Hundreds March for Jailed Marijuana Activist Rev. Roger Christie

[Ganjarden]

HILO, HAWAII — A protest rally was held on Wednesday August 18, 2010, in downtown Hilo for Cannabis activist Roger Christie, now being held without bail at the Honolulu Federal Detention Center.

Several hundred protesters gathered at the Hilo bayfront to hear citizens speaking out on behalf of Christie and the other 13 members of the "Green 14″ – members of the Hawai`i Cannabis Ministry now under a federal indictment.

It was standing room only for many attendees, as the gazebo bleachers at Mo'Oheau County Park were packed. At least three local police officers were observed watching proceedings quietly in the background.

There were no incidents.

Following the rally, protesters marched down Kamahameha Ave toward the Federal Building, holding "Free Roger Christie" signs and banners, and chanting "No victim, no crime".

It took about 10 minutes for all the marchers to get safely across Waianuenue Ave, crossing in groups with the green light. Marchers waiting for the light in front of Cronies restaurant, located in the Moses building, were surprised by a waiter who emerged from the restaurant to ask how long it would take to clear the street.

Eventually the entire group of 200-300 people arrived at the Federal Building, where protesters again demanded Christie's release on bond before his trial, now scheduled for April 26, 2011.

The event was coordinated by the newly formed Cannabis Charity Education and Defense Fund of Hawaii. Another rally and march to protest Christie's detention has been scheduled for Saturday, September 11, 2010.

UPDATE:

According to an August 20 report in the Hawaii Tribune Herald, state law enforcement seized 6,653 Cannabis plants during during this week's marijuana eradication action.

Hawaii narco chief Keith Kamita told the Tribune-Herald that 59 residences on the Big Island were investigated for medical marijuana permits.

Kamita said that no arrests were made during raids, but that "excess marijuana" was confiscated.

It was confirmed that local police were involved in the raids, in possible violation of Hawaii County's Lowest Police Priority Law, making 24 plants and 24 ounces legal to posses on the Big Island.

The confiscation of "excess marijuana" in combination with no arrests might lead a casual observer to question whether state narcotics police may be testing the Ballot One law.

The Tribune-Herald reported multiple calls from Puna, where residents report that helicopters "were hovering less than 100 feet above the ground while officers rappelled into fields and yards. Another claimed the copters flew low over a school, frightening and perhaps endangering students."


NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: MensNewsDaily.com
Contact: MensNewsDaily.com
Copyright: 2010 MND's Cannabis Liberty
Website: Hundreds March for Jailed Marijuana Activist Rev. Roger Christie

 

[RoguePoet]

just to make clear...the article above says that the LLEPCO law makes 24 plants or 24 ounces legal..that is not true.

the LLEPCO law makes possession on private property the Lowest Priority...which is not the same as making it legal.

Also, the raids were conducted by state agencies (Narcotics Enforcement) and were aimed at medical marijuana patients. So, no the police were not "testing" the LLEPCO, which is a county ordinance.

 

[RoguePoet]

Oh...and, yes....it was a pretty good turnout for a weekend...good speakers, lots of aloha and plenty of horns honking when we were standing in front of the Ministry.

 

[MedicalNeed]

The refusal to allow bail along with the refusal to honor his request for a quick and speedy trial is quite wrong and should be getting pointed out over and over again.

 

[raiderdave]

yep let that man go

 

[TzTaoBaron]

There actions only prove that the Feds and some states would rather let their citizens suffer or make them use 'Their Narcotics'. The Feds are in the pockets of the Tax payer as well as the Pharmiceutical company's. Collect taxs, use taxes collected to enforce 'Our Laws'. If we don't use taxs collected the collected taxs go back to the Tax Payers in refunds. No more tax dollars for MMJ raids is a good motto. Don't vote for more tax increases for your local and federal law enforcement funds. Let them ride push scooters without guns to the scene to enforce their laws on MMJ. Now that's a idea.

 

[mixpik]

Rev. Roger Christie has been jailed and is being held without bond in Honolulu.

The notion of cannabis as a sacrament comes from the old testament. Holy anointing oil was used to anoint the feet of Christ (new testament). The Holy anointing oil described in Exodus 30:22-25 contained cannabis (kaneh bosem or bosm).

The word kaneh-bosem has been mistranslated as calamus, a common marsh
plant with little monetary value that does not have the qualities or value ascribed to kaneh-bosem.
The error occurred in the oldest Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, the Septuagint in the third century BC, and was repeated in the many translations that followed.

In 1936 a Polish Anthropologist named Sula Benet discovered that in the original Hebrew of the Old Testament, Exodus 30:23, Song of Songs 4:14, Isaiah 43:24, Jeremiah 6:20, and Ezekiel 27:19, kaneh bosm or kaneh was translated as calamus by the Greeks in the 3rd century B.C. and then propagated from the Greek in all future translations. Hebrew ceased to be used as a spoken language after this time and was not revived until the mid 1800's. Kaneh bosm was in the Holy oil used to anoint all Kings, Priests, and Prophets for all generations to come, including that of Jesus and even today! The title Christ/Messiah means literally covered in oil, Anointed! In Song of Songs kaneh is listed as an incense tree. There are 141 references to anointing and 145 for burning incense in the standard Bible.

The establishment of cannabis as a sacrament is as old as the bible and cannabis ministers take the bible literally. In denying the use of cannabis as a sacrament in the United States, it is not possible to replicate anointing oil according to the old testament recipe. This effectively denies religious freedom, a practice our constitution forbids. By arresting a minister for practicing his beliefs, our government has turned it's back on our constitutionally protected right to freedom of religion.

I ask you, what are they afraid of?

 

[TzTaoBaron]

Their not afraid of nothing or no one. That Is the problem. Once America gets off its lazy butt and starts to demand that these stupid laws that only serve the government in tax dollars they get to fight MMJ be removed.

 

[RoguePoet]

Aloha!

There is a great injustice taking place in Hawai`i that threatens all of our cherished liberties .

Rev. Roger Christie, the founder and leader of the Hawai`i Cannabis THC Ministry, has for many years operated the Ministry openly on the bayfront in downtown Hilo, here on the Big Island of Hawai`i. Roger Christie ministered to homeless and indigent Cannabis patients and others. The local police were all aware of his mission and activities -- as were members of the County Council and the Mayor. Whenever cannabis issues were raised in the news, Roger was always the spokesman for religious, medical and private adult use sought after by the news media, locally, nationally and globally . His words reached millions.

On July 8, 2010 the Federal Government -- in the persons of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the National Park Service, the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, and the U.S. Coast Guard, arrested Roger Christie along with 13 other individuals (collectively being called the Green 14) -- one of whom was his girlfriend and life partner Share E. St. Cyr. They were then flown over 200 miles to Honolulu in a Coast Guard C-130 for their arraignment and detention.

While the 13 were all released with a simple signature on a personal bond, Roger Christie has been denied bail by four separate Federal Courts on the tenuous ground that he is a "danger to the community." He is being held without bond in lieu of trial, now scheduled for April 26, 2011. What "danger" is this harmonious man to the community? In fact, Roger can only speak the truth, and the Federal Government is afraid that people will listen. This is the clearest definition of a “political prisoner”.

Think about it – locked and sealed away until the end of his anticipated criminal sentence - what is our federal government afraid of? Deprived of his Constitutional right to free and open access to his Federal public defender, and sealed off from his many friends and supporters, Roger Christie remains the “happiest person” in the Federal Detention Center because he knows he will someday get his day in court for the ‘last marijuana trial' .

The government has spent literally millions of dollars and more than two years of investigation, including wiretaps on his phones and other surveillance.

The outrageous flaunting of Roger Christie's Constitutional right to free speech and the free exercise of his sincere religious beliefs, by the Obama Federal government, has angered many in our community here in Hawai`i and across the country. Add to this the denial of due process and a speedy trial, and being held without bail before being found guilty of anything in an alleged crime that has zero victims .

In response to this act of political tyranny, we, the friends of Roger Christie and the THC Ministry here in Hilo, Hawai`i, have started a non-profit corporation: The Cannabis Charity Education and Defense Fund. We have managed to raise some small amount of funds to help Roger in his time of need. In order for Roger to be able to have phone, computer and even commissary privileges, he must pay his jailors $600.00 per month!

Through fund raising at several Rallies for Roger, we have passed on almost $1,000. Of course the government confiscated all of his modest savings and liquid assets, leaving Share out of money and alone, having to sell her truck in order to survive and to help Roger while he remains behind bars.

So there he sits in the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu. Since you are still reading this letter you may be asking what you can do to help. There are a few things you can do. One is to write a letter of support to Roger, or just a letter. Sitting in jail without even a chance to go outside can be a trial in itself and letters are a welcome gift.

You can also write your political representatives in the federal government letting them know of this over-the- top flagrant violation of Roger's Constitutional rights. Write a letter to the editor or friends in the media that could bring light to this dark situation. Letters to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser would be especially welcome.

Finally you can donate to Roger Christie's cause. We have paypal methods of money transfer set forth below. He can also receive use of funds sent directly to his prison account to be used to offset the expenses he incurs in jail. This can be done by sending a money order to the address below.

Finally you can donate to Roger Christie's cause. We have paypal methods of money transfer set forth below . He can al so receive use funds sent directly to his prison account to be used to offset the expenses he incurs in jail. This can be done by sending a money order to the address below.

You can donate through:

The-Last-Marijuana-Trial.com The Last Marijuana Trial
CannabisCharity.org Cannabis Charity
or mail your check or money or to:

The Cannabis Charity Education and Defense Fund
P. O. Box 1323
Pahoa, HI 96778

Ph. 808-430-3924 cannabischarityfund@gmail.com

Mahalo and Thank You

The Board Members of the Cannabis Charity Education and Defense Fund

Dr. Yvonne Conner
Gary Zamber, Esq.
Matt Rifkin
Mike Aiello
Paul Sulla, Esq.
Rev. Nancy Harris
Wolf Braun