Christie family under Federal Fire
According to Roger Christie, he and wife Share have recently lost their religious freedom case in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, California. A three-judge panel upheld the ministers' "drug-related" convictions, rejecting their argument that the convictions violate their rights to exercise their religion under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
According to the federal government, the ministry claims to have approximately 3,000 converts on the island, and another 62,000 worldwide. The problem arose when the government chose to interfear with a churches right to self-govern. According to the government they believed it was inapproperiate for the ministry to be distributing sacrament to their members for religious intention, and they determined that more than half a pound of cannabis nearly every day was estimated to have been given to approximately 60 or 70 congregation members. Reverend Christie stated that he distributed Cannabis to approximately 200-400 people per month.
Prior to serving Great Creator, many remain unaware of the fact that Roger enlisted in the US Army and was trained as a G2 Intelligence Analyst at Fort Holabird, Maryland, a US Army ‘spy school’ prior to the Viet Nam War Era. He was Honorably Discharged per request before being deployed into actual combat for being declared a “conscientious objector.” According to Christie in his own words: "I learned the life changing lesson at 21 years of age that I could face-up to and fight ‘city hall’… and win! A skill that I continue to use in my work to help turn the war on “marijuana” to harmony and peace." Christie goes on to say that he has been an "inhabitant of the Big Island of Hawaii since 1986. I am a cannabis hemp liberation-human rights advocate."
Roger is co-founder of the Hawai’i Hemp Council in 1990 and am one of the original three partners (with Aaron Anderson and Dwight Kondo) of the Hawaiian Hemp Company. In 1991, they had one of the first retail hemp stores in the world. Roger founded his calling in "The Hawai'i Cannabis Ministry" (THC Ministry) on the big island in 2000 and conjoined his faith with Oklevueha Native American Church (ONAC) short after and ultimately being gifted his own branch "ONAC Hilo".
The case against the Christie's have been ongoing since July 8, 2010 under the case numbers # 14-10233, and 14-10234 (9th Cir. June 14, 2016). Roger was kept in the Hawaii federal correctional system for almost 4 straight years, being deprived of visitors as well as inquiring media. In 2014 Roger Christie was sentenced to 5 years prison being given credit for the otherwise dead-time he had already served awaiting "Due Process", and has since has completed his mandatory minimum 5-year sentence and, as of November 14, 2014 but his wife Share still faces the government's threat of 27 months in prison. Currently Roger is free from the clutches of government and is fortunate to be home in the loving arms of his wife and the golden kiss of Creators tropical skies... but if the government get's there way it will be a pleasure short lived as they're now gunning to rip his wife from his arms and toss her away in a prison cell for 3 years of their life, a tragidy without any honor to be had indeed IF they're able to do it.
The illegal action against them in this case is that the judge denied the Christie's their right to assert a Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) defense. Cannabis is the original sacrament of the Hebrew, Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Shinto, Buddhist,Rasta and even more established and respected faiths across the globe, and so for the Christies to not be given the same respect in their case is a gross mis-justice that taints the surity of proper justice being the objective in the nations legal systems across America.
Roger Christie announced that the couple are now looking for legal representation and funding for the expenses to petition the U.S. Supreme Court for a writ of certiorari, or another possibly more effective remedy with a better chance of success. Those willing and able to help are encouraged to contact Roger direct at: rogerchristie@gmail.com and or to snailmail him and Share at: PO Box 1643 Pahoa, HI 96778
The goal is to overturn our convictions and especially to keep Share from a pending 27 month prison sentence as well as to protect our rights to free choice and cannabis once and for all. To defend them is to defend yourself and all of our relations rights liberties and freedoms... the time is now, the place is here... rise up and make the positive difference or forever remember that you didn't, it's your conscious and your decision to make thanks to brave front-line freedom fighters such as these two right here... YOU CAN make the positive difference in securing life, liberty and the right to pursue happiness right here today... but it's up to you.
Either which way, please stay tuned for further updates regarding this tragic case of gross abuse in the American criminal justice system, and thank you for all your support for them during this trying time.
