A Message from my Friend
My friend Dakta Grower (Brian Borland) is serving a sentence of 2 years 4 months in prison for cultivation and selling of cannabis. After serving one third of his sentence he has been denied early release when recently he appeared before the New Zealand Parole Board.
Would somebody in charge please explain why my friend is in jail.
I have received the following message from Dakta Grower;
“When a man is refused the right to live the life he believes in, he has no choice but to become an outlaw.” Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
“I don’t compare myself to this great man. As well as being a leader, he also served 28 years of hard toil, whereas I am only doing 28 months in what, in comparison, is a holiday camp.
However, there are similarities, in the sacrifice of freedom, in the war against oppression of our people.
Cannabis is a culture and the people of the cannabis culture are possibly one of the most persecuted groups in the world today.
Since 1994 I have lived the life, in part, that I believe in, growing cannabis for myself and my friends. Seven convictions and three jail terms have failed to deter me and in fact have only reinforced my conviction that cannabis laws are unfair and unjust.
I thought that the purpose of my jail sentence was to stop me growing. For the first time, I broke the vow that I made in 2003, that “I will continue to grow, no matter what” and promised that, if granted parole, I wouldn’t grow again.
I totally meant this, but the Parole Board wouldn’t believe me. They felt that I needed to complete the drug treatment program with its potential to change my heart and mind. Brainwashing to convince me that cannabis is bad and prohibition laws should be obeyed. As this is unacceptable to me, I have refused to do the program and this means that I will have to serve my full sentence.
Last month, on the news, there were two cases of drunk drivers killing cyclists. One received 2 years 2 months, the other 12 months home detention, and from Ashburton, a drunk driver killed a girl and was given 350 hours community work.
So causing the death of another person is less of a crime than growing and selling cannabis. I provided only happiness, there were no victims.
Two things that keep my morale up are support letters and talking to Dakta Green. Telecom charges us $1 per minute for phone calls so phone cards are always appreciated.
The parole board decision has only strengthened and reinforced my resolve, conviction and commitment. I reaffirm my vow.
I will continue to grow.
Kia kaha kia manawanui
The law is wrong. I am right. End of story.”
Brian Borland
Dakta Grower
Stay strong my friend. This madness will end soon and you will be a free man again.
Dakta Green
Unbelievable. You seem old enough to be able to make decisions about your own body and life style. don’t stop.
youre awesome !
Hi mate what to do keep it up in there
we all know it is wrong
i am been serving 4 /and half year in japan for the same so called crime
remember that you are right so keep up the fight
Dakta Grower is a legend. A true cognitive libertarian…..
That these laws targeting cannabis culture are international in their disproportionate application offends me. This is being done (and reinforced by New Zealand’s pandering to the Single Convention ) in my name. Japan is a case in point. Tatami mats and Sumo wrestlers put hemp so close to the culture of Japanese life it is the logical equivalent of canvas and levi’s to western culture.
Yet they to go into histrionics over this plant. No one should spend a day in any jail for possessing or cultivating the seed bearing herb. End of story.
Those who smoke it (and fail to understand the risk your ‘grower’ goes to so you can be happy) must step up to the plate… it is imperative. When you buy that tinnie, baggie or oz, you are morally culpable for doing nothing about reform UNLESS you ARE doing something.
So bloody submit to the Law Commission. Or give up the herb. It’s too good for you. You cannot take without giving. It’s that simple.
Talklaw.co.nz should be awash with concern. It isn’t. Its a big void that Scientology (the “narc’anon people”) have filled with their psychobabble silliness.
Come on ‘culture’ – speak up. go to http://www.talklaw.co.nz to make your point and vote (yep, you can thumbs ‘up or down’ ideas, and support those who, in your view, are making your case for you)
International readers can submit too… (good to see Steve Rolles [Transform UK] participating ]
With less than 25 days to go – No excuse, submit and be empowered.
Dakta, you are a Martyr
Dude ?? what you did was Wong and fail to me nz laws dont like nz laws then fuk off , get some balls you pussy
Ha. The one negative comment is from someone who is barely illiterate. Nice one Josh Walker. Have a drink for me!
Dakta Grower is an inspiration.
I find it quite humorous that Josh Walker takes that view point on the matter. The funny thing is Josh, this country belongs to him as much as it belongs to you. Dakta grower belongs here. This is his home, who are you to tell him to leave? If you stopped and considered our side and stopped being so deliberately ignorant you might understand a little better what we are doing.
Can you seriously say that it is fair to be the reason for another persons death – to commit MURDER and get 350 hours of picking up rubbish and painting over graffiti? It is not manslaughter, the person CHOSE to drink. The person CHOSE to drive. The amount of damage that causes is phenomenal. Think how many distraught family members, friends and workmates that would leave.
What dakta grower has done was DELIBERATELY to protest these laws which are set up on a prejudice against something which people seem to sit and be content with their ignorance towards. I personally think we could be potentially bettered HUGELY by the legalisation of cannabis. Imagine the revenue hemp fiberboard, clothing, paper and the hundreds of other products that can be made from the plant. Cannabis is a wonder plant. Cars could be run on the seed oil from cannabis! This country could potentially be making millions from this, where instead we sit in a dark room full of potential with the light switch just out of reach. I could not agree more with the actions of dakta grower and I commend his strong will and his dedication to the oh so necessary reform of New Zealand Cannabis Laws.
God bless Dakta Grower. Keep up the good work.
Sean.
Hello Friends of Cannabis, I don’t know Brian, but I would like to! I live in Cleveland, Ohio and the miles between us is more than my mind can comprehend. What I do comprehend is the struggle that Cannabis lovers are going through worldwide.
In August I will be seventy-one and I started smoking in Amsterdam in 1969 ~ 41 years or more ago. Before that I was drinking and my marriage was going down the toilet. We had two boys and all I did was work and drink. I was spiritually dead. Along came sweet leaf and saved my life and my marriage. We, my wife and I, were so happy with our new discovery that we decided to have more kids. We had six more kids and because of our transformation our life struggle was more fun, more spiritual, and money was no longer our god. It is a long story, but all I can do for Brian is ask him to hold on for I believe that change is coming ~ stay strong my friend and when all the hate turns to love you will be free!
God bless you and your friends, Alan
I am very sympathetic towards Dakta Grower’s case but the fact remains that he did break the law and in that sense I agree with Josh (at least i think i do), this does not mean that I support the law but it is the answer to Dakta Green’s question, your friend is in jail because in this society the growing of marijuana is frowned upon. It sucks but at this point in time it is the truth.
To see a man waste away his life in jail for something he truely believes in is commendable, in fact its pure dedication to the cause, but at the same time it is a waste. However I would like to raise the question as to why grower was indeed growing. I do not know this person in andyway so i believe i may have an unbiased opinion, but dude you can stand there and say that your growing was a protest against the law but you were making a shitload of cash at the same time weren’t you. Never the less you stand up for what i believe in and for that i can never thank you enough
Good man Dakta
Keep it up!!!
isn’t it funny what you find on the net when you search family members, or try and find your genealogy. i just find it so sad that someone with such an abusive past has so much support. i don’t really care what he does, he has made his choices, however, i do find a moral obligation to inform those that think so highly of my father, of what he has done to his family and children.
i have said nothing to my father for 6 years now, as he had made his choice, but lets face the facts here. you think cannabis has no effect a person…..well let me tell you a story of this “hero”.
after pushing my mum down the stairs whilst she was pregnant with me, cheating on my mum, and spending all the money for the house on himself, he disappeared, 8 years later, he tried to buy
my brother and my love with a science set, and a walkman, after returning from australia, and finding out that my brother and i had 2 step sisters.
several years later, i found myself moving in with him in west auckland, only after he had put a knife to his partners neck, and she took my step sisters, as he was an animal. i stayed with him for 6 months, and begged my mum to take me back. he was a nasty piece of work, not only physically abusive, but mentally. i was still a kid for gods sake, and being strangled by him was the worst punishment i could ever had faced. i never spoke to him again for another 8 years, but in this time, i found that my grandmother passed away, of which my brother and i were very fond of, and did my father bother to tell us. no! i found out 6 months after, when i sent her a birthday gift.
when my son was born, i gave him one last chance, living in the same city and all, i asked him if he wanted to meet his grandson, him living in west auckland, and us in east, his reply; “it’s too far away”.
so just make sure you know a man’s, (or woman’s), background before you make them your hero. and all this from smoking your precious drug all his life. tell you what, get dibs on his lungs coz the oil will be worth a fortune when he goes.
Hope life is treating you well brian. Karma’s a bitch eh? maybe it’s life’s way of getting you to pay your dues with the children you have born. the least you could do is pass on some info about the rest of the family in ashburton, so i can let my kids know where they come from. and maybe even get in contact with the other side of my family.
grow up old man and be nice to your children
WOW! I am gobsmacked, talk about being sucker punched. Daniel, to air our dirty laundry in this very public arena when I am unable to reply and present the facts is despicable and cowardly. While there is a sprinkling of truth in what you have written most of it is BULLSHIT. I never pushed your mother down stairs. Yes I did cheat on your mother and yes I did tell her about it. Money for the house? What money. we had none. We had seperated and I borrowed money on my parents house to buy into a franshise, music video business. this fell over and I had to move to Australia and higher wages /exchange rate to service the loan. While I was in Australia I stayed in regular contact with your mother. I never tried to buy your love, unfortunately due to circumstances at that time that bond wasn’t formed between us. You make no mention about the fact that you came to stay with me because your mother couldn’t handle you. I have never ever held a knife to anyones throat and I was never ever physically or mentally abusive toward you nor did I ever strangle you, I was trying, at a very difficult time, to help you. I do not recall the invitation to see your son and there is no way I would not have come if I was able. When my mother died, knowing how close you were I wanted to contact you, I didn’t know where your mother was. If I had had her phone number you would have known the day mum died.
Life is treating me very well Daniel, I went to jail for what I believe in and had a very smooth time of it. I have good friends around me who know me for who I truely am.
If you would like my brother and sisters contact details all you have to do is ring me at The Daktory.