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at U.S.
Supreme Court over
medical
By Sheldon Rlchman
For the Forsyth County News
When the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against
medical-marijuana users, many critics of the
decision thought the six-justice majority failed to
show compassion for severely ill people. But the
Supreme Court doesn’t sit to dispense compas¬
sion. It’s supposed to ensure that Congress
respects the Constitution and, by extension, indi¬
vidual liberty. How did it do on that count?
Before we get to that question, a foreword is
in order. Under California’s Compassionate Use
Act, doctors may
na to patients with
problems'iiiose
patients are then
permitted to grow
marijuana for
their own use.
The state closelv
regulates the pn-
scription, cultiva
tion, and use of the product to prevent others
from obtaining it. (At least nine other states have
similar laws.) The issue in Gonzalez v. Raich et
al. was whether such patients should be exempt
from the federal prohibition against production
and possession of marijuana.
Many well-intentioned people say yes:
course, severely ill people should be able to grow
and use marijuana by prescription without fear
that federal agents will barge into their homes (as
they did to Diane Monson, a party in the case),
destroy their plants, and charge them with unlaw
fill possession.
But the case raises questions that cry out
answers. What about equality under the law?
Why should only sick people be exempted from
the prohibition? If sick people have a right to
obtain marijuana, it must be because they have a
right to their own lives and therefore a right to
take all peaceful actions to maintain their lives,
But don’t the rest of us have the same rights?
These questions show that medical-marijuana
laws are inappropriate in a free society, which
should respect fire right of all adults to use what
ever substances they wish. Laws such as the
Compassionate Use Act are examples of mis¬
placed compassion. Sick people need freedom.
not permission, however compassionate
motive. So do we all.
ftfow what about thp Court’s ruling?
When state-sponsored terrorism was American
By Robert S. McElvaine (KRT)
History News Service
JACKSON, Miss. — At a
time when the president of the
United States has the nation
involved in an open-ended War
on Terror, a trial now under
way in Mississippi takes us
back to a time when state-spon¬
sored terrorism existed in the
United States.
The trial of Edgar Ray
Killen for the 1964 murders of
civil-rights workers James
Chaney, Michael Schwerner
and Andrew Goodman focuses
attention on an era, only four
decades ago, when those
employing terror against out¬
side forces they saw as invaders
were inside the United States.
On the surface, the goal of
the Mississippi Freedom
Summer Project of 1964
so ™ d * ^ ide ” tica * to *5
; r /u nt < I stab '
lished r (after his original • • pro
fessed war aim of seizing
weapons of mass destruction
vanished) for his war in Iraq:
bringing freedom and democra
cy to a closed society.
The 1964 Summer Project
might reasonably have been
called Operation Mississippi
Freedom. Even if the avowed
objectives of the outsiders in
1964 and today were similar,
the means they employed to toy
to achieve those ends were radi
cally different. That difference
points up the wrong-headed
ness of the Bush policy in Iraq.
The outsiders, joined by
many blacks and a few whites
in Mississippi, sought to bring
freedom and democracy to this
state peacefully. The use of mil
itary fence to improve the situa
tion of African Americans had
been tried a century before, in
the 1860s. The result was more
than a half-million people
killed.
Slavery ended, but freedom
and democracy lasted only dur
ing the period of military occu
pation that followed the Civil
War. Little more than a decade
after the end of that terrible
war, the occupying fences were
gone and the undemocratic ele-
If you wish to see how far America has drift¬
ed from its libertarian roots, just study the
Supreme Court’s Commerce Clause cases. The
U.S. Constitution delegates to Congress the
power to “regulate commerce ... among the sev¬
eral states.” This provision was intended to pro¬
hibit state governments from enacting protection¬
ist trade restrictions against commercial interests
in other states. The clause thus declared the
United States a free-trade zone.
Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for
Congress and the Supreme Court to warp the
Commerce Clause into something unrecogniz¬
Yes ' *^ ere should be no exemp
tt0n - But that /S because there
should be no war on drugs.
activity if seen as nec
essar y to regulate interstate commerce. That
brought us to our present lamentable circum¬
stances.
The unfortunate upshot is that while the
ruling faithfully follows (bad) Court prece
dent, it woefully violates the original purpose of
die Commerce Clause. More fundamentally, the
war on drug producers and consumers itself vio
l at fs the Constitution. Alas, even the dissenting
opinions, such as Justice Clarence Thomas’s, is
flawed. Thomas writes, “The Commerce Clause
empowers Congress to regulate the buying and
selling of goods and services trafficked across
state lines.” Wrong, but the majority, including
Justice Antonin Scalia, agreed, adding that,
because Congress has a rational basis for fearing
that homegrown marijuana could end up in the
banned interstate market and because Congress
may enact all laws “necessary and proper” for
carrying out its objectives, no exemption for sick
people from the Controlled Substances Act is jus
filled,
What a muddle. Yes, there should be no
exemption. But that’s because there should be no
war on drugs.
Sheldon Rlchman is senior fellow at The
Future of Freedom Foundation (www.ff.org),
author of "Tethered Citizens: Time to Repeal the
Welfare State," and editor of The Freeman maga
♦ line. *
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Photo/Milbert 0. Brown
Willie Simmons, left, reads the Bible during a Sunday morning service at Johnson
Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Money, Miss. This is the town where Emmett Till
was killed in 1955 after whistling 9 at a white store clerk,
ments had been restored to their
dominance and oppression.
In Mississippi in 1964, vio
lenee came from the state itself,
as well as from terrorist groups
and individuals who acted with
well-placed confidence that the
state would not punish them for
their crimes. During that sum
mer there were 65 bombings or
burnings of buildings, including
35 churches and numerous
homes in this state. McComb,
Miss., came to be known that
summer as the bombing capital
of the world, a dubious distinc
tion that Baghdad now holds,
Six civil-rights workers in the
state were murdered and at
least 80 were the victims of
beatings, in many cases by the
police,
Much as the self-professed
religious Muslims associated
with al-Qaeda today do not hes
itate to bomb mosques,
Mississippi (Clansmen bombed
churches while claiming to be
good Christians. A solemn,
determined Spirit of Christian
Reverence must be stimulated
in all members, Sam Bowers,
the Imperial Wizard of the
Mississippi Klan, declared as
he outlined a four-stage plan
to . maintain . . . the .
f
way to restrict and
even prohibit the flow
° f produ ^ ts '
during , the New Deal it
became a means of
prohibiting even non
commercial intrastate
FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS - Wadnaaday, June 22,2006
culminating in extermination.
Abuse of black prisoners
and white civil-rights workers
was the norm. At Parchman
State Prison Farm, civil-rights
workers were left naked in 40
degree weather with the win¬
dows open and fans blowing on
them. They were also force-fed
laxatives.
Especially striking is the
fact that at a time when
Mississippi saw itself as the
place that held women in the
highest esteem, many women in
the civil-rights movement were
severely beaten while in police
custody. Fannie Lou Hamer’s
famous, riveting testimony
before the credentials commit¬
tee at the 1964 Democratic
National Convention, for exam¬
ple, recounted the brutal beat¬
ings with fists and clubs admin¬
istered to her and three other
women by assailants including
a sheriff, a police chief and a
state trooper in the jail in
Winona, Miss., the previous
year.
As Americans continue to
debate the wisdom and possi¬
bilities of success of Operation
Iraqi Freedom, we should com¬
pare the means and results of
DELINQUENT PROPERTY TAX
Under and by virtue of certain tax Fi Fa's issued by the Tax Commissioner of Forsyth County. Georgia, in favor of the State of Georgia and
County of Forsyth, against the following named persons and the property as described next to their respective name(s). There will be sold
for cash or certified funds at public outcry, before the Courthouse door in Cumming, Forsyth County. Georgia, between the legal hours of
sale, on the first Tuesday in July, 2005, the same being July 5,2005, and continuing on Wednesday, July 6, 2005, if necessary between the
legal hours of sale, 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. The below listed and described properties, or as much thereof as will satisfy the State and
County tax execution on the respective individual and property. The property (ies) hereinafter described have been levied on as the property
of the persons whose names immediately precede the property description. Each of the respective pieces of property are located in Forsyth
County, State of Georgia The years for which said Fi Fa’s art issued and levied are stated opposite the name of the owner in each case.
Each defendant and tenant in possession, if applicable, has been notified of levy time and place of sale. Purchaser shall pay for title, all
transfer costs, all taxes, advertising cost and recording fees.
Map & Parcel: 0000400052
Defendant in Fi-Fa: Wallace, Karen C. Map & Parcel: 0000402438
Current Record Holder: Wallace, Karen C. Defendant in Fi-Fa: Gravitt, Gary A
CRH Address: 437 Brannon Park Car. Current Record Holder: Gravitt, Gary A
Cumming, GA 30041-7230 CRH Address: 3515 Browns Bridge Road
Amount Due: $546.42 Cumming, GA 30040
Tax Years Due: 2004, 2003 Amount Due: $1,890.05
Legal Description: 1987 Granville, Redman Mobile Tax Years Due. 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000,
Home, 14 x 66 Vin * 14801681. Property located 1999, 1998
at: 437 Brannon Park Circle, Legal Description: 1987 Spring Hill Mobile Home
Cumming, Georgia 30040. 24 x 48, Vin # GA32346788 Property Located at:
3515 Browns Bridge Road,
Map & Parcel: 0000400416 Cumming, Georgia 30040
Defendant in Fi-Fa: Bagwell, Lamar
Current Record Holder: Bagwell, Lamar Map & Parcel: 0000402712
CRH Address: 2535 Bagwell Drive Defendant in Fi-Fa: Coker, Helen Elizabeth
Cumming, GA 30040- Current Record Holder: Carol P. Millard & Helen
Amount Due: $53937 Elizabeth Coker
Tax Yeats Due: 2004, 2003 CRH Address: 6000 Hickory Hills Road
Legal Description: 1981 Horton Mobile Home, 14 Cumming, GA 30041
x 56, Vin * H33020G, Amount Due: $1,241.91
Property Located at: 2535 Bagwell Drive, Tax Yeats Due: 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001
Cumming, Georgia 30040. Legal Description: 1989 Horton Summit Mobile
Home 24 x 36. Vin * H43489GLR. Property
Map & Parcel: 0000400463 Located at: 6000 Hickory Hills Road,
Defendant in Fi-Fa: Notsworthy, Tammie Cumming, Georgia 30042.
Current Record Holder: Notsworthy, Tammie
CRH Address: 8225 Kara Drive Map & Parcel: 0000406858
Gainesville, GA 30506- Defendant in Fi-Fa: Brumbalow, Bonnie F.
Amount Due: $1,040,84 Current Record Holder: Brumbelow, Bonnie F,
Tax Years Due. 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001 CRH Address: 2669 Peachtree Pkwy, U. 29
Legal Description: 1989, Dyna, 28 x 56 Mobile Suwanee, GA 30024
Home, Vin * SIAL2250A. Amount Due. $1,039.34
Property Located at: 2607 Densmore Road, Tax Yeats Due: 2004, 2003
Cumming, GA 30040 Legal Description: 1999 Fleetwood Mobile Home
16 x 60, Vin* GAFLX39A13016VH12
Map & Parcel: 0000400757 Property Located at; 2669 Peachtree Parkway Lot
Defendant in Fl-Fa: Pruitt, Calvin 29, Suwanee, Georgia 30024.
Current Record Holder: Randall C. Pruitt; Charlene
A, Pruitt & Calvin Piuitt Map & Parcel. 0000406881
CRH Address: 2734 Pruitt Road Defendant in Fi-Fa: Baker, Bobbi
Cumming, GA 30041- Current Record Holder: James A. Leeds, Sr 4
Amount Due: $1,112.12 Bobbi Baker
Tax Years Due: 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000 CRH Address: 7460 Whitmire Road
Legal Description: 1991 Sable II Mobile Home 14 Cumming, GA 30040-3151
x 70, Vin *GBHME13590. Property Located at: Amount Due: $1,082,62
2734 Pruitt Road, Cumming, Geoigia 30041. Tax Years Due: 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001
Legal Description: 1990 Weston Mobile Home 14 X
Map & Parcel: 0000400948 60, Vin * GAFU75A09680WE.
Defendant in Fi-Fa: Taylor, Denise & Taylor, Property Located at: 6140 Jot Em Down Road,
Tammy Dawsonville, Geoigia 30534.
Current Record Holder: Taylor, Denise & Taylor,
Tammy
CRH Address: 3954 Drew Campground Rd.
Cumming, GA 30040-4935 Map & Parcel: M057223
Amount Due: $699.76 Defendant in Fi-Fa: Edenficld, Daniel
Tax Years Due: 2004, 2003 Current Record Holder. Edenficld, Daniel
Legal Description: 1987 Fleetwood Mobile Home CRH Address; 5315 New London Trace
24 x 48 Vin * GALSH2AH033475I8. Property Atlanta, GA 30327
Located at; 3954 Drew Campground Road, Amount Due; $5,939,65
Cumming, GA 30040-4935 Tax Yeats Due; 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000,
1999, 1998
Legal Description. 1998 Sea Ray Boat 290DA /
Map & Parcel; 0000400987 W/190HP Engine. Vehicle is located at the Gas
Defendant in Fi-Fa: Thompson, Gina Lu & Dock at Bald Ridge Marina. I
Candice
Current Record Holder: Thompson, Gina Lu & Matthew C, Ledbetter
Candice
CRH Address: 4445 Church Road Forsyth County Tax Commissioner
Cumming, GA 30040- Sheriff *
Amount Due: $964.75 Ex-officio
Tax Years Due: 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, l
1999, 1998 • Deed Book: Refers to Deed Records located in the Forsyth
Legal Description: 1975 Champion Leader Mobile County Courthouse, Clerk of Superior Court's Office where
Home, 12 x 70 Vin # 0457011628. property is more fully described.
Property Located at: 4445 Church Road, 402-26
Cumming, GA 30040
«r k
PAGE 13A
the two attempts to achieve
analogous results in the
American South. The total
number of people killed in the
nonviolent, nonmilitary strug¬
gle to bring freedom and
democracy to the South in the
1960s was, by the count of the
names inscribed on Civil Rights
Memorial in Montgomery, Ala.,
40. And the nonviolent effort
succeeded, as the belated
indictment of Killen — the lat¬
est in a series of Southern
atonement trials — reconfirms.
These different outcomes
from efforts to spread democra¬
cy and freedom through violent
and nonviolent means should
tell us that we are choosing the
wrong methods for promoting
these estimable goals. Perhaps
only when violence fails will
we return to the tactics of the
Mississippi freedom move¬
ment.
Robert S. McElvaine teach¬
es history at Millsaps College
and is a writer for the History
News Service. His most recent
book is “Eve’s Seed: Biology,
the Sexes, and the Course of
History." Readers may send
him e-mail at mcelvrs@mill-,
saps.edu.