Barabbas and his wife, Katalin on their wedding day are pictured in this photo that was featured in the original post of this blog, "Political Prisoner held in Hawaii without Bail-What did Reverend Roger Christie Do?" They were married the day before the arrest of July 8th, 2010. Barabbas defends his beloved Cannabis Sacrement Minister with conviction and passion and speaks for all of us who know and love Roger. Hokulani Cheneviere
Aloha Friends and Associates,
I would like to draw your attention to an unpleasant situation here on the Big Island of Hawai'i. This man, Reverend Roger Christie has been held in a Federal Detention Center for a year and no possibility of bonding or bailing out. He is held without medicine, outside recreation and no acceptable food. He is 62 and has a public defender who just quit for employment at a private practice firm. Roger is denied the right to prepare for his own trial and if he testifies on his own behalf, they will add “obstruction of justice” to his charges!
His crime is running a ministry with the blessings of the State and County governments for ten years. The state themselves accepted that he was a Cannabis Sacrament Minister and bestowed full clergy privileges upon him years ago. He has been crusading Cannabis usage in all forms as a way to an enlightened and prosperous society. He has traced the roots of this herb as a sacrament and healing plant in every major religion and even deciphered and resurrected the usage of the Holy Anointing Oil Jesus the Christed One was using. He has offered this oil to some folks with incurable disease and they were healed! He was also brave enough to provide this as medicine to the medical card holder here in the County of Hawai'i because the State of Hawaii has made no provisions for legal dispensaries.
The real issue is that he outraged certain segments in politics and law enforcement. He ran for mayor twice and the last attempt he championed "Ganja-nomics" as a way for people here to find financial sustainability and help provide Cannabis to the people and patients. He has also initiated and pushed through several local laws expressly directing the police to disregard Cannabis as a priority. He was able through the "Peaceful Skies Initiative" to get the federal helicopter raids to be decommissioned. Although the government refuses to submit to the will of the people of this state and they continue to do as they please. Let's face it, he stepped on too many fat cat toes and is now paying the price for it.
I would like to draw your attention to an unpleasant situation here on the Big Island of Hawai'i. This man, Reverend Roger Christie has been held in a Federal Detention Center for a year and no possibility of bonding or bailing out. He is held without medicine, outside recreation and no acceptable food. He is 62 and has a public defender who just quit for employment at a private practice firm. Roger is denied the right to prepare for his own trial and if he testifies on his own behalf, they will add “obstruction of justice” to his charges!
His crime is running a ministry with the blessings of the State and County governments for ten years. The state themselves accepted that he was a Cannabis Sacrament Minister and bestowed full clergy privileges upon him years ago. He has been crusading Cannabis usage in all forms as a way to an enlightened and prosperous society. He has traced the roots of this herb as a sacrament and healing plant in every major religion and even deciphered and resurrected the usage of the Holy Anointing Oil Jesus the Christed One was using. He has offered this oil to some folks with incurable disease and they were healed! He was also brave enough to provide this as medicine to the medical card holder here in the County of Hawai'i because the State of Hawaii has made no provisions for legal dispensaries.
The real issue is that he outraged certain segments in politics and law enforcement. He ran for mayor twice and the last attempt he championed "Ganja-nomics" as a way for people here to find financial sustainability and help provide Cannabis to the people and patients. He has also initiated and pushed through several local laws expressly directing the police to disregard Cannabis as a priority. He was able through the "Peaceful Skies Initiative" to get the federal helicopter raids to be decommissioned. Although the government refuses to submit to the will of the people of this state and they continue to do as they please. Let's face it, he stepped on too many fat cat toes and is now paying the price for it.
His congregation is broken and mostly poor. The fear has rippled though the community and now thugs run things with no regard for what is right and only care about the profits. Ice (meth) continues to destroy our community. Roger is lost in the bigger circle of celebrities in the global Cannabis community and culture.
Yet, if he wins this case, he will set precedence for the first religious rights case in federal court. This is politics and business since the Rastafarians and Coptic's have their rights. The members of the Native American Church can munch peyote as they please. But a white guy with a multi-denominational church is just too much freedom for the people.
Please take some time and look into this man's plight. His website is the THC Ministry (http://www.thc-ministry.org/) and also The Last Marijuana Trial (http://the-last-marijuana-trial.com/).
I have been a personal friend to Roger and he even spent his last act as a minister wedding Katalin and I before they arrested him. This link here is what Katt has done to try and help.http://www.gofundme.com/6ccwg
Please take some time and look into this man's plight. His website is the THC Ministry (http://www.thc-ministry.org/) and also The Last Marijuana Trial (http://the-last-marijuana-trial.com/).
I have been a personal friend to Roger and he even spent his last act as a minister wedding Katalin and I before they arrested him. This link here is what Katt has done to try and help.http://www.gofundme.com/6ccwg
Blessing be upon your homes and heads.
Mahalo and thank you,
Barabbas
Barabbas
