Free Marc Emery

I am very pleased to report that I am in good shape, sleeping well, and very busy getting some good work done. Today, Tuesday June 1st, I received six letters from individuals, and about 25 or so from our amazing activist friend Chris Goodwin and supporters at Vapour Central in Toronto, where Chris is manager. Jodie sent me a bunch of photos, which I’m really happy to have! The guys here are impressed by pictures of me with Tommy Chong, ZZ Top, and Sean Paul.

I received today’s New York Times… today! So I’ll get that the day it comes out, which is wonderful, unlike the Seattle Times which comes a day or two business days later. So my mail today was huge: 4 newspapers, one book, an envelope of photos, and about 30+ envelopes with various newspaper clippings, reprints, and letters. I haven’t even had time to open all the mail! Getting photos from Jodie was the most exciting, followed by the fact that I will get the New York Times during the week on the day it’s issued (weekend copies arrive Monday). Other inmates are looking forward to reading the newspapers too, and my books and magazines when I finish them. I’ll bring knowledge and information with me wherever I go!

Send Marc mail in prison!

The meals have actually been very good for the last three days, and I’m looking forward to having the salad on Thursday. Today both lunch and dinner were excellent and I devoured them. Quesadillas for lunch with salsa & beans, they were very hot (physically warm, not spicy), and an excellent ricotta cheese-tomato sauces & spinach lasagna for dinner that was also very fresh and tasty and warm. My no-flesh diet is a great improvement.

Last night, for the first time since being here, I slept from midnight to 5:30am (that’s when we’re let out of our cells). I have difficulty sleeping during normal nighttime hours even at home, so it’s extra frustrating in prison because normally the light from the range comes through the cell door window and it constantly disturbs me from sleeping. But last night my light-blocking sock "eye-mask" really helped me in this regard. The eye mask is made with a sock (one of my standard issue tube socks) and is kept on by a twist-tie that came wrapped around the wire of the radio I bought. I learned about this technique at North Fraser Pretrial in Port Coquitlam back in BC, but didn’t need to use one there. Here, though, it’s been a Godsend (or, as far as a suitable word for an atheist, let’s say ‘earthbound miracle’) and last night I sleep soundly from midnight on.

So, consequently, I’ve been up since 5:30am reading, then I showered, and then printed out fellow inmate Robert’s short profile that I wrote up for him (in addition to the much longer life story, which I am still working on). He’s a 63-year-old black man with a lot of pain and suffering in his life since being in Vietnam. He likes the final short profile so much due to my writing and Jodie’s final edit that he’s going to send a copy to President Obama. It’s about how unjust and unfair it is to let so many war veterans go without help dealing with trauma and mental illness when they get home.

Here’s a quick excerpt: "Over 58,000 US soldiers were killed in Vietnam alone, and since the war ended in May 1975, an additional and staggering 109,000 US Vietnam vets have committed suicide in the last 35 years, approximately eight people each and every day. And nobody ever hears or seems to care."

Using his recollections, I have drawn up a map of his neighbourhood right down to every store, newsstand and bar for about four blocks in every direction. So when we walk through his neighbourhood in one scene of the longer story, it’ll feel like I’ve been there for years, so the reader should get an intimate sense of the neighbourhood Robert grew up in.

I’m excited because it’s a whole new writing departure for me and it’s a great challenge. Scenes will be Vietnam/Nha-Trang during fighting in 1967 with its daily line-ups of 20-30 soldiers with gonorrhea, kids leaving shoe shine box bombs in the bars for drunken GI’s, suicides, firefights, tremendous fear, prostitutes everywhere, night patrols… that will be contrasted with a typical Sunday in Robert’s West Philly neighbourhood with locals, the stores, the El train, the characters (including Bookies, number runners, the teenage street gang The Moon Gang, the 2 white families that locals were protective of), the row houses, the young Delfonics singing their songs outside the grocery store, the church service — it should convey the gritty feel of what is, in reality, a ghetto, described during the time when Robert was 17 before signing up with the Army. Then it’ll describe his time in jail for drug offenses; 10 of his 43 years since Vietnam have been prison for drugs.

All this will be tied together to make up an interesting story of one man’s life, and Robert is grateful for the genuine interest I have in his personal story. It’ll be like a very short novella, and I believe it will highlight my maturity as a writer beyond political or analytical work.

Everything I write of importance here (as opposed to the "email" messages to Jodie and friends) is done in longhand first in my notebooks, and then typed up from there on the prison computer (a very basic computer with no access to anything but CorrLinks "email" messaging system) as a second draft, and then I review and edit it, then send it to Jodie usually with 1 to 2 minutes left before I am "timed out" after the one-hour limit on the computer. She sends it back to me after her edit (she’s great at editing, that’s why I hired her at Cannabis Culture in February 2005!) and then I can print it here. I’m behind in my book review of Parchman Farms and Mississippi chain gangs, but I will get back to that eventually.

I’m really looking forward to getting more pictures from my lover, wife, greatest friend and cosmically ordained partner, Mrs. Jodie Emery. I wrote her a true love letter the other day; she knows how madly in love I am with her, but I wanted to express in words how much she means to me. I was so impressed with her May 22nd interview on the Chorus Radio Network all across Canada, on the Roy Green Show, which I believe is the most-listened-to radio show in Canada. Jodie’s sister Tracy spent a long time transcribing the 20-minute interview with Jodie and the remaining 40 minutes of callers and the host’s commentary. The host was Rob Breakenridge, who filled in for Roy; he’s an intelligent man who condemns big government and prohibition while still maintaining and appealing to his traditionally-conservative listener base. If there ever was a brilliant interview done that’s perfect from beginning to end, it’s that one Jodie did, and the text should be posted online soon. That was a stunning job, complete tour de force, as the French might say.

Jodie told me that someone posted an old song on her Facebook profile called "Jodie" by Canadian musician Joe Gregorash. Apparently Joey explains on his website:

The song "Jodie" was written in around 1969/70 and was the name that I used to describe anybody that wanted peace, freedom and harmony in the world. Instead of a "Hippie"… you’re a "Jodie"!

What a great song, and song meaning — check out the lyrics, below. I knew my girl was all about freedom and choice. I’m sure glad my Jodie picked me!

"Jodie" by Joey Gregorash

Jodie is a good name,
For people who are free,
‘Cause Jodie stands for freedom,
Whatever Jodie be.

Now Jodie may have long hair,
Or different coloured skin,
But these things don’t mean nothin’,
If freedoms’ happenin’

Ride ride, ride on down the highway,
Ride ride, freedoms in the air,
Don’t cry, when livin’ feels like dyin’,
Don’t cry, yeah sing like Jodie.

Jodie is just people,
People everywhere,
They’re singin’ out for freedom,
Let singin’ fill the air.

Ride ride, ride on down the highway,
Ride ride, freedoms in the air,
Don’t cry, when livin’ feels like dyin’,
Don’t cry, yeah sing like Jodie!

I’ve been busy today (Friday, May 28th). I got up at 5:30am as usual, started reading "Parting the Waves", the Martin Luther King and civil rights movement story. Excellent book. My day is the same thing over & over again each day: I read, I write, I eat poor food, I see no sun and feel no fresh air and can’t sleep, its like Groundhog Day (the movie) unless I get stuff in the mail, or photos, or articles, or anything that has some substance that changes my day.

Had a physical exam at the doctor. Then I got interviewed by US Immigration for my return to Canada, whenever that happens. I’m going through media withdrawal, so I hope people send me updates about the outside world. It’s very isolating and boring here.

(Please click here to send Marc mail!)

I did a second interview with Robert Henry, my subject for the piece I’m writing (he’s an African-American prisoner whose life of hell started when he was forced to go to Vietnam at 18 years of age). That’s exhausting, but I’m doing a thorough job documenting his life story. I’m also moving along with my book report on the book "Worse Than Slavery". I got 4 more letters today from supporters, so I have 8 to answer to. I got the Buddy Guy book "Damn right I got the blues", that’s great.

I wish I had more articles where Jodie or supporters are quoted saying something profound or pro-freedom about me. I hate reading these articles that say I made millions – I didn’t make squat. The business sold over a million in 4 of the 10 years in sales, but of course, I didn’t keep any of that. Can’t anyone get quoted saying that? I’m so frustrated today. That just annoyed me. Again, there’s no journalism anymore, just reporting.

My meatless diet has started but aye-yie-yie, it’s bad stuff so far. I’m a little crusty and groggy from lack of sleep.

Saturday, May 29th, 2010

It’s 6am on Saturday morning. I didn’t sleep at all but I’m going back to sleep in about an hour because I’m foggy brained. At least I hope I can nap or sleep.

[Hours later] I slept very soundly from 7am to 10:30am. I made an eye mask with a sock and a twist tie, and that really helped. I need a shower but the showers don’t come on till 1:30pm since I missed the morning shower period. I am getting some Orange Spice tea from commissary next Tuesday. For breakfast I had corn flakes and no-fat (no hormone) milk and two oranges, for lunch a vegetarian sloppy joe (which was fine) plus potatoes. I usually make tuna salad sandwiches each day as well, so food is not a problem (I’m on the no-flesh diet now) even if its dubious flavour/quality.

A new guy came in to our range today, and there was a bit of a weird scene when he chased away a black guy from our table and then said to me pointedly "We don’t eat with OTHER people". I went "What?" "WE DON’T EAT WITH OTHER PEOPLE," he reiterated. I deliberately looked at him again and said "What!?" and he repeated "WE DON’T EAT WITH OTHER PEOPLE" and I know he means black people, so Jackson (a black guy) gets up and leaves, and I say, "don’t get up, Jackson, come back here". But then, Oliver (my cell mate or "cellie" as they are called, he’s Jewish) and I get up and go eat with Bear and Robert, two black guys, and they let Oliver & I sit with them. (Robert, who’s black, had the same kind of experience when a black guy came up to him and said "we stick with our own" after seeing me play dominoes a lot with him).

The hot-headed new white guy has a swastika on his arm, which makes Oliver feel uneasy (needless to say), and this new guy is always angry. He’s been in penitentiaries where he says it is segregated by race, and that this is the only place he knows that is this way (not strictly race-segregated). Meanwhile I’m carrying my civil rights history book around with me, which is all about the desegregation movement. If where I end up is segregated, fine, but it’s weird to me.

I’m very disappointed in everyone who is opposed to the California legalization initiative. All that anti-legalization stuff is coming from medical marijuana growers and profiteers who rightly fear prices will plummet and no one will have to buy their pot anymore. It’s just a lobby to protect their black market. The areas of contention are that the legalization initiative says no public smoking (like the law is now, so no difference!) and it doesn’t exempt 18 to 21-year-olds (again, that’s how the law is now, but at least adults are FREE from imprisonment!). It does not usurp or alter anything in Proposition 215, which is California state law and the force behind the massive medical marijuana movement there. If every citizen of California can grow 25 square feet of cannabis in their home or backyard, there goes the privileged black market backing the anti-legalization campaign, and that’s why some people are opposed to it. Imagine that! Self-proclaimed cannabis activists working AGAINST legalization!

Jodie gets down sometimes because of all the world’s problems that need solving and that she feels she needs to take care of, but my advice is to not be cynical about the state of the world. The world always looks like its on the edge of doom, from any era or any year or date. World wars, wars, disasters, government control & dictatorship, etc., it’s always been there. The reason the planet doesn’t get sucked into the abyss is because great individuals bring us technology (like Blackberry, iPod, iPhone, plasma screens, stoves & fridges and electrical appliances that cost $30 to run for everything for one month – that’s a miracle!) and individual liberty through vigilant defiance of the trends of tyranny.

Without people like us who take a stand, the world would already be a prison everywhere. Sometimes there is a price to pay, but even here in prison, so far I am fairly free to say and write what I want because of the work of others before us who were willing to suffer to promote individual freedom. The forces of tyranny are always well-armed and well-insinuated into the political establishment, but as I say, if it weren’t for Nazis in positions of power, what the hell would we do for a career? Fighting for freedom is the only worthwhile life mission.

Even though I’m very busy with reading and writing, it’s as boring here as you could possibly imagine. It’s lonely in the sense that my life is with Jodie. She and I do everything together 24/7, for years now, and I love and miss that… It is so anti-life here, it’s a prison for sure.

Jodie told me that the interview I did with NDP Member of Parliament Libby Davies for Rabble.ca finally showed up online, which makes me happy even though there are numerous errors and omissions that I will have Jodie post on CC soon. I heard news items on the radio about me, but it’s maddening how they screw up details. One radio report said "US DEA arrested Marc Emery in Canada LAST WEEK and quickly had him brought here to Seattle where today he plead guilty to manufacturing marijuana as a result of his seed selling business." There are no journalists these days, just "reporters".

I didn’t sleep a wink again last night (Monday night) but was at least able to listen to a classic rock station from 11pm to 4am. Lots of familiar nice songs, I was able to say the name of the song in 19 out of 20 songs before the first words were even sung [Jodie’s note: Marc is a music trivia master]. I don’t feel tired. I bounded out at 5:30am as soon as they opened my cell door.

I have a health screening today at 11:30m where the doc will take a blood sample and all the other stuff. Already had a tuberculosis exam (a weird injection of something); I don’t have tuberculosis, is the result of that test. One thing I’m going to say to the doctor is, "It’s too bad food services doesn’t subscribe to the Hippocratic Oath (‘First do No Harm’). Without fresh vegetables everyone here will get beriberi disease over time; without sunlight, we’ll get vitamin D deficiency," etc. I’d hate to be the doctor in this disease-causing malnutritioned environment. He must have lost some kind of bet to end up here…

The Seattle Times subscription Jodie got for me started today. It’s Monday’s edition, so I’ll get it a day later, it seems. That’s OK. Two books I asked Jodie to get for me, "Parting the Waves" and "Hammer of the Gods", arrived too! "Parting the Waves" was only $8.80 for some reason, even though its normally like $29.95. Great deal. That book is beautifully written; I got to page 100 or so at North Fraser pretrial center [before being extradited]. Started reading "Hammer of the Gods" today too.

All things considered, I’d rather be here than at North Fraser. The commissary arriving has made a world of difference, plus newspapers and books. Got pens and lined paper, food, all my toiletries, I am set! They did lose all my laundry though, but I should get replacements tomorrow.

Commisary forms are handed in on Monday, stuff arrives Tuesday. Got the same deodorant I use at home! Great razor & shave cream, a booklight to read at night, great radio & headphones, plus tuna, chicken breast, turkey breast in sealed packs for independent meals I can make. Got mixing bowl, shower shoes, batteries, etc. Mixed nuts, trail mix, and other snacks too. Sweet! My attitude is so improved. Plus I even liked the dinner tonight (hot spicy salsa on a mix of beans, cheese, tortilla, rice, and possibly chicken).

I look forward to reading about any political activity from newspaper articles. I hope people send me letters and photos through the mail, because that’s always a great thing to receive. It’ll remind me that people are still fighting for the cause even while I’m behind bars. Just as I was quoted in the CNN article about my extradition: "If just one person, me, being in jail is what it takes to arouse thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of Americans and Canadians to get out and be involved and be responsible and take charge and take the initiative, then I’m a very happy individual."

I share a cell with Oliver, a Jewish Iranian-Canadian guy (see Jodie Emery’s blog entry for more on fellow inmates). It’s like North Fraser pretrial centre, concrete & steel, but with a locker. Outside of our cell is the "range" where 60 of us eat, shower, watch Tv and play cards or dominoes or such activities, as well as walking the second level walkways for exercise.

We are locked in our cells from 10pm to 6am, and from 10am to 11:30am and 4pm to 5pm. The other times we can be in the range. Normally, the range is surprisingly quiet, most people are doing things, and the TVs are by radio signal only. An inmate lent me a radio with ear buds (my own one arrives Tuesday) and there are many, many FM music stations it can pick up, many quite good, so that’s a nice discovery. PLUS, get this, I can pick up CBC Radio One at 91.7 clear as a bell, so I can hear the news!

I asked other inmates how I could get a cell on the other side of the range, because the windows over there have sunlight coming through them, and we have no outdoor exposure here of any kind, no fresh air at all, but if I could get some sun that would be nice. You have to keep an eye on when an inmate moves out and then claim his cell, so I will keep inquiring. My cell doesn’t have a desk in it like some do, I could really use that for all my writing, there isn’t a flat surface in my cell for that.

 

The poor food is getting me a bit down, but getting my commissary goods on Tuesday will help. I hope the place I get sent to after here has better opportunities for vegetables or better food, but it looks like I’ll be in tough while in these prisons.

I’m helping a fellow who is coming off methamphetamine deal with his wasted life so far and helping to rebuild him into a good human again. You know this is what I’ll do with the inmates who always come to me for help, and of course they do come to me. But no one is really aware of my work in the field of drug addiction & recovery or my political activism, but since I don’t need help, its unnecessary that they know my storied career.

Having actual "fans" here might even be annoying because they might pester me for stories and I’m more into my studies here and listening to those who need help and working on rebuilding them into decent citizens and good sons and good parents and helping them see how and why they screwed up – I’m totally brutally candid with them and they appreciate it because I don’t want anything from them – and then how they can change and redeem their sorry-ass behaviour with proper, responsible living.

All these people have kids and parents who are very sad and disappointed and I can rock them out of their self-centered obsession. Richie went through this with me in North Fraser, but he needs another good 6 weeks of me for him to reform. He was thief for most of 20 years, lying to himself and all others blithely, yet now he is 40 and at a crossroads.

Update sent on Monday evening, May 24th after entering his guilty plea

I left for court at 6:15am, was shackled in cuffs & chains from 7am to 5pm, 10 hours, with the exception of the half hour in court 2pm to 2:30 pm. Court was fine. I plead guilty as scheduled. Britney, Jeremiah, Allison Bigelow, and Joanne Vanderwolf (an employee from 1995) was there, Joanne was wearing a No Extradition shirt and was protesting outside because she brought her FREE MARC sign into the court. I was chained and waiting in a cold cell the other 9.5 hours. I haven’t had a shower or bathroom use yet, I can’t wait to get that done but shower time next is 7:30pm and its about 6pm now.

I was on TV here today as people protested at the courthouse. That’s what inmates here tell me. A number of them saw it and are introducing themselves to now because they realize who I am, including the Mexicans. A guard also read somewhere about the protests in Canada and around the world and said, "I guess a lot of those people are saying ‘Fuck those damn Yankees that took ya away’", and I responded, "We love the American people, but the US government is bad."

I’ll be sure to call or write later, after I wash and get centered again. Even though it’s horrible here, there’s lots to be thankful for, I suppose… That’s the thing about jail, you get the blues or internalized anger over things because everything is wearing on my spirit, and its only been a little over 2 weeks.