TWO MINUTES WITH...N.J. WEEDMAN

Last week, Ed "N.J. Weedman" Forchion learned that a federal judge
vacated his 2004 conviction for toking marijuana during a series of
protests near the Liberty Bell. The case had been remanded to
Magistrate Judge Arnold C. Rapoport in July 2005 so he could consider
the constitutionality of probation conditions that required
Forchion--an avowed Rastafarian--to avoid marijuana, places at which
it is smoked and people who smoke it, as well as to submit to drug
testing and attend counseling. Contending the Jan. 30 order doesn't
address those issues, Weedman says he's just begun to fight:

City Paper: Why not just quit while you're ahead?

Weedman: The judge avoided the issues I was trying to raise. We went
there because we believe the Religious Freedom Restoration Act
applies to federal property, and I think we're on point with the
argument. They're just trying to sweep these legitimate issues under
the rug. So, I'm going to appeal. Some people might laugh at that,
but [this order] wasn't the purpose of our civil disobedience. What I
wanted was a court case where I could air certain issues, like how AA
[Alcoholics Anonymous] and NA [Narcotics Anonymous] are, as some
courts have already ruled, religious organizations. For people to be
ordered to go there [as part of their probation] is a [RFRA] violation.

CP: So, is there any happiness at all?

W: Sure, because I'm not on federal probation now. Maybe I should
take it as a victory, but I didn't only want a public airing, I wanted to win.

CP: Why should you be allowed to smoke marijuana at the Liberty Bell?

W: Everybody should be allowed to. If there's one place in America
[to exercise your independence], it should be the Liberty Bell. I've
gotten e-mails from a lot of people who've clandestinely smoked
there, so maybe we're on our way to making it a Peace Pot Park!

CP: Think you'll be out there any time soon?

W: Oh yes. They're not getting out of it that easily. I'll be up
there some time in the spring, maybe April 20.