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These are the headlines:
10th
Circuit: Church likely to prevail
in dispute over hallucinogenic tea
(c) Associated Press 09.05.03
"The panel majority agreed with the U.S. District
Court in New Mexico that the Brazil-based O Centro Espirita
Beneficiente Uniao do Vegetal church had "demonstrated
a substantial likelihood of success" of winning an
exemption for sacramental use of the tea, which contains
a drug barred by the Controlled Substances Act."
Here goes Jonathan Goldman
commentary:
Dear Friends,
Forgive me for writing in English. My Portuguese needs practice
but my brain needs ease at the moment. The decision of the
court does not free the Vegetal to practice in any permanent
sense. That day is still many steps away. The court agreed
with a lower court that during the time that a determination
is made through the process of negotiation, which the judge
already ordered and the Government refused, or by a final
decision by a judge in what is called a full hearing (another
trial), that the UDV must be allowed to practice. ( That decision
can also be appealed) It is called a Temporary Restrianing
Order and it commands the government to temporarily not arrest
the UDV for practicing or importing Hoasca.
Someday that will actually happen and it will, be another
huge step. That day may be soon, but there are decisions to
be made and many behind the fence conversations that will
determine when that is. It is not likely that it will be right
away.
This decision is a huge step, but not nearly the final one.
The government has a number of options as to how it will respond.
It could agree to negotiate with the UDV. That is both the
just approach and unlikely.
The government can also file an appeal with the Supreme Court,
which is likely. In that case the Supreme Court will decide
the same case again at some point. The final day of freedom
is still some time (months, years?) away. The Supreme Court
can order the UDV to wait to practice until it decides the
case. That is most likely to happen, but we are praying for
more miracles.
No matter what happens with the UDV, the Daime will have
to make its own case in some place(s). Either in court or
in negotiation with the Department of Justice or both. We
will not be able to sail in the wake of the UDV, but for sure
they have made the river a little wider. We are in conversations
here as to how we will sail in this next period with our eye
on the prize of freedom. Please pray for union and open hearts
and minds for us us to listen accurately to Mestre Irineu
and Padrinho Sebastiao and for courage to do what they ask
with pe no chao and no fear, only faith leading us.
It is a beautiful moment in our process of liberation. With
the Daime legal in Spain and now this news in the US, the
light is a little firmer. There has never been a judgement
against our tea anywhere, and the protection and guidance
of the Masters of the Astral continues to be impeccable.
Do you know Padrinho Alfredo's hymn, number
4 in Nova Era?
It says,
Sou filho do meu Pai
E meu Pai e quem me da
Para Deus tudo esta feito
Nao precisa se avexar
Vamos seguir com calma
Que com calma Deus esta
No ceu e nos astros
Na floresta, vento, e mar
No homen na mulher
E em toda criacao
Deixo tudo acontecer
No poder de Sao Joao
Deste lado e do outro
A verdade e uma so
O meu Mestre esta seguro
Junto com a forca maior
Esta e uma clereza
Que me veio do Astral
Anda diretinho
Na Doutrina do meu Pai
O mais eu aprendo para deixar tudo acontecer no poder de
Sao Joao, Juramidam, Jesus, Maria, Jose e Sao Miguel, e mais
calma eu ganho. É porque eles nunca me deixam sozinho.
Um grande abraco.
Em paz, amor, justica, respeito e fraternidade.
Jonathan Goldman
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