A word with Sachem Graves on Cannabis & ONAC

The way I see this from my perspective is that we Definatey need to unite. I hate the thought of segregating ourselves from the other sacrament ONAC's but too, we are segregated because it is being repeated that it's the cannabis churches "bringing the heat to ONAC" and too, that "The cannabis churches are not ponying up and even Supporting one another." Long before ONAC, I was a front line cannabis freedom fighter in the global movement so saw the sellout tactics of canna-business thankfully Before it got into ONAC. I had Hoped that advantage would have helped to keep it Out of ONAC but unfortunately it hasn't.

It has been being said that "The peyote churches shouldn't have to pay for the legal defense of the cannabis churches", which to a degree is true, but too, we are all ONAC. I believe that the cannabis churches would be willing to come together for this purpose, though too, I understand the room for financial questioning Is a valid concerned, not Only for the cannabis ONAC's but for the whole of ONAC. If people give money for a purpose they like assurance that it is going toward that, and to know and be able to see a positive outcome from it.

James and Linda got the ONLY Ruling that gives us a legal ground to stand on as far as legal defense... it was to do with their peyote ruling in the Utah Supreme court, but the fact that the Court Said "Oklevueha has the right to All Earth-Based Healing Sacraments" is a blessing and a miracle for All of us. No other church has gotten such a foundation in the courts, and I feel it is Extremely Important that we preserve it.

Yes I am a cannabis activist, because I Know that it is not just an Earth-Based healing substance, but an ""All-Heal"... I work with and See the sick people with little to No medical options that DO benefit if are not healed of their ailment from their ability to utalize cannabis, so, this is me and my branches primary sacrament medicine. This does NOT mean I can Guarentee they will be healed, nor does it mean I think Cannabis is the ONLY Choice, I believe we as the people born upon the earth should not be deprived of Any Earth-Based healing anything, that by our being born here we were given the Right and options of Great Creators medicine chest. I don't think that only "controlled substances" should be on the table of healing, which ultimately is why I LOVE and cling to the ruling and statement of the Utah Supreme Court and DO NOT want to see Oklevueha or our members Lose or be deprived of excercising that right, with any healing substance period.

The position in law for Oklevueha extends well beyond even the sacraments, we, as I describe us, are a Civil Rights church, because unlike most others, ONAC is in the unique position to defend all of our Creator given rights, and too, we are among the damn few who actually are willing to stand up and defend them. If any are allowed to infringe upon one of we the peoples rights without defense, then it is only a matter of time before we will lose them all. My father as have many, fought and suffered through Hell, many even sacraficing their own lives in the defense and attempted preservation of defending our rights, and if we do not willingly pick up that ball and run with it then all of Their sufferings will be in vein.

But, as far as cannabis sacrament in ONAC, Yes, the mother church has valid points that need to be addressed as well as rectified, and getting us in position to legally defend ourselves and the Whole I would agree are among them. I remember when my church was raided in 2014, plants destroyed and members arrested, ONAC had no sort of funding set up to take the issue into a court... and it takes money whether to defend as we were, or to force accountability upon them as we and many other churches and members are now facing in courtrooms today. We had court-appointed assigned in 2014 but I knew that wasn't going to be enough to ensure that we all lived to walk away without conviction, so ultimately I took from my families pocket to hire a "Lead Counsel" which ultimately is why we were given a dismissal. The mother church stood behind our position in that case, and even offered to repay me for that $5,000.00 expense, but because I had the ability, I paid it myself so to not be a burden upon the mother churhc or any of the other ONAC branches. With our pending federal case now, I do not have the means to do that, which ultimately is why things are in the stalled position now.

The mother church stands 100% behind our new case, but this go-round we are not the defendants on a trial type situation, so this legal representation is going to be extremely More money, to which I personally don't have ANY to contribute to. I am NOT ASKING ANYONE to jump up and contribute... I rely on faith that it will be handled and that justice Will prevail in our favor. Ultimately though, our branches case is adding to the ammunition of the Mother Church when they talk about the ONAC cannabis sacrament churches are financially Burdening the Mother Church, which is why I am at the front of this line trying to figure out a solution that is in the best interest of the whole, churches And members relying upon our ability to provide some sort of legal protection against any infringement legally.

Dr. Courtney, myself and a few other branches are why the Mother Church has even began moving Toward authorizing a "legal defense" from within ONAC at all, 13 of us were raided and victimized in 2014, and as we pointed out, if we let them get away with it, it will Surely continue into a pattern by the government. The Mother Church struggled with this... Oklevueha is to be sovergn... as well as "poor" (vow of poverty)... so the Mother Church was Very conflicted about giving us the OK to not only FIGHT, but too, supporting the concept of Lawsuits for our victimization. Ultimately we were given the blessing and support because the bottom line is that Oklevueha "Sells" memberships to people with the promise of a legal protection for certain specific things such as sacrament uses. Morally speaking, by doing so, Oklevueha has an OBLIGATION to rise to the defense of our churches and members if and when they are legally challenged on such rights and protections. THAT Does create a Financial Burden.

My understanding is that the Mother Church then went in the direction of asking for "Donation offerings" when people came to ONAC seeking the blessing of an independant branch, in effort of building what was first called "The Legal War Chest". Tithings are far from uncommon within any and most All churches regardless of faith beliefs. At that time, my understanding was that a $5,000.00 contribution pledge was requested. Many people seeking the unique position of ONAC had no issue with that request. No ONE was EVER REQUIRED or FORCED to offer that tithing, and many did it by pledging.

Out of left field, we had what presented as a Warrior Attorney jump up and Offer to defend our churches rights in the legal system "Pro-Bono", meaning at No Charge to us for his help. Of Coarse the Mother Church jumped to embrace this man's offer... I mean who wouldn't - he didn't want a cent, even If we won $$$ via lawsuits! I was among the loudest singing this mans praises, within ONAC as well as Publicly... but as it turned out, the ole saying is true... "If something sounds too good to Be true, it likely is, and that is what ultimately we found regarding Matthew Pappas.

Somehow, he attained the ability to replicate James's electronic signature, and unbeknownst to ANY of us, he began establishing fake churches. I say it that way because the Mother Church had no knowledge of them Nor did they Authorize them, meaning they were invalid technically because James did not approve nor bless them. From these fake churches, "Independant Branches" were sold to people for anywhere from $100,000.00 up a pop. So far in California, we have found over 20 registered churches sold that were NOT authorized or sanctioned by James or the Mother Church, meaning that if they were encountered they would have ZERO protection and ultimately likely end up in a lot of trouble... possibly even in prison!

With the authorization of the Mother Church,I along with other ONAC members physicall went to the heart of where these fake churches were being made, and put them in notice that they were acting Illegally and demanded them to Immediately STOP. Of coarse that "rocked" peoples "Boats" that were making hand over fist in the scam, but it HAD to be done in effort of protecting the whole of Oklevueha Native American Church. Against even the Mother Churches instinctual reaction, I made that situation public because I believed that it would present better for ONAC if WE addressed it before and opposed to having it come out otherwise. Since that time, Oklevueha has NOT allowed the authopprization of Any independant branch to be obtained, and as of now, still aren't.

So, we continue to try to Better the churches standing and position, within as well as legally. What else CAN we do. Either we Want the protection and the legal standing or we don't. Some don't see it that way, but that's the bottom line ultimate reality. We continue to focus on obtaining and securing a Trustable legal team that has the ability and drive to defend our church, members and objectives. It isn't easy to do beings we have no money to Pay for legal help. We NEED legal help, no doubt. So again, we are faced with having to forst FIND, and then too, to put trust into attorney's ability and willingness to step up and defend us on cases big and small. I remain confident that a Legal Counsel TEAM is what Oklevueha needs to assemble.

I am not Saying that we need an attorney to jump to the front lines of every single case, but, if we have a legal team that will "Oversee" as well as lead and guide Other attorney's in each individual battle, I believe that would prove to be an invaluable asset and resource option for our members. I would like to see a legal team that would also give counsel advice to our members Even on things that are not Directly associated with church affairs or case issues. Perhaps that is a bit much to ask for of a legal team representing our church, but IMAGINE how much it would benefit and reassure our members confidence when having to address legal affairs to have someone to turn to and get Quality legal advice from.

I see no reason this Cannot be a GOAL that we cannot strive to attain, but, what I see is that it is going to take time, effort, and to some degree... money to accomplish. I also firmly Believe that we will need to use high Scrutiny when it comes to the assembly of such... IF we want it to be a success. I believe that we can not only accomplish this but that we can surpass all the other sacrament churches within ONAC IF we unite and sincerely put forth what it will take from each and every one of us To accomplish it. "Free help" is Great, but too, more often than not, such as proven with Matt Pappas, is that one Gets what ya pay for. The Mother church got victimized absolutely, but too, so did we and our members who genuinely Believed we could count on him to remain standing until our battles were complete and hopefully won.

Which brings us to the present... the Mother Church is resuming the coarse of establushing for us a legal counsel team. Some have been accepted, but most of us know nothing of the details to any sort of agreements as to their involvement, meaning what's in it for them Yes, but too, what if anything will be beneficial to us as individuals as well as collectively as a church.

Concerns are arising regarding the newly accepted legal counsel team for Oklevueha. Few if any of us, including me myself have been kept From establishing a form of contact with them, which makes it rather hard to "feel a person out". Others are receiving actual BILLS for legal representation right out the gate when only Matt Pappas's work remains on the legal table. But more concerning to the masses within ONAC,encompasses the concerning position of their feeling of cannabis. If an attorney is not supportive Of cannabis, then they likely will not put forth drive and effort in defending it. If they view it as a money tree, then we will find ourselves all victimized as we were by Pappas, maybe not in the Same ways, but in some way we will.

Such as our recent indirect communications many are receiving from the new legal counsel. Though I personally have yet to either be able to Speak To, nor have I received email correspondence apparently they have sent to other members, they are planning to impliment rules and regulations upon specifically Only the cannabis churches, which is bullshit as well as Prejudice and discriminatory, ultimately wrong immoral and Illegal. I say this in reference to the rumor of them Requiring "Compliance Inspections". I also base this on rumor that they intend on requiring independant branches to Purchase a card making machiene to TRACK the use and such of sacraments by the individual members. These alone are red lights and sirens going off in the minds and souls of Many of our Oklevueha members as they become aware of it. Who Are They, or even the Mother Church even Dare I say, to suggest trying to add and enforce such things against us, especially considering it was NOT church criteria when we became members and or independant branches of Oklevueha. The phrase "Grandfather clause" quickly jumps to my mind, but too, the threat of discliplinary action should we not Conform Dominates my mind regarding these things overall.

Right now, WE the members of this church have a choice, to either become active and vigilant in our positions regarding our rights and abilities to function as part of this church, OR, we can slide ourselves back into the shadows and just let shit happen. As a soldiers daughter and head of the Kautantowit's Mecautea branch, I am NOT the type to just sit back and Let shit happen, I am at the front lines Ensuring that shit happens RIGHT, else I'd rather Not be a party to shit at all, it's just how I am designed genetically as well as morally. How many members USE cannabis as a medicine and spiritual sacrament? ENOUGH to achieve This I am sure. Now, how many members who use Other sacrament substances would SUPPORT us striving toward this? Hopefully the masses for their own sake because if they don't, and this derailment is allowed to happen it could well next be They and their sacrament targeted for such "Regulation". I personally believe that even those members who Don't use cannabis or Any Other sacrament would ultimately Support our direction and coarse just because it is the right and approperiate direction NEEDING to be done, sacrament or not... it's a right issue more than Anything else as I see it... we were Given the RIGHT to these things and NOW Someone, and I don't care Who it is even if it's the Mother Church and James Mooney himself, should NOT have the right nor ability to just come and renig on it Whatever their attempted justification for attempting it, Period.

Right here and now, we are at a Serious Crossroads as to whether or not our Rights are going to be preserved, or if they're going to be taken away. Like Jack Herer said in regards to cannabis liberation "No one person, not even me, can achieve this alone, it's going to take each and every one of us rising up and being willing to fight this fight Together." That applies to Oklevueha. Either we stand up Together and do this, or what, walk away and give up on the church and our individual rights liberties and freedoms... or too I suppose, we could be like some and sit in the shadows WHINING about how everyone else isn't doing Enough and so shit ain't getting done to Their standards. Me I am a front line defender, of this church, it's members, ALL earth-based sacraments, and more importantly so, of our Birth Rites as being born the human beings upon this here land. To be anything else would go against everything that has Made me who I am, and too, dishonor the Hell outta my ancestors who were front line warriors before me for these very same things... and all the veterans who fought, suffered and sacraficed, and their families who endured it because they did, Especially those whose loved ones literally DIED in effort of defending our rights as the people Of this land To this land. I CANNOT be party to that direction, and so, I am here, laying shit out onto the table for All to see, and Hoping to "Rally the troops" so that we can get shit done right once and for All.

I HOPE that you will join with me. If you don't, I understand, but I sure as hell hope you do because the power is Always going to prove to be within the Numbers, and just your mere support, your VOICE can and Will make the positive difference that will ultimately benefit us all including ye yourself. There are more important things than profit to be had, Especially as a Church, but if we don't act Now and Together, mark my words, we Will ultimately find ourselves sold down the river. I hope to see you on the front lines~ Wandan (Thank you) for your time and consideration~ Blessings to all