Legalizing Marijuana is Not the Freedom You Think It Is

By Vin Armani

Number of states with legal recreational marijuana doubles on election night. Massachusetts, California, Nevada, and Maine join Colorado, Oregon, Washington and Alaska to make 8 total states that will permit the sale and possession of cannabis. *Some restrictions may apply 🙂

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Vin Armani is the host of The Vin Armani Show on Activist Post, TV Star of Gigolos on Showtime, Author, DJ, and Agorist Entrepreneur. Follow Vin on Twitter and subscribe on YouTube. Get the weekly podcast on iTunes or Stitcher.


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19 Comments on "Legalizing Marijuana is Not the Freedom You Think It Is"

  1. He’s wrong. The complete opposite of freedom is what we had before. And while this now isn’t true cannabis freedom, it sure beats how things were around here in Washington state before they legalized some 4 years ago now. This guy is nothing but a hair-splitter on the cannabis issue…

    • No, you are incorrect. He is mostly correct. Understanding our Constitutional Republic, and that all that those that serve within our government is allowed to do is in writing within the contract that they are Oath bound to.

      “The basic purpose of a written constitution has a two-fold aspect, first securing [not granting] to the people of certain unchangeable rights and remedies, and second, the curtailment of unrestricted governmental activity within certain defined spheres.” Du Pont v. Du Pont, 85 A 724.

      “What is a constitution? It is the form of government, delineated by the mighty hand of the people, in which certain first principles of fundamental laws are established.” Van Horne v. Dorrance, 2 Dall. 304.

      “A constitution is designated as a supreme enactment, a fundamental act of legislation by the people of the state. A constitution is legislation direct from the people acting in their sovereign
      capacity, while a statute is legislation from their representatives, subject to limitations prescribed by the superior authority.” Ellingham v. Dye, 231 U. S. 250.

      “The constitution of a state is stable and permanent, not to be worked upon the temper of the times, not to rise and fall with the tide of events. Notwithstanding the competition of opposing interests, and the violence of contending parties, it remains firm and immoveable, as a mountain amidst the strife and storms, or a rock in the ocean amidst the raging of the waves.” Vanhorne v. Dorrance,
      supra.

      First one must understand our natural rights, and that our governments were created to DEFEND them. But our governments have been twisted, usurped by those corrupt, domestic enemies, even traitors that serve within them. (Yeah, our governments are NOT the people who serve within them, but are the US Constitution and each state’s Constitution. That is why the Oath(s) are to support and defend the documents, not people or offices.)

      J. Reuben Clark: “God provided that in this land of liberty, our political allegiance shall run NOT to individuals, that is, to government officials, no matter how great or how small they may be. Under His plan our allegiance and the only allegiance we owe as citizens or denizens of the United States, runs to our inspired Constitution which God himself set up. So runs the oath of office of those who participate in government. A certain loyalty we do owe to the office which a man holds, but even
      here we owe just by reason of our citizenship, no loyalty to the man himself. In other countries it is to the individual that allegiance runs. This principle of allegiance to the Constitution is basic to our freedom. It is one of the great principles that distinguishes this “land of liberty” from other countries”. (caps mine)

      James Madison, Federalist 39: “Each State, in ratifying the Constitution, is considered as a sovereign body, independent of all others, and only to be bound by its own voluntary act. In this relation, then, the new Constitution will, if established, be a FEDERAL, and not a NATIONAL constitution.” (it was established)

      “The perpetuity and indissolubility of the Union by no means implies the loss of distinct and individual existence, of of the right of self-government by the States. Under the Articles of Confederation each State retained its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction, and right not expressly delegated to the United States. Under the Constitution, though the powers of the States were much restricted, still, all powers not delegated to the United States, nor prohibited to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, OR TO THE PEOPLE. . . . Not only, therefore, can their be no loss of separate and independent autonomy to the States, through their union under the Constitution, but it may be not unreasonably said that the preservation of the States, and the maintenance of their governments, are as much within the design and care of the Constitution as the preservation of the Union and the maintenance of the national government. The Constitution, in all its provisions, looks to an indestructible Union, composed of indestructible States.” Texas v. White (1868), 7 Wall. (U.S.) 700. (caps are mine)

      If it is something people have done before there were governments, or before our ancestors created our governments – state and federal – it is a natural right of the people that those who serve within our government are mandated in writing to protect and defend.

      For example, water. People used, drank, washed, etc using water before there were governments. So when there is a drought, corporations, and governmental buildings must cut back first. Those that serve within our governments are supposed to protect the PEOPLES natural rights. (Read the Preambles of all Constitutions, and the Bill of Rights – puts forbidden(s) and VERY limited authority only for a specified in writing reason, and ONLY to be done in a specified in writing way.

      Hunting, fishing, gardening, traveling by any modern means, defending yourself/family/community/state/country, building your homes, developing your property, etc are all your natural rights. This is protected in the Constitution(s) and those that serve within our governments are REQUIRED to defend/protect as the foundation of our governments- all in writing. It is important to understand that not all of our natural rights are listed, but all are required to be protected.

      John Jay, first Chief Justice of the United States: “No power on earth has a right to take our property from us without our consent.”

      “Right of protecting property, declared inalienable by constitution, is not mere right to protect it by individual force, but right to protect it by law of land, and force of body politic.” Billings v. Hall (1857), 7 C. 1.

      “As general rule men have natural right to do anything which their inclinations may suggest, if it be not evil in itself, and in no way impairs the rights of others.” In Re Newman (1858), 9 C. 502.

      Something else you may not have considered. Each state is still a sovereign nation, but they combined, and created the US Constitution – hence the federal government, as the STATE”S representative in dealing with foreign affairs. States did NOT delegate all of their authority to the federal government anymore then did the people delegate all their authority to the states and/or federal government. WE retain (kept) much of the authority over ourselves and our lives. It took decades of dumbing down and calling our Constitutional Republic a “Democracy” to get so many ignorant and controlled “Americans”.

      James Madison, Federalist 45: “The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal
      government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite. The former will be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace, negotiation, and foreign commerce; with which last the power of taxation will, for the most part, be connected.
      The powers reserved to the several states will extend to all the objects which, in the ordinary course of affairs, concern the lives, liberties, and properties of the people, and the internal order, improvement and prosperity of the State.” (It passed)

      James Madison, Federalist 14: “In the first place, it is to be remembered, that the general (federal) government is not to be charged with the whole power of making and administering laws. Its jurisdiction is limited to certain enumerated objects, which concern all the members of the republic,
      but which are not to be attained by the separate provisions of any”.

      Those who serve within our governments have no authority over our bodies – what we ingest, etc. We are REQUIRED to not do things that will cause harm to another or their property.

      We the people of the united States have duties within our governments. Some of our tools that are NOT under any branch of either the state or federal governments are the *Militia – though both the state and federal governments are REQUIRED to use the *Militia for
      — Enforcing the US Constitution and each state’s Constitution,
      — Enforcing and keeping the “Laws of the Union” (which are constitutional laws ONLY),
      — Protecting the country against all enemies both domestic and foreign, and
      — “suppressing Insurrections and repelling Invasions”.

      By that requirement those that serve within our governments are forbidden to use any other agency/person,etc for those purposes (US Constitution, Article 1, Section 8, Clause 15). But those that serve within the state and federal governments have duties TO THE Militias (Clause 16).

      **Grand Jury Investigations, Grand Juries are another tool of the PEOPLE, not those that serve within our governments; as are **“True Bills” of indictment; ***Juries

      *George Washington: “It may be laid down, as a primary position, and the basis of our system, that every citizen who enjoys the protection of a free government…, but even of his personal services to the defence of it, and consequently that the Citizens of America (with a few legal and official exceptions) from 18 to 50 Years of Age should be borne on the Militia Rolls, provided with uniform Arms, and so far accustomed to the use of them, that the Total strength of the Country might be called forth at Short Notice on any very interesting Emergency.” (“Sentiments on a Peace Establishment”, letter to Alexander Hamilton; “The Writings of George Washington”)

      ** Grand Jury – “The grand jury is mentioned in the Bill of Rights, but not in the body of the Constitution. It has not been textually assigned, therefore, to any of the branches described in the first three Articles. It is a constitutional fixture in its own right. In fact the whole theory of its function is that it belongs to no branch of the institutional government, serving as a kind of buffer or referee between the Government and the people”.

      “Thus, citizens have the unbridled right to empanel their own grand juries and present “True Bills” of indictment to a court, which is then required to commence a criminal proceeding. Our Founding Fathers presciently thereby created a “buffer” the people may rely upon for justice, when public officials, including judges, criminally violate the law.” (Misbehavior, “Good Behaviour” requirement)

      “The grand jury is an institution separate from the courts, over whose functioning the courts do not preside, we think it clear that, as a general matter at least, no such “supervisory” judicial authority
      exists. The “common law” of the Fifth Amendment demands a traditional functioning grand jury.”

      “Although the grand jury normally operates, of course, in the courthouse and under judicial auspices, its institutional relationship with the judicial branch has traditionally been, so to speak, at arm’s length. Judges’ direct involvement in the functioning of the grand jury has generally been confined to the constitutive one of calling the grand jurors together and administering their oaths of office. The grand jury’s functional independence from the judicial branch is evident both in the scope of its power to investigate criminal wrongdoing, and in the manner in which that power is exercised.”

      “The grand jury ‘can investigate merely on suspicion that the law is being violated, or even because it wants assurance that it is not.’ It need not identify the offender it suspects, or even “the precise
      nature of the offense” it is investigating. The grand jury requires no authorization from its constituting court to initiate an investigation, nor does the prosecutor require leave of court to seek
      a grand jury indictment. And in its day-to-day functioning, the grand jury generally operates without the interference of a presiding judge. It swears in its own witnesses and deliberates in total secrecy.”

      “Recognizing this tradition of independence, we have said the 5th Amendment’s constitutional guarantee presupposes an investigative body ‘acting independently of either prosecuting attorney or judge”.

      “Given the grand jury’s operational separateness from its constituting court, it should come as no surprise that we have been reluctant to invoke the judicial supervisory power as a basis for prescribing modes of grand jury procedure. Over the years, we have received many requests to exercise supervision over the grand jury’s evidence-taking process, but we have refused them all. “it would run counter to the whole history of the grand jury institution” to permit an indictment to be challenged “on the ground that there was incompetent or inadequate evidence before the grand jury.” (Nor would it be lawful of them to do so.) Justice Antonin Scalia writing for the majority said In the Supreme Court case of United States v. Williams, 112 S.Ct. 1735, 504 U.S. 36, 118 L.Ed.2d 352 (1992)

      *** Jury – Thomas Jefferson: “I consider [trial by jury] as the only anchor ever yet imagined by man, by which a government can be held to the principles of its constitution.”

      Juries decide not only the guilt/innocence, but also decide on if the law is a “good’ law, or if the facts require no prosecution at this time. They also decide if the judge is using the constitutionally required “good Behaviour” while in office. If not, then the people call for a Grand Jury Investigation with no governmental input, and review cases, etc. It it is decided that the judge did not use “good behavior”, or did not keep the Oath(s) then the judge is charged and prosecuted for removal from office. Etc.

  2. The freedom that will be gained is in your ability to grow your own as more states legalize the law enforcement agencies will no longer be looking for what you personally cultivate. The real freedom we need is the freedom from the so called two-party system which has been selling its citizenship down river into a new age of slavery. Trump gains fame and fortune by pimping woman’s beauty, This man like other billionaires feel they are beyond the morals that of commoner.

  3. This is yet another one of their tricks, this “legalization” of cannabis if they require licensing. It should be “decriminalized” and removed from the books altogether, not “legalized” where they will be able to license us, regulate it, tax it, create it, and profit from it.

    If licenses will be required “in NWOrder” for it to be legal for us to use, then we are in effect asking permission from the government to do something perfectly legal like we do driving (say what? will we soon need licenses “in NWOrder” to breathe due to our CO2 output?). Doesn’t that sound backward? Of course it does. And, in fact, the truth of the matter is, driving licenses are wholly voluntary – they are only required if you are transporting goods or services (look on your license, it is most likely a Class C – C for “Commercial”). But here’s the rub there – they consider us their goods, but they don’t tell us that, do they? Of course not.

    So not only do they trick us into admitting we’re still doing something illegal – like they do driving – because licenses are permission from the government to do something which is otherwise illegal, they’ll make it so that we must purchase and use their product, or product sanctioned by them, and we all know how that’s working out with their control of our food and water (can you say Monsanto? I knew that you could).

    My other problem with this is the gmo nature of most government sanctioned dispensary products. We’re not going to know what the heck’s in it, nor how they produced it, and this opens a whole new can of filthy worms for them to do their “thing” on us – and we all know they will.

    So decriminalization, wiped off the law books, is the only way it will really become legal, the rest is posturing and pretending, part of the same old dirty illusions of choice and freedom.

    • Exactly true. As a physician who worked with cannabis patients until WA State re-criminalized much of the medical side in 2015, I can attest to this reasoning. It is all about taxes and control. The fact of the matter is that people should be free to grow any plant they choose and use as they see fit. Here in WA, regulation has been given to the Liquor control board. In every state of the nation, these are among the most corrupt bodies in government. Sad.

    • I would NOT smoke anything from the scoin of I.G.Farben’s, GMO’d pHARMaceutical pot…ever…period…end of story!…& would conscientiously advise anyone else NOT to either.

      • As a medicinal cannabis grower in Oregon, I agree that “legalization” is not working well, especially medical marijuana patients. Here in Oregon the authorities allow over 250 different pesticides (including fungicides and herbicides) to be used on ‘legal’ cannabis without labeling, so patients don’t know if the herb they are buying is safe to use. Some growers claim to be “organic”, but there is no inspection to ensure compliance. I hope Oregon doesn’t make the same mistakes as Washington has, but our law is almost as bad.

        Monopoly capitalism has taken over the cannabis industry, so the price increase while the quality decreases. I sample cannabis from dispensaries each year, and in general the quality is poor. Although their bud usually has high THC numbers and lots of trichomes, those qualities alone doesn’t make it good medicine. The smell and taste – terpenes and flavonoids, also have medicinal effects, sometimes profoundly so, and there are many other cannabinoids besides THC. High CBD strains are becoming popular with both medicinal and recreational users – my dog and me dig them too, I can remember what I’m doing during the day now, which is very helpful for getting things done!

        Under free market capitalism, the (supposed) economic system of this “constitutional republic” (supposed), unregulated cannabis would be sold without government interference, just like any other produce or medicinal herbs are sold. There are many herbs, roots, bark, fungi, etc. (food is medicine), that have potent medicinal effects, so why regulate just cannabis?

        They extort money from us through cannabis, because we allow them to do it. They knew people love cannabis even more than alcohol, so it makes sense they would have the same Liquor Control Commission (LCC) to control cannabis too. Here in Oregon we are now told by our LCC that it’s illegal to give medicinal cannabis away for “donations” anymore, after having allowed the ‘gray’ market to flourish for almost a decade (wtf?).

        Here at “Pharmatopia” we don’t have a business license, and don’t sell anything (or take “donations” either). We do accept ‘gifts’ for being a wonderful caring healer though (wink wink). Pharmatopia is not just for humans – I cured my dog Jessie’s (14 year old chow-shephard) mammary gland lymphoma with homemade coconut-cannabis extract. She is on a maintenance dose now, and loves licking it off my finger once or twice daily. It relaxes her, eases pains of old age, improves her appetite, and helps her sleep better. Cannabis does all that for me too, and more, plus we both use other holistic medicine modalities too. Food is the most important medicine, and we are working on dog (and cat) food and treats from our organic garden, and various herbs.

        I’m a pharmer/chef/healer, not a real doc like TnDoc. My eyesight is getting really bad doc – I had colembolla springtails dumped on my cannabis plants (along with caterpillars and oxysporum fusarium), and they infested my home, my bed, and my body. They got in every possible place on my body, including my eyes, which got torn-up pretty bad doc, so now my eyesight is damaged. I see spots all over the place, where it used to be clear. They got in my lungs and sinuses too, causing blood to come out of both. They also got in “personal” places I won’t go into, but it hurt really bad. I used cedarcide with a fogger to get rid of them, and cedarcide in my washing machine for clothes – it was expensive. Those colembolla springtails can be a huge problem, especially if you don’t know what they are and how to get rid of them! I’m making a greenhouse like Sil uses this winter, because I’ve had my plants contaminated by the DEA three years in a row now, even though I have a permit.

        I agree the legalization of marijuana is not the freedom some people think it is. Good to read you again “TnDoc” and “eddysachs” – I remember you two characters from the WMR. Happy trails to you, until we meet again…!

        • Yes…. I always read what you had to say in the now defunct “Garden” …as I see you commenting on Waking Times as well…thx for the continuing update & attention to detail …I’m sure you have valuable wisdom for all kinds of ppl that read these sites…I write over at Blacklisted News…because there’s No censorship …not like here with constant MODERATION especially if you get on their bad boy list like me (lol)…cheers

  4. ur confused about what legalization means. Before it had legal restrictions. Now those are lifted,

    • A correct statement by you would be that some legal restrictions have been lifted on it. Cannabis still has restrictions, regulations, limits, and so on and so forth. Do you really not see through this game? You MUST free your mind from their psy-ops and disinformation.

  5. great idea. let’s just keep everything illegal.

  6. you can grow your own though without DEA raids. if you don’t like the system – which sucks – grow your own

  7. Cannabis Freedom.
    It’s not just about cannabis.
    It’s about freedom.
    Personal, individual, and health freedom.
    No one should be punished or harassed for consuming a natural plant and flower, especially one that has so many benefits.
    No one should be harassed or punished for using any substance, unless someone uses a substance and then causes harm to another person.
    That includes all legal substances, like alcohol and prescription drugs.
    States like Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska, and Washington DC, passed laws making marijuana legal, but, with restrictions.
    “Limited” is what states are doing to control and consolidate the manufacturing and selling of all marijuana, when they pass these new laws, legalizing marijuana.
    Marijuana, Cannabis, and Hemp, needs to be completely legalized, no limits on how much you can have.
    It is either legal or illegal.
    Don’t allow the government to limit your freedom to have and use this plant.
    Look at marijuana in the same way you look at any food or herb.
    Would you need a law saying oregano or parsley, or tomatoes or oranges, are legal?
    Of course not.
    The same method must be applied to cannabis and hemp.
    “And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.”
    Genesis 1:29
    Legalize Cannabis.
    Not taxed and regulated.
    Not marketed to consumers.
    Not advertised on TV or other mainstream media sources.
    Not sold in stores.
    Just legalize cannabis and hemp, and if someone wants to grow cannabis they can give it away or barter with neighbors; bag of oranges for bag of weed, etc…
    If anyone is caught selling it, they get fined, and deal with the IRS.
    If Marijuana is legalized, taxed and regulated by the government, and marketed and advertised by the corporations, to the people, then there would be an epidemic of mindless consumers, like the way Wall Street markets tobacco and alcohol to the mindless consumers, and now we have an epidemic of addicted users, and millions of deaths annually.
    Just legalize Marijuana, it’s a natural plant and flower.
    I agree that any movement toward ending prohibition of marijuana is better than waiting for a complete freedom from punishment at the hands of the people in power within the government, and legalizing a small amount is better than no amount at all.
    I am pointing out the elephant in the living room; the plutocratic merger of big business with big government, as it is with all other industries, where the few rich powerful businessmen within corporations and government monopolize the whole industry and anyone outside of that circle becomes a criminal.
    Instead of allowing every citizen to be free from prosecution and harassment, we all are still outlaws unless we play their game of tax, regulate, and consume their government sanctioned corporate products.
    But for the average selfish mindless consumer citizen, I guess being allowed to go to the local government approved, corporate dispensary to purchase a limited amount of weed, at a capitalistic marked up price, is true American freedom.
    As for me… I’ll keep agitating until we are all free.
    Peace.

  8. Cannabis Freedom.
    It’s not just about cannabis.
    It’s about freedom.
    Personal, individual, and health freedom.
    No one should be punished or harassed for consuming a natural plant and flower, especially one that has so many benefits.
    No one should be harassed or punished for using any substance, unless someone uses a substance and then causes harm to another person.
    That includes all legal substances, like alcohol and prescription drugs.
    States like Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska, and Washington DC, passed laws making marijuana legal, but, with restrictions.
    “Limited” is what states are doing to control and consolidate the manufacturing and selling of all marijuana, when they pass these new laws, legalizing marijuana.
    Marijuana, Cannabis, and Hemp, needs to be completely legalized, no limits on how much you can have.
    It is either legal or illegal.
    Don’t allow the government to limit your freedom to have and use this plant.
    Look at marijuana in the same way you look at any food or herb.
    Would you need a law saying oregano or parsley, or tomatoes or oranges, are legal?
    Of course not.
    The same method must be applied to cannabis and hemp.
    “And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.”
    Genesis 1:29
    Legalize Cannabis.
    Not taxed and regulated.
    Not marketed to consumers.
    Not advertised on TV or other mainstream media sources.
    Not sold in stores.
    Just legalize cannabis and hemp, and if someone wants to grow cannabis they can give it away or barter with neighbors; bag of oranges for bag of weed, etc…
    If anyone is caught selling it, they get fined, and deal with the IRS.
    If Marijuana is legalized, taxed and regulated by the government, and marketed and advertised by the corporations, to the people, then there would be an epidemic of mindless consumers, like the way Wall Street markets tobacco and alcohol to the mindless consumers, and now we have an epidemic of addicted users, and millions of deaths annually.
    Just legalize Marijuana, it’s a natural plant and flower.
    I agree that any movement toward ending prohibition of marijuana is better than waiting for a complete freedom from punishment at the hands of the people in power within the government, and legalizing a small amount is better than no amount at all.
    I am pointing out the elephant in the living room; the plutocratic merger of big business with big government, as it is with all other industries, where the few rich powerful businessmen within corporations and government monopolize the whole industry and anyone outside of that circle becomes a criminal.
    Instead of allowing every citizen to be free from prosecution and harassment, we all are still outlaws unless we play their game of tax, regulate, and consume their government sanctioned corporate products.
    But for the average selfish mindless consumer citizen, I guess being allowed to go to the local government approved, corporate dispensary to purchase a limited amount of weed, at a capitalistic marked up price, is true American freedom.
    As for me… I’ll keep agitating until we are all free.
    Peace.

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