Saturday was the first Saturday in May, which for more than 30 years has been marked by marches and demonstrations in support of marijuana legalization.

A federal grand jury in Philadelphia Tuesday indicted two people, an accused drug dealer and his girlfriend, for passing out flyers naming a confidential informant in his federal drug case as a sni

STUDENTS CAN'T SPEAK FREELY?

************PLEASE COPY AND DISTRIBUTE************

DrugSense FOCUS Alert #348 - Monday, 2 July 2007

On Monday, June 25, the Supreme Court of the United States handed down their ruling on the case known informally known as "Bong Hits 4 Jesus."

High school student Joseph Frederick was subjected to school suspension in 2002 for his display of a homemade banner while standing across the street from school property, albeit during normal school hours. While initial court rulings held in favor of the Juneau, Alaska school district, the Ninth Circuit Court reversed in favor of Frederick.

In a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court ruled that since the school officials might interpret Frederick's message as some form of "promoting illegal drug use", disciplining the student with school sanctioned penalties is appropriate.

MAP has already archived over a hundred news clippings on this ruling from across North America. These, and additional clippings during the days ahead, may be found at:

http://www.mapinc.org/topics/Bong+Hits+4+Jesus (Bong Hits 4 Jesus)

Please consider writing and sending a Letter to the Editor directed to the newspaper closest to your hometown. We invite additional consideration of sending appropriate letters to other newspapers which have covered this story. If you elect to write to more than one newspaper, we strongly suggest at least some modification of your message so that each newspaper receives a unique letter.

Additionally, MAP has archived a large number of Opinion pieces - most being critical of the ruling - from newspaper editorial boards and columnists, including nationally known writers George Will and Debra Saunders. Most of these opinion items saw print within the past one to three days. They make excellent targets for readers to voice their own feelings about the ruling from the Supreme Court.

Letters of 200 words or less have the best chance of print unless otherwise noted in MAP headers.

Thanks for your effort and support.

It's not what others do it's what YOU do

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Additional suggestions for writing LTEs are at our Media Activism Center:

http://www.mapinc.org/resource/

Or contact MAP's Media Activism Facilitator for personal tips on how to write LTEs that get printed.

heath@mapinc.org

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PLEASE SEND US A COPY OF YOUR LETTER

Please post a copy of your letter or report your action to the sent letter list ( sentlte@mapinc.org ) if you are subscribed, or by E-mailing a copy directly to heath@mapinc.org if you are not subscribed. Your letter will then be forwarded to the list so others can learn from your efforts.

Subscribing to the Sent LTE list ( sentlte@mapinc.org ) will help you to review other sent LTEs and perhaps come up with new ideas or approaches as well as keeping others aware of your important writing efforts.

To subscribe to the Sent LTE mailing list see http://www.mapinc.org/lists/index.htm#form

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Prepared by: The MAP Media Activism Team www.mapinc.org/resource

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The US Supreme Court moved Monday to tighten limits on free speech for high school students, ruling that an Alaska high school could constitutionally punish a student who held up a 14-foot-long ban

For Immediate Release: June 25, 2007
For more info: Tony Newman, T: (646) 335-5384

“Bong Hits 4 Jesus” Decision Weakens Free Speech; Schools Can Censor “Pro-Drug Use Speech” But Criticism of Drug War is Protected

Advocates Concerned about “Drug War Exception” to the First Amendment and
Who Will Determine What is Inappropriate Speech

The Supreme Court issued a mixed opinion in the case of Morse v. Frederick, allowing censorship of student speech that promotes illegal drug use while affirming the core principle that political speech questioning the wisdom of the war on drugs is constitutionally protected. The case focused on Joseph Frederick, who was suspended in 2002 from a high school in Alaska after displaying a “Bong Hits 4 Jesus” banner during a class trip to see the Olympic torch parade pass by.

Justice Alito in his concurring opinion, joined by Justice Kennedy, makes clear that he only joins the majority in so far as it protects speech “that can plausibly be interpreted as commenting on any political or social issue, including speech on issues such as ‘the wisdom of the war on drugs or of legalizing marijuana for medicinal use.”

“We take mild comfort that the decision clearly protects speech challenging the war on drugs. Never before has the Supreme Court stated so clearly that speech attacking the wisdom of the war on drugs is protected wherever it may occur,” said Daniel Abrahamson, director of legal affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance.

“But who is going to decide what is appropriate speech? Students are on the front lines of the war on drugs, and we are deeply concerned that free speech will now be administered by those who may wish to suppress open discussion on a range of topics such as the effectiveness of the D.A.R.E. program, school drug testing policies, or random locker searches,” said Abrahamson. “Our Constitutionally protected rights to free speech shouldn’t have an arbitrary drug war exception.”

As Justice Stevens recognized in his dissent: “Even in high school, a rule that permits only one point of view to be expressed is less likely to produce correct answers than the open discussion of countervailing views.” The First Amendment should not be curtailed by a “nonsense banner” containing “an oblique reference to drugs,” lamented Stevens, who was joined by Ginsburg and Souter.

... and thereby betrays the country.

Bad (inexcusable) ruling in the Bong Hits 4 Jesus case.

Drug WarRant spotted the following comments by Justice Alito, printed by the Washington Post, comments that suggest he might go the right way in the "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" free speech case:

"I'm a very strong believer in the First Amendment and the right of people to speak and to write," [...] "I would be reluctant to support restrictions on what people could say." [...] "it's very dangerous for the government to restrict speech."

View pictures from the March demonstration outside the Court here.

There's an update and action alert from Moscow on the brutalization/free speech violation committed against marijuana march participants. Click here for more...

Following is an update from Moscow on the police brutalization and free speech violation committed by authorities against marijuana march participants. (Click here to read the first update received this weekend.) - Dave

Dear sisters and brothers!

Thank you for your assistance and attention to Russian problems with human rights. Below there is new information about events with cruel breaking up of Marijuana march in Moscow: All cannabis activists were unlawfully sentenced by Moscow district court!

As I earlier informed all arrested cannabis activists were delivered at The Presnentsky administrative district court of Moscow City. Not only participants of Marijuana march were accused but also other people who were sympathized them. The Judge has worked during the whole night without the rest. She has hypocritically convicted demonstrators according to The Russian Administrative law for the propaganda of drugs (...and bla-bla-bla). No one of councels for the defence was allow in the process. Finally some of activists were sentenced for 15 days of arrest. Other ones were nominated money fine. On juridical commentary all accusations are unlawfully. There are not simply disproportionate sentences, but sentences absolutely fixed by lawlessness.

Here is that Ivan Ninenko who is the protector of activists has told: I just returned from the court versus delayed on the March for Legalize MJ and people who sympathized them near police department named "ARBAT". They all were accused according articles 19.3 (non-obedience to legal requirements of employees to militias), 6.13 (propaganda of narcotics) and 20.2 (overset of undertaking of meeting, demonstration and picketing). The judge listened the case during the whole night from 9 P.M. to 9 A.M. Total: Three girls - a fine on 4500 rubles. Sergey Konstantinov - 15 days of arrest and the fine on 3500 rubles. To every another 6 lads (list later) - 10 day of arrest and the fine on 3500 rubles. Now I'm going to sleep because I'm very tired. Such unlawfulness that I never saw!

Brothers and sisters, friends, this is never mind what kind of the march is this and as you are to take to it. More so, some guys were delayed not on the march, but beside a police department "Arbat". BUT it is IMPORTANT to spread this information over the World into the name of God and for liberties of people and human right. Please, put this letter and other links on your LJ blogs, the forum conferences, or WebPages. All people must hear ABOUT THESE UNDOUBTEDLY ILLEGAL actions of Moscow militias. We all hope that they will carry responsibility for this!

You may organize:

1. The action of solidarity beside Russian embassies, consulates and representations with requirements to free cannabis activists. Moreover it is very important on Action to raise a voice not for the hemp, but against cops bestialities. In the insulator there are people without defence councels.

2. To call Phones and faxes of Russia embassies. See below Richard Lake advice:
In the United States there is a Russian Consulate in Washington, D.C., New York, Houston, Seattle and San Francisco. Please see for address and phone numbers:
http://www.russianembassy.org/consulat/contact.htm The location and contact information for Russian embassy and consulate offices worldwide may be accessed from this page: http://www.russianembassy.net/

3. To call Phones and faxes of Russia in Moscow straight:

+7 495 684-42-36 - an insulator, where keeping imprisoned people now. Presently the most important, so that defence councels can come to the delayed activists in the insulator. Also they need Public prosecutor (or attorneys), because there are repressions. Sergey Konstantinov who was sentenced for 15 days arrest is keeping hunger strike.

+ 7 495 2009305; 2008510; 2008924; Fax: 9732041. This numbers are telephones of Head service of investigation of Moscow, Petrovka street, 38. It is necessary to call them and talk about cops bestialities in police department and that sentenced activists are requiring defence councels, which do not allow. You may surf on Marijuana march organizers Website http://www.legaliz.info/ You can read last reporting on http://community.livejournal.com/legal_team/ ; http://blancanevies.livejournal.com/432177.html; http://sportloto80.livejournal.com/92719.html; http://gazeta.ru/2007/05/05/oa_238380.shtml Unfortunately only in Russian. But there are many photos.

You also can write to me e_kazachenko@yahoo.com or call in my mobile telephone 8 916 980 8590, or meet in ICQ # 291099002 as well as to protector Ivan Ninenko ivan.aka.falkon@gmail.com; mob: 8-926-568-4583; icq 299200108

God bless you and bless us all,

Eugene Kazachenko

Eugene Kazachenko distributed the following disconcerting report from Moscow yesterday:

Dear sisters and brothers!

My name is Eugene Kazachenko. I'm from Moscow, Russia. Today, some hours ago my friends from Marijuana march were arrested. They tried to stretch the banner with calling to legalize marijuana. The goal of this march was legalization marijuana for medical use. Now there are about 20 people arrested. The police was very cruel with marijuana activists.

With fear for life of our brothers and sisters my friends and I are receiving periodical news of Radio station Ekcho Moskvy ("The Echo of Moscow"). This is the only free radio channel, which real informs of social and political life in Russia. It informs that Police has placed people by faces on the ground. Police has dragged girls upon the ground and has beaten young men. Policemen have banged young men by their faces about parked cars. In the police department some young activist was beaten so cruel that this has caused coming an ambulance.

The representatives of The Federal service of drug control have accused all delaying activists in biased attitude to narcotics. Without any reason they have accused participants of Marijuana March in propaganda of narcotics. At the police department some policemen are trying to plant the drugs to activists. However attorney was not passed to his clients for legal defense. On entrance with the sub-machine-gun in hands the policeman did not let to attorney to come into the door of the police department.

Marijuana March was organized by Cannabis Legalization League. At this moment all of delaying marijuana activists are in Presnentsky administrative (misdemeanor) court of Moscow (phone number of this court: +7 495 254-53-59). They are accusing for undertaking unsanctioned meetings. This position of government disagrees with 31 articles of The Constitutions of Russian Federation and Public International law.

Though many religious confessions concern with a rehabilitation and spiritual counseling for drug abusers, however they never call any attention in regard to the realistic position of medical cannabis. Regrettably Christians and other religious circles of Russia do not raise a voice in rights protection of drugs consumers from unjustified state repression.

Because of unchangeable and increased repressive policy of Russia in attitude to consumers of drugs the religious figures are positioning itself apart of to questions of government drugs policy. Hypocritically the majority of them tacitly agrees with official drug policy or on the pattern of flattering politicians they loudly convicts all people, which voice opinion for legalization hemp as a medicine.

With respect,

Eugene Kazachenko
MDiv of Moscow Theological Seminary