By By JOHN EBY / Vigilant/Argus
A downpour didn't deter friends of Rainbow Farm from gathering outside the old Cass County courthouse at 5:30 p.m. Monday on the second anniversary of the Labor Day weekend 2001 deaths of Tom Crosslin and Rollie Rohm.
Rain didn't give him second thoughts about taking part in the "remembrance vigil," Jacob said.
Its purpose is "to keep it in people's minds and as sort of a symbol of respect to the people who died. I didn't know them for a long time, but I stayed with them. We camped at the house for a while after the whole thing went down in the bust, while they were doing the court dates. I got to know them a little bit. They were really cool guys and I feel it's just a shame what happened."
While the "immediate issue" is remembering "Tom and Rollie," the "greater issue is the whole war on drugs and the war on the Constitution," said Greg, of Van Buren County.
"A lot of our rights as Americans are being taken away from us. We're having to give up a lot of our rights to protect our rights."
He went to Rainbow Farm once for a concert, "so I can't say I was great friends with them. I had met them. I don't think they were doing anything to harm the community. I don't think our community is any safer today after they were killed."
As a school counselor, he's "terrified at being an activist out here. It's a real thin line I tread, but it's something I really believe in. We teach our kids citizenship and to be involved in your government. We are the government. That's what makes America work.
On Labor Day weekend 2001, "Tom and Rollie were executed by the forces of so-called law and order" at the campground near Vandalia. "They were not killed to protect the public safety, to punish them for smoking cannabis or because of the plants in their basement," according to the Michigan Cannabis Action Network announcement of the vigil.
Playboy's October issue features a nine-page article, "Siege at Rainbow Farm," which Melody Karr of Mesick characterized as "pretty decent -- as fair as anything else I've seen, more so than many. Word of warning: it does include graphic photos of Tom's and Rollie's bodies."