Thursday, July 24, 1997

Dear Carl,

    "Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies." - Psalm 40:4 - God's blessings of peace, mercy, grace and love to you from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, I pray.  I hope this finds you well and in good spirits.  Thank you for the reccent copies of the the Iowa NORML Newsletter.  It was very kind of you to keep me in mind and I look forward to being able to help with a bit of support in a few more months.  I am down to 88 more days until release (today is Michael Irvin day).   I especially enjoyed the exchange of letters and your views on the use of marijuana as a sacramental adjunct to worship.  I have developed some views of my own which I think I wrote you concerning in a previous letter, but I have freely taken from your opinions as well.  I hope you don't mind.  I particularly like the idea of refusing to take the sacrament (smoke pot) until I can do it in the New Kingdom, which I will be working frantically to bring about.  I think the verse about states my opinion pretty well too.  Every single thing the government has said about marijuana has been a lie, not just an accidental piece of misinformation, but deliberate lying obfuscations.  The verse plainly says not to have respect for those that turn aside to such lies.
    I have attached a recent clipping ("Teen drug use data ‘alarming’") from USA Today as a type of stationery on the enclosed continuation of this letter, but it is actually a timeless article in that it could be saved and reprinted at any time by any newspaper in the country whenever they wish to stir the frenzy of the Holy War on Drugs.  Such "alarming" data can be manufactured at any time and there is no way to know whether it is accurate or especially if it is at all significant.  The purpose is to stir up another round in the never-ending cycle of harsher and harsher penalties for perceived drug abuse problems.   As my release date draws nearer, I am becoming more anxious to do my part to fight the lies and the persecutions.  But I will not give them an excuse to take me prisoner again.  They will have to frame me like a family portrait to get me back in here.  But I will be in their face and I will exercise the few rights I have remaining and I will tell the truth as I understand it.

Charlie Holbrook
57954-080
1900 Simler Avenue (Camp)
Big Spring, TX 79720-7700