Pubdate: Tue, 06 Apr 2010
Source: Federal Way Mirror (WA)
Copyright: 2010 Sound Publishing
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/Sk6rBdu0
Website: http://www.fedwaymirror.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2077
Author: Mark Knapp

MEDICAL MARIJUANA ACTIVIST POLLINATES GUN POLITICS

Steve Sarich, the Kirkland medical marijuana activist who was wounded
by a shotgun blast in the face and the arm, used guns to stop a home
invasion last month.

According to King County, his paperwork authorizing him to use and
grow marijuana for medical reasons was enough to deny him the
possession of weapons.

After the attempted March 15 robbery, the police took Sarich's
weapons. When he went to buy a shotgun and pistol to replace weapons
taken by the police, the National Instant Check System (NICS) denied
his gun transaction. Federal law prohibits "unlawful users" of
controlled substances from buying guns. Mr. Sarich has no criminal
record.

After a previous burglary, the King County Sheriff's office sent a
police report to the NICS, the FBI unit that determines who can
possess guns. Possession of a medical drug card is sufficient to
establish an inference of current drug use, according to the sheriff's
office records unit. The Code of Federal Regulations defines an
unlawful user or person addicted to any controlled substance as
follows: A person who uses a controlled substance and has lost the
power of self-control with reference to the use of controlled
substance; and any person who is a current user of a controlled
substance in a manner other than as prescribed by a licensed physician.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms as well as NICS look at
evidence of recent use or possession of a controlled substance. In
Sarich's case, the fact that he has publicly advocated on behalf of
medical marijuana users, and operates in areas that test the limits of
U.S. drug laws, raises the issue of targeting by local and federal
officials.

Joseph Stalin bragged that he could find a crime to convict any Soviet
citizen. He made the claim knowing that the Soviet criminal code
contained so many varieties of economic crime that anything could be
contraband. Even as the pendulum progresses toward more liberal
marijuana laws, people like Sarich are being targeted for home
invasion and robbery.

Three years ago, Sarich's former Everett home was raided by state law
enforcement officials who seized more than 1,000 plants. Even though
King County referred the case to the Department of Justice, charges
were never filed. But Sarich has now used not one, but two guns to
defend his home.

I wonder which way the pendulum is swinging for gun owners when
so-called Christian militia members are in federal custody on gun
charges and for allegedly conspiring to kill police officers. The
Department of Justice has shown the world that Karl Rove and Co. used
Islamic terrorism to justify conduct that Obama Inc. believes was illegal.

Just as National Health Care was enacted despite public outrage, the
federal government exposes rightist conspiracies to commit murder.
Anyone that plans to kill innocent people should be prosecuted. But
the new theme pollinating mainstream news outlets is that Tea Party
activists, Sarah Palin and talk radio are propagating the climate of
violence.

Every citizen is in the crosshairs of government when laws are
enforced selectively.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake