PRECEDENCE IMPORTANCE NOT SEEN AT FIRST

Temecula, CA – Several days ago and indeed, for months now, I have been running stories about the pot activists, their gains and their losses. Out of all the stories however, one that received almost no attention in the underground is potentially the ‘Rosa Parks’ of the cannabis civil rights movement, aka the ‘hemp can help’ Hommies. The story and background filler broke here like a shot fired into pitch black darkness, and a couple of days ago, the echo returned. I’m talking about the Steele Smith case. Put another way, this case is David’s stone (pun intended) to the Fed’s Goliath, but this stone is still being missed by most, except those readers here and now in Hawaii.

The aforementioned story, ‘OC Pot Story…’ talked of the elation by the writer in Hawaii over the Steele Smith case and what it meant to the fight for marijuana use and hemp utilization. It’s like this folks, the Fed's whole case about pot besides all the hype, the one nail they hang their hat on is that pot is useless (hence the need for rescheduling). Now we all know that is a lie, but how the Feds get away with this big lie, and what they have jailed millions of people over, is forbidding anyone in a federal court case to mention anything beneficial about pot. Anything!!

This ‘kangaroo court pot defense’ might not mean a thing to a kid receiving a life sentence in Texas for getting caught with a joint in his ashtray at a music concert, but to a person with MS, AIDS, cancer, epilepsy, and a number of other proven ailments, like Steele’s Zollinger-Ellison (Z-E), persecution, prosecution, and denied access to marijuana mean life or life in hell. The fact that Steele’s judge is on record as permitting evidence to show the medical benefit of using marijuana in relation to a state permitted medical regulation is huge, but at the time this momentous court liberation occurred, not everyone was aware of it.

In an email to the writer of a letter who went through court proceedings and is still involved in such matters comes the following account of the day from Teresa Smith, Steele’s wife, concerning that moment and the present wear and tear on her sick husband. (These inside accounts are presented here to show the real people caught up in the medical side of the ‘drug war’ as opposed to Bill O’Reilly’s view factor. –ed.)

“Thank for taking time out of your life to email me and to explore further our case. I read your PDF and wholeheartedly apologize for the absolute criminal behavior you've experienced firsthand by our own government... Truly, unless you've been through what we have, the public cannot really conceive of just what's being done by 'them' to people like us - all in the name of protecting our laws and so on... Sure. Anyway, I could get up on my huge soapbox but don't truly have the energy today... My husband has been particularly more ill this week than some and I'm emotionally taxed at this point, sorry.

I reviewed the docket as well. You will find the 'Motion in Limine to Exclude Evidence and Argument re Medical Marijuana Issues' on pages 7 & 8, dated 4/23, 4/28 & 4/29, Docket #'s: 99, 101, 102 & 103 exclusively - the best day of my life :)!! I clearly remember that day in court - only Judge Carney, the prosecutor, my husband’s attorney, Colin O'Neil and myself actually knew, at that very moment, what had just happened - it was crazy. I found myself explaining it to my husband and our two codefendants in the back of ‘the dogcatcher’ on our way back from Orange County where the court was, to Los Angeles where we were held... it was all too intense for my codefendants to understand at that particular time - but, thank God, I understood it full well.

Anyway, I thank you for contacting me... It's been quite a long haul but knowing that we are fighting for all of our rights as Americans and MMJ patients is an honor. Please feel free to keep in touch.” (emphasis - editor)

I think I speak for all my MMJ readers and stoners in general when I say that you and your husband have our deepest gratitude this holiday season and we wish you all the best in cheer and health. May the Lord Bless you and Keep you, in this fight for righteousness and compassion. Amen.