Smoke and Mirrors 7

   Okay, last Friday I did make it to court, however I had a very busy weekend and did not have time to sit down and write a post about it. You weren't missing much any way. The prosecution concluded the direct examination of Murray, by referring to several more instances of the defendants (mostly Stone Sr.) expressing negative opinions of the Government.
    Prosecuting Attorney Light also spent a good deal of time outlining the "April Op" that the guys were supposedly planning. What Stone referred to as training exercises they were going to do April, in which (as I understood it) the intent was to drop of a small team of men in an undisclosed location, on property that was not their own, and for that team to occupy that location for twenty-four hours undiscovered. Stone also said that if the team was discovered in their location by an unknown person, they were to "put them to the ground." and call for evacuation. He stated to use bullets if necessary but he hoped things would go without incident and staying hidden was the main priority of the exercises. First of all, I would like to point out that this is the same guy that was talking about  how he shot a police cruiser and DNR truck - and they just left and didn't come back. I would also like to point out that while they played the recordings of Stone saying these things, I don't recall hearing anyone agree to follow through with his plan. And where was the undisclosed location? Was it a cornfield or a patch of woods in the middle of rural MI, that you could probably occupy an area for a week without being discovered. There is no proof of anything and a whole lot of "ifs" and "coulds" in the talk they present as evidence. I still have not seen any proof of  "sedition" or any specific (or nonspecific) plan to use a bomb or a "weapon of mass destruction". Talk, talk, talk...
   The defense started the cross-exam on Friday. Josh Stones attorney started, and began to explore the medical records of Dan Murray, however, time was short and and not much ground was covered in the cross-examination.
   On Monday, Matt Anderson and Deb came to pick me up bright and early as usual. We headed out for Detroit, but received a phone call from the Meeks family before we got there. There was a juror out due to illness, and the court decided not to deliberate for the day, they discussed some motions but were not going to  go any further than that. So we decided to abort, and met up with the Meeks family for breakfast in Ypsi at Leo's Diner. We had a nice breakfast, but in retrospect I wish we had gone ahead to Detroit to hear the motions first hand. It seems there were some very interesting developments. I can only say what I heard second hand from asking questions today about what happened yesterday.
   As I understand it, there was a motion for dismissal filed by the defense based on Brady vs. Maryland 1963 here is a link if you would like to read it yourself. http://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/373/83/case.html It cites many cases based on the outcome of Brady vs Maryland, in which it was found that the prosecution withheld information vital to the defense. And relates to the Equal Protection Clause in the Fourteenth Amendment. By withholding the evidence the prosecution denied the defendant due process of law and he received a capitol punishment when he might not have if all the evidence was presented. He was granted a retrial as far as his sentencing and received a non-capitol punishment. His guilt was not in question as he had confessed to his part in the crime, however, it cites a number of other cases based on Brady vs. Maryland that have resulted in retrials and dismissals depending on the circumstances of the case.
   Like I said I wish I had been there to hear everything but I don't know what was said to be withheld from the defense, or any real details of what incited the filing of the motion, I'll try to find out more. Today, the defense picked up were they left off on Friday. Josh Stones Attorney explored Dan Murray's medical records. 
   The first thing he got into was Murray's substance abuse. He went over records that showed he had substance abuse problems before he ever met Leslie Larson and started working with the FBI. They also showed that he maintained that pattern throughout the period of time he worked with them. Taking prescription pills like Soma, Darvaset, Paxil, and Ambien, while consuming up to two pints of vodka a day sometimes, according to medical records. His testimony in court was that he drank a couple of shots to a pint. He does admit openly to having substance abuse issues, but his statements don't match his medical records in relation to the severity of those issues.
   Defense then went into records that showed a history of closed head injuries. Records showing evidence of twelve concussions. Records showing that he suffered from temporary amnesia, memory loss, confusion, and seizures. 
   They also demonstrated that he had received significant psychological treatment, and has been diagnosed as bipolar. The defense referred to a record of a session between Murray and some type of therapist (it was very brief, and caught me a bit by surprise) in which Murray had discussed his involvement in possibly killing someone. The next thing that was brought up was the fact that he had received diagnosis' of being delusional and having hallucinations and hearing voices and such. I was not clear if they were saying he actually killed someone, or was so delusional as to think he had. Either way it seems like it should prove to be disastrous to the credibility of Murray's testimony. As I said, it was only mentioned briefly, but I get the feeling it will not be the last we hear of it.
   Next up was Tom Piatek's attorney. He made brief implications as to Murray's honesty by pointing out various discrepancies in his testimony. He touched briefly on the fact that Murray had not paid any tax on the money he received from the FBI, when he knew that it was taxable money, he had been notified of such at least by documents that he signed. To be honest I don't really see the relevance in whether he paid taxes on the money or not. Maybe to further discredit his character, maybe to demonstrate the potential for him to be dishonest in matters in order to continue to receive  large cash payments while investigating the Hutaree (to the tune of thirty plus thousand dollars). In the scope of things it seems a pretty minor circumstance.
    Piatek's attorney also briefly referred to a" mock trial" Murray participated with the prosecution previous to this trial. He explored the fact that they might have discussed possible questions that may come up in the trial, maybe possible answers he might give, and maybe those answers might get "critiqued". Murray stated the prosecution only told him to be honest in his testimony.
   The bulk of time was spent revisiting comparisons of the SMVM (Southeastern Michigan Volunteer Militia) and the Hutaree as well as other militias. He cited statements from Murray to the FBI briefing conversations within the SMVM of  need to harden themselves, of needing to learn to "shoot to kill", of preparing for war, of enemies in blue helmets. He demonstrated that members of the SMVM used code names, wore camo while training, as well as back packs, tactical vests, face paint, face covers, military style hats, patches to show achievements within the group, they wore web belts, carried compasses and canteens, first aid kits, and a whole list of other stuff. He demonstrated that they broke into teams while training, that those teams rotated members, they practiced live fire on a shooting range. They trained in stealth tactics, military type drills, ambush tactics, search and destroy missions, booby traps and trip wires, hand signals and communications, urban combat, etc. All to show that the SMVM as well as most other militias train in the exact same way as it has been shown the Hutaree trains. He also referred to a public shoot the SMVM sponsored, a open meeting of militias. If my math was right he mentioned that nearly forty assault rifles were present at the meet. As well as a grenade launcher, numerous .50 cal rifles (one of which they were letting people shoot for $2.50 a round), home made grenades, a belt fed machine gun on a tripod. This was in order to show that other militias were far more heavily armed and had much greater resources than the Hutaree. It was also demonstrated that some members of militias are also employed as law enforcement officers, and share the same anti-government sentiment themselves. There were a good deal more militia comparisons made in order to reinforce this point.
    Piatek's attorney then went on to refer to about a half a dozen meetings that the prosecution had highlighted in their direct examination of Murray. Meetings the prosecution obviously felt were key points of evidence, and simply pointed out that Tom Piatek was not present at any of them.
   Piatek's attorney did not conclude his examination and will continue tomorrow.
   I would like to express again, this blog is only my view on things. I may get facts confused. It is fully interjected with my opinions. It is not my intent to mislead anyone, only to convey my understanding of the proceedings. Please do not take my word as law. As I have said I am deeply interested in this case for a number of reasons. I try to pay close attention, and I try to investigate things I don't understand. I suggest you investigate the facts for yourself and draw your own conclusions. I'd be willing to bet that if you do, you won't feel much different than I do. Some of the defendants talk a lot of shit, stupid shit at that... But the prosecutions case is nothing but smoke and mirrors, demonstrations to scare the jury into a conviction without solid or credible evidence. Don't fall into the trap. Listen to the facts and you'll dispel the fear.

Technical Difficulties

   I seem to be having problems publishing posts to my blog. I write the page, spell check, proof read, and then publish. And POOF half my article disappears. So I had to rewrite portions of my last entry three times because multiple paragraphs kept disappearing when I tried to publish it. Have any other writers on blogger.com had this problem??? Can some one tell me how tho fix it???

Smoke and Mirrors 6

   Yesterday when I wrote my blog entry I was mad. As I read back through it today, I think I said some things that I should of said differently. I called people stupid, I called people liars and asses and etc. Look, I don't really know any of these guys, except Mike. And I really don't want to throw accusations and berate people I don't know. (So Mike you're an ass...but I still love ya). I also want to say, I do not belong to, have any obligation to, or any affiliation with any Militia. I know Mike because we grew up together. I have met a couple of the other guys in passing. My dad was a Militia man, and a lifetime hunter, trapper and fisherman. I took a different route in life, but I do have a bit of survivalist mentality, and a healthy skepticism of  politics, government, and the people there in. And I don't want to tell you my opinion of the judicial system, for fear I may be the next trial people attend. As I watch the trial I see that these guys were not in fact stupid. (I already knew Mike wasn't, but I was suspicious of the rest...) They just said some stupid things.
   Sheldon Light continued the direct exam of Dan Murray today, and yes, he will continue tomorrow as well. Let me just say that Dan Murray doesn't strike me as the brightest bulb on the tree. He seems to recall very little, he gives very vague answers. Even after viewing a video, or listening to a recording he is apt to say he can't really remember clearly. He stated that he had reviewed the videos and recordings in their entirety within the last couple months as well. The prosecution just holds his hand and leads him along. I don't even know why he's there really. The tapes are far more informative than he is.
   The recordings have a much better memory. And they played a lot of them. Light even withdrew several of  of the recording he had indented to introduce, in an effort to save the court some time. That's very considerate of him, seeing how he's only going to spend four days on the direct examination alone.
   The first two recordings they played the jury was instructed to apply only to Stone Sr., and they were not allowed to consider this testimony as evidence against any of the others. The recordings were his views on the events of  9/11 and the Oklahoma City bombing. He basically implied that he believed the government was pulling the strings on the twin towers, he thought the Pennsylvania plane was shot down, the pentagon cameras...Blah, Blah, Blah.Well, I don't think the Pennsylvania plane crashed either. Do I think our government is directly responsible for the fall of the towers??? No, but fact of the matter is, you don't have to dig very deep to find some pretty compelling questions. And as far Oklahoma City, I don't buy what the Media and Government fed us either. I don't buy Stone's version either. But it is my opinion that a van full of fertilizer didn't blow that building up like that from curb side. And Doug Stone is entitled to his opinion too.
   The worst statement of the day came from Stone as well. And the Detroit Free Press was in the house today, so I'm sure they will have a ball with it... I think the conversation was between Doug Stone and Dan Murray. In this conversation Stone implied that he would not be remorseful if babies died (in reference to war). He did not say he intended to go out hunting babies, or go on a baby killing spree. His point in saying this (I believe) was to give his attitude towards casualties of war. Not to insinuate any plan to kill babies. I don't want to defend his statement, and I wont. I think it is unethical, ignorant, and asinine. But not illegal to say. Doug Stone Sr. if you ever read my blog I want you to know I think you are an asshole, and I mean no humor, and give no apology.
   They spent a good deal of time on a couple of videos that showed the Hutaree running training drills with with trip wires and flash bombs (black powder in a capped toilet paper tube). They were training to spot and bypass trip wires. The drill was very organized, and safety seemed to be a high priority. I also heard during one of these videos Stone telling the rest, that he didn't want illegal firearms around. If people had them they were to leave them at home, he didn't want people to bring them around, he didn't want to know about them.
   Mike did not escape the prosecutions eye today either. If you read my blog post from yesterday, I made a statement about the judicial system in the first paragraph. Mike made an uncannily similar statement in one of the recordings, only he felt inclined to add that he thought they all should die. I am not clear if he was talking about child molesters, or anyone involved in the judicial system. It doesn't matter. I've wished them all dead too. I sat behind bars for petty thefts, and I watched child molesters come, and go, and come back again. And I wished them all dead. The child molesters, the judges, the lawyers, anyone involved in making or enforcing laws. I've been out for nineteen years, I never hunted any of them down, I never tried to look any of them up. I don't even remember the name of the judge who convicted me. A couple of years ago I ran into the cop who arrested me. He's a great guy. We actually became pretty good friends, and he was a great support to me while my dad was sick and in the hospital. But I promise you, at one point, I wished him ill intent. Who hasn't said at some point "If I ever see that SOB again, I'll kill 'em."  Everyone of us at some point in our lives has wished ill intent on another person. And yet there are still living people.
   They played other recordings as well, and more things were said...The fact of the matter is it's all just words. We can't prosecute people for words. It's not supposed to happen. We can't target people for having different religious beliefs, or forming opinions, or speaking out against the Government. These are the principles that created this country. They are the foundation of our Constitution.
    I care a great deal for my buddy Mike. I want to see this all work out for him more than I can express here. He's just a really good guy and doesn't deserve what's happening. But It goes much deeper than that. I really hope people are looking beyond the surface on this trial. There are huge impacts to be had on our constitutional rights. It's no joke. If you value your freedom you should be paying attention to this trial. Our first, second, and fourth amendments protect these men. If the government is able to convict these guys with the smoke show they present, it opens all new doors to circumvent other groups who believe differently, who form their own opinions and speak out against those who oppose them. It open avenues to restrict our speech, are freedom to worship as we choose, our right to assemble in protest. We can't lose these things. And that's what I see happening. Every day, Downtown Detroit, come sit in a few sessions and see for yourself.

Smoke and Mirrors 5

   I made it back to the courtroom today, court actually resumed on Tuesday but my ride arrangements didn't work out so I didn't make it yesterday. I understand I didn't miss anything to critical... If it was anything like today, I'd say not. I already have a bit of a...beef, with the American Judicial System. I think it's wrong when an eighteen year old kid goes to prison  for stealing a few gallons of wine and some car stereos, and in the amount of time he does, he sees child molesters come and serve half the time, go home, and in a few months be right back in the same institution on  another case. There is something wrong with that. That's been my personal experience, anyway. But let me tell you... The more I watch this trial... I don't even know what to say, we'll just say I'm gaining a whole new perspective.
   All last week they questioned Leslie Larson, the whole week...Not one time was a plan of  "sedition" outlined. I didn't see any evidence of a weapon of mass destruction, other than a street sign and a couple of coffee cans. This is the head of the investigation here. All week long! They talked about Stones religion, they talked about his views on the government, they talked about them running training drills, and having weapons, and collecting food, they talked about planting strippers in the backs of police cruisers to distract the cops. They talked about them attempting a trip to Kentucky. This is the best we get from the head of the FBI's investigation. Come on. The only evidence I saw all week that proved any crime other than being stupid, was the two, possibly four illegal fire arms. She was shown (as well as her team) to be unprofessional and prejudicial in her investigation, she seemed to have a small habit of mis-speaking while giving her testimony, and I thought she was rather forgetful...Unless the prosecution was asking the questions, funny how the prosecution didn't ever have to "refresh" her memory.
   I thought maybe this week with Murray taking the stand, we would hear something more solid, I figured they would play more of the recordings that Murray took and we would here what the big deal really was. Well, they have been playing more of the recordings, but I'm still left scratching my head.
   I already wrote this entry almost all the way through once. I went through my notes for the day and spent a good deal of time trying to report the minutes of the day, but the more I wrote the more pissed-off I got. So I started over. The prosecution led their direct exam of Murray all day yesterday, all day today, and by the sounds of it they will probably continue most of the day tomorrow. And it's more of the same crap.
 First off, the recordings are very hard to understand. Often multiple people are talking at the same time, there's a lot of background noise,  it's a hidden microphone so you hear his clothes rustling when he moves, and him breathing. They display transcripts of the conversation that is relevant, but those are hard to read and see as well. But if you listen carefully you can at least follow the concept of the conversation, sometimes. Anyway, they brought Stones religious views back to center light, and his political views and opinions. They had an email in which Stone stated several examples were he felt ATF was pushing legal boundaries, and he implied that if they continued to do so, he would "answer". They also played a recording of Stone talking to Murray, in which Stone details how the police pulled up and on or by his property and he just stepped out of his door and bap, bap, bap, he shot the cruiser, and they just left...And another time he shot the DNR's truck and they haven't been back since, but the county cops came out to ask him why he did it....WHAT!!! This is evidence of what? The fact Stone is a liar, and talks a lot of fanciful bullshit. That's not illegal.
   They showed a video of a training session Dan Murray attended with a couple of the defendants, they ran live fire drills. Nothing illegal, you could hear guys laughing and joking, making silly noises. The person leading the drills, I think it was Josh or Dave Stone Jr., was safety minded, telling people to watch lines of fire and make sure you hold position and formation to avoid accidents. It was impressive to hear the guns firing and I'm sure the jury heard that loud and clear, but that wasn't the point of showing that video, you see, it was snowing...Earlier in the trial it was demonstrated by the defense, how non-committal these guys took their training by stating that they often called off training sessions due to bad weather. Well, here's proof that, yes, these guys shot their guns in the snow too.
   They showed that the Stones had a conversation with Mark Keornke. It doesn't matter that they were talking about two way radios. You know, prices, and ranges, specifications...No, what matters is that the conversation was with Keornke. Another high-profile person who made headlines in other militia issues here in MI. They just want to associate the reputation. You know, no one ever heard of the Hutaree before this investigation, so they need to add a little infamy to the name by connecting a member or two to someone that EVERYONE has heard of.  IT'S CRAP!!! Their blowin' smoke up the juries ass, and I'm hoping they see it as clearly as I do.
   I have really been feeling like the jury has a hard task ahead of them. These guy's are all being tried together, but they're supposed to be judged as individuals. How does the jury take in all this information about who said what, who's political views were who's, peoples religious views, and keep it all separated, keep one guy's opinion from reflecting on the group as a whole...But the more I watch, in my view, the juries job becomes easier and easier. Because that's all it is, talk, talk, talk. I want to call this whole thing a joke, but it's not. These guy's lives hang in the balance. Their family's lives hang in the balance, and our rights as Americans hang in the balance. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that these guy's are above reproach, I won't even say that they didn't do or say anything wrong. But there's a big difference in someones opinion of wrong and illegal. And an even bigger difference when speaking to matters of sedition.
  We can't lock people up because they believe differently. Whether they or we believe in Allah, Christ, or the Antichrist. We can't target someone because they believe in the Book of Mormon, or the Book of Revelations. We can't arrest and imprison people because they speak out against the government, or express a willingness to stand their ground against an unjust government. We can't arrest and imprison people for two or twenty years for being asses.
   Mike was not present in any of the meetings they referred to today or yesterday, he was not referred to in any of the testimony, that I can recall. And yet, how much of what has been said today will reflect on the jury's view of him and the other defendants who weren't even present during these conversations?
   Mike has really had a lot of support from friends and family. Every day I've been there, we take up the majority of two benches in the courtroom. And Mike always has smile and a nod for everyone as he walks by. Sometimes you can get in a word or two of encouragement. And you can see the appreciation of the support in his face. There's a core group that is there every day, and all along different faces have popped up in the courtroom from day to day. I know from personal experience that seeing those faces in the crowd goes a long way in helping you face the next day with a positive attitude, and keeping your mind on track. So come on down sit in the court room and be another face in the crowd. See for yourself just how much of this trial is based on smoke and mirrors. Get Involved....

Sunday Drive

   I went for a Sunday drive with Mom today. A ride through the country side just to see what we can see. The three deer you see above, we saw before even getting out of town. They were across the street from Washtenaw Community College, we pulled over and I was able to get quite a few good pictures of them before they decided to take off.

   I really enjoy these rides, not only do I often end up with some nice pictures, I also end up with some great memories of time spent with Mom. Sometimes we enjoy light and relaxed conversation, sometimes we hardly speak, other times we get down right silly. But I always enjoy the time spent with her.

   We cruised through Mathaei Botanical Garden, we often see deer on the grounds, and there is always some sort of water fowl, geese, ducks, loons, often times a blue or green heron, sometimes an egret. Sometimes you even get a good look at hawk or kestrel. Today, there were just a few geese hangin' around but I thought they made a nice picture.

   These deer were out near Cherry Hill Road, in Dixboro near the Humane Society. This is one of our favorite places to spot deer, probably because we have never been there without seeing multiple deer. They always seem to be there.

   On the way in we spotted one more group on Dixboro Rd., near the Toyota industrial park. In all we saw at least seventeen deer today. These drives are a simple pleasure, for a few dollars in gas you get a small adventure, you never know what you may see. And the resulting memories last a lifetime. Take your own Sunday Drive with Mom, I promise you won't regret it, you might even treasure it.

Smoke and Mirrors 4

   Thursday towards the end of the proceedings, Attorney Swor (Stone's Lawyer) tried to introduce a blog post that Stone had attached his name to and indicated that he endorsed the statement. The prosecution objected, there was a bunch of legal talk and the judge ruled that it could not be admitted. 

   Friday morning before the jury came out the judge addressed the court and said that she had reviewed the facts that led to her decision and that Swor would be able to admit the blog post. They also discussed the FBI's rules on using an undercover informant again. If I understood correctly, he said that some of the document(s) was of a classified nature and some of it was not, he was however awaiting clearance to release the document to the judge for review.

   So the day began with Swor finishing his cross-exam. The blog post was by Mike Vanderboegh http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/2010/02/choose-this-day-whom-you-will-serve.html  Swor reviewed the document very briefly and pointed out some key phrases and paragraphs, and said that this document showed the frame of mind Stone had as he had attached his name to it and "adopted" the statement.
   Swor also revisited testimony that Larson had given in which she had indicated she had no knowledge of Dan Murray's psychiatric treatment until after April. He had her recall a phone call with the Dearborn Police Dept. were Murray's anti-depressants were discussed in February. Showing that she did indeed have some indication of a problem at least as early as February. She admitted that she must of "mis-spoke". To my recollection that was not the first, or even second time she had "mis-spoke" during the course of her testimony. She also stated that she had no concern that Murray's condition may have affected his ability to provide accurate, truthful information.
   When the prosecution took the floor for their redirect exam. Prosecuting Attorney Light attacked the blog entry by picking out specific paragraphs and having Leslie Larson read them to the court. When he was done I was left wondering why defense had submitted this to the court as I thought Light made the document seem quite imposing. Until I got home and read the article myself. It speaks of hypothetical and non-hypothetical situations that have and could potentially happen. It discusses the police's reactions in these situations, and poses a real question to American law enforcement, to consider these situations and think about how they would react in those situations. I found the article quite interesting actually, and not nearly as threatening as Light had made it seem. And while I may not "adopt" this statement as my own I can see the validity of the statement. And certainly we as Americans have a right to express such an opinion.
   Earlier in the week the defense had cited a number of local police funerals that took place between the months of February and April 2010. The time in which the FBI claimed the Hutaree made their plan to bomb a funeral, and the time the nine defendants were arrested. It was to show that  in spite of the "imminent threat" the Hutaree posed, no actions were taken by the FBI to notify those involved in the funerals of this threat. Light revisited this testimony, Light stated that there was an FBI presence at one of the funerals. I got lost in some of the details but the defense objected and it was tossed out as hearsay. He also tried to demonstrate that one of the funerals was after April and the defendants had already been arrested. When defense got their final examination, they pointed out that a couple of them had been released on bond at that time. And not all the members of the Hutaree were arrested anyway.
   Light also brought up the point that earlier in week, defense had addressed the pile of weapons and gear that were displayed during opening arguments to impress the jury. During their cross-exam defense had asked her if in fact any of the gear was illegal to own. She stated that it was not. Light brought this question back to light and asked her again if any of the weapons were in fact illegal. She said that she believed there were four machine guns in the display. However, that was not correct either. In the display they had during opening arguments, there were two AR-15's that had modifications done to them. And no proof  has been shown that they are fully automatic. There were also two rifles with illegal length barrels. There were not four machine guns in that display.
   Light also brought up the amount of money that was payed to Murray during the course of the investigation. He demonstrated that on the payment list the majority of the money issued was marked as "expenses" not "payments". As if to imply that not all of the money went into Murray's pocket. But Larson stated earlier in the week that she didn't know what he did with the money. All of the "expenses" listed were cash payments, some of them equaling more than $5000 dollars apiece, and she didn't know what he was spending it on???
   Another incident that was brought up earlier in the week to demonstrate Murray's incompetence, which I don't think I've mentioned yet. Murray had shot himself  in the hand while disassembling his Glock handgun, I believe this happened before he was investigating the Hutaree. Light brought this up in his redirect, I think he was going to ask Larson about Glock handguns and if they were difficult to disassemble, demonstrating that accidents could happen. Defense objected because she was not an expert on Glock handguns, but his point was already made, obviously I understood it. But I thought the defense addressed it very nicely with a couple of questions. They asked her if she owned a Glock handgun, she said she did. Then asked her if she unloaded it it before she disassembles it. She said she did.
   Light also asked Larson if the members of Hutaree had made any attempt to gain materials to build bombs. She claimed that they had. She said they had collected a street sign, and a couple of coffee cans...
   In the defense's final exam they wanted to address previous testimony from Larson, were she indicated that they had done all they possibly could to investigate Murray's allegations of the SMVM and could not obtain enough information to take action. Defense pointed out that they never tried introduce a real FBI agent, they never tried to increase the number of agents working surveillance, they were never even able to get a license plate number.
   The defense also revisited the biased and prejudicial attitude of the FBI during their investigation. Earlier Larson had been asked what her definition of of the word bias, her answer was "a slanted view".  According to Wikipedia: "Bias is an inclination to present or hold a partial perspective at the expense of (possibly equally valid) alternatives. Bias can come in many forms." She was also asked her definition of the word prejudicial, she answered "pre-judge". According to Webster:" Prejudicial 1: tending to injure or impair: detrimental 2: leading to a premature judgement or unwarranted opinion <prejudicial evidence>". This is a copy of a cartoon that the FBI team that investigated the Hutaree passed amongst themselves. I pulled this off the Internet, the FBI's copy was better, they had added their own comments to theirs...

Is this really what the FBI thinks? According to The Bill of Rights, Article II : "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security off a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."

Smoke and Mirrors 3

 

Seditious conspiracy (18 U.S.C. § 2384) is a crime under US law.

“

If two or more persons in any State or Territory, or in any place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, conspire to overthrow, put down, or to destroy by force the Government of the United States, or to levy war against them, or to oppose by force the authority thereof, or by force to prevent, hinder, or delay the execution of any law of the United States, or by force to seize, take, or possess any property of the United States contrary to the authority thereof, they shall each be fined or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both.

”

   Today the cross-examination of Leslie Larson was completed, the prosecution will have a chance to redirect tomorrow. 
   The day started with a little bantering between lawyers before the jury was allowed to come out. A lot of the discussions about legal discrepancies happen without the jury present so as not to influence the jury incorrectly. Things like different interpretations of laws, or whether something can or can't be allowed to be introduced as evidence, and why. Today an issue came up again that has come up several times already, defense has repeatedly asked the prosecution for the FBI's rules manuscript for the use of an under-cover informant. The prosecution has been reluctant to produce this. Today the judge told prosecution they had to provide the information, and if it was of a classified nature it was still to be submitted to her for review.
    They also discussed the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office continued lack of cooperation, I didn't quite understand everything but it seemed further efforts were to be made to gain cooperation.
    Much of the cross-examination was spent comparing the Southeast Michigan Volunteer Militia and the FBI's investigation of them to the Hutaree and this investigation. Dan Murray was the undercover informant on both investigations. When he was first implanted into the SMVM, Murray reported to the FBI that the SMVM was heavily armed, and well equipped. As the investigation continued it was reported that they did organized military drills. That they were in possession of a .30 cal machine gun. It was reported that they had punji pits. For those that don't know what a punji pit is, it's a deep pit with the opening disguised, and spikes staked in the bottom of the pit so that one is impaled when falling in. It was also shown that the SMVM had printed rules of engagement, reasons that they would engage the government in armed conflict.
    When Murray was implanted into the Hutaree, his initial report was that the Hutaree was a lot of hot air, that they posed no threat as they were ill equipped and lacked resources. Maybe that's why the FBI had to provide Murray with funds and a Van so the Hutaree could go to the Kentucky Summit. Maybe that's why the IED that the Hutaree was in possession of was provided by the FBI's under-cover agent. I don't know about Federal Law but I know this, if a cop gave me a bag of weed and then arrested me for it, it would be a pretty clear case of entrapment, don't you think? The Hutaree had no written or printed rules of engagement against the government that have been shown to the court yet. But Agent Larson was quick to point out that the Hutaree's drills were more organized than the SMVM.
   Does this all seem ass backwards to anyone else?
   The defense also cited more emails and correspondences within the FBI that further demonstrated, the agents unethical and prejudicial treatment of their investigation. One of which stated something along the lines of - I want to see if they'll take the bait so we can nail them.
   As always there is more than I can write here. I want to clarify that none of this is word for word, I've been  taking notes, and write from them. But I also am not just blowing smoke, I've sat in the court everyday listening to everything very closely. I may not get everything exactly right, but this is as accurate as I can be about things.
    I know there are people checking in here who really care for, and love Mike. I want to tell you all he looks pretty good. Not like we get to visit or anything, but from what I can tell he's doing well. He has a great team of lawyers running the defense, and he has the moral support of  friends and family sitting in the benches. Mrs. Meeks has been a trooper. She has been there everyday with a smile on her face and a positive attitude. She is AWESOME, I know this has to be so hard for her. All of Mikes brother's have been up, and I think Doug eats, drinks, and breathes this case. Mikes aunt has also been up all week as well. Mr. Meeks was there for opening arguments but his health prevents him from making the drive daily, or I know he would be there too. Matt Anderson has also been up everyday, and has brought Debbie a couple of times as well. There has been a good show of support for Mike. I still encourage anyone else to come as well, not only would Mike appreciate the support, but this case really needs the public eye in the courtroom.
   Main stream media has these guys hung out to dry already, they paint a pretty ugly picture, especially if it is your only source of info. I'm doing the best I can, but I may get it wrong too. If you want the facts, come and get 'em. Don't be fooled by the smoke and mirrors, don't be lulled into accepting sensationalized stories designed for network ratings. Don't believe the hype...Educate yourself.

Smoke and Mirrors 2

   Well here I sit again in the middle of the night writing. I got about two hours of sleep after my last entry. It was a struggle to stay awake in the courtroom today. When I got home, I said "I'll just lay here for a minute", next thing I know I'm waking up at 1:30 in the morning.
   My last post was more about my friendship with Mike and reasons why this case is important to me. It was kind of like my own "opening argument". From here on I am going to try to concentrate more on what is actually happening in the courtroom.
On Monday, when the lawyers gave their opening arguments, the prosecution had set up about four tables and piled them with gear. Guns, ammunition, tac-vests, gillie suits, helmets, etc. It was an attempt to scare the jury, it was an attempt to impress them with this pile of gear and show them how dangerous these guys were. The thing is, none of those things are illegal to own. There is no quantity or limit to how many guns you can own provided in the second amendment. I know people who wear gillie suits for bow-hunting, there is nothing wrong with having these things. These guys are hunters, farmers, soldiers, some of these guys have been collecting guns for twenty plus years. It all looked really impressive, until you think about it for just a minute. How many guys did this stuff belong to, nine people were arrested, if you divide the display that they showed into nine piles instead of one, you suddenly have much smaller and less impressive view. And who's to say that all of the stuff they confiscated belonged entirely to the nine who were arrested.
   They showed a document that they confiscated that had the nine defendants broken up into teams. It was meant to show some kind of hierarchy, and they made implications towards certain individuals based on that, such as Mike Meeks is the heavy gunner, it is his job is to carry the .50 cal machine gun. Well, what they failed to mention, which the defense was quick to point out, is that the names associated with the positions on that paper changed from training session to training session, depending on who showed up that particular day. The defense was also quick to point out that Mike doesn't OWN a .50 cal machine gun. And hmmm, I didn't see one in that pile of weapons either...
   They made a big deal out of the guys, running military and police style drills. Running around in the woods wearing camouflage. OOOoohhh. What do you think ANY militia in this country does? And I hesitate to call the Hutaree a militia in the first place, but that's the way they've been labeled. It's more of a club if you ask me, a group of guys that get together once, sometimes twice a month, to shoot and train. There are no requirements for membership, anyone can attend their meets, no one was ever required to show up. If a group was truly intent on over throwing the U.S. government don't you think they might take their "training" and membership a little more seriously than once, maybe twice a month, if you feel like showing up?
   Come on...this whole deal is ridiculous.
   On Tuesday morning they finished up the opening arguments, and the prosecution called thier first witness, Leslie Larson the lead FBI agent in charge of the investigation. From the prosecution, she was asked about how she learned of the Hutaree, and what warranted the investigation. She was asked about how and when she introduced the paid informant (who received over $30,000 for his involvement) into the group. She was asked about when and how the under-cover agent was inserted into the group. She was asked a bunch of mundane questions about her training, her position in the FBI, her roll in the investigation. All to try to bolster her credibility. The day ended after her testimony to the prosecution.
   Wednesday, the defense began their cross examination of Larson. One of the first things she was asked was if she felt that she and her team had performed a ethical, non-prejudicial, investigation of the defendants. She stated that they had, however after citing email after email,( correspondances between her and her team) She was forced to admit that they had not.
   The defense also spent a good deal of time attempting to discredit the upcoming testimony of the FBI paid informant, Dan Murray. Showing that the only evidence of any violent actions in their two year investigation of the Hutaree was when their paid informant shot at his wife. And went on to describe that a felony firearms charge in Wayne County is a mandatory five year felony, and yet Murray recieved a year probation. The FBI and Kim Worthy, of the Wayne Co. prosecutors office both deny any foul play or favorable treatment. The defense also showed that he had alchohol and drug issues, and was receiving phsyciatric treatment. All of which Larson claimed she knew nothing about at the time of the investigation. It was also shown that either Murrays wife tried to stab him, or he tried to commit suicide, hard to say which because he lied to the cops and gave three seperate stories on how he was stabbed, first his wife did it, then it was an accident, then it was a suicide attempt. He lied to the cops!!! What says he's being truthful with the FBI, especially when he was recieving cash payments, totaling over $30,000.00. He's gonna say whatever he thinks will put another payment in his pocket. The defense cited one correspondence between Murray and Larson that took place shortly after he was inserted into the group. It showed that in the very beginning of thier investigation Murray told Larson the group is a bunch of hot air, they don't have resources. Pretty obvious to me that he didn't feel there was much of a threat from within the Hutaree. But the FBI thought maybe they might provide them with some resources...
   If you have watched any of the news or read anything in the papers, you may have heard of the trip to Kentucky, for the Kentucky Summit Meeting. It was a trip the guys wanted to take, a meeting of militias in Kentucky. However, they weren't going to go, none of them had any money...None of them had a vehicle capable of getting them all to Kentucky, just like Murray had said, no resources. So the FBI provided Murray with a vehicle, and money so that the group could make the trip. It was on this trip that Stone Sr. read a speech he had prepared, which spoke of things like, preparing for war, and getting ready for the revolution. I heard Sarah Palin make very similar speeches while she was campaigning to be the president. And by the way they never made it to Kentucky, they made it half way, decided not to go and turned around and went home.
   Larson was also asked to provide a target, a specific target that the Hutaree was going to go for, she could not provide one, she was asked for a specific plan that the Hutaree was going to implement, she could not provide one. The only thing that I have seen any hard evidence of is that these guys said some stupid stuff. There is nothing illegal about saying stupid stuff. These guys are pissed off Americans, they are pissed off at the government, and they have every right to be. Things are messed up within our government, I don't think there's anyone out there that can argue this point. We have a right as Americans to speak out against our government. I've done it. And sometimes when I'm really pissed I say stupid things, with no intent of any action, it's called blowing off steam...And we are ALLOWED to do that.
   These guys are facing life sentances.. Think about it... Life in prison. Some of these guys are barely out of their teens. They had no intent to kill cop's, they had no intent to overthrow the government. They did not even have the ability or resources to go to Kentucky. Come on, use a little common sense, how much of a threat do you think these guys really are. None of them even have prior convictions for anything.
   People have said to me that I must be able to relate to Mike's position as he sits in prison, that I must know how he feels or something. But I don't. When I was in prison I always had the knowledge that I broke the law. I did the things I was convicted of. I was held responsible and accountable for my actions, and knew that I was going to get out when my time was done. That's not the case with these guy's, they ran their mouths, and now they sit behind bars wondering if they are ever going to go home. It's not the same, I don't understand, It is not right. I can't imagine what these guys must be feeling. They have been sitting in prison for two years and haven't even been convicted of anything.
   I have to wrap this up for now. I have to get myself ready for another day in court. I didn't and can't cover every detail of this, I would have to write a book for that. But I want to share what I can. If you want to know all the details, come on down to the courtroom. It starts every morning at about 9:30. If you sit in the courtroom and listen to what happens it doesn't take long to start clearing away the smoke and mirrors that this case seems to be founded on.

Smoke and Mirrors 1

   I have not posted for a couple of days now. It isn't that I haven't had anything on my mind, it's just that I have really wanted to consider how to present the issue that is taxing my mind. You see, I have been following a high profile federal lawsuit. I have a vested  interest in this case for a number of reasons, and I want to explain why every American should have a vested interest in this in the case. Before I do that I would like to introduce you to my friend, not just my friend but one of the best friends I've ever had. 

   This is my buddy Mike. I took this picture at our annual "Salmon Camp" in 2009 0r 2008. Once a year five to fifteen of us guys get together and for three to five days we camp out in the woods, talk shit, and fish for salmon on the beautiful Manistee River during the fall salmon run. It's a great time. Anyway, I met Mike in high school, He use to give me a lot crap because I was best friends with one of his younger brothers, and that's what big brothers are for, right? We didn't really hang out then but I knew him well. I dropped out of school early. Mike went on to graduate, and then joined the Marines. He was in the 1st Infantry and was involved in the operation to liberate Kuwait. He is a decorated war veteran. I did not see him again for quite a few years, as my life had taken me down quite a different path. I never lost contact with his brother though, and eventually I ended up working for his company, roofing and remodeling houses. Mike also worked for his brother and we ended up working together for close to eight years. During this time Mike and I got  to know each other quite well, and I developed a great deal of respect for Mike. Not for his work, he'd argue with me but I can out-work him any day of the week. (Or at least I could at that time...) He was often late, he's grouchy and and can be hard to get along with. No, my respect for him stemmed from the things he did outside of work. The whole while we busted our asses in the hot sun, on the roofs of houses, I watched Mike put himself through school to become an EMT, ride with an ambulance team after school, or after work, and eventually become a paramedic. All the while struggling to purchase his first home. I watched mike get involved in local politics, and get active with the community around him. All things I deem worthy of respect. And no wonder he was grouchy, when did the guy sleep? But my true admiration and brotherly love for Mike stems from his heart, and his conscience. See, I've had more than my own share of bad experiences, some bad decisions made by me, some by unfortunate circumstance. Regardless of the circumstance, Mike and his family have always been there to support me. From helping me deal with the death of my dad, to helping me make ends meet from week to week. Always without hesitation or personal judgement. You don't get a much truer friend than that. It's what being a friend is all about. And he is like that with everyone, if he sees an opportunity to help...He does.

   As I write this my friend, Mike Meeks, sits in a prison cell. He is facing life in prison as a terrorist. He faces accusations of Seditious Conspiracy To Overthrow the United States Government, and Conspiring to Use Weapons of Mass Destruction to name a couple. He is one of the nine arrested, who are the Hutaree. A group of guys the government and the media would have you believe is an extremist militia group, they have been labeled as religious zealots, and cop hunters. In the twenty five years I've known Mike Meeks I have never seen any more violence than a noogie on my head, or maybe a wedgie when we were teenagers. I have never had a single conversation with Mike in all those years about religion, I wouldn't call that very zealous. And since Mike has family members who are in law enforcement I'd be willing to wager that going out and killing cops is not very high on his list of priorities. Beyond that, he is not on trial for killing cops, he's being charged with trying to overthrow the U.S. Government.

   I write this in reference to Mike because I know him. There are other people to consider as well. I've met a couple of the other guys in brief passings but I certainly don't know them well enough to speak of thier personal lives. But I will say that what I do know of the couple I've met... They seem like average everyday folks to me...

   As I said earlier my interest invested in this case goes beyond Mike. You see, if these guys are found guilty, if they are convicted, my rights as an American are in jeopardy, your rights as Americans are in jeopardy. This case boils down to the core, the very foundation of  the values this country was built on. Our right to free speech and expression, our rights to assemble and protest, our rights to keep and bear arms, our rights to protect our families and property, our rights to form well regulated militias, even our freedom of religion is at stake and our right to worship as we see fit.

  I have spent the last couple day's at the Federal Courthouse in Downtown Detroit. Sitting in on the court preceedings. This past week they have selected the jury, presented the openining arguments, and just today the prosecution called their first witness. I have also sat in on some of the preliminary hearings. Before I started to write this I wanted to seek some advice, I don't want to get myself in trouble, and I don't want to cause trouble for my freind. A couple of people offered the wise advise to refrain from quoting people, I got this advise from a couple of different people mind you. And in my true form, I am going to break the rules set forth to prove a point. I offer you this quote that I heard someone say today.

   "If I was allowed to kill...there would be dead people in this room."

   I want you to understand, I'm not a judge, I'm not an attorney, I'm not even a court stenographer. I'm just a guy sitting in the courtroom in support of my friend, and in support of my own rights. But I know smoke and mirrors when I see it. I've been around the block a couple times. It was brought to my attention that in this investigation that has spanned approximately two years, the FBI has been able to to collect over two-hundred hours of video and audio recordings of the activities of these men. And all they can present is five to fifteen second clips of carefully selected audio with no context... "So an so said on this date" and then they play a snippet of audio, some of them were only a single sentence. You can't tell what was said before the statement,  after the statement, where they were or what was going on when the statement was made. They showed three five minute videos that were pulled from the Hutaree website. Those videos portrayed grown men running around in woods, wearing camaflauge, and firing weapons during training drills. Hell, it looked like fun to me. I'm going to offer that quote one more time and I will identify it this time as well,

   "If I was allowed to kill... There would be dead people in this room." ~ Daphne, contestant, on The Biggest Loser, ABC TV

   So why isn't Daphne facing some charges??? Look, all I'm saying is reserve your judgement until after all is said and done. Don't let the smoke and mirrors fool you.  I ask you, if you value your rights as citizens of this country, to educate yourself on what those rights are. I implore you, if you value your very freedom, reserve your judgement, resist the media hype, let the facts present themselves, and let these men be innocent until proven guilty. I invite you, if you want to know the facts, and your in Michigan, come sit in the courtroom with me and watch the facts unfold. You won't be fooled either. And finnaly, while I know not one person who reads this will do it... I issue you this challenge, if you believe that you as a human being are allowed these basic human rights, take an interest in this case, investigate it, call or write to your elected government officials and let them know of your concerns, let them know you are paying attention and invested in this case. We have to take accountability for our government.

   On the right side of this page are links to The Constitution, The Declaration of Independence, and The Bill of Rights. Please use them. There is also a link to a search engine that has all the information you need to contact the elected officials in your area. Please use it.
 It is now 4:00 in the morning, and I still have so much to say. But I have to call it quits for the night, as I plan to be back in the court early tomorrow morning. But I will continue to update on this over the next six to eight weeks, as the trial progresses. I will not be able to make it every day, but I assure you I will be keeping a very close eye on what happens throughout this trial. And I will try to give it to you as I understand it, and I hope to offer you a different view than you might get from mainstream media. I hope you value your rights as much as I do mine. Please Speak Your Mind.

My Life in a Snapshot 2

   This Photo was taken April 2, 1976. Me my Sister and my Dad. It was the day before my fifth birthday. There are things I remember about this picture, but I don't remember the day. I know this picture was taken In Pittsfield Village of Ann Arbor, I remember the couch and the painting that you can see the corner of. I remember the shirt I was wearing, I really liked that shirt. I have some vague memories of this time in my life, but it isn't the memories in this picture that make it special to me, it's how I came into possession of it.
   My Dad died January 25, 2010 at the age of 62. Just four days after his birthday. This picture was in his wallet. And from the look of picture it had been there for a long time. It looks like it probably lived in a few wallets.
   My dad and I did not always have the closest relationship. My parents separated between mine and my sister's and births. For most of my childhood I saw my dad only on weekends and family events. And that was only if he was sober enough or wasn't too busy to come and get us. I don't want to be overly harsh on my dad, things are never that cut and dry, but from my point of view, it's the way I felt. It's the way I perceived things. There were also long periods of time were we had little or no contact with him at all. My dad moved to Colorado when I was around seven or eight, and we moved to Massachusetts  shortly after, there were times when it was more than a year without even a letter or a phone-call.
   I lived in Massachusetts until I was 13, somewhere during this time my dad moved back to Michigan, he had also gotten himself sober, and seemed to be doing pretty well with it. I on the other hand, was just beginning to experiment with drugs and alcohol. There was a combination of things that happened over a period of time (maybe a couple of years), that I think scared my mother very badly. I did not have many friends at the time, I had a few, but I got picked on...a lot. I was not doing well in school, there was the beginning of my substance abuse, and tensions between my step-father and I were at a boiling point. One day my mother sat me down and asked me if I wanted to go live with my dad. I think she thought he would be able to help me with the drugs and alcohol  that I was getting into, seeing how he had gotten himself sober. But I also think that some part of my mom feared for my safety, and wanted to put a little distance between my step-father and myself. She did not send me away to live with my dad, she asked me, and I wanted to.
   In some ways it was one of the greatest things that ever happened, in other ways it could not have been worse. My dad and I did not know each other very well, thirteen years of  very limited contact, and all the sudden we're  living together. It was a little more than either of us were expecting. He didn't really know how to be a father, and I was not very understanding of that at the time. Looking back today... I have to give him credit, he tried, he tried the best he knew how, he just didn't have the experience, or the tools to deal with a teenage boy with issues. And we didn't see eye to eye on much.
   I learned a great deal from my dad, skills that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. We had experiences, and spent time together that I will treasure forever. He taught me about things like archery, guns, hunting, and fishing. He brought me out into the woods and wilderness, and I gained an appreciation and respect for nature and wildlife that I may have never gained otherwise. He was a masterful craftsman, he did beautiful leather crafts, he made his own knives, he made his own arrows, fishing rods, bows. He made really cool jewelry and trinkets from the teeth, bones, claws, and antlers of animals he hunted. He was a genius when it came to making something from nothing. And I have learned and carry many of these skills from him into my life today.
   When we did things like an archery tournament, or paddling the canoe around the lake shooting carp, when we were in the woods stalking an animal, or at the range shooting milk jugs with pistols, we were partners. We were father and son. We were friends. He was proud of me and he told me so. My dad was a great teacher, and had an amazing amount of patience when it came to showing you how to do something, or helping you to understand the hows and whys of anything mechanical or crafty. As long as it was something he was passionate about himself. Otherwise, most of the time I felt pretty... insignificant.
   I will admit I did not make things easy on him, I had resentments and was developing more. It's much easier looking back, to say what the issues were. At that age I knew what the word resentment meant, but I didn't recognize that I had them. I just felt like he didn't have any right to tell me what to do, I didn't think he had a right to tell me anything. I resented the fact that he had never seemed to make much of an attempt to be a father in the past and all of the sudden it was his way or the highway. I resented him going to A.A. all the time, from my point of view it wasn't much different than if he had been drinking. He was still never around, he always had a meeting, or a dinner, or a dance, or some A.A. function he had to attend. And when he was not at an A.A. function all he had time for were his hobbies, if I didn't want to participate, he went on by himself or with his friends.  I grew more rebellious, and our relationship became more tense.
   My sister also came to live with my dad a couple years after I did. For me it was a blessing, for her, I think not so much. I won't write on her experience, that's hers to share. But for me it was nice to have someone there that I felt loved me all the time. My sister and I have always had a close bond. But I think this time in our lives made us closer, I think a trust formed between us during this time that has never gone away. I was thankful that she was there.
   I continued down a road that led me to rehab, jail, an alternative incarceration program (state boot-camp), and eventually prison. I had a hard time in prison, as anyone does, but that's for another time. In three and a half years of being in prison my dad came to see me three maybe four times that I remember. I really didn't feel like he cared, and in time I learned not to myself. My mother was still living in Massachusetts and when I paroled at the age of twenty-two, I went back there.
   While I was on parole I met the love of my life, I had the best job I ever had, I got my first place of my own. I felt like I was really getting it together. I was very careful while I was on parole, I didn't drink, do any drugs, I didn't jay-walk on the street. I had invited my dad out to come stay with me for a vacation several times. I even offered to pay his way and cover his expenses. I wanted him to see me being successful. But he declined my invitations repeatedly.
   After my two years of parole, I did start to smoke pot again. More than that I made my first attempt at growing (quite successfully I might add). I lived in Massachusetts for around four years before I finally talked my dad into coming for a visit. I had been growing my plants for almost two years, it was the only thing going on in my life that I knew my dad would not approve of. So I cleaned up all the paraphernalia, I made adjustments to the grow room, and put locks on the door. I did the best I could to get rid of anything he might find offensive. I knew that he would know what I was doing, he was no idiot. But I was not ashamed of what I was doing, and I didn't try to hide it, I just didn't want to put it right in his face. He came to stay with me for a week. We had a pretty good visit, but it was strained and tense at times, I think he wanted to confront me about the pot, which would have been fine, as I said I wasn't ashamed. I thought we had been through much worse, and I didn't think a little pot would be a big deal for the two of us to deal with if it did come up. It never did come up, not in conversation anyway. On the last night of his visit, he was going back to Michigan the next morning... The police came and raided my house. My dad saw me being led away in cuffs again, and went home the next morning.
  Now I was ashamed... I really did not get in a lot of trouble over the pot, I had a good job, I could afford a good attorney. I ended up with a years probation on a Class A Misdemeanor. The real trouble was the damage it did to the relationship I thought we were finally starting to repair. We barely spoke for years after that.
   There's more to it than just that, though. It didn't make sense to me what had happened, as far as getting busted I mean. In two years of growing pot the only difference in the equation, was my dad. I shifted from being embarrassed and ashamed to being mad. I didn't want to believe my old man had turned me in for growing a little pot. But it's what made sense.
   During this time my step-fathers employment status changed and my mom and family there, moved back to Michigan. I stayed in Massachusetts for my job, and to try to salvage the relationship with my girlfriend, which was also falling apart. I stayed there for about another year and moved back to Michigan also.
   As I said, my father and I hardly spoke for years, I always wanted to confront him about what had happened, but I never did. My dad suffered from kidney failure, and in his later years it really got the better of him. And on the rare occasions when I did see him I didn't want to waste the time arguing, or fighting, or even talking about something that didn't even matter anymore. I had already confirmed my suspicions through other sources, and I already knew I wanted to continue to work on things with him. Eventually, I was really able to let it go and I was not angry over it anymore. In retrospect I wish I had spoke to him about it enough to let him know that. As it was, things remained tense between us right up until the last couple years of his life.
   In the last couple years of his life he was in and out of the hospital often. And during this time, I spent a lot of time there, just being there for him, and making sure he had whatever he needed. It was here that we finally seemed to let the past be, and we developed a mutual respect for each other. Through a life of my own trials and tribulations I had learned to better understand why he was the way he was. And he finally seemed to accept me for the man I had become. His health continued to decline, and when he died it was not completely a surprise to me. Not to say that it was easy by any means. I was glad we had made peace with each other.
   This was an awfully long story to describe why this picture has such significance to me, but to find this picture in his wallet was a conformation for me. The condition of the picture was what touched me though. It looks like he had carried it there for a long time, maybe even since 1976. It was a conformation for me that even during the times when I thought he didn't care, all the time that we didn't speak, the years that went by when we never saw each other, all the times we messed things up with each other, there was always a part of him that wanted better. It was proof to me that through it all he really always cared for us, and was even proud of  us. To find this picture in his wallet, to me, it was almost like him saying "I love you son" one last time, I love you too dad...

It's up to You

   It's that time again, time to go to the polls and cast our votes. I'm always glad when it's all over. I get tired of all the political tirades, the character assassinations, having to decipher what's real and what's bullshit. Democratic this, republican that, blah, blah, blah. 
   Here's how I see it, you don't get to a high enough position in politics to run for president without knowing how to play the game. You don't get to a position like that without bending some rules, without compromising your ethics and morals somewhere along the way. You won't convince me differently on this, I just don't believe otherwise. Republican, Democrat, Christian, Mormon, man, woman, black or white, I don't care, to get to that position, you know the ropes. You can take any person on this earth, and find something to criticize them over. And most people you could do more than criticize. I don't care what the other guy did wrong, I want to know what you as a candidate are going to do right. I want to know how you as The President intend to lead this country.
   The only way to get this information is to research it for yourself. Investigate the candidates one by one and really try to find out who will represent what you believe the best. No one candidate is going to stand for everything you do, you will find something you don't like about everyone. So you have to go beyond the candidate and look at the rest of the team that is running with them and see where they stand. It is not easy to make an educated decision, it takes time, and effort, but in the end it is worth it to know who you are voting for.
   I get my information from a lot of different sources, the news, conversations with people I know and respect, I subscribe to a number of political feeds, I follow and interact with all the candidates and as many of their running mates as I can find on the social networks I use. I follow the Whitehouse, the U.S. Congress and Senate. There is information everywhere, you just have to look. Don't rely on one source, take in as much as you can, then you can make a good decision.
   Once I've made my decision, I don't preach that decision to anyone. Who I vote for is my business, and I really don't care who you vote for... What I do care about is how you vote, and that you do vote. Don't vote for one guy because you don't like another. Don't discount someone and vote for another because you don't think the candidate you really want can win... They won't if you don't vote for them...
   We the People hold the power to make a difference in the world we live in. We hold the power to make our government accountable to us. Our elected government officials are in place to represent us, the people...Not to control us. It is up to us as citizens of this country to hold them acountable, and to hold ourselves accountable.
   It is up to you. It's up to you to educate yourself. It's up to you to get interactive with the world around you. It's up to you to vote. It's up to you to do your part. It's up to you...

My Life in a Snapshot 1

   This photo was take in 1976. I was five years old. I'm sitting alongside the Rough River in Breckenridge County, Kentucky. I lived in Michigan with my mother and sister at the time, and we had taken a trip to see my grandmother. This was a long time ago, I can't say that I remember the trip very well, bits and pieces really. And some of that may blend in with other trips we made, I DO, remember this day...
  While this was not the first time I had gone fishing, it was the first time I caught a fish, sort of. We came to the river in my granny's mobile home. I can't tell you everyone that was there, but I can tell you the key players, myself, my mother, and Herman (that's all I ever remember anyone calling him). Also I should say there was some emphasis on the excitement of catching that fish, not only was it my first, but I was in Kentucky, I was fishing with the grown-ups, and you can tell by the look on my face, I was takin' this business serious. Check out that classic 12' cane poll. Well, when I hooked that fish I got so excited, I Got One, I Got One, I spun around to show everyone my prize catch, and my mother was standing about 12' behind me...And the fish was dead. Not only was it dead, but looking back I have to wonder how that fish even stayed on the hook while I swung it around, because when it hit my mom's face it kinda... desintesploded, that's like disintegrating and exploding all at the same time.
   I started crying immediately because, well, because my fish desintesploded. My mother started crying immediately for the same reason. She also felt it was necessary to gag and puke as the rotten fish paste slid down her face. Herman fell to the ground laughing, until he cried. At least three people cried over that fish, my granny may have cried too, just because everyone else was. All I know is that ended that fishing trip, and my mom still claims today that it can make her gag to think of it thirty-five years later.

Gateway to Destruction

   I have seen, heard, and even participated in several uhh... shall we say... debates recently about marijuana and it's potential to be a "Gateway" drug. Meaning that smoking pot potentially leads, or is a gateway, to stronger drugs and more dangerous addictions. I certainly believe this, after all, smoking pot did lead me to the worst addiction I've ever had...Mountain Dew! It's horrible if I don't have that stuff, I get headaches, my stomach starts bothering me...I get fuckin' grouchy man. Damn that pot for ever giving me cotton mouth, and damn that Mountain Dew for being so sweet and syrupy good.
   All right, I know it is a real debate, and some people feel very strongly that marijuana is the first step on a path of destruction. I have to admit that I can see how someone may perceive it as a gateway. And to some extent it may be true. However, can't you really apply this method of thinking to almost any substance: prescription pills, alcohol...food? I don't believe it is the substance so much as the situation that causes the gate to open. People that travel this "path of destruction" more often than not have some underlying issue, or problem, and they are knowingly, or unknowingly, searching for a coping mechanism to help them gain a momentary escape from the problem. When they don't find it in one substance, they move on to the next. As long as the root problem remains, the downward spiral will continue, regardless of the substances being used.
   So banning, or outlawing a substance because it gets misused doesn't prevent people from misusing it again, if anything I believe it may even be counter-intuitive. Our jails and prisons are full of young, non-violent offenders. Not only does this create more emotional scarring to deal with, compounding the root problem that already existed, but they also get a number and a record that follow them throughout the rest of their lives, making it nearly impossible to ever have a chance at a productive life.  Wouldn't these youths be better served with counseling and rehabilitation.
   I believe that there is a responsible way to use marijuana, even recreationally. Anything can be abused and used as a stepping stone to something more extreme. So what do we do??? Ban everything??? No, we as humans have a free will, ban something if you will, but people will still abuse it. Responsibility lies with each individual. Blame lies with the cause not the means. Fixing the issue lies in treating the cause, not banning the means. The real secret to beating substance abuse is the individuals ability to learn how to cope with life on life's terms. Until a person can do this they are going to remain on a "path of destruction".
   Does anyone know of a good Mountain Dew support group???

HACKED

   My Twitter page got hacked. Grrrr... I logged on the other day and I see that my Twitter had sent out hundreds of direct messages. I tried to contact twitter, but they took too long to respond, I ended up deactivating my account and starting anew. I needed to revamp anyway, but I wish it had been on my own terms. I've been on Twitter for about six months, and I had a pretty good crowd of followers about 500 strong, It was a long process getting that many people to follow my ramblings. I'm not looking forward to weeding out all the garbage again. Oh well, such is life...