one time I really believed that the US Constitution meant something, I now know it doesn't, the Republican & Democratic party policies of "WAR" has over-taken the constitution to the point that even the very first amendment to the Bill of Rights is ignored, or as Burlington Family Court Judge Maria S. Bell said, “FORGET THE FIRST”.

There is no such thing as freedom of religion any longer; it now is “Freedom of Religions decided upon by our states Christian Lawmakers to be religions”. Religions, such as (WACO, TX) the Branch Davidians, or Philadelphia's African unity religion ( MOVE ) have been publicly, and violently told this, through  US government sanctioned executions, and massacres. While Rastafarians  routinely become POW’s of Americas  RACIST  “WAR on DRUGS”.

Although I began using marijuana long before I was formally  introduced to RASTAFARI, once I found RASTAFARI- it further convinced me that the marijuana laws were wrong, because marijuana is good!  Only now Jah tells me so. Does the first amendment protect me like it protects Native Americans who use Peyote , (A cactus that produces natural LSD), or Christians who use alcohol. I believe it does, and will soon ask a NEW JERSEY jury if they think it does! 

RASTAFARI is an African based Religion, with strong roots to Jamaica. Some 700,000 Americans now practice RASTAFARI. I being one of them. Some 40 Million-world wide. It is among the 1,558 religious groups sufficiently stable and distinctive to be identified as one of the existing religions in this country. SEE: US-vs.-Bauer, 75 F.3d 1366 (9th Cir.1996)  The very first amendment to the constitution clearly state's: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the Free exercise thereof;" However while RASTAFARI is a religion recognized by the US Government, and the UN, the State of New Jersey routinely imprisons RASTAFARI believer's for using marijuana. Contrary to the 1st amendment.

In the RASTAFARIAN religion the herb (marijuana) or GANJA is considered a sacrament and most Rasta’s use daily, for spirituality, and medical use. “AS I DO!”  The present Marijuana laws are absolutely unconstitutional, for it's failure's to make exceptions for religious or self medicating purpose's in this marijuana prohibition as was done with alcohol during the alcohol prohibition.

For those of you who don’t know it, during the Alcohol Prohibition, wine was still legal for citizens who identified themselves as Christian believers. I know this for when I was a child my parents took “us” (brother and sisters) on a tour of the Renault Winery on rt. 30 in Hammonton, NJ. The Renault winery was one of the very few alcohol producers in the whole country to be allowed to operate throughout the Alcohol Prohibition years. Its customer, the CATHOLIC-CHURCH. Who still provide this drug to minors in what they call communion. In an act that other than for this religious exception would be considered a crime: Providing alcohol to a minor.

Present marijuana laws now written by Christian law makers refuse to make similar exemptions for RASTAFARIANS and other religious groups, who use the herb (marijuana), instead of the grape, as a spiritual sacrament, or in the exercise of their religions faiths/beliefs. They further discriminate in that no exception is made to RASTA individuals who choose to medicate with natural herb's; of which marijuana is the greatest. Directly resulting in the imprisonment of US citizens for their Religions, as I may soon be. Or for taking our children, from us as Judge Bell has done to me. This is an example of religious preference, or persecution. A human rights violation.

Unless  my Jury is informed of its (1) constitutionally permissible function of a jury, to nullify this law which clearly is unconstitutional and they then choose to do so, by rendering a verdict of not guilty. I may spend close to 30 years in a (US POW camp) prison essentially for having a religion that is illegal. For those of you who don’t know what Jury Nullification here it is briefly:

"Jury nullification of law," as it is sometimes called, is a traditional American right defended by the Founding Fathers. Those Patriots intended the jury to serve as one of the tests a law must pass before it assumes enough popular authority to be enforced. Thus the Constitution provides five separate tribunals with veto power “representatives, senate, executive, judges and the jury” that each enactment of law must pass before it gains the authority to punish those who choose to violate it. Thomas Jefferson said, "I consider trial by jury as the only anchor yet imagined by man, by whom a government can be held to the principles of its constitution."

On Nov. 24th 1997 I was the first individual arrested under a new drug law signed by Christy Whitman August 2, 1997. As the first person indicted under this new law I openly call 4 my jury to utilize their veto power and Nullify it! I want my jury to nullify this law, render it unacceptable! Declare it Unconstitutional! I have every right to do this but the prosecutor's will try everything to prevent me from doing so. I have taken my position to the people, with news release's, press conference's and radio/television ads. I want the Jury to know my position before trial in case the trial Judge prevent me from presenting my position to the Jury.

"Hopefully I'll be allowed to at least read the constitution to my juror's". I believe if my jury is fully informed of its veto-power and my right to freely exercise my religion I will be acquitted". 

“ARRESTED FOR IMPORTING OUR SACRAMENT”

 

 

The Courier Post
11/25/1997

"Three men arrested on Marijuana Charges"

By Clint Riley,
Courier Post Staff

Bellmawr - Authorities closed in Monday on three South Jersey men accused of having 45 pounds of marijuana shipped to Bellmawr from Arizona.

Unemployed truck driver ROBERT EDWARD FORCHION, Jr. 33 of the 500 block of Seigfried Avenue Chesilhurst and Russell Forchion, 28 of Union Street Glassboro, were arrested Monday along Route 42 in Bellmawr authorities said. Police and members of the Camden County Prosecutors Office "Narcotics Unit reportedly seized 45 pounds of marijuana from a vehicle in which the men were riding. The two are related but authorities did not dis-close how.

A third man, ERIC POOLE, 39, of the fountainveiw Apartments, Blackwood was arrested almost simultaneously at an undisclosed business near the Bellmawr Industrial Park. The arrests were the culmination of a month-long investigation into the groups activities by Police in Bellmawr and Phoenix, Arizona and a federal and state drug task force.

Authorities allege Robert Edward Forchion went to Phoenix, where he also has a residence, to arrange for the shipment of marijuana to a Bellmawr business. The name of the business was not disclosed.

All three men arrested Monday have been charged with possession with intent to distribute more than 25 pounds of marijuana and related drug charges, said GREG REINHART, spokesman for the Camden County Prosecutors Office.

Robert Forchion was being held Monday at the Camden County Jail on $100,000 cash bail. Russell Forchion was being held at the same facility on $75,000 cash bail. While authorities said, drug charges are pending, Poole was being held at the same jail on municipal charges.

The Forchions and Poole are the first individuals charged with distribution of more than 25 pounds of marijuana in Camden County since Gov. Christie Whitman made the offense a first degree crime in August.

If convicted of the charge they each face up to 20 years in prison and $300,000 in fines.

For update's of this case click here: 
( Camden County -Superior Court case {40lb Case}

 

 


For those of you who think religious persecution only exist in far away places like Bosnia, Kosovar or Rwanda. You need to look no further than New Jersey, or the Burlington County Family court which has taken my parental rights because I have a religion which is ILLEGAL, despite the US and NJ Constitutions. I am an AMERICA DISSIDENT a victim of my government persecution of me and millions of other's who freely chose to ingest marijuana into our own bodies. 

 

The unconstitutional marijuana laws are directly interfering with my constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion. And my "RIGHT TO REGULATE MY OWN BODY". The marijuana laws are wrong! Not I, “I say”. The marijuana laws are directly interfering with the “free exercise” of my chosen religion- "RASTAFARI"- this is an obscene violation of the Constitution's very first amendment. My marijuana use for religious reasons, is protected by the NJ Constitutions Article I, (3) and (4).

(3) - No person shall be deprived of the inestimable privilege of worshipping “Almighty  God” in a manner agreeable to the dictates of his own conscience.

(4) - There shall be no establishment of one religious sect in preference to another;

The US Constitution, the pending (RLA) Religious Liberties Act and the (RRA) Religious Restoration act of 1993, signed into law Nov. 16, 1993 by our non-inhaling, sexually addicted President William "Joint." Clinton.

"Hopefully I'll be allowed to at least read the constitution to my juror's they should be allowed to know the History of Jury Nullification".

Have any of you every heard of William Penn the Quaker, or Mr. Wood, from Bury England who founded Woodbury NJ., based on religious freedom.  These men where persecuted out of England for their religions. They thought so much of Religious Freedom as they formed these countries laws that the rights to “free exercise of Religion”, and “free speech” were made into the very first amendment to the Bill of Rights. This was also the purpose of the "Right to a Jury trial". This is what should be taught in school not the ten commandments or DARE fabrications. (Ironically Woodbury Police arrested and removed me from a vacate lot on June 18 1998, for talking publicly about marijuana and my religion - On Nov 18 1999 I was found guilty in a Woodbury Municipal court where juries are forbidden.)

Do you think children that are now going to be forced feed the 10 commandments, or are being introduced to drugs and propaganda by DARE at school will be able to accept that there are other religions with other beliefs, practices and customs. When even our courts officers like Judge Bell don’t! 

 

Edward Forchion njweedman@yahoo.com

-AKA –“NJWEEDMAN”


 

(1) John T Wynne -Asst Prosecutor who is prosecuting me, in his May 20th 1999 reply to my motion to represent myself before Judge Freeman say's this quote: "Jury Nullification is a constitutionally permissible function of a Jury" but Mr. Forchion should not be allowed to argue this before a Jury.

(2) - Peyote Click here

SEE: 420TIMES ARTICLE

 

 


RAS ED FORCHION

 

On Dec. 1st 2000 Ras Ed reported to Prison

RAS ED is now a
Political-Prisoner

He is now one of the over 1 million U.S. Drug WAR PRISONERS





 


THE NEXT "PLANNED" MAJOR NJWEEDMAN ACT OF CIVIL DIS-OBEDIENCE

 

***Marijuana is legal 4 religious purpose's***


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