In the USA we pride ourselves on our freedom and our rights. We believe this country was founded on the principles of freedom and democracy. We believe that we are not children to be led blindly, told how to live our lives, and what is good for us. But is this really the case? In Burning Rainbow Farm : How a Stoner Utopia Went Up in Smoke by Dean Kuipers the author shows us that we are not as free as we think. Unfortunately, for two peace-loving Americans, they learned this lesson much too late.
Tom Crosslin and Rollie Rohm loved America, they loved pot, and they loved each other deeply. They were two men who came to accept their homosexuality rather late in life but when they found each other they felt they had found their soulmates. Tom was a red-blooded American male in the truest sense of the world. He felt that he should be allowed to smoke pot and be at peace and he wanted to surround himself with like-minded individuals. Rollie was more quiet, somewhat of an introvert and he looked to Tom for guidance and support. Rollie had fathered a son early in life and his son lived with them. Due to good real-estate investments Tom had quite a bit of money in the bank and decided to use this money to build a utopia of music and freedom. In it's heyday Rainbow farm drew a good number of large acts, including Tommy Chong, who supported what he was trying to build. Tom wanted a place where you could smoke up, be safe, and listen to music. He did not however, allow and sale of drugs or use of harder drugs on his property. Unfortunately this wasn't good enough for the Michigan authorities and Tom was soon faced with a legal battle of epic proportions.
Many Americans may be unaware of the true nature of the property-seizure and forfeiture laws in this country. Tom Crosslin however was made very aware. Under Michigan law he could lose his farm, all his land, every bit of rental property he owned, everything including Rollie's son if he was convicted of possession or sale. The thing about the laws is this though: once property has been seized and sold, all that money goes back to whatever department or group made the seizure. Local law enforcement stood to make a fortunate off of Tom Crosslin and he wasn't about to letthat happen. what should have been a simple matter escalated into a gun-toting standoff that ended with the farm burned to the foundations and both men dead. Unfortunately this happened shortly before 9/11 so not many in this country were aware that this ever happened.
There is too much information for me to compile it into one short review. The book is an eye-opener. It made me consider things I never thought about before. And that is the foundation of a truly good book. I recommend this one to everyone who holds their civil-liberties dear. It is too easy to have everything you love ripped away. Tradegies like this shouldn't happen in this country but they do and we should be aware of it. We must not let something like this happen again.
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Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA (June 13, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 1596911425