Bernie Ellis (DUer Fly-By- Night) Needs Attention. Bob Koehler's latest Column Tells The Story

[Wiley50]

He's responsible for the National Election Reform Conference in Nashville in April 05
The very first national conference
He's one of us
Let's give back

I posted this thread in GD

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x578395

Please Help

[OnTheOtherHand]

1. Bernie's a class act n/t

[Senator]

2. ALL of US --- Owe Bernie Ellis Bigtime !!

That Nashville Gathering in April 2005 launched what is now a Election Reform movement.

It is where Andy Stephenson gave his "My Ballot" address, shortly before his untimely death.

It is where a bunch of independent activists became a coordinated team.

Even while he was under the shadow of the Bush regime jackboot, Bernie gave us that to build on.

Give him what you can. Then talk someone else into giving.

--

[troubleinwinter]

5. My signature is excerpts from Andy's "My Ballot". Kicking for Bernie, and off to give.

[Fly by night]

3. Thanks, Wiley. Thanks, guys. It's Fly by night here.

I just posted this comment on the GD thread -- but I wanted my ERDUers to see it. Please go to the GD thread, comment and keep kicked. I appreciate all of you muchly. FBN
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Greetings, folks. Old and new DUers alike. It is good to be "home" here, if only for a minute. Of course, I have learned from my federal Bureau of Prisons halfway house roommates that a "minute" in prison can mean anything, including 17 years behind bars.

I appreciate Wiley posting Bob Koehler's column, and appreciate Bob's usual laser-clear grasp of an issue and his smooth-flowing language in presenting it. I also appreciate all of you who have read Bob's article, who have visited the www.saveberniesfarm.com web-site and who have contributed what you can (including good vibes) right now. It is nice (and more than a little humbling) to know such people (and to be borne by them -- by you -- at this moment.)

While I have really missed access to DU on a regular basis (this visit is stolen from my lunch hour at my landscaping job), I am heartened by what my fellow ERDUers have accomplished in moving us toward free, fair and verifiable elections. We are certainly not there yet but we are moving in the right direction and there are sure as hell more than "6 or 7" of us marching together now to save our democracy. The phrase should be "right makes might", not the other way around. As with verifiable elections, access to medical cannabis on demand should be something we come to expect in this country. We might just get there, if we can ever count the votes as they are cast.

My decision to become more public about my case, and the circumstances surrounding it, may certainly come at a cost. The fact that the feds have moved the civil asset forfeiture case from the "inactive" file and are now moving to set it for trial is one inkling that the next phase of this adventure is about to start. If I can raise the funds needed to offer the feds something to drop the case, I may just end up being able to hold on to the farm where my heart lives. Anything you folks can do to help in that regard is deeply appreciated. There is a PayPal link on my web-site, and you can also send contributions directly to the following address:

Save Bernie's Farm
c/o Paul Kuhn, Treasurer
59 Whitworth Blvd.
Nashville, TN 37205

The outpouring of support in the middle Tennessee area has been so nice, and the consciousness-raising opportunity that we have at this moment -- in this time and place -- cannot be wasted. The April 25 "Save Bernie's Farm" benefit will be well covered by the local media, and there will be a 8-10 page story on my case in the Nashville Scene on that day. (It will be the cover story.) We need the Belcourt Theater to be packed on that day, so if you know anyone in the middle Tennessee area, please contact them and ask them to come to the benefit (and to order their tickets today at www.belcourt.org ). I would also appreciate it if you could send Bob Koehler's column out to as many of your sympathetic friends as possible and to ask those who can afford it to make a contribution and/or to send their good vibes. And then ask them to forward the Koehler column on to their own email lists and listservs.

For those of you out of the area, you will be able to hear the April 25 "Save Bernie's Farm" benefit in its entirety (all 3+ hours of it) by going on-line to www.radiofreenashville.org . The musicians who have volunteered their time are stellar -- some of the most respected studio musicians in Music City -- so it should be an amazing show. And the Executive Director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) is coming to Nashville to emcee the show. (We will have other prominent speakers there also.)

There is no way to know where this journey will end, but if we all just keep doing the next right thing and work for what is right and just (and caring and compassionate and common-sensical and rational and natural), then our planet and our people will benefit in the future for the time that we spend here together.

As my Hopi elder teachers have said so clearly, "we are the ones we've been waiting for."
Take care of yourselves and each other.
You've certainly taken care of me for the past one year, four months and 25 days.
Thanks, guys.

[Fly by night]

4. Self-delete (before the feds can do it for me)

[Melissa G]

6. Warm Fuzzies in your direction, Bernie!

Holding you and your farm in the light! Wishing you all the best.:loveya: