Update: Today, Prince Lewis was arrested; his bail was set at $100,000 cash. He will be transported to the county jail in Newark either this evening or tomorrow.
Saturday morning, Montclair Police were waiting for a FedEx delivery in front of a Lexington Avenue home. Police in Maricopa County, Arizona, had tipped them off about a big shipment of marijuana on its way to Montclair. From The Star Ledger:
The operation resulted in one of Montclair’s biggest drug busts in years: 70 pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of close to $200,000.

“The volume is very big,” Police Chief David Sabagh said. “We’ll work this case back to Arizona to determine why the supply line was here.”
Detectives arrested the pickup’s driver, Lloyd Green Jr., 44, of East Orange, who was being held in the Essex County lockup on $100,000 bail on numerous charges of drug distribution and conspiracy.
The Essex County Sheriff’s Office –with detective Christopher DiRocco and his K-9 “Bentley” — determined that the package contained marijuana, leading to the issuing of a search warrant and the discovery of six Ace Hardware buckets filled with marijuana, police said.
Police said they also have issued an arrest warrant for Prince A. Lewis, 57, of Lexington Avenue, the destination point of the delivery.

128 replies on “Holy Smoke! Bucketloads Of Pot Seized In Montclair”

  11. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Montclair is a rapidly deteriorating town. Schools down, crime up, taxes up, services down, etc etc. Get out while you still can realize full value on your homes.

  12. I’m not denying that there seems to be a rise in serious crimes in the area, but a Fedex delivery of pot isn’t one of them….

  14. This wasn’t a small bag for personal use. This was a $200,000 shipment that was definately not financed by the guy who got busted on Lincoln Street. Get a clue, this was a big bust of some heavy hitters. If you want to turn you head to break-ins upon break-ins, multiple armed robberies, drug busts, etc, go ahead. The problems are getting worse and worse.

  24. I am in my late 40’s, and I don’t smoke pot. I did occasionally smoke until I was about 30. In many ways, I still think alcohol is the more dangerous drug.
    I feel we are wasting our time and resources on busting pot smokers and dealers. If Pot were legal, the gangs would lose one lucrative source of revenue, and the government would gain one. Our police could spend more time preventing violent crime and less time arresting pot smokers (I realize that this bust does not fall into the user category).
    How many people locked away with our tax dollars for marijuana crimes?
    And, most importantly, when was the last time you saw a violent pot head?

  25. They should sell it and use the proceeds for property tax releif, because the legislature has totally pussied out from doing anything meaningful about that.

  27. LOL – this is going to sound silly – HOWEVER I’ll risk it – we moved to Montclair from Southern California about a year ago – so my initial response was only $200K worth? We love Montclair but are increasingly concerned about the REAL crime taking place…and I would have to agree POT is not holding people at gun point and robbing them of their belongings POT is NOT breaking into 12 cars a night and POT is NOT breaking and entering into homes. While POT should NOT be sold to minors and that should be a serious concern we do need to keep the focus on bringing down the REAL crime in our neighborhood. We do need to consider the reality though that while POT may NOT seem like a violent drug to worry about there are clear reprecutions from the element that it brings into our “hood”.

  32. Oh, that’s a fine area over there. Figures.
    Elm Street is the road to hell. Take a stroll one night. You’ll see all the thugs that probably make up the crime we hear about.

  33. The good people over at the Inner Eye headshop on Bloomfield Ave. probably aren’t too happy about this.

  43. “You notice that the pot wasn’t going to a home in “upper”. How interesting”
    weeds is a sitcom –
    Not this time, but if you read the Star Ledger article something similar happpened in 2004 being delivered to a South Mountain address. Is that as interesting?
    “in 2004, about 30 pounds of marijuana was seized after the United Parcel Service delivered a drug-filled package to a South Mountain Avenue address”

  44. Three words for you
    Sheriff Joe Arpaio
    He’s the Maricopa County Sheriff. Guy is nuts. Bills himself as a old western sheriff and makes the inmates walk around in pink underwear and live in tents in freezing and hot temps.
    Ferkin looney tune

  45. Marijuana is definitely not a gateway drug. People who want attention start by smoking marijuana, when no one pays them any attention for being a stoner they’ll start using harder drugs. It’s not the weed’s fault, it’s the person’s fault for having low self esteem. And you know what? Smoking weed is less harmful than getting drunk, we all know this. So why do people still think being inebriated is a hilarious good time but frown upon a √¢‚Ǩ≈ìdrug√¢‚Ǩ¬ù whose side effects have been over exaggerated and demonized for decades? Also, where does all this pot go now? Do they donate it do a hospital to be used as medical marijuana? They can’t just throw it out, too many hearts would break.

  46. 70 lbs.? This is a good-sized shipment, not at all akin to those Johnny Appleseed types who in the 60’s-70’s merely wished to enlighten some friends while recouping their costs.
    Meaning we are talking CRIMINALS. (Albeit not terribly bright ones.) Someone above very deftly wondered about Crip or Blood-type gang involvement here. So this is not an occasion upon which to bleat for legalization or quote statistics from NORML. Wherever the accused felons reside, it may be useful to look very closely at their other activities and at their associates. If, that is, folks are genuinely incensed about Baristaville’s seemingly rising crime rates. Forget all the nonsense about “gateway” drugs. What matters here is the apparent existence of a felonious set for whom drug dealing is probably but one illegal activity. I will also bet that the intended recipients of the 70 lbs. obsess very little indeed about either property taxes, parking issues downtown or whether to turf or not to turf athletic fields.

  47. “why is pot illegal, anyway?”
    Because we keep forgetting where we put the petitions.

  49. How many people has this bust supported. The cops who/detectives/supervisors/clerks who will spend x amount of hours processing this event. Who will/are unavailable therefore to do more useful work like catching shooters, speeders, burglars etc. Then of course there are the Essex County so called criminal justice system employees who will reap countless hourse of employment. Ultimately the prison system with it’s direct guards administrators and assorted periphereal hangers on e.g. councilors, social workers, half way house workers. The list does go on and on. That’s why pot is and will remain illegal. Cather’s point that these are CRIMINALS is correct. Why do keep laws in place that allow them to make such obscene profits? Because Virginia the crooks in Trenton are LAWYERS who are on top of the justice system food chain.

  50. While POT should NOT be sold to minors
    Actually, smoking pot in high school and college is the best time to do it (no job, no family, the need to “find yourself” and choose a major/career, etc) …

  51. When you are a student in high school or college, it is called experimentation. When you are a career professional and/or family man, it’s called a problem.

  53. Cathar, why do you have to call us CRIMINALS, man? That stash was for us, broseph! My personal thank you for holding the door open for the Lizard King. I was gonna let you light your fire, man, but it seems you closed your doors to enlightenment way back, man.
    Peace, Cathar.
    Big Jim

  54. He’s the Maricopa County Sheriff. Guy is nuts. Bills himself as a old western sheriff and makes the inmates walk around in pink underwear and live in tents in freezing and hot temps.
    Pink Underwear ?? Honey, I’m there !!

  57. There’s an old saying in Tennessee √¢‚Ǩ‚Äù I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee √¢‚Ǩ‚Äù that says, fool me once, shame on √¢‚Ǩ‚Äù shame on you. Fool me √¢‚Ǩ‚Äù you can’t get fooled again.” √¢‚Ǩ‚Äù George W. Bush Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 17, 2002

  58. Yes, Montclair is definitely deteriorating, even just since I moved here two and a half years ago. Luxury condominiums (condominia?), McHouses, and high-end mall stores are NOT going to fix the problem.

  59. Hiding, South Mountain isn’t in “Upper” either.
    Not this time, but if you read the Star Ledger article something similar happpened in 2004 being delivered to a South Mountain address. Is that as interesting?
    “in 2004, about 30 pounds of marijuana was seized after the United Parcel Service delivered a drug-filled package to a South Mountain Avenue address”

  61. I don’t think there is anything wrong when an adult or a “professional” or “family man” smokes (as long as the family man is not around his children). I think it’s a problem with anyone anywhere cannot live life without smoking first, i.e can’t get out of bed, can’t go to class, can’t go to work, etc, without getting high first.

  63. I would look more at violent crime that hurts people and animals; “pot” will not do that. Yes, in earlier years I occasionally grew, toked and enjoyed the weed. Not now…
    As for the FedEx dude, how did he know?
    “One toke over the line….”

  64. They should give all the pot to retired senior citizens. No job to go to, no class to study for. No harm done. That’s the big problem with pot. You’re useless after you smoke it (at least I was).
    One hell of a retirement home with a hundred stoned seniors doing bong hits, playing video games and playing air guitar to Led Zeppelin.

  65. Pot never rendered me useless; just quiet. As for a retirement home with stoned seniors; perhaps there are some, already?
    Can’t think that far; can’t afford one, have to work. I am a college prof; I cannot be stoned; it would ruin my image.

  67. How does 120 lbs. of weed end up being a bust for 90 lbs. of weed?
    On an unrelated note…..400 lbs. of donuts were stolen from Dunkin Donuts. The boxes were discovered behind the police station….

  70. *great* job, police. really. who actually supports this crap? and when will we remove ourselves from the dark ages and accept the SCIENTIFIC FACT that marijuana is far less harmful than alcohol (and if you’d like, i’d be more than happy to cite dozens upon dozens of studies)? and by the way, cathar, this is the perfect time to ‘bleat’ about legalization. where do you *think* most of the drugs in new jersey come from? we aren’t in california or canada. its people like the guy the cops just busted that give us our fix. and – here comes the ‘bleating – if marijuana was legalized, marijuana-related crimes wouldn’t exist, thus eliminating a subtype of drug criminals. maybe they’d move on to hawking harder drugs, but they damn sure shouldn’t be punished for sellingthe stuff that serves to relax me when i’m stressed and has caused me NO problems. ever.
    signed,
    the veteran smoker who is sick and tired of this bs

  71. “I think it’s a problem with anyone anywhere cannot live life without smoking first, i.e can’t get out of bed, can’t go to class, can’t go to work, etc, without getting high first. ”
    I agree. I also think that anyone who can’t live life without having a drink first has a problem – let’s outlaw that!
    o wait nm guyz

  74. “You notice that the pot wasn’t going to a home in “upper”. How interesting”
    That’s ’cause they drive down and pick it up. But, they do have guns delivered via UPS – remember that?
    For decades, residents and 4th Ward Councilpersons complained to authorities about non-existent Code Enforcement on absentee landlords (who rent to thugs), and about the obvious, open, daily, drug-dealing in Glenfield Park, on Maple Avenue at the intersection of Lexington, and around lower Bloomfield Avenue. Has there been action, even vocal support on this problem from (your) other Councilpersons, including our At-Large reps? Every call, email, note equals ten votes.
    When you fail to address disease, like drug-dealing and use, in your neighbors’ house, it will eventually become a plague on all your houses.

  75. Why,” the prohibitions against the currently illegal substance you seem to be a habitual user of are somewhat beside the point. Someone who has 70 lbs. of weed on hand is a decent-sized dealer who also clearly has no intention of ever paying income taxes on these sales. (Or, likely, on any other income he can conceal.) He or she might even dabble in selling other controlled substances. And I’ve almost never seen a drug bust of all but the most small-time of dealers that didn’t also involve illegal firearms.
    Yes, these problems might not exist were marijuana legalized. Might not. But they’re also symptomatic of something far more bothersome in Baristaville, increased crime rates in general of late. The 60’s are over, lad. Much, much nastier people are about and selling. Some are even referred to as “Bloods” and ‘Crips.” So while this latest bust might inconvenience you somewhat, try to stay quiet here. At least until Montclair’s current seeming crime wave subsides a bit, because even petty drug dealing has a way of becoming a “gateway” crime to much worse offenses.

  77. “Someone who has 70 lbs. of weed on hand is a decent-sized dealer who also clearly has no intention of ever paying income taxes on these sales.”
    Prince Lewis used to go to Town Council meetings in Montclair.

  81. It’s still smoking, no matter how you roll it. So, if you’ve never smoked cigs but you smoke pot, and your doc asks you if you’ve ever smoked, think about it. Granted, most people don’t smoke a pack of pot, but it’s still unfiltered smoke getting into your lungs.

  83. pot can’t be controlled by white men and is perceived as a “minority” or “inner city” drug, so it is vilified. alcohol is the white mans drug, and that’s why its legal and available everywhere.
    Sadly, booze is by far the most dangerous drug out there, but they saw what a mess it created when they banned it.
    They should decriminalize pot and see what happens. It can’t get worse than it is now.

  84. Edwily, this has nothing to do with someone purchasing five dollars worth of anything. We are talking of stout lads who aspired, based on that 70-pound figure, to be decent-level dealers, perhaps even to fund other, uh. operations. The answer to your non-germane question, however, is “no.”
    On the other hand, I recently had need to look up the matter of Raymond Luc Levasseur (who robbed banks and bombed for “the revolution” in the 80’s, whose associates Manning and Williams shot State Trooper Philip Lamonaco 9 times in the back, again, “for the revolution”). Levasseur (he’s on parole) has the nerve to claim that his “radicalization” began when he received a stiff sentence for selling $5 worth of pot to an undercover cop. So you weren’t heading in this direction, were you, Edwily? Golly but I hope not, it’s too early in the morning to be so “understanding.”

  85. “The good people over at the Inner Eye headshop on Bloomfield Ave. probably aren’t too happy about this.”
    Where is this exactly? An address would be helpful.
    Thanks

  86. “why is pot illegal, anyway?”
    Becaue Mr. Hearst and Mr. DuPont didn’t want competition in paper or rope making. It’s an interesting study in the abuse of power, money influencing government and racism motivating the masses.
    My question, how does this stop the muggings or solve the recent shooting of a store owner?
    Stop wasting time busting stoners – someone has to get the munchies and support the 88+ restaurants.
    Spend my tax dollars on real criminals – the ones who want to increase violence against us! Stop meth labs, or Taliban supporting herion junkies!

  87. “We are talking of stout lads who aspired, based on that 70-pound figure, to be decent-level dealers, perhaps even to fund other, uh. operations.”
    a) You can’t assume that they’re using their drug money to buy anything other than Playstation 3 games and Sun Chips. You need evidence to make a claim that they might have gone on to fund “other, uh. operations”.
    b) So what, though? I don’t think there’s a reasonable person who won’t admit that the violence in the marijuana industry comes from the criminalization of it. There’s no good reason why it’s illegal, so there’s no good reason why I should recognize the law as valid.
    If you’re going to try and arrest me for buying 5 dollars worth of pot, I’m going to resist – I don’t recognize that you have the authority to do it. If I resist, you’re going to get violent, and I don’t recognize your right to assault me for not accepting an arrest that’s invalid. When I defend myself from your attacks, the police will see that as aggrivated assault on a police officer and will take whatever actions they need to in order to subdue me – including shooting and potentially killing me.
    Buying 5 dollars worth of a pretty much harmless substance -> murder. Unjustified.

  89. “Edwily, $5 won’t get you anywhere, it’s $20 now. Prices have gone up since you oldies were kids.”
    I’m 22. $5 will get you somewhere, but not a lot.

  90. Edwily, you’re making giant leaps in “logic” above. (Have you been smoking some of lasermikey’s brain cells?) So much so as to sound ridiculous. A $5 pot bust is worth attacking a cop? Killing a cop? Qualifies in your twisted words somehow as “self defense?”
    It’s up to you whether or no to recognize any law as “valid.” And for the police to do something about it if, in the process, you somehow endanger health, safety, the public good, etc. Your scenario sounds like libertarianism carried to VERY extreme lengths. If you really carried out such a “defense” of your “rights,” however, yes, I could quite easily and happily support the death penalty for your having killed a police officer (which is not quite how you set the situation up in a previous post) in such an act of dumb, selfish brutishness and contempt. Would you prefer an injection or Old Sparky?

  91. “A $5 pot bust is worth attacking a cop?”
    The cop attacked me. I’m resisting an arrest that isn’t valid (because the law isn’t valid, because the law violates rights). The situation escalates, and soon I’m dead. If you support the law, that means you support the government’s right to shoot me for buying a small bag of pot.
    “Killing a cop? Qualifies in your twisted words somehow as “self defense?””
    The cop killing me, not me killing the cop. Sorry if that wasn’t clear.

  92. Wow – I don’t even have to read cathys posts anymore – the mention of lasermikey just jumps right off the screen.
    Laser – If I were you I’d be careful. These stalker types only remain at a distance for so long before their desires take over.

  93. Schupo, that’s not exactly what the kid (if he’s truly 22, God knows his prose doesn’t offer up a whole lot of maturity) said. But are you too defending the “right” to “defend yourself” from arrest? Cops defend themselves based on their assessment of the threats or genuine violence against them, by the way, not by the street value of something they’re busting someone for. What kind of nutjob attacks a cop over $5 worth of anything? Even meth dealers usually know enough to go quietly.
    Honestly, I haven’t seen such idiotic attempts at “reasoning” since the 60’s. And then usually in radical broadsheets or rhetoric from Black Panther types. This is very sad. Another example of how “debate” on Baristanet degrades daily. Makes one wish for the days when computers were far more costly, in fact.

  94. And if I were you, hrhppg (thankfully I’m not, I’m not even sure that warped post above is “by” your usual confused self), I’d read the doggone thing before commenting on it. Illogic goes with lasermikey. It apparently also goes with Edwily and schupo for their apparent defenses of violence against police officers. Or are you too endorsing such a situation? Mikey, to his eternal credit, never endorses anything quite that vile or dumb. Which makes him much smarter, it turns out, than either Edwily or Schupo, and perhaps than you too.

  95. Schupo hit the nail on the head, actually. If I go to buy a bag of pot and a cop sees it and attempts to arrest me, I see that as no different than a cop trying to arrest me because my girlfriend is black or because I’m a homosexual – it’s illogical and immoral to do so. “Attacking” a cop implies that you’re instigating violence. The situation I’m describing is 100% defensive. The cop approaches me, I resist. He puts his hand on me, I push it off. He gets physical, I do what I need to defend myself. He’s attempting to arrest me on a charge that is based on some nonsensical, illogical train of thought.
    A bully in a high school tries to take my money. The teachers allow him to do this – hell, the teachers ENCOURAGE him to do this. Am I to just give up my money, or do I resist the bully’s attempt to violate my right to my property? Of course I’d resist. Why should it be any different with the police?

  97. Edwily, I think a nail may have hit you on the head (and penetrated into your brain) long ago.
    In any case, you and Schupo seem perfect together (better than “New Jersey & you!”) today. “You “do what you need to defend yourself” during an arrest? (And here I thought you were just over-reaching when I mentioned Raymond Luc Levasseur, instead you seem to be parroting his own excuses for violence.)
    I’d say, you can’t be serious. You apparently both are. I hope neither of you comes into contact with police officers in situations as you describe above, and that if you do, only you and not any cops get hurt. And afterwards, I hope you try and explain yourself coherently to a judge.
    Which I doubt very, very much you can do. With or without the “excuse” of claimed 22-year-old callowness. Nonetheless, I wish you two (and your oafish acolyte of the day, hrhppg) a good, arrest-free day.

  98. A sort-of congratulations to the Montclair Police-but to a point. Today’s Montclair Times states that they arrested the man just as he was loading the buckets into his pickup truck. BUT Police Lt. James Carlucci staed he “had no idea where he was going to bring it.” HMMMMM???! This was not a situation that some random beat patrol happened upon. They knew it was happening. They were tipped off by Maricopa Sheriff/Arizona, had ample time to debrief, develop a plan, set up survellience, dedicate 3+ detectives and bring in the Essex County Sherrif Department. So my BIG QUESTION to the Montclair Police is this: Why did they not let this man make his next move to where this 200 lbs. was moving to? They would have one more address, more people and much more info in a matter of a few more minutes.
    After all that time and planning all you have is 2 guys that may eventually give you some info. This seems like a very obvious police work to me. Like “Hardy Boys” E-Z sleuthing! This situation involved the planning of the MONTCLAIR POLICE NARCOTICS BUREAU & ESSEX COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT. With fancy names (paid for by our vital tax $$$) like that can we not expect better police work from them? They had the time and resources to join County and other surrounding town forces to back up their operation depending which way this guy was going to drive. Maybe not even make an arrest right then and choose to set up survellience at the new location. Police work like this is one of the very few ways they will penetrate the War on Drugs. Perhaps there is more to this that I do not understand. If there is we should know why it couldn’t have happened that way. THIS IS A SERIOUS QUESTION THAT NEEDS TO ASKED BY THE MONTCLAIR TIMES / STAR LEDGER OR AT LEAST BARISTANET. DO IT.

  99. I never said that I would actually go forth with the situation I described. I was describing a hypothetical situation. My point is that if a law is on the books, it all boils down to the use of physical force against someone who violates that right. It may come down to death. If you’re comfortable with someone being killed because they bought a 5 dollar bag of pot, then you’re comfortable with that. I am not.

  100. The war on drugs is and has been an abject failure. We as a nation had the common sense to alter the approach to the “war on poverty” when it was clear after three decades that some policies supported the creation of a permanent underclass in society and a permanent, ineffective bureaucracy in the government. There has been NO progress in the so-called drug war, ever, unless you call the militarization of the police and erosion of individual rights “progress.”
    On the other hand, it’s downright wrong to advocate “defending” yourself from lawful arrest. If your rights are violated, you have two legal avenues of recourse: the courts and the court of public opinion. Until you change the laws, you won’t get anywhere.

  102. “The good people over at the Inner Eye headshop on Bloomfield Ave. probably aren’t too happy about this.”
    Where is this exactly? An address would be helpful.
    Thanks”
    The address is on Bloomfield Avenue up from the Diva Lounge. Be on the look for a storefront with groups of nicely scrubbed
    suburban high school kids walking out with their newly purchased pipes and weighing scales.

  103. “…QUESTION to the Montclair Police is this: Why did they not let this man make his next move to where this 200 lbs. was moving to? They would have one more address, more people and much more info in a matter of a few more minutes.”

  104. Edwily, again, and for the last time, your leaps of logic are so great as to be great, kangaroo-like bounds aross the expanses of the outback. And they are very, very silly too. I assume you are as comfortable with that as you are with your dismaying false bravado (along with your kinship for today with Schupo and hrhppg). Really, defending mayhem upon police officers is simply shameful on your part.

  105. “Really, defending mayhem upon police officers is simply shameful on your part.”
    I’m assuming you’re trolling now.

  106. “On the other hand, it’s downright wrong to advocate “defending” yourself from lawful arrest.”
    What I’m arguing is that “lawful arrest” is, at times, nothing more than the government-sanctioned form of high school bullying. At this point, I would advocate defending yourself from this form of arrest.

  107. “Prince Lewis used to go to Town Council meetings in Montclair.”
    Yep. He also “attended” court, jail and prison, and spent time erecting that tacky “memorial” for a suspected gang member who was murdered on New/Mission and Bloomfield Avenue. Montclair romanticized like Robin Hood has just been assassinated.
    “What matters here is the apparent existence of a felonious set for whom drug dealing is probably but one illegal activity.” cathar
    Yep again. This set has big-ass guns, ammo, knives and gang affiliations with enrollment requirements to kill old ladies, or soccer Moms. Does it matter whether they kill you to get a gang badge or a big screen?

  108. What I’m arguing is that “lawful arrest” is, at times, nothing more than the government-sanctioned form of high school bullying.
    Ahh, but that’s the problem. In our republic, “government-sanctioned” means “sanctioned (or at least permitted) by our fellow citizens” — absent the clearest violations of rights (for example, segregation), you have to avoid fomenting rebellion, but instead persuade fellow citizens to care enough to change the law. The majority of the citizenry does not care enough to change the status quo — in part because the laws are not applied against shiny upper middle class and rich teens and young adults nearly to the same extent as the poor schmucks that populate the evening news perp walks.
    It’s certainly not that society cares enough to truly punish the well off and connected — otherwise, the halls of the executive branch, congress and the courts would echo with half as many footsteps, because a majority or substantial plurality of college grads have tried pot.
    BUT, advocating violent resistance to lawful arrest will not persuade people to change the policy. In fact, it is an unreasonable enough argument to cause fence-sitters to take the other side. Pointing out the inherent unfairness of the application of the laws and the pernicious, anti-civil liberties consequences of militarizing the police is going to be the route to your stoner salvation.

  109. Edwilly,
    Any pointers you can provide to this list of mostly middle aged men and women on how to resist arrest (as you are recommending).
    Perhaps the guys can fight the cops whereas the gals can scamper through the streets in their Jimmy Choo’s attempting to get away. Maybe we will soon see bailbond advertisements posted on Barista too.

  110. “Pointing out the inherent unfairness of the application of the laws and the pernicious, anti-civil liberties consequences of militarizing the police is going to be the route to your stoner salvation.”
    That’s been going on for years. In the meantime, taxpayers are paying to jail people guilty of a crime that harms nobody.

  111. Edwily, it can take years to change wrong policy. It will take even longer your way, as violent resistance to law enforcement doesn’t play well in civil society.
    I see that the link I used has a bunch of other stuff — that blogger does a good job of documenting the drug war’s many killings and rights-tramplings of innocents by linking to stories like this.

  112. And Edwily, for amusement, I read some of your other posts above. You are in la la land.
    Your anarchist points of view are plain stupid, and I don’t believe for a minute that you have the balls to actually behave in the manner you are suggesting.
    Did you ever live in Montana?

  113. Ed will continue to piss and moan about cops until the day he actually needs the services of one.
    Then he’ll sing a different tune. They all do.

  114. “Bust nets more than half-ton of marijuana valued at $1M
    February 01, 2007
    GENESEE TWP. COLORADO – In what is being called the biggest marijuana seizure in a decade in the Flint area – involving slightly more than a half-ton of the weed – federal narcotics agents also seized $50,000 last week from a Genesee Township couple, according to federal documents.
    … the suspects had more than 1,000 pounds of marijuana in their possession, according to law enforcement officials.
    Agents found 840 pounds of marijuana in a horse trailer driven by one of the suspects to the Rauschenbergers’ house. Another 240 pounds were confiscated in the house, according to the complaint.
    At a news conference, FANG Lt. Mitch Krugielki called it the biggest seizure of marijuana in the Flint area since 1996 and said the drugs had a street value of slightly more than $1 million. ”
    Lesson 1: 70 pounds is small potatoes
    Lesson 2: Dope is waaaay less expensive in Colorado, $1,000/lb vs $2,800/lb in NJ.

  115. I never suggested that anyone behave in the manner above. It’s a hypothetical situation intended to show what laws stand for – physical, potentially deadly, force used against a subject breaking that law. I don’t think that marijuana, a drug used recreationally which harms nobody, is validated by physical coercive forced against someone who wants to get high and watch Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle.
    P.S. I’m not an anarchist, and I recognize that the police have a necessary place in our society. The term you’re looking for is “minarchist”. Without police, people would be free to murder and go completely unchecked, which would lead to the downfall of society. I believe that a country needs a police force, a judicial system, a military – but I oppose how all three of those function in our country. Don’t try to peg me as something if you don’t understand it.

  116. Edwily
    Police don’t make laws, they enforce them. We make laws through our elected officials.
    Nobody likes all of the laws. Hell, I think about 75% of them could be scratched. Until this happens, the job of the cop is to enforce those laws.
    We shouldn’t be asking cops to walk away from stupid laws, we should be asking our legislators to eliminate those laws. Don’t blame cops for doing their job.
    I agree that smoking pot should not be a criminal offense, but few credible politicians will spend the political capital to push that issue. And quite honestly, I don’t think it has enough public support.
    While the term “minarchist” has made it into Wikipedia, it remains a very nebulous unobtainable way of life. It is in effect Anarchy Lite. It will remain forever; an unrealized dream of yours.

  117. “Until this happens, the job of the cop is to enforce those laws.”
    The cops are “just following orders”, then? Where have I heard that before?

  118. There’s an old saying in Tennessee √¢‚Ǩ‚Äù I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee √¢‚Ǩ‚Äù that says, fool me once, shame on √¢‚Ǩ‚Äù shame on you. Fool me √¢‚Ǩ‚Äù you can’t get fooled again.” √¢‚Ǩ‚Äù George W. Bush Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 17, 2002
    Posted by: This Is Your Brain on Drugs ….
    Too Funny !!

  120. You earthlings and your earth drugs. So quaint. Our moon’s gravity is much less than yours, allowing our drugs to get us more high. You earthlings can only dream of getting as high as the moon. But you can’t. Because it is high above you. And you don’t have a ladder. A ladder that can reach the moon.

  121. Edwily, you can call yourself a “minarchist” or any other voguish (among a few) term you wish and you may play at being Prince Peter Kropotkin all you wish. To me, it all sounds the stuff of freshman year in college, and it just makes me wonder how many pairs of earnest-looking steel-rimmed glasses you own.
    But even a “theoretical” consideration of doing harm to police officers, as you indulged in today, is in the absolute worst of taste and is really, really something for you to be ashamed of. Whatever your real chronological age. Or even your emotional one.

  123. Dudes – that kinda smoke ain’t holy.
    Montclair’s going to pot, huh?
    Ooooh. That was a good one!

  124. “Edwily, you can call yourself a “minarchist” or any other voguish (among a few) term you wish and you may play at being Prince Peter Kropotkin all you wish. To me, it all sounds the stuff of freshman year in college, and it just makes me wonder how many pairs of earnest-looking steel-rimmed glasses you own.”
    Is there a rational argument in here that I’m missing? I believe that the job of the government is to do only the jobs necessary to make sure that the state does not collapse, and to ensure that the citizen’s rights are not violated. Nothing more.
    “But even a “theoretical” consideration of doing harm to police officers, as you indulged in today, is in the absolute worst of taste and is really, really something for you to be ashamed of.”
    I didn’t suggest doing harm to police officers. I suggested self-defense. Self-defense isn’t about doing harm, it’s about stopping your attacker.

  125. I didn’t suggest doing harm to police officers. I suggested self-defense. Self-defense isn’t about doing harm, it’s about stopping your attacker.
    What a goofy quibble! The only way you would stop an officer from arresting you, once the process has begun, is to inflict at least disabling harm on the officer. Why not be a little more constructive in your approach? Step one is to vote for the least statist candidates you can find (and good luck on that, too).

  126. Yawn! Did cathy post something – yet again? And complete with another mention of mikey. I hope that means mikey has an extra special Valentine coming this year!

  127. Looks like Montclair is trying to dethrone Newark and Camden as the worst places to live. As soon as all those Tax reassessments are done, look for a massive exodus out of Brickclair.

  128. √¢‚Ǩ≈ìIt’s still smoking, no matter how you roll it. So, if you’ve never smoked cigs but you smoke pot, and your doc asks you if you’ve ever smoked, think about it. Granted, most people don’t smoke a pack of pot, but it’s still unfiltered smoke getting into your lungs√¢‚Ǩ¬ù
    …Remember Brownies? 🙂

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