Pubdate: Mon, 14 Mar 2016
Source: Trentonian, The (NJ)
Column: NJ Weedman's Passing the Joint
Copyright: 2016 The Trentonian
Contact:  http://www.trentonian.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1006
Author: Ed Forchion, NJWeedman.com For The Trentonian

DO WE HAVE FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR FREEDOM OF RELIGION ACCEPTABLE TO THE POLICE?

Well I really wanted to write about the GOP politics and the national 
election campaigns going on this week but instead - thanks to the 
Trenton Police Department (TPD). I'll be opinionating my point of 
view on "FREEDOM of RELIGION" because it obviously differs from TPD's view.

In third or fourth grade social studies I was taught at Winslow Twp. 
School number two that all Americans have the right to choose their 
own religions. This right was so revered by the founders (sorry 
natives) of this country that they made it the first right. As most 
people as a child I followed the faith of my parents. I was brought 
up in a traditional Baptist church, the First Baptist of Berlin, New 
Jersey. Most of our services were at traditional hours 8 a.m.-5 p.m. 
at the latest, but occasionally we had Midnight Mass on special 
occasions like New Years, and Easter. Black eye peas & pork, hymnals 
and amens. The Winslow Twp. Police would never had banned this.

The Constitution's Bill of Rights was written in the late 1700"s, at 
that time people went to bed at sundown, people didn't venture far 
from their homes and they couldn't have imagined the 24 hour world we 
live in today. But I'd bet my last "spliff" they sure wouldn't have 
(1) - allowed a Trenton police officer to decide what was religious 
and what wasn't, (2) - that the Revolutionary War City of Trenton 
would order the doors closed on a Temple - Sanctuary.

Freedom of religion or freedom of belief is a principle that supports 
the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to 
manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and 
observance. It also includes the freedom to change one's religion or 
belief. Freedom of religion is considered by many people and nations 
to be a fundamental human right.

We as Americans have First Amendment rights to Freedom of Religion 
and Freedom of Assembly.

I openly admit as a teenager I rejected the faith of my parents and 
sought out other beliefs  practices and spirituality. Some of which I 
came to realize was in violation of law. I've got a current petition 
before U.S. Supreme Court right now challenging the NJ state 
marijuana laws on religions grounds. We in America generally think we 
have "freedom of religion", but most only follow the Government 
sanctioned religions and wouldn't notice violations of other faiths 
right to freely practice or assemble.

I publicly announced I opened Liberty Bell Temple as a Sanctuary on 
May 15, 2015 when like minded cannabis consumers could assemble spiritually.

Thanks to TPD's insistence on enforcing City Code: Article V: 
Business Hours of Operations 146-22, the people of Trenton will get 
to see how the Director of The Liberty Bell Temple (me) publicly 
defends his "right to assemble  after 11 p.m.". On three occasions 
Feb 28, March 4, and March 5, TPD decided to have my Temple closed 
showing up with 21 police officers, a dog and blocking both ends of 
the street. See video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oes9yzAvXog

On March 9 I filed a $1M lawsuit against the city and asked for a 
federal Injunction to prevent the Trenton Police from imposing city 
business rules on our Temple. That is my legal reaction.

My public message to you sirs: Who are you to question how me and my 
cannabis consuming congregation decides to be spiritual, happy and 
most importantly for this issue you raised; at what time we can do 
this? Do you regulate at what times other Religious Organizations can 
have functions in Trenton? Does the Trenton Police Department 
regulate at what hours bingo can be held at a church I won't mention? 
Do you not understand the first amendment exists even here in this 
drug war torn city? Do I have to ask you at what time I can have 
karaoke, comedy or men's fellowship at my Temple? Must I have a King 
James Version of Da Bible (in James Earl Jones Voice) to stay open 
after 11 p.m.?

When I have women's empowerment nights should I ask your permission? 
If I decide to hold an all night vigil this weekend will you bust in 
my door and haul off my congregation to the new age concrete 
plantation system you've been trained to fill with city residences?

I'm not dry snitching TPD, but I noticed a few Spanish storefront 
churches with loud speakers and Spanish music last summer that 
weren't closed down after 11 p.m. I play Reggae music, it's the 
Gospel of Rastafarians. I have no reason or requirement to tell you 
exactly what I practice but I will tell you I follow the preaching's 
of the last Prophet who walked the earth - Bob Marley who said "Get 
up, stand up for your rights". Following that "sermon" that's exactly 
what I'm doing by filing this lawsuit.

Standing up for my right to assemble at 11:30 p.m. or 4:20 a.m. Bite 
me and respond to that lawsuit - imagine being deposed by a pothead 
with a spiritual sense of rage.

Sorry to all City of Trenton residents  I usually don't think cities 
residents should be responsible for the mistakes of its officials but 
I warned the Trenton Police prior to this outrage. And I've been 
jailed for exercising my first amendment rights before by Government 
officials so I must push back hard with this lawsuit. In my lawsuit I 
asked for $1M in punitive damages but I also promise the city 
residents if I were to win any monetary funds from this Federal 
lawsuit I'd donate 75% of it to a local organization acceptable to 
City Council, the other 25% I'd buy some good weed for my Cannabis 
Consuming Congregation.

Currently I have 667 members and I wonder how many TPD scared off. 
Hopefully at least 200 will show up for MidNight Mass this Friday and Saturday.

You see following my spiritual sense of right and wrong I have no 
spiritual reason or moral compelling reason to follow his 
unconstitutional demand that we close our Temple doors. We'll be open 
at Midnight. In fact, I've installed an "open" neon sign that I will 
never turn off.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom