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GregKasarik

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About GregKasarik

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    Psychonaut

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    http://www.kasarik.com

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    Male
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    Warburton East
  • Interests
    Mysticism, Philosophy, Theology, Psychology, science in general, history, reading, role playing. In fact most things that have nothing to do with popular culture.

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    Melbourne

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  1. Thanks Muskrat. It is difficult tripping in such a public space, but I'm experienced and have done it before, so am not too concerned. Of course, if I get arrested, I won't actually end up tripping, so that won't be an issue either! :-) I have no intention of getting into debates trying to justify my existence. Reality is that I've come a long way in the years since I first went public and since I first landed here. I've realised that the haters are always going to hate and that they are just part of the challenge of existence. They still crop up, but I don't get tied down with their silliness. There are so many better things to do, and I don't really have anything to prove to anybody. I will certainly do my best to keep people informed of the events and whatever fallout occurs. Looks like I'll have a few more attendees than I initially thought I would so it should be a good day.
  2. Thanks! It is good to be back. Too much time spent chasing my own tail over the last twelve months, or so. Probably just as well! Hopefully everyone will see the opportunity in what I'm doing and those who don't will be nice about it! Given the number off doofs and festivals on that weekend, I don't expect it to be a big turnout, but it doesn't need to be in order for me to make my point. I'll try to keep a few tweets going to keep people updated.
  3. Hello All, It has been a while since I have been active here. Unfortunately, life sometimes gets in the way of the things that we want to do, but eventually we get ourselves back on track and pick up from where we left off. I figured I should let people know about my current activities and plans. Which are, as always somewhat dramatic! :-) Bicycle Day is coming up shortly, on Saturday April 19th and once again, I will be tripping on the steps of the Victorian Parliament House. This will mark the fourth time that I have done so. As with previous occasions, I have notified all members of parliament and the media of what I intend to do. This time is a little bit different. Instead of writing long letters laying out my arguments, I'm preceding the event by sending out short daily emails with an LSD related video or research article, with a short commentary. In doing this, I hope to generate both interest and engagement. There is another key difference: I intend to get arrested on the day. Yes, that is correct. It is my intent to force this issue, by getting arrested and dragging the Victorian Government through the Supreme Court (and High Court on appeal if necessary). Once arrested, I will request a referral to the Victorian Supreme Court under Section 33 of the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act (2006). There I will seek to obtain a Declaration of inconsistent interpretation on the grounds that the Victorian Government lacks the “demonstrably justifiable” reason required under Section 7 of the Charter, for a prohibition on the religious use of Transcendent Compounds. I know that some people will be horrified that I've decided to take things to this level. If nothing else, it is a great risk, especially as I don't really have the funds for a Supreme Court challenge and nobody can be 100% certain of the outcome of any legal action. But in reality, what exactly do we have to lose? How can the Victorian Supreme Court make things any worse for us than they already are? For years, I have been telling people that the Human Rights law in Victoria (and the ACT) are as good as we are ever going to get. Anyone who believes that politicians are going to change drug law voluntarily simply haven't been talking to politicians. The only way that we are going to earn our freedoms is by launching a Roe vs Wade style legal challenge and by forcing the Government to acknowledge that its prohibitions are based on ignorance and bigotry, rather than justice and science. I'm tired of being run by fear and allowing myself to be confined in the straight jacket of others bigotry. We all know that the science regarding LSD (and the other Transcendent Compounds) is unambiguously clear: LSD is non-addictive, non-toxic and psychologically safe in an appropriate dose, set and setting. With the exception of a few dubious research papers from the 1960s and 1970s, the Victorian Government simply has no way to justify a prohibition on the spiritual use of LSD and other TCs. They know it, I know it and fairly much everyone here knows it. And once I've been through the Supreme Court, everyone else will know it. If I didn't truly believe these compounds to be safe, I wouldn't have begun my campaign three years ago and sacrificed so much along the way. If, like me, you believe that using LSD and other Transcendent Compounds is not only safe, but also is something that should be allowed and even encouraged, I'd hope that you will support me in what should be an interesting and potentially world changing journey. I'm not wanting anyone else to also trip publicly on the day. One sacrificial lamb is enough. But I would love to see people who aren't doing anything else on Easter Saturday to come and join me on the Steps of The Victorian Parliament House at Midday, when I take the plunge. It should be a great day to come and show solidarity and raise awareness in the broader community. :-) Bye for now, Greg Kasarik Herder of Cats
  4. Just to let people know that the Indigogo event went live on Sunday evening, although it is tracking very poorly, with only $73 dollars being raised thus far. I've been dealing with a tooth infection that has mostly prevented me from doing anything apart from working and sleeping. Once it has been dealt with I'll be looking to make some significant efforts to ramp this up and get the message out to as many people as possible. Together we can make this happen and we can demonstrate to the world that we are a genuine spiritual community and not just a pack of druggies. And for those who don't regard themselves as being part of any (let alone my) spiritual community, I'd still encourage you to donate, because this will move us all in the direction that we want, even if it won't give all of us everything that we want. Greg Changing the world - One mushroom at a time! :-) http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/community-space-legally-munching-magic-mushrooms-in-marvelous-melbourne/x/3447805
  5. It might bite me fair on the arse, but what I do know is that if I don't try, I will definitely fail. :-) The whole handing out mushrooms is going to be more symbolic from the start than actual. If nothing else, I don't want to get other people in trouble should the hammer fall. The idea isn't to have people tripping at the centre itself. If nothing else, it would be far too busy and a bad setting for most people, so we'd look to use a quieter, more private space for that. The idea would be to make it clear that we'll be facilitating journeys for people who wish to partake, but even then we are going to be way cautious from the outset, so as to ensure that people aren't going to be harmed. We'll be looking at doing a full psych eval for everyone and using the data to do some groundbreaking research into how personality impacts the experience. Yup, media can be right buggers and I'm sure that they'll continue down that path if and when they finally pick up on this story. All I can do is be the best and most sensible person and invite people to come in and talk to me in person, so they get to meet the real "me" rather than the demonised version that will most likely emerge. I think that there are arguments both ways with respect to location. One of the problems with going with a "stronghold" location is that a big part of what I do aims to normalise the use of these substances for spiritual purposes and setting up in a more inner city location will make it easier for conservatives to disregard us as a bunch of lefties. Camberwell is blue ribbon Liberal Party territory and it is they who need to see that we are caring people who want to help others in our society flourish. One of the advantages that it has for me is that I've been hanging around Camberwell for decades, know a fair number of people. and have a good feel for the place. I'd prefer to be able to set up near either Camberwell, or Glenferrie stations, but ultimately that will depend on how successful my fundraising efforts are. LOL! I've always thought that Nimbin was the biggest mistake of the Australian drug community. How on earth can you have any impact on politics if you situate yourself 800 km from the state capital? I live about 90 km from the centre of Melbourne and find the isolation and additional complications to be a real hindrance to my ability to get anything done. Another reason why I don't want people tripping at the shopfront location itself. The idea is that any raiding that gets done happens to me first, so that we can test our legal arguments in court. Having said this, given that the police have refused to arrest me, even when I've walked into a police station and admitted the use of LSD for spiritual purposes and that nobody has ever come to investigate the mushrooms that everyone knows are in my freezer, I'm hoping to call the Government's bluff on this issue. Although I think that you are correct and that people will stay away in droves until they can be certain that their attendance won't cost them their livelihoods, family and health. Once people have a sense of certainty, I think we'll see all sorts of similar things spring up overnight.
  6. I've spoken to Greg Chipp from Drug Law Reform Australia and people from the Sex Party, but none of us think that this issue will have much of an impact Federally, if for no other reason than there is so much else going on. Having said that, if it takes off and gets some media coverage it could help parties that are sympathetic to Drug Law Reform to gain some attention and hopefully to gain some extra first preference votes and be in a better position to scoop other preferences in order to stumble over the line. Know what you mean. My head is full of pain killers, so I sympathise with your fried brain! :-)
  7. Thanks for your support!!:-) I should also point out that I don't include ketamine as a Transcendent Compound and haven't from the beginning. I can understand your confusion, because I was intensely criticised for my stance on these forums after the John Safran interview and that probably muddied the waters a bit.
  8. Please note that I am quite busy organising this event and working full time, so may not be able to respond to comments for a few days. Solid support of this initiative will make it clear to the politicians that we are a genuine community and not to be taken lightly. https://www.facebook.com/events/347468442049114/ Raising $33,333.33 as initial funding for a community space for the Australian Entheogenic community and as a space where people in Victoria can LEGALLY experience journeys into the Divine Consciousness using Transcendent Compounds. *Transcendent Compounds are those Entheogens that are non-addictive, non-toxic and psychologically safe in an appropriate dose, set and setting. The term is important, both for legal reasons and because it does what it says on the label. This is an audacious event that, if successful will change the status of Transcendent Compounds within Australia and perhaps even around the world and bring the community of users into the perceptions of the mainstream community in a positive way. It will need the full support of people all over the globe if it is to have any hope of succeeding. We have a week before commencement. In that time I need everybody who cares about our future to spread the word. Invite your friends to this event. Post on forums that you frequent. Get the news out there that the world is changing and that the change is starting with the passion of 10,000 repressed voices! Ask yourself: "How much are my freedoms worth to me?" and donate accordingly. My guess is that the freedom to openly express your spirituality, share the wisdom and spread the healing without harassment, persecution and the overwhelming sense of fear that pervades our every move should easily be worth $100+ to most people with full time employment. Given that, I am hoping that this target is reached within a matter of weeks. On 18 Jun 2013, I will be opening up a fund raising event on Indigogo. It will go for 60 days and while I estimate I will eventually need to raise $100,000, my initial target is a third of that: $33,000, which should be enough for initial operations. The money will be used to rent a shopfront that can be used as a community space. This space will aim to provide several things both to the Entheogenic and broader community generally. 1. It will be a space where we can gather and meet like minded people and where new people can find entry into our wonderful community. It will be a place from which we can visibly launch our healing work into the community and demonstrate to the general population that we are a valuable addition to society and not a menace. 2. Many people in society exist in a state of existential crisis. There is simply nowhere for them to go if they wish to discuss issues of meaning, purpose and existence, without having someone's dogma forced down their throats. This will provide such a location. It will be a space where anybody can come to discuss and explore meaning of life issues, such as purpose, destiny and metaphysics. It will hopefully become a philosophical wonderland. Discussion will be governed by the "Principles" on which Community of Infinite Colour is founded. The first of these is that "There is no TRUTH". Each person needs to figure life and meaning out for themselves and Community is about building a society where gurus and dogmas are obsolete and the recognition is that "The First Disciple is always the First Heretic". Discussions become discussions among equals where everyone commits to being both teacher and student (and yes, I admit I do sometimes have difficulty with the latter!). The philosophy is based on an intersection of Philosophical Rationalism, Scientific Rationalism and Mysticism. Personally, I don't do conspiracy theories, Astrology, or fairly much any of the New Age stuff, but I respect the views of those who do (although I will challenge you every step of the way - don't worry, I'm just as hard on myself!). I know that some will not support me because of this, preferring that their pet theories got star billing, but until someone else has the courage to go down a similar path, I'm the only dog in the show and not supporting me because of something like this will only make things harder for us all, should I fail. 3. It will be a space where people who are experiencing difficulties in their lives can receive pastoral care and an escape from isolation. This will be provided by myself (scheduled around my own work commitments until enough funding is raised to pay me a living wage). I am a trained and experienced counsellor, but have been unable to find work in this area for for three years because of my drug law reform work. This will provide the perfect space for me to put my talents to use and allow me to do what I am best at: Helping people. 4. Anyone who has been following my activities for the last three years will know that I have a nearly watertight legal argument to the effect that Transcendent Compounds ARE LEGAL WITHIN THE STATE OF VICTORIA FOR SPIRITUAL AND RELIGIOUS PURPOSES! *Please note: kasarik.com is currently down. I will post relevant links once it returns to service. Community of Infinite Colour is a spiritual organisation (although for legal reasons it will be kept unincorporated, thereby ensuring that I bear sole legal responsibility for all of its activities) and as part of this I will be providing the opportunity for ordinary folk to use Transcendent Compounds. Initially, this will be quite limited and only symbolic, so as to give the Government time to adjust and so that if any arrests are made not too many people are caught up in it. While it is not the main purpose of the space, the existence of an an actual spiritual organisation, Community of Infinite Colour, will force the Government to accept our validity as a spiritual community and abide by the provisions of the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act (2006). Of course, they could arrest me and drag me through the High Court of Australia, where they will inevitably lose: I will pack the court with so much science and so many expert witnesses that they will rue the day they ever sought to demonise and persecute such ancient and wise teachers. Finally, they could alter the wording of the Charter to remove our rights, but in doing so they would be admitting that their position is based purely on bigotry and ignorance, rather than the decades of science that I have thus far used to avoid arrest. The Victorian Parliament knows they do not have a leg to stand on with this. I have publically tripped three times on the steps of parliament without being bothered. I have even twice gone into a police station, told them about my use of sacred compounds and invited them to arrest me. On both times I walked out free. It is my goal to force this issue this year, so that by 2014, everyone in Victoria (and by extension the ACT, because the Victorian act is based on theirs) has the legally recognised right to use Transcendent Compounds as part of their spiritual practice. This will not mean that your activities must go through Community of Infinite Colour to be legal. Both the Victorian and ACT acts give you the right to practice your religion (legal term) as an individual, if you choose. My (probably highly optimistic) estimate of annual costs is $100,000 and this is the eventual target. This would allow me to be present at the site on a full time basis, perhaps relying on some volunteer asistance. For the moment, however, I am seeking enough to get the operation underway ($33,333.00) and to give the authorities the opportunity to respond however they wish. I have not yet determined a location, but my initial preference is for Camberwell, as this is the demographic centre of Melbourne and has excellent public transport and road access options. I am committed to open accounting and it is my intention that all financial details and expenses will be made fully public on the internet within 60-90 days of them occurring. You will know how much we receive and what it all gets spent on - hopefully down to the last pen! :-) This needs to be done! I don't have official figures, but I guess that we are the largest growing spiritual community in many parts of the world, including Australia. Despite this, I regularly encounter two things when speaking with members of the Entheogenic Community. Whenever I speak to people, they cry out for the need for a space that they can call their own; where they can meet and exchange ideas with those on a similar journey. The second thing I regularly encounter is FEAR. I experience it myself (as I type this, I feel it sitting like a lump of dead coal in my chest) and it robs far too many of us of our vitality. We hide who we are and we lie to those we love, for fear of losing our families, jobs, friends and loved ones. If we are to ever thrive as a community and as individuals, we need to throw off the chains that bind us and make the firm decision that we, as a community, are going to be the authors of our own destinies. The legal argument is as solid as it is ever going to be. If we don't act now, we risk missing out on the opportunity of a lifetime. Similarly, I feel that there is now a critical mass for change within the Entheogenic Community. Entheogenesis Australis (EGA), who so courageously led the way are now more than a decade old. Each year sees a profusion of books and research and a greater profusion of evidence that our path is not only safe and sacred, but highly beneficial to those with the courage to make the journey. I fully acknowledge that this action will produce a backlash amongst the more fanatical and intolerant members of our society. But this backlash is coming one way, or another. In a decade EGA went from a handful of people in a community room to nearly seven hundred at a four day outdoor conference in the Strathbogie Ranges. With this kind of growth it will only be a few more years before we fall victim to the hatreds of other and I firmly believe that our best hope lies in taking the initiative and demonstrating to our fellow citizens that we are not "druggies", but are instead worthwhile and contributing members of society.
  9. GregKasarik

    Bicycle Day 2013 - Tripping on the Steps v 3.0

    I've just been kicked from Jon Faine's program. Despite having me hanging around for a full hour, they ran out of time. Disappointed that a positive drug story was neglected at the expense of the emphasis of the harms. It was a good segment, but once more our voice has been ignored and not heard.
  10. GregKasarik

    Bicycle Day 2013 - Tripping on the Steps v 3.0

    I have updated my website to reflect Bicycle Day. http://kasarik.com/Bicycle-Day-2013.php Also, this might amuse: http://www.kasarik.com/Entertaining-LSD-Links.php If anyone else has any other links they'd like to share I'll look to include them as well.
  11. GregKasarik

    Bicycle Day 2013 - Tripping on the Steps v 3.0

    I assume you mean Richard Stubbs? I caught up with him at the ABC studios last year and he seemed interested, but didn't reply to us during the Hunger Strike, so I haven't really bothered with him this time around. By the time his show is on, I'll be tripping a bit, so it will be interesting to see if he wants to do a live radio interview... :-)
  12. GregKasarik

    Bicycle Day 2013 - Tripping on the Steps v 3.0

    I do have a FB event page, but it is fairly subdued. I have left things till too late to organise a spectacular party, because I had hoped to be working by now, which may have meant that I wouldn't have the time off to do this. What are the odds of getting some good, loud trance happening in a couple of days? :-) http://www.facebook.com/events/524056377612348/
  13. Hiya, As you may know this Friday is Bicycle Day!! Not only that, but it is the 70th anniversary of Albert Hofmann's famous ride. Hard to believe but it has now been seven decades since the start of the modern psychedelic era. Figure we have a bit of a party! :-) I'll be once more tripping on the steps of the Victorian Parliament House, here in Victoria. It'll be starting at midday and depending on the weather, I'll be going until early evening. Bicycle Day is a holy day within Community of Infinite Colour (you've got to start somewhere...) and has a similar significance as Christmas does for others, although without the prezzies. It is a good day as any to celebrate and remember beginnings. As previously, we have notified the politicians of our intentions. Given their determination to ignore us on this issue, this time we are doing something a bit more proactive in terms of media engagement. A media release will be going out this evening and I am already booked to speak with Jon Faine's on his morning radio show on the ABC. It'll be locked in tomorrow, but barring the start of WWIII I'm scheduled for the 9.05 am time-slot, which will give our cause maximum exposure and ample time for the talk-back thing to run its own course. (http://www.abc.net.au/melbourne/programs/melbourne_mornings/) I've chosen Jon because he is a serious interviewer, who can be guaranteed to ask difficult questions, but who is also intelligent enough to understand the complexity of the issues. He has a law degree and acted on a pro-bono basis for the Australian Democrats before he went into radio, so he should be able to easily understand the legal argument for why the use of LSD and the other Transcendent Compounds for spiritual and religious purposes is currently legal within the state of Victoria. Given that we are a highly functioning community, rather than the "druggies" that we are regularly made out to be, I know that most people will be working on Friday, but if you are in Melbourne, feel free to drop by and to encourage others to do likewise. One proviso: If you are there, and I am arrested, please don't cause a scene, or create a disturbance. We are the good guys and rabble rousing only harms our cause. I have already established that I am on the right side of the law, so there is no need to get caught up with emotion if they decide to grandstand a bit and make a spectacle of themselves. Greg
  14. I should also point out that this isn't quite over yet. I still have the option of proceeding to the Ombudsman and am considering doing so on the basis that they entirely failed to deal with the substance of my complaint with respect to the scientific and cultural aspects of the program. I should point out that it landed in my inbox in early March, but was missed until today, due to the volume of other emails arriving at the same time. This is the email reply that I received from ACMA: "Dear Mr Kasarik Investigation—HSV—Seven News—6/8/12 As you are aware, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (the ACMA) has been investigating your complaint about the above program. The ACMA has determined that the Channel Seven Melbourne Pty Ltd did not breach clause 1.9.6, 4.3.2 or 4.4.1 of the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice 2010. I attach, for your information, a copy of the Investigation Report, including the decision and the reasons for that decision. The ACMA has also decided to publish the Investigation Report. Publication will include the full report being posted on the ACMA’s website and an investigation summary appearing in the ACMA’s Annual Report and other ACMA publications. The ACMA treats all broadcasting complaints seriously and aims to investigate complaints thoroughly and impartially, and in a timely manner. However, if you have concerns about the way in which the ACMA conducted this investigation you may wish to make a complaint to the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman or seek independent advice about potential avenues of review. The Ombudsman can investigate complaints about the administrative actions and decisions of Commonwealth government agencies, including the ACMA. More information about the role of the Ombudsman and how to make a complaint is on the Ombudsman’s website at: http://www.ombudsman.gov.au/ or you can call 1300 362 072. Thank you for bringing your concerns to the ACMA."
  15. Hiyall, It has taken a while to get the final report from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) ombudsman, but here it is in all its glory: http://engage.acma.gov.au/acmai/hsv-7-seven-news-investigations-report-2930/ They decided that no breach of the code had been made, but we already knew that this would be the case. I think that the logic of their report is incredibly flawed and it seems obvious that they were doing their best to appease Seven, but hopefully Seven will think twice before they launch another such attack on our community. Greg
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