Peace Activist Jailed in Northern Idaho

ECC Forum & Fellowship - Peace Activist Jailed In Northern Idaho

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In the beginning was the Word, and the Word .vas wilth God and the Word was God,
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berkano
Regular Member
USA
35 Posts
Q Posted - Mar 17 2003 : 04:16:50 AM ?
Press Release - For Immediate Distribution From http://bramwa5hington.com
Achtung! You Cannot Pass Without Your Papers! by Berkano Berchta be rkano[at] netzero.net
13 March 2003
[A Story about White Raven and Summer Breeze, part I]
[Based on a telephone interview with Summer Breeze]
On Thursday, the thirteenth day of March, Raven and Summer sojourned in their brown Chevy van with the words, "We love you" painted on the side through Coeur D'Alene, Idaho. They decided to eat Chinese food for dinner. Outside the Chinese restaurant, they found out the only thing on the menu was their unalienable rights. The voracious diners emerged as very "special" men with jackboots and guns.
Raven and Summer witnessed Rainbow Family gatherings and volunteered to provide first aid, emergency medical care, and trash cleanup at the sites of Rainbow assemblies. For the uninitiated, a Rainbow Family gathering is a periodical assembly of thousands of people united in the common cause of fellowship and prayer for world peace. It is not an organized group, but rather just an assembly of like-minded, peace-loving men, women, and children. The

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ECC Forum & Fellowship - Peace Activist Jailed In Northern Idaho Page 2 of 6
Rainbow Family generally gathers on empty tracts of public land or land deemed as National Forest holdings. It is not uncommon for as many as thirty thousand men, women, and children to assemble in these prayers for peace. After several weeks of camping, praying, singing, and meeting new people, the assembled people depart until another assembly is called.
The ministry of Raven and Summer has continued to thrive on the goodwill offerings of like-minded people who believe in the need for the type of service Raven and Summer provide. They truly espouse the doctrine of living on faith, sometimes setting out for an event or destination with no forseeable means of arriving with the little money they have. Yet, well-wishers have always seemed to shore up any lack.
Today's gestapo fiasco actually began in 1999. Raven was arrested and charged with the so-called victimless crime of "driving without a license" near Sandpoint, Idaho. One can only imagine the uncertainty and pain his wife must have felt when her husband was tossed in a cage with violent criminals. And why was he imprisoned? Simply because he exercised his right to refrain from communication with the government by not applying for a driver license. According to Summer, the outcome seemed very dismal, and her concern for her husband tore her bosom like shards of broken glass. True to his ministerial bent, Raven preached the gospel of peace during his incarceration. He once noted it's not so bad as it may at first seem; he had a bed and three meals, and didn't have to do any work, making it like an enforced vacation; he met some very wonderful people inside the jail, and had occasion for some discussions on God's word; and, if one is focused on preaching about peace, even very painful circumstances can produce opportunity for good.
After a stint in jail, the Judge released Raven and declared the case dismissed with no conviction entered. The case had to be dismissed by default because Raven successfully abated it and the court did not respond in the allotted time. Not only did the traffic court "pardon" Raven; it also pardoned over a dozen other "defendants" assembled on that day. Raven was reunited with his anxious wife, Summer, and they two continued to travel the highways and byways of America providing spiritual healing and pecuniary help to people in need, relying on their time-honored method of faith.
Police have demonstrated some nasty habits on the victims, Raven and Summer. They say at least a dozen times police have threatened them, or searched their van without consent, warrant, or probable cause. Once the police in Davis County, Utah busted the driver's side window and ejected Raven from another conveyance because he exercised his right to remain silent and not be compelled to be a witness against himself. The cops wanted to know why Raven was preaching the Gospel of Peace near a public road, and Raven asserted his right to not answer and to be left alone. Federal officers have charged Summer with the crime of attending a religious assembly without a permit, and that charge is still pending in a federal court. These are just a taste of the harassment brunted upon these Christians.
This all brings us to this evening, some time before six o'clock. Raven and Summer were journeying from California to Idaho to visit with some friends and talk about peace. In Coeur D'Alene, Raven turned from a parking lot onto the road near the junction of 1-90 and 1-95. A police cruiser followed behind and gave the signal to pull over. Raven pulled over.
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When the police officer asked Raven for his identification and "papers," Raven politely informed the cop that he does not possess a driver license. He explained further that he has a liberty interest in being able to travel the common roadways unmolested, and he does not need the permission of the government to exercise that right to use the road. The police officer then stated that he was arresting Raven based on an outstanding warrant for "driving without a license." Yep, the cop arrested Raven based on that case which was supposedly dismissed in 1999.
Summer asked the question, "But the Judge dismissed that case. How can they arrest a man on a charge that was dismissed in court? They can't do that, can they?" Welcome to America, land of the Free and home of the Brave, where there's a silver dollar on every street corner, and. the lamplights are gilded in 24K gold!
The officers placed cuffs on Raven and transported him away from Summer's van. The police told Summer she was free to go, and she could drive her van away. Officers on the scene ignored Summer's repeated requests to identify themselves and disclose their badge numbers. But those same cops threatened her that insomuch as she would refuse to identify herself, they would throw her in jail. There was no probable cause. No evidence of any crime existed. No warrant was issued for a search of the van or Summer's body.
As Summer was climbing into the driver seat to vacate the scene, she was impeded once again by the cops. They told her that she must obey their every order or she would be arrested and charged with crimes, and taken to jail. An officer told Summer to get out of the van. He then ordered her to walk to the back of the van, and instructed her not to move at all. He then asked Summer if there were any weapons or bombs or anything that could harm the officers concealed in the van. She replied, "I am a Christian woman; I don't believe in such things."
An officer climbed into the van without Summer's consent and began searching. When Summer asked another cop, "What is he doing in my van?" she was ordered to shut up and not dare move an inch. When she protested the illegal search, she was told once again that if she didn't want thrown in jail she would shut her mouth and keep perfectly still.
After about ten minutes of searching the contents of Summer's van, the police officer emerged. Summer could not tell from her position at the rear if the cop had removed anything, or perhaps worse, left something behind that was not previously there.
While being detained at the rear of the van, Summer often repeated the questions: "What do you think you are doing? Where are you taking my husband? What are your names and badge numbers?"
And until the cops were satisfied they had raped her rights sufficiently, one officer approached Summer and gave her limited information about what would happen to her husband.
Finally, after being terrorized by men with guns and after they invaded her privacy, Summer was allowed to get in the van and leave the scene while the
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police carried her husband to the cage. His crime: asserting the unalienable right to traverse the common roadways, and asserting his right to remain silent. Welcome to the land of control and domination.
A Little Real Law
Many people believe that police officers actually have legal grounds to commit this type of crime against private people. If a cop requires you to identify yourself, you must, right? If a cop wants to search your van, truck, or car without a warrant and without any crime having been committed, he can do so, right? And if you object to your rights being violated, they have a duty to throw you in a cage, right? Wrong. Wrong on all counts.
It is a fundamental tenet of liberty that no man or woman can ever be compelled to communicate with a government against his or her own volition. Threatening to arrest someone because they do not want to give you information, is in itself a crime against the Constitution. A police officer *does not* have a right to know your name. A police officer does not have a right to know your address. And a police officer most certainly does not have any right to know where you are coming from, or where you are going to. All of these seemingly harmless pieces of information can and will be used against you in a statutory court. And guess what? Court is in session the moment a cop pulls you over, not when you first step into a court room.
Lots of modern attorneys will try to tell you that you have to answer a cop's questions about your name, age, domicile, business, etc. Those attorneys are absolutely wrong and are basically telling you to give up your right to remain silent at any time you so choose. These attorneys will tell you that you must cooperate with the jackboot's efforts to collect evidence against you. You see, these attorneys don't call the right to remain silent a fifth amendment *right.* They call it a fifth amendment *privilege.* A right can't be taken away. A privilege can. Now ask yourself; is the right against self-incrimination an unalienable right or a legislative privilege? What does the Constitution state? What do the Jewish and Christian scriptures state on the matter? It is a *right* from God.
White Raven appears to know that by applying for a driver license, he would be doing two things to prejudice his personal liberty: 1. Giving the government evidence it could try to use against him. 2. Converting his right to use the roads into a privilege, and subjecting himself to commercial traffic laws.
So who is criminal? White Raven, or the cops?
I'll tell you what is really sinister. The greatest evil is the so-called judiciary that allows police officers to repeatedly perform these types of illegal arrests and searches with impunity. Cops generally understand only who has the bigger club or who has more guns. They don't care about rights if they're not going to be held responsible for violating such. It is up to the people to hold the government responsible by making as loud a noise as can be made.
An online petition is waiting to be signed by those who agree with the notion that the government should cease harassing and imprisoning White Raven because he doesn't want a driver license. Please show your support and tell the
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Lewish
Advanced Member
USA 228 Posts
government how to do its job properly by signing this petition.
hitp: //www, petitionon line, com/ whiterav/petition.html
There is also a memorandum of law and some other good articles showing clearly that nobody is required to have a license to drive a vehicle for private purposes. If you think driver licensing is for public safety, this document will shatter your illusions.
http://www.ou tlawslegal.com/driving/tra velright.htm
http: //www,out la wsfegai com/driving index. ht m
An email discussion list is set up to follow the legal dilemma that Summer and Raven face. Please don't be shy to join the discussion and get updates.
http://www.coollist.com/grou p.eg !?!=• ravens ummer
Summer Breeze is now stranded in Coeur D'Alene awaiting word of her husband's fate. The uncertainty is a larger part of the terrible injustice perpetrated against her and Raven under color of law. Please offer your prayers and support in any way you can. Anyone who would like to contact Summer Breeze or send her money to cover travel and housing expenses can inquire by entailing Berkano Berchta at berkano[at]netzero.net. Summer is stranded at Kootenai County until more information about her husband becomes available.
Raven and Summer, rights and all, were carved up nicely by law enforcement's not-so-delicate standards. The war on terror is here; if you are an inhabitant of America, the war is on you, and the terror, too. You cannot pass without your papers.
Q Posted - Mar 19 2003 : 7:24:34 PM II? & l*^ &
Hi berkano, People do not seem to know what dismissed means when applied to a court action. It means they (the court, the police, or whoever) can reopen the case at any time at their pleasure. If you ever have to appear before a judge and he offers to dismiss, refuse it. Request instead that he "dispatch" the case. A case which has been dispatched is removed front the record and can never be referred to again. It is "supposed" to be purged from the records, but quite often isn't. But, to refer to a dispatched case puts the referer in civil jeopardy, regardless of who they are.

berkano
Regular Member
USA 35 Posts
D Posted - Mar 25 2003 : 12:35:36 PM §^ **H &
White Raven and Summer Breeze—
An Update.
[I wrote this yesterday but forgot to send it.]
Summer Breeze made it to a place of relative safety after several days of journeying. She is now able to focus on needed repairs to her conveyance.

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ECC Forum & Fellowship - Peace Activist Jailed In Northern Idaho

Today around noon, White Raven was released from jail on good behavior.
Previously he was being held as a flight risk; now he is being treated with at
least a modicum of humanity. He is seeking a place to shelter while dealing
with
these legal issues. Dealing with the legal system seems to effectively stop the
preaching of the gospel or making a basic living for oneself, but not entirely.
It really just tests the resolve of the victims and their friends.

The Assistant District Attorney from the Federal Court in Marquette, Michigan called Summer Friday morning at eight-thirty o'clock and informed her that the pre-trial conference for her "being on public land without a permit" will be indefinitely postponed at her convenience. I get the feeling the District Attorney does not like the idea of a woman going to trial over a little ticket. Many District Attorneys, like this one, would probably rather prosecute real criminals, like rapists and arsonists, not little Jesus Lovers who go preach to people in public.
Anyone wishing to send letters, free-will offerings, cards, gifts, may do so by mailing first class to:
the Christ's assembly for Berkano, or Summer general post-office Pocatello, Idaho
Please mail as shown above exactly, with exact capitalization and punctuation, and no zip code. Anything with a zip code will not be deliverable and will be returned to sender by the post office.
Thank you to those men and women who assisted Summer and got her to
safety.
Your good deeds have saved this woman from a lot of trouble and pain.
Peace and blessings to you, — Berkano

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