E-Actions for Freedom

ALERT: Please Write Today to Save Steve Kubby's Life

From Michele Kubby and MAP:

STEVE'S HEALTH IS DETERIORATING -- YOUR HELP IS URGENTLY NEEDED!

*********************PLEASE COPY AND DISTRIBUTE*************************

DrugSense FOCUS Alert #282 Wed, 10 Dec 2003

Monday, upon hearing the news that Canada had denied Steve Kubby's refugee
application, we wrote:

It is with great sadness that we at MAP read of this incomprehensible
decision. Steve Kubby has been an active MAP supporter since it's early
days. The fact is, without question, that if Steve Kubby is sent back to
California he will most likely be jailed. When he was originally jailed in
California, and again when he was jailed once in Canada, he came very
close, within hours, of death. Local California officials have stated,
repeatedly, that he will be denied his life saving medicine, which he now
grows with the approval of Health Canada, when he is jailed.

Today we received the following message. As Michele Kubby asks, please
write letters to the editors of the listed papers as soon as possible.
Thank you!

Dear friends,

I'm very concerned that the continual harassment by government officials is
killing my husband. This entire Refugee process has put Steve's health
into a terrifying tailspin.

Yesterday, I was shocked to see Steve so sick that he could barely walk.
When he did walk, he had great difficulty with his balance. He is
suffering from extremely elevated high blood pressures. He is nauseous,
has diarrhea, he's weak, shaky, has difficulty urinating from kidney damage
and soaking his sheets from night sweats.

All of this is the direct result of the Refugee Protection Board
Ajudicator, Pauhla Dauns' dishonest, shameful and cowardly decision. She
denies that returning Steve to the States will cause him harm, but her very
decision has put his life at risk.

It wasn't easy for Dr. Connors to find the time or the courage to testify
on Steve's behalf, but he did it because he clearly feels, as we all do,
that Steve's life is at risk. Dr. Connors explained in very graphic
frightening details how my husband is a walking time bomb.

For the first time in my marriage with Steve I am truly frightened about
his welfare. He's still struggling from the radiation he subjected himself
to to prove that there are no other therapies but cannabis. Steve has
never hurt a fly. It's always the government that accuses him of criminal
behavior. This woman, Pauhla Dauns is a criminal for putting my husband's
life in danger.

Steve saw by the third day of our hearings, in March, that Pauhla Dauns and
the Refugee Protection Officer were dyed in the wool prohibitionists and
could never provide a fair hearing. This is in the transcripts. However,
when Steve officially objected and asked for a new hearing with the full
Refugee Board, as is his right, Pauhla Dauns assured him that she would
look solely at the facts. Now with this decision, we know that Ms. Dauns
deliberately excluded key evidence and testimony or completely
misrepresented testimony by Dr. Connors and Judge James Gray.

This is murder, happening before our eyes, and I need your help now. I
know that with cannabis and some peace, Steve can recover, but not with
this continual and criminal harassment by government officials.

I beg you, please write a letter today to any of the major newspapers that
have published articles about this decision and help us expose this murder
in progress. Please, I don't want my husband to become another Peter
McWilliams, but that is exactly what is going to happen if we don't act
together as a community to help one of our own.

Gratefully,

Michele Kubby

**********************************************************************

Below is a list of newspapers for which we have verified that the linked
article was in print (not just posted to their website as part of their
news feeds), along with the contact for sending letters to the editor:

Canada No Pot Haven, Refugee Ruling Shows

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n1895/a04.html

Pubdate: Tue, 09 Dec 2003

Source: Globe and Mail (Canada) Page: A14

Contact: letters@globeandmail.ca

***

Medical Marijuana Activist Loses Bid for Refugee Status

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n1895/a03.html

Pubdate: Tue, 09 Dec 2003

Source: Province, The (CN BC)

Contact: provletters@png.canwest.com

***

Pot User's Refugee Bid Is Rejected

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n1894/a09.html

Pubdate: Tue, 09 Dec 2003

Source: Los Angeles Times (CA)

Contact: letters@latimes.com

***

Canada Rejects Medical Pot Asylum

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n1895/a01.html

Pubdate: Tue, 09 Dec 2003

Source: Press Democrat, The (CA)

Contact: letters@pressdemo.com

***

Board Denies Refuge to Marijuana Smoker

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03.n1904.a06.html

Pubdate: Wed, 10 Dec 2003

Source: Olympian, The (WA)

Section: Briefs Across the Northwest

Contact: http://www.theolympian.com/forms/lettrfrm.shtml

***

Note: The Associated Press sent out a story today, Wednesday, so it is
possible that other newspapers may print it. MAP will add the verified
printed articles at this link:

http://www.mapinc.org/people/Steve+Kubby

**********************************************************************

Additional Background:

Michele has accurately characterized bias exhibited by the Refugee
Protection Board Adjudicator, Pauhla Dauns. Even reporters noted it, as can
be seen in the two articles at the following links:

http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n521/a06.html

http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n517/a05.html

The case is on line at
http://www.irb.gc.ca/en/decisions/kubby/va2_01374_e.htm and the actual
Determination at
http://www.irb.gc.ca/en/decisions/kubby/va2_01374_e.htm#determination

The bottom line is that there is an outstanding warrant for Steve Kubby to
be returned to Placer County, California to serve his 120 day sentence. No
prisoner has ever been allowed to have medical cannabis in any jail in the
United States. The county has made it very clear that when they jail Mr.
Kubby, he will not be the first exception.

Pauhla Dauns stated in her finding "I also find that the claimant is not a
person in need of protection in that his removal to the United States would
not subject him personally to a risk to his life or to a risk of cruel and
unusual treatment or punishment...."

Being denied life saving medicine and allowed to die is not cruel and
unusual treatment?

**********************************************************************

ADDITIONAL INFO to help you in your letter writing efforts, Please See:

Writer's Resources http://www.mapinc.org/resource/

**********************************************************************

PLEASE SEND US A COPY OF YOUR LETTER OR TELL US WHAT YOU DID (Letter, email
messages, etc.)

Please post a copy of your letter or report your action to the sent letter
list (sentlte@mapinc.org) if you are subscribed, or by E-mailing a copy
directly to MGreer@mapinc.org if you are not subscribed. Your letter will
then be forwarded to the list so others can learn from your efforts and be
motivated to follow suit.

This is _Very_ Important as it is one very effective way of gauging our
impact and effectiveness.

Subscribing to the Sent LTE list (sentlte@mapinc.org) will help you to
review other sent LTEs and perhaps come up with new ideas or approaches as
well as keeping others aware of your important writing efforts.

To subscribe to the Sent LTE mailing list see
http://www.mapinc.org/lists/index.htm
and/or
http://www.mapinc.org/lists/index.htm#form

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Prepared by: Richard Lake

Freeway blogging, Simon Jestering and other trickster manifestations

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