powerful longing
vision of compassion
fighter for sanity
lee, you brother in spirit
moving those who feel you
inspiring those who hear you
you, oh brother in life
have moved on
have gone
your words still echo
your deeds still resonate
your passing still humbles
oh, death, grabbing a brother too soon in life
too stoned to type
too honest to flee
you, lee, too loved to forget
rest in peace
as we remember you fighting to the end
Lee was a selfless hero to many of us. Unfortunately, we live in a society that vilifies those who stand up and show compassion in spite of consequences. Lee stood up for what was right and just despite the possible ramifications. And he paid a price. However, as you can see below, through the trials endured, resolve is what Lee really received for his efforts. As the system worked on physically taking him down, his spirit flourished.
Here is a copy of the letter Lee recently sent to the judge in his cultivation case. I've thought long and hard about posting it and have finally decided Lee probably wouldn't hold it against me for bringing it to light. Btw, the judge on the case was a muckety-muck freemason of the 31st or 33rd degree...
Rest in peace, brother-lee.
lw
Your Honor,
I write, as I know you hear many stories from defendants and many are not true. I want to assure you I was truthful when I said my brother's condition was terminal. I attach his obituary. My dear brother was mortal, but has now put on immortality. He sleeps, but he shall wake again for he is now incorruptible. He left this cruel world true to The Faith: faith in The Resurrection: You will someday meet him, be assured. You may wish to prepare your words for the occasion. I pray he is kind to you, but be forewarned, he is not as Kind as I. For his virtue remains pure, as the stigma of his disease is now gone: death is the great leveller of human greatness.
I do not think you understood when I told you that while you deal with fanciful legal fictions (lies), namely that one of God's own creations, marijuana, has no medicinal value; I am forced to deal with The Truth and in reality. I know it is partially my fault I was not understood, as I did not prepare any of my statements. My attorneys failed to tell me, as they failed me in many, many aspects of this case, that sentencing was to be that day and my bail would expire. If I wanted time to prepare a statement, it would be in jail. I would have readily gone to jail that day, but I could not abandon my brother, for he would have died that very day! I was not ready for that. It was not his time.
The truth is, several of my family members, my brother, my sister and my mother are seriously ill and I must provide proper care for them no matter the consequence. As I mentioned, I put aside a successful career to care for their needs. I made a solemn promise that I would not forsake or ever abandoned them. I was, and still am, highly respected. Perhaps more so now than ever, as I kept my word. But it is over now. You shall not have to deal with me again. My brother has passed and my sister's house has been foreclosed upon and she has fled your jurisdiction in fear. My dear mother will leave us soon. Still, I will faithfully fulfill the terms of my sentence, as I am an honorable person who keeps my word, but I will then leave your heartless jurisdiction as well: God willing.
But before I leave, you should know, so as no one can pretend ignorance later: something is seriously wrong with the system over which you preside. The county attorney, prosecutors and police in this county are selfish, heartless, vindictive, cruel people with a complete lack of conscious. The public defenders are incompetent, but worst of all, they are afraid. Afraid of you! The doctors are likewise afraid of you and the eminence of your station. It is most disheartening. I do not believe anyone in this county could receive due process or a fair trial under these circumstances. Oppressed, afflicted and compassionate people of our community are turned into felons - under your direction.
The probation department appears to be another office under your guidance that is incompetent and out-of-control. I appeared at the appointed time and place (along with three other persons). It was with great effort I made the appointment, as I had to make many arrangements due to my serious responsibilities in caring for my brother. When I arrived, the probation office wasn't even expecting me! The lady in charge tried to make it appear it was our fault and threatened us with arrest! Thankfully, all my paperwork was in order (as well as the three other individuals) and we could prove we were in compliance with all directions. The lady then reluctantly rescheduled my appointment.
When I explained to her the situation, that I was caring for a critically ill person that could not be left alone or he would certainly die and the date she arbitrarily choose would not work, she callously stated, "I don't care." I explained again, "I am here as directed at the appointed time and I cannot appear at this new time, the patient I am caring for will DIE if I leave him as there is no one else trained to take care of him". She said again, "Look, I just don't care!" and then again without prompting, she looked me in the eye and stated with emphasis "LOOK! I DO NOT CARE!" To her credit, she is the only person I have dealt with in this entire matter that I can say I believe speaks with honesty. At least she is honest regarding her lack of compassion.
Nevertheless, I never left my brother's side and never would have. He died anyway, so I will be able to make the appointment. But such a situation really shows the lack of basic human decency within this system and the difficulty faced by someone like myself who is doing everything they can to fulfill the sentence imposed upon them. I guess I am not used to dealing with such selfish, ignorant and heartless people.
While you waived many of the fines you could have levied against me, the fines you did impose are ruinous. I suspect $1000.00 is but a pittance to you, but for me, that represents my annual income. With my brother's passing, I shall have more time to devote to earning money, but I shall never practice law again. I will never wittingly be a tool of such a corrupt system again!
You seem to be a person of integrity and that is the only reason I even bother to write. I write as I hope you will make some effort to change things. For truly, your house is built upon a faulty foundation. The corner stone of your hall has not been squared, leveled nor laid plumb. As even a child knows, a house built upon a weak foundation will fall, no matter the craftsmanship used in the construction of its walls. I have many family members in construction so I know this to be an absolute truth. Although; I am not a builder myself, I believe the analogies I use are correct and true. I hope you will take them to heart and act accordingly.
So you also know; many, many, many people consider me to be a hero. I know you are a decorated hero as well. But I am not recognized for the secrets I keep. Everyone in my community knows who I am, what I do and what I stand for. I operate in the open, within the light. I operate with TRUE brotherly love, charity and in The Truth - always. I am easily recognized by my works. If you did not notice, the police officers who arrested me will not even look me in the eye - and they should not - they should all be ashamed! I am not ashamed!
May the Supreme and Great Architect of the Universe have mercy upon your immortal soul.
Sincerely, and with all due respect,
Lee Norman Bowden
bravo lee
& bravo lw for posting this. i concur.
Thanks, sistah.
Lee walked the walk. It would have been so easy for him to come around here with sob stories of what the system was putting him through but I don't think he wanted to draw that sort of attention to this, our cyber-home. And that's the only reason I hesitated in sharing the above.
So this is a to salute Lee and the rest brave enough to walk the walk and selfless enough to do it without needing to talk the talk.
lw
Thank you LW. I had no idea what burdens Lee was carrying. As Sista Judih said, I always saw him as a fighter for sanity and reason. it makes me proud to be a head, hippie, psychedelian, or whatever it is that you could call our tribe.
I don't pretend to know what lies waiting for us all, but whatever it is, let us pray our brother is at peace.