RAINBOW FARM OUTCRY

Law Doesn't Cover Cannabis

Editor,

When Tom Crosslin's state representative and federal congressional
representatives were elected, they swore defense of the Constitution
and Bill of Rights. Yet, when Tom was being threatened by the state
authorities, and eventually the FBI, where were his representatives?

No matter the law. No law usurps the Constitution. Cannabis, as any
other substance, is outside the federal government's authority.
Seizing property without due process is unconstitutional. Yet not a
hand was raised in his defense by his elected officials. Is this
representative government or cowardice? Is this how the folks of Cass
County want to be treated by their government? You had better open
your eyes!

Waco may be in Texas but the FBI can be in your yard whenever they
want to. Are we free, or prisoners of our government?

Bruce Rideout

Madison, Wis.

Police Only Know One Way - Violence

Editor,

Back in 1982 in Winder, Ga., a very similar standoff ended in the
death of my father, John B. McMillan.

Why don't these police units learn about other ways of doing their
jobs? This has upset a lot of people. This is an uprising as big as
the Revolution that shook the world between 1890 and 1920. Beware.

We are not going to take it anymore. I am a peaceful person - this
only fuels our fires.

Tom McMillan

Whittier, N.C.

God Will Punish The Punishers

Editor,

As I fight back tears to write this letter, words cannot explain the
sorrow in my heart, not only for Mr. Crosslin and Mr. Rohm, but for
us all as a nation, so vengeful, so corrupted and cruel, that we
would allow government agents to murder these men, for such a
fraudulent, unholy crusade, in which so few actually believe. What
have we become? History will not look kindly on us for what we've
allowed to happen in this deadly war against our own people, who have
beliefs of freedom, so deeply rooted, that they attempted to face
down this insane drug war machine.

We applaud the Chinese for standing before tanks in Tianamen Square,
yet we ignore our own citizens when they exercise there inalienable
right to live as free people. I have little doubt that if the
founders of this once free country walked the earth today, they too
would soon be causalities of this hysteria that drives the "war on
drugs."

As a veteran, I'm ashamed to have ever served for such a heartless,
gutless and corrupted land. It shocks my senses that we stand idly by
while such, by all descriptions, kind and gentle Americans are
blasted to eternity by government agents and they shield the killers
from our citizenry. The agents who slaughtered Mr. Crosslin and Mr.
(Rolland) Rohm were no heroes and only the most depraved of minds
believes otherwise. If this was such a heroic deed with a consensus
of support, why must our government spirit the killers away under a
cloak of secrecy? Shouldn't they be held up on a pedestal, so we may
all thank them for such noble deeds? I think, by now, every American
with a shred of conscience already knows the answer.

John Ashcroft and John Engler, since these slayings took place on
their watch, with their blessings, had better pray that come judgment
day, as they approach the pearly gates, that the God I was raised to
believe in doesn't sit upon the throne, because I have no doubt that
he'll condemn them to the darkest of hells for allowing his children
to die at the hands of their underlings, for merely using a plant
that God placed on this earth for food, fiber, medicine and the
mental well-being of all his children.

And the elected officials who have created such a false doctrine,
which allows these catastrophes to occur in the first place, I
believe God reserves a special punishment for them that the mortal
mind is unable to comprehend and they deserve it.

What have they wrought?

Mike Plylar

Kremmling, Colo.

War On Weed Is The Real Crime

Editor,

My wife, son and I drove to Southwest Michigan last year to attend a
Rainbow Farm event. We had a wonderful time, meeting too many great
people to mention, and were highly impressed with the Michigan "vibe."

We are sickened by the recent events and the two senseless deaths.
Who were they bothering? And whatever happened to the "land of the
free"? Our government is waging a war on a plant that grows around
the entire planet! Let's lock up the real criminals, not the dope
smokers.

My forefathers once said, "Give me liberty or give me death."
Americans, wake up. Our rights are being taken from us.

Craig Pugh

Omaha, Neb.

FBI Guilty Of Heartless Murder

Editor,

Call in the FBI. It's good at killing American citizens who are
standing on their own property. What has this country become when
death squads from Washington come in and murder our brothers and
sisters and abduct our children? Over marijuana? An unnamed FBI
gunman? Just call this the USA.

Michael Krawitz

Elliston, Vir.

Drug Effort Is Wasting Billions

Editor,

If I was part of California law enforcement, I would be very
frustrated by the stats listed in your Sept. 2 article titled,
"Vandalia campground owner continues standoff."

Thirty years of the war on drugs, with escalated enforcement budgets
(estimated at $40 billion annually), and yet both the potency and the
availability of marijuana continues to skyrocket. How long will this
go on before we realize that the war on drugs is doomed to failure?

I, for one, can think of much better uses of our police officers'
time than running around pulling up plants - especially considering
the softening attitude of American citizens towards marijuana. A
recent Gallup poll shows that 34 percent of U.S. citizens favor
legalization. These tremendous and ineffectual efforts to curb
marijuana production seem like an enormous waste of time and money. I
would like to see that $40 billion annually go toward better schools
for our kids, improving medical care for seniors, or to our welfare
programs. Instead we spend it on paying law enforcement to run around
uprooting plants.

Adam Wiggins

Pasadena, Calif.

Men Were Killed For Their Views

Editor,

Although I don't live in your state, this could happen where I live.

If you oppose the government's policies it is obvious that you can be
killed. How many people are going to have to die in this insane war
on drugs before we say enough? These men were marijuana activists and
had become a thorn in the side of the government by politically
organizing people to object to the draconian laws against marijuana.

I sincerely hope the people of your state demand an end of the
killing over this failed policy.

Lee Monnet

Ogdensburg, N.Y.

Another Casualty Of The Drug War

Editor,

How did a peaceful campground owner become public enemy number one?
No matter how you paint it, marijuana prohibition killed Tom
Crosslin, the owner of the Rainbow Farm in Michigan, murdered by the
FBI after a four-day standoff for standing up for his rights.

A hard worker who built a good life for himself and others through
his farm; a generous supporter of the community he lived in, Crosslin
found himself facing the loss of his home, life's work and freedom
all because of a plant.

In the end he paid the ultimate price. Another peaceful American is
dead because of this senseless fraud, and undoubtedly he will not be
the last.

On Labor Day it was Tom Crosslin. Tomorrow it could be you or your neighbor.

Who will lead us out of this bloody mess?

Gary Storck

Madison, Wis.

Keep Up The Fight Against Insanity

Editor,

We have watched this war on drugs take away our liberties, take away
our property, take away our children and take away our lives. When
will the people of America see that this country is no different from
any dictatorship when peaceful citizens, who have hurt no one, are
gunned down by the FBI? This is about freedom, not drugs. We are
tax-paying citizens who work hard and believe in a better world, one
of peace. But America is on a death trip and has been for most of
this century.

We will miss Tom and we will continue the fight to end this insanity.

Mary Mackenzie

Tucson, Ariz.

Rainbow Pot Parties Never Hurt Anyone

Editor,

I am a Canadian marijuana activist who has had the great opportunity
to attend one of the Rainbow Farm events in 1999. For years the farm
hosted parties, with much pot use involved and no deaths involved. As
a matter a fact, no one has ever died from marijuana use.

Yet the FBI stormed in and this resulted in two deaths and one
wounded. Families and lives have been ruined. The only thing ever to
come out of America's "war on drugs" has been death and destruction.
Farewell, Mr. Crosslin and Rolland Rohm, may you rest in peace.

Fred Pritchard

Windsor, Ont.