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  Attorney General Janet Ashcroft?
Posted by FoM on September 07, 2001 at 11:52:31 PT
By John Derbyshire, NR Contributing Editor 
Source: National Review 

justice In Robert Bolt's wonderful play A Man for All Seasons, Sir Thomas More is subjected to a show trial because, for reasons of conscience, he will not take an oath acknowledging King Henry's supremacy over the English church. Found guilty by a rigged jury, and knowing he will be executed for his "crime," Sir Thomas says the following:

I do none harm, I say none harm, I think none harm. And if this be not enough to keep a man alive, in good faith I long not to live.

We all know, from the example of Waco, that doing none harm, saying none harm and thinking none harm were not enough to keep a man — nor a woman, nor a child, either — alive in the America of Bill and Hillary Clinton. I forget whether Janet Reno was Hillary's third or fourth choice for the affirmative-action slot of Female Attorney General; but along with everyone else who cares about liberty, I shall not soon forget the cold-eyed cruelty with which that sinister creature ("very big and very scary," testified one of her victims, 17-year-old Ileana Fuster) dispatched those who were so foolish, or so stubborn, as to cross her and her battalions of armed thugs.

But all that is behind us now, isn't it? We now have a Republican administration, right? And an attorney general, John Ashcroft, who is not keen on torturing 17-year-old girls, burning cultists alive, protecting FBI snipers who had used the wives of eccentric mountain men for target practice, or kissing Fidel Castro's backside. Don't we?

Well, you might have asked Tom Crosslin or Rolland Rohm. Up to a few days ago you might, that is. This week they were both shot dead: Crosslin, aged 47, on Monday by an FBI agent; Rohm, aged 28, on Tuesday by a Michigan state trooper. Crosslin was the founder and owner of Rainbow Farm in Vandalia, Michigan, where Rohm also lived. As of the time of writing, Rainbow Farm's website is still available, and I suggest you take a look at it to see the background to this story. I particularly direct your attention to the farm's "mission statement," which you can get to by clicking the "Purpose" link on the website's first page.

Crosslin was a libertarian and a keen proponent of marijuana legalization. When he bought the 34-acre farm 15 years ago, it seems to have been with the express purpose of making it a haven for, as he says in that mission statement, "the medical, spiritual, and responsible recreational uses of marijuana." Rock concerts were held on the property. At one, in May 1998, an expensive car that was about to be forfeited to the U.S. government as part of a drug investigation was set in front of the concert stage where concert-goers, egged on by the vehicle's owner, smashed it to pieces with hammers. Another concert, last June, featured Merle Haggard, an old favorite of mine. (Sample quote, for those who don't know the man: "Look at the past 25 years — we went downhill, and if people don't realize it, they don't have their [expletive] eyes on ... In 1960, when I came out of prison as an ex-convict, I had more freedom under parolee supervision than there's available to an average citizen in America right now... God almighty, what have we done to each other?")

Such blatant disrespect for the government's authority over our lives and property did not, of course, go unnoticed. To further compound the offense, Crosslin kept guns to protect his property. Marijuana! Guns! Pretty soon the state police had a court affidavit filed to stop the rock concerts. In testimony supporting the affidavit, witnesses reported seeing children as young as 13 smoking pot in front of adults. If that doesn't shock you rigid, another witness saw even younger children, aged 7 and 8, subjected to the sight of adults walking around naked and embracing. When, last Friday, Crosslin skipped a court date related to drugs and weapons charges, the mighty engine of law enforcement rumbled into action. Not only local police, but also the Feds were involved, because Crosslin was suspected of shooting at a TV news helicopter — a federal offense under Title 18 (I.2, Sec. 32) of the U.S. code.

Tom Crosslin was not the type to yield meekly. There quickly developed one of those "standoffs" we are so familiar with now, in which heavily-armed and trained agents of the nation and the state surround a citizen who has declined to bend over and squeal like a pig for their amusement. You might suppose that the obvious tactic for the authorities in such a case would be to cut off the suspect's electricity and water, hunker down, and wait him out. This never seems to happen. Spotting Crosslin walking across his property with a long gun in his hand, an FBI man shot him dead. Rohm met a similar fate at the hands of a state trooper the next day. In both cases we are told, by the authorities, that the man "pointed his gun at the officers."

There is much more to the case than this, and you can read the details for yourself if you feel inclined, on the news wires (available via Drudge) or the pages of local newspapers like the Detroit Free Press (which, however, does not seem much inclined to question the government line). Crosslin seems to have been on the point of losing his property, in some measure because of government harassment. Rohm was involved in a child custody case. Bonds had been revoked, the legality of firearms questioned. It's not a simple case. I must say, though, that in my own readings I have come across nothing to prove that either man was a danger to anyone, certainly not before the government began to threaten and intimidate them. To the best of my knowledge they did none harm, said none harm, and thought none harm. The general temper of the Crosslin project can be gauged from the closing paragraph of that mission statement:

Rainbow Farm DOES NOT promote the use of illicit drugs by anyone, nor do we condone or encourage the use of tobacco, alcohol, or marijuana by minors. We do not encourage breaking laws. We work hard to change attitudes and bad laws from within the system of government currently in place. We support that system of government and we feel privileged to live in America.

The man who wrote that no longer lives in America, or anywhere else. He was shot in the head late Monday afternoon by an FBI agent. That agent's boss, new FBI head Robert Mueller, has made no comment on the case that I can locate. Neither has his boss, Attorney General Janet Ashcroft. Oh, sorry: that should be John Ashcroft, of course.

Note: New administration, no change.

Mr. Derbyshire is also an NR contributing editor.

Source: National Review (US)
Author: John Derbyshire
Published: September 7, 2001
Copyright: 2001 National Review
Contact: letters@nationalreview.com
Website: http://www.nationalreview.com/

Related Articles & Web Sites:

Rainbow Farm Campground
http://www.rainbowfarmcampground.com/

Tom Crosslin & Rolland Rohm Memorial
http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/rb.htm

Teter: Shooting Details Will Be Released
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10849.shtml

Camp Drew Line in Blood
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10847.shtml

Cannabis News Articles - Tom Crosslin
http://cannabisnews.com/thcgi/search.pl?K=Crosslin


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Comment #20 posted by Silent_Observer on September 09, 2001 at 07:10:39 PT
Another Lehder point..
I think Lehder expressed a sense of urgency that I thoroughly concur with. This is really not the time to sit around and feel sorry for ourselves.

I can tell you one more thing - no amount of logic regarding the wisdom of the WOD is going to do any good either.

These people know fully well that its failing; they know fully well that marijuana is relatively innocuous; they know fully well that legalizing is also the best way to minimize violence..etc etc etc...

My point is; it is absolutely useless - repeat, USELESS - to rehash these arguments. We know its true, and so do they.

If I may echo Lehder's thoughts; the time for talk is gone, the time for action is here.

Will ALL the readers of this board (including lurkers, like I was for along time) take the time, and undergo the trouble, on Monday to de-register from the Democratic or Republican party, and register with the party of your choice. I would like to ehort every one of you to go Libertarian, but I don't want to impose my thoughts on you. If in doubt, get a hold of their platform and read it. You may not agree with everything, but ask yourself what compromises you're willing to make - you nay be surprised how trivial some of them are. Get a hold of the Greaan Party's platform, the Natural Law party's platform. Even thr Reform Party's platform - Pat Buchanan is history. There is a good chance of getting Jesse Ventura back there.

Bottom line - Monday morning, lets get to work. Better still, web sites are open on the weekends - find out if you can do it today!

I will add one more action item. Those of you who were thinking of contributing to a memorial find (and even those who were not); take that contribution and send it to the party of your choice. Let them know that you put your money where your mouth is.

Trust me on this one - heads will roll in Washington.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #19 posted by Silent_Observer on September 09, 2001 at 06:57:46 PT
Lehder is correct..
These votes do get counted periodically, and often serve as the cause for seemingly inexplicable changes in attitude on the part of the Administration.

This is really the kind of actions that makes sense.

I, of course, cannot do this; since I'm already a card-carrying, money-contrubuting Libertarian...:)

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #18 posted by Lehder on September 09, 2001 at 06:31:54 PT
Registering = Voting
Ok..so are we ready to get serious? This may not be as gratifying as buying farms and building memorials, but is the ONLY effective and permanent way to solve this problem.
Can we all, right now, commit to using our votes wisely? Can we all, right now, commit to doing more than vote? That is, join the parties, spread the word, contribute to the
campaigns.

I can tell you what will happen if we do all these things. Firstly, we will be exercising our rights to the fullest. Secondly, the Libertarian Party doesn't even have to win. There will be enough power in the votes that it is likely that the mainstream parties will change their
tune.

--Silent_Observer

Wouldn't it be nice if we could have another presidential election TODAY? Guess what: we can. In fact, on Monday, you can vote twice. If you're a registered dem or rep you can vote once for leaving your current party. Then you can vote again by registering Lib or Green. If you're not registered at all, then get out and vote once by registering.

Friends, these are the votes that get counted. They're counted every month by both parties. And the count is fair: no pregnant shads, no bs. These are numbers they really want. And we can send the strongest signal and clearest message ever. They're scared already. Watch 'em shake.

You have no excuse. You can't say, "But then the wrong guy will win - lesser of two evils." Not in this election.

C'mon, people. Time to rock and roll. This election has only begun. Spread the word. Hurry!

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #17 posted by Silent_Observer on September 08, 2001 at 14:00:35 PT
MDG, my thoughts exactly
The most important thing to remember is that we hire the people who go to Washington and pay their salaries - and their exhorbitant pensions.

We can fire them too - without firing a single shot.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #16 posted by Silent_Observer on September 08, 2001 at 13:56:19 PT
dddd and lookinside
Please forgive me for sounding critical. I certainly do mean to impugn your intentions, and am squarely with you on the philosophy front.

But here's the point.

Killing them with kindness is an admirable sentiment - but it will do nothing to change the situation. One of the key aspects of an effective campaign - be it a war, an election, a change of policy or a project at work - is clarity of purpose.

My purpose is to change the laws so that we can once again be a free country. I hope this is yours, too. My purpose is NOT to get back at the FBI agents (as abhorrent as their acts may be), NOT to make them feel guilty. None of this serves any purpose. If you resist the temptation to stay upset at the situation, I think you'll see exactly what I mean.

If we are all agreed that the purpose here is to end the WOD and change the laws, then we can consider the next step. The next step, then, is how to effect the change?

Well,you can protest. But people have been protesting for years - does no good. People overwhelmingly voted for legalizing medical marijuana in DC in a referendum - a protest of sorts - and what happened? Bob Barr (from Georgia, even; nothing to do with DC) prevented the votes from even being counted! So, protest is useless.

We can rebel, and be violent. Not only is this the wrong thing to do, it is not going to work. None of us has the wherewithall to go up against the US military.

We can cry on each others shoulders and build memorials for people. Believe me, I'm as sickened by this as you all; but this is exactly the kind of action that "they" expect us to take. We'll be building a memorial and the rascals in Washington will be laughing at us. They've done it before.

Ok..so are we ready to get serious? This may not be as gratifying as buying farms and building memorials, but is the ONLY effective and permanent way to solve this problem.
Can we all, right now, commit to using our votes wisely? Can we all, right now, commit to doing more than vote? That is, join the parties, spread the word, contribute to the campaigns.

I can tell you what will happen if we do all these things. Firstly, we will be exercising our rights to the fullest. Secondly, the Libertarian Party doesn't even have to win. There will be enough power in the votes that it is likely that the mainstream parties will change their tune. Why? Because we send the Congressmen back home. The good people in Georgia could, for example, tell Bob Barr to pack up and get out. Think about this - Jesse Helms is not going to run again. How many of us in North Carolina could effectively marshall out efforts to get out a good candidate?

Do you see where I'm headed with this?

You have to fight fire with fire.


[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #15 posted by MDG on September 08, 2001 at 13:52:43 PT
Al Gore to do something? Hah!
When was the last time any Democrat or Republican bothered to restore your Constitutional Rights? If they had (which has never happened), did they want to allow you to keep all of them, or just the ones they liked?

I always point out that when people say something like, "I demand my Right to Free Speech! Oh, Mr. Congressman, would you please take away my neighbor's Right to Keep and Bear Arms? That would make me feel better. Thanks." that Constitutional Rights are an All-or-Nothing commodity. You can't decide that one is not worth keeping, just because you don't like it. Otherwise some day, which is now, the ones you want to keep will be taken.

One of the basic ideals of Libertarianism is that, if we harm no one else, we should be left alone. If I want a gun (which is my Right), but never shoot someone for calling me an idiot (which is their Right) I should be left alone.

By the way, no Libertarian would ever defend child molestation.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #14 posted by Jose Melendez on September 08, 2001 at 13:08:38 PT:

Are you registered?
Silent Observer and all:


Last election I allowed my self induced amotivational syndrome to ignore the particulars of the voter registration process. As a result, I was not allowed to vote. This was totally my fault. And this in an election where Al Gore was promising to do something about racial profiling, albeit in the last weeks of his campaign.


What can you do? Call, email and write your friends, go to the supervisor of elections and get a handful of forms and make sure they are filled out completely, correctly and mailed.


We must be active, honest and peaceful to overcome this fraud known as the War on Drugs. And we WILL FAIL in the eyes of the public if we choose violence. Mark my words.


[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #13 posted by lookinside on September 08, 2001 at 10:36:56 PT:

silent observer...
symbols are important...many people need something tangible
to focus their ideas...a place dedicated to our cause might
be that symbol that solidifies people's resolve to win this
war...

what better way to shove their actions up their nose than to
have a memorial dedicated to those whom they murdered right
in their backyard?


[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #12 posted by dddd on September 08, 2001 at 09:46:24 PT
deadly kindness
....I think the killing them with kindness would do more than "nothing"
Silent_Observer,,,,It would depend on how harse or severe the kindness
weapon was....and you also gotta keep in mind that kindness is one of
the most effective camoflages for meanness,,,in fact,,I'll betchya the
FBI guy who popped off the precision shot into Mr Crosslins forehead,,
somehow deals with his guilt,with an intricate kindness justification,,
like,,;"well,,it was out of kindness to the children that this guy would
have caused to get hooked on drugs,that made it OK to shoot him",,,
or maybe,,;"It was kind,and humane of me to shoot him right in the
forehead so he wont have to suffer the pain of being wounded,,and it
spares his loved ones the uncertainty of not knowing whether he's
really dead.

I'm glad to see you step out of the shadows,,Silent_Observer,,(now your
gonna have to modify your name because you are no longer silent)..


dddd


[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #11 posted by Silent_Observer on September 08, 2001 at 08:47:28 PT
Jose, there is something..
we can do to ensure that these two lives were not lost in vain.

But we must realize that anything leaning even slightly towards the melodramatic will, in the end, prove ineffectual.

Forget about buying the farm, or taking memorial donations. If any money is to be involved, let us be sure not to waste it, but use it in a political context.

At all levels - local, state, federal - use it the best way you know how to vote these rascals out of office.

I hate to sound like a broken record, but at the risk of alienating myself from all of you.....vote, vote, vote!

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #10 posted by Silent_Observer on September 08, 2001 at 08:40:36 PT
Rabblerouser, your sentiments
are just fine, but killing anyone with kindness is going to do nothing.

Nothing.

It may give some of us warm fuzzies, but it accomplishes nothing.

There really is only ONE thing to do; and I think we all know what that is.



[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #9 posted by lookinside on September 07, 2001 at 16:59:56 PT:

has anyone...
thought about purchasing the rainbow farms property as a
memorial? with only a chicken coop left, the gov ought to
sell it pretty cheap...

maybe set up a non profit trust to support it...i'm not up
on the requirements to do this...but i'm interested in doing
something to keep the memory of these 2 men alive...


[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #8 posted by Jose Melendez on September 07, 2001 at 14:04:26 PT:

winds change
put away the guns
civil disobedience
violence yields death



[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #7 posted by dddd on September 07, 2001 at 14:00:14 PT
rabblerouserMaster
My compliments on your extreme right on-ness...dddd

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #6 posted by rabblerouser on September 07, 2001 at 13:53:20 PT
punishment that is a crime
As I have stated in earlier posts: Much easier to kill them than to deal with them in any other way. Dead men tell no lies; ahhh, in this case MAYBE THE TRUTH. 'So, carry on, you interminable swine.'

What to do? Killing them with kindness will help.
What else can really be done?

Exposing the error of their ways can and will be done.

In part, here is what has been done to Tom Crosslin: He has been demonized. A whole book of faults has been filled to the brim that categorizes his many, many sins. Sins that obviously could not be forgiven. Kill the filthy swine, the no good bastard. Just who in the hell does he think he is? So, the big book of faults is taken down the courthouse and cashed in like S&H Greenstamps. A nice trade in the transaction: An acknowlegement of all of the sins that you have committed for - your life. A heck of a deal. Oh, I forgot, 34 acres of land that some businessman will take for a song and dance, you might say. Also, we will instill fear into the hearts and minds of those who are targeted. 'And we know who you are.'

I am quite sure this choas could have been resolved peacefully. Nobody wants to die like that; and does not deserve to die like that. The government sure has a knack for doling out death at a rate that is beginning to alarm us all, and, to go along with that, every excuse in the world to make sure that your liberties are denied in any way that they can.
What a revoltin' development! Kill them with kindness!


[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #5 posted by Lehder on September 07, 2001 at 13:15:10 PT
Thank you, National Review
They were premeditatedly killed by the Federal Government in a naive plan to quell Dissent.
Period.


[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #4 posted by FoM on September 07, 2001 at 12:30:53 PT
Punishment should fit the crime
And it sure doesn't. My 2 cents again!

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #3 posted by dddd on September 07, 2001 at 12:24:27 PT
I'm hep E.J.
Koresh was a kreep with a capital K.....the whole thing that was
wrong was the style that the ATF/FBI decided to use......Think
about it,,,,are these ATF/FBI people such idiots,that they cant
just nab the guy out in public,,,???It's thje same with Mr Crosslin,
he was no saint,but that doesnt mean you have to attempt to
apprehend him in such a neanderthal fashion....the job could have
been done with a teaspoon,instead of a backhoe....dddd


[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #2 posted by schmeff on September 07, 2001 at 12:22:47 PT
Reading too much between the lines, E.J.?
If you will re-read the story, I can find no reference that the author makes any statement that suggests David Koresh did no harm. In fact, his name is not even mentioned.

Waco is mentioned. And I beg your pardon if I remind everyone that Koresh was not the only person who died there. Women and children died there too...as a direct result of what has been described in the press of "no overt or aggressive actions" taken by the FBI and Justice Dept.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #1 posted by E. Johnson on September 07, 2001 at 12:09:23 PT
Do not spoil this with WACO references
Koresh did harm at Waco. He forced himself sexually on his "child brides". Those girls had no choice in that compound. He was a harmful noxious bad narcissistic man.

I don't believe that justified the federal response, but to say that this man was harmless, that he was some ethical being equal to Sir Thomas More is an ABOMINATION.

He was a child rapist and he used God as an excuse.

Hey if you Libertarians are now in the business of making excuses for that kind of behavior, I'm out of here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Koresh's child abuse was no justification for the invasion, we handle cases of child sexual abuse all the time without resorting to tear gas and heavy weapons.

But still it is really wrong to pain Koresh as a man who did no harm.



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