Why Do I Need This Sign In 2008

Posted by Jon, onehumanbeing on October 8, 2008

I’m sorry if you have already seen this photo from Monday’s rally in Los Angeles where over 350 patients, providers, volunteers and supporters peacefully protested the DEA’s persecution of Moro Bay clinic owner Charles C. Lynch, but I had to post it today.

[To find out more about our DEA's misguided prosecution of a person providing medicine to sick and dieing patients - legal patients in the State of California - visit Friends of Charles C. Lynch.]

Today two medical marijuana dispensaries were raided by the DEA here in Long Beach, California. Long Beach Holistic and HHA, both on 4th Street, had patients report on the DEA raid on WeedTracker.com – an online service for medical marijuana patients.

Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to gather any more information about these raids, or to find out if these raids were connected to the raid in Laguna Beach. I do know that neither of these dispensaries were among the ones that attended the rally on Monday, so any thought of payback would seem to be unfounded at this point.

What I do know is that it is time for the DEA to step back and respect the will of the voters here in California. I can not think of another issue that has drawn this kind of jackboot response from the Feds, and such blatant disrespect of states rights.

Federal courts have ruled recently in California’s favor concerning the feds need to respect our laws and sovereignty. Members of Congress have sent strong letters to the DEA concerning this trampling of medical marijuana patients and their providers. Why doesn’t the DEA listen? Are they a rouge agency that thinks it’s beyond the law? I hope not, but all evidence points that way.

For all I know we’ll find out about some shady business practice or lack of proper business license as the reason for the raid, but it’s the DEA actions that have impeded the ability of people to be as thorough as businesses should be… Just look at Charles C. Lynch’s case. He did everything by the book – as legal as a legal business can be in California. He was a recognized business person in his Moro Bay community. Yet now he’s looking at 100 years in prison if the Feds have their way.

This is not the way to run a law-abiding nation. If the leaders won’t follow the laws, or seek to circumvent them because of their personal dislike of a law, do you think the citizens will keep respecting the law?

The silver lining – Obama has said he would stop this kind of trampling of states right – and he’s up in the polls with 27 days to go…