LETTER OF THE WEEK

'HANG YOUR HEAD JOHN DOOLEY'

By Paddy Roberts

To the editor:

The recent arrest of Holy Smoke proprietor Paul DeFelice represents
the chilliest of winds blowing through North America's most pot
progressive city. Despite the sweltering heat, it is a most unwelcome
wind that raises serious questions about the relationship between
police and politics in Nelson.

The dogs in the street know about Holy Smoke. It is a quiet but
distinctive part of the fabric of Nelson life. It represents the
triumph of reason over mendacity. Holy Smoke is a symbol of the
community's rejection of decades of public lies about marijuana. That
colourful old house on the embankment signifies our acceptance that
there are better ways to deal with the issue than through the brute
force of criminal law.

If we are to believe him, one man has decided we are all wrong and
that brute force is the path to take. Sgt. Steve Banks of the Nelson
City Police has advanced the dubious proposition that this is just
police business as usual. In the process, he has left us to ponder
once again the ever-increasing influence of police on politics.
Despite its growing prevalence in North America, that is an influence
that can never be tolerated in a democracy. Never.

Not content to report the facts of the arrest, Banks has gone on to
dictate to us who we are and even where we may walk on the Queen's
highway without fear of confrontation with police. With pistol by his
side, Banks tells reporters that marijuana is not tolerated in Nelson.

An armed man telling us what we think and what we may tolerate. He
then tells us that persons legally visiting Holy Smoke are under
police surveillance and may be arrested for simply walking out of there.

Where have we lost the plot? How is it come to be that we are
seemingly being threatened by our own police officers for simply
walking in and out of a legal business? How is it that the supposedly
inviolable principle that the police must stay out of politics is
violated on the front pages of our newspapers?

What does our mayor have to say? Doesn't know anything about
marijuana, says our wee John. Sure thing, laddie. I'm the mayor of
Detroit and I don't know anything about cars.

Oblivious to a product that brings $30 million a year into the local
economy? And you are somehow the mayor? Hang down your head, John Dooley.

Paddy Roberts

Winlaw, B.C.

Pubdate - Tue, 08 Aug 2006

Source - Nelson Daily News (CN BC)

Referenced - http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n948/a02.html

Referenced - http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n957/a05.html