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The Diaries

One year, four months and 21 days in: The (evil) Empire strikes back.

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Good afternoon, all. While I am still not counting down the days until I am allowed to return home, that time is approaching and I am thankful for that. Tomorrow (Monday, April 2), I am allowed another 12 hour pass home. I have learned from the last passes not to expect to get much done. But tomorrow, I will take a stab at cleaning my bedroom and the workout area on my porch, planting more of the garden and (maybe) getting my water system working again. For my last visits home, I have hauled water from the spring to drink and to clean the house, and I’ve un-retired the outhouse (all of which reminded me of life on the farm when I returned from Stanford grad school in the early 80s). It is time to join the 20th century again (I do hope), with water-on-demand. There are some things about the modern world that are worth having (and appreciating). Flush toilets rank right up there.

I do hope that all of you who live in Tennessee can join us for the April 25 “Save Bernie’s Farm” benefit at the Belcourt Theater. We now have three bands confirmed: Jonell Mosser, the Mike Henderson Band and Shannon Williford’s Delicious Blues Stew. It should be a very pleasant evening, one of celebration (of my impending release) and commitment (to not letting the feds confiscate my farm.) If you are planning to come, please order your tickets TODAY. I am trying to get a handle on how many comp tickets we will be able to provide to Alive Hospice, so if you plan to join us at the benefit, please order your tickets NOW. In addition, if any of you would find it a financial hardship to buy tickets, please email me and I will reserve comp tickets for you also. You folks have been my lifeline inviting you to a very fine music and mobilization event is the least I can do to thank you for that. So email me back if you need comp tickets.

My case is about to get considerably more press coverage, which is worthwhile for educating the public about the madness that is the government’s response to medical marijuana. For those of you who did not see it, here is the link to the excellent story that Channel 4 did last week on the medical marijuana issue, and on my case in particular:

http://www.wsmv.com/news/11321489/detail.html

Over the next two weeks, we expect stories to be published in the Murfreesboro Pulse and the Nashville Scene. The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) will be broadcasting an extended interview with me on their daily Podcast network. In addition, I expect that this week’s column by Robert Koehler of the (Chicago) Tribune Media Services will also discuss my case. Bob’s column will attract national attention, which is much appreciated.

Of course, with this additional coverage comes more attention by the feds, as is to be expected. Last week, my attorney informed me that the feds are moving to schedule the civil asset forfeiture case for trial, pulling it from the “inactive file” after almost two years there. So the fun begins (again). It is hard to believe that I have now spent almost 10% of my life under the cloud of fear and uncertainty that is this case. While the lessons have been valuable, I look forward to the sunshine that might one day be the resolution of this case, and to the next chapters of my life, the life that I have left.

As I come to the end of this part of my journey, I want to write two more pieces to send to all of you, but I hope to send out three more. The first one I will write will reflect on the many people (and types of people) with whom I have shared this “house” over the past one year, four months and 21 days. The second piece will be a homily on what I have learned during this “cheap spa experience”. The third piece will be written by some of you (many, I hope), as I invite you to reflect on what you have learned as you have (virtually) traveled this road with me, write it down and send it to me. So please start writing your reflections and sending them to me. I will put them all together and share your reflections with everyone who receives these emails -- all 450+ of you. I look forward to learning what you have learned. I will send out that last piece on the day I am released -- May 10.

One final note: Please forgive my putting your email addresses in the cc: column for this mailing. A number of you have told me that you have not received my diary entries since Christmas, and emails sent to me from others of you is now taking up to four days to get to me. Since some spam-fighter programs automatically flag emails that do not show the recipient’s address in the heading, I am trying this different method this time. (You will only appear with 20-30 other email addresses.) I don’t know what is happening with my emails, but it feels like a bumper sticker I saw last week:

The United States: One nation under surveillance.

Here’s hoping that my email problems have just been glitches, not “glitches”. Now please order your benefit tickets if you’re coming (or can help sponsor some hospice patients) and start thinking and writing about what you’ve learned as I’ve swam these laps in the government’s cesspool lo these many days, weeks, months and year.

Until next time -- breathe.

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