To all my Buffalo Soldiers: Yes I, Ras Andrew, thought a Rastafari column was appropriate on this — the greenest day of the year. After all, Rastafarianism is, in fact, a religion.  Like most traditions, it arose from a specific set of conditions and ideals. In this case, Afrocentrism and a quasi-liberation theology. Join me now on a magic carpet ride into the Rasta world of I-tal eating, massive dreadlocks and ceremonial cannabis consumption.  Haile Selassie was crowned Emperor of Ethiopia in 1930, and many Jamaicans saw this as a prophesy. He was declared the King of Kings, Lion of Judah and the second coming of Jesus by Jamaicans eager for a black king of their own. They traced his royal lineage back to Menelik I, the progeny of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba — instant divinity.The name of the religion actually comes from Selassie’s pre-coronation name, Ras Tafari. Ras is a title of elevation, similar to “Duke,” and Tafari was his first name. The movement this monarch would inspire became more colorful than the Jamaican flag.  We’ve all heard the term “Zion,” the loaded biblical metaphor synonymous with Jerusalem, among many other things. For Rastas, Zion actually means Ethiopia.  Equally perplexing, Babylon represents the oppressive Western society — i.e., politricks and exploitative actions against black people. And, according to Rastas, they are the true Jews — though they’ll have to get in line behind several other pseudo-Jewish wannabees to make this claim.  As for the tenants of the faith — wholesome, or I-tal, eating and dreadlocks are fundamental. Likewise, groundations (holy days) and reasoning ceremonies are quintessential. And here, my baldhead friends, is where it gets legally complicated.  The reasoning ceremony is like a liturgical Mass for Rastas the world over. Just as sacramental wine is necessary for a Mass, so too is ganja essential for a reasoning to take place.  Problem: the use of marijuana is prohibited without medical prescription in these United States. So partaking of the sticky-icky sacrament is, unfortunately, illegal.  How this qualifies as anything other than religious persecution is beyond me. But just for fun, let’s see what happened when a similar instance occurred affecting Christian worship. As a great Rasta once put it, “in this great future, you can’t forget your past.” From 1920-33, the 18th Amendment forbade the sale, manufacture and transportation of alcohol for consumption. What resulted was exploitation of the thirsty, and federal dollars wasted in an attempt to crush the desires of many American people. Sound familiar? Interestingly enough, sacramental wine was completely legal in this great debacle. The Volstead Act protected a church’s right to use fermented wine in religious services, and as such, Christian religious freedom was not impeded.   But no exemption has been made for Rastas for their Maui Wowie, Panama Red or Acapulco Gold. No, they’re not legally able to smoke a spliff, toke the takkouri, inhale the Indian hay, blunt up the Buddha or pipe the parsley.  Granted, legalizing marijuana only for Rasta reasoning ceremonies would no doubt send conversion statistics to the moon with insincere neo-hippies looking for solace in a war-(on drugs)-torn America.  I don’t know how the great debate over legalization will end. But for now, remember the Rastaman chant, stand up for your rights, [don’t] shoot the sheriff, stir it up, don’t worry about a thing and please — no woman, no cry.  As Mr. Marley would say: “Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery — none but ourselves can free our mind.” Jah bless!—-Andrew Robertson is a 23-year-old religious studies senior from Baton Rouge. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_arobertson.