Richard Lee, the main backer of CA Proposition 19 in 2010 and founder of the recently raided Oaksterdam University, has launched an online petition asking President Obama to stop the federal medical marijuana raids.

According to the East Bay Express federal agents raided the University, Coffeeshop Blue Sky, Oaksterdam Museum, the Oaksterdam Gift Shop and Richard Lee’s apartment and reportedly detained Lee yesterday.

The petition to President Obama reads in part:

President Obama promised at the beginning of his administration to respect state medical marijuana laws. He has broken this promise time and time again — and the consequences have been devastating.

This was a senseless act of intimidation. But I’ve been an activist far too long to become intimidated — and with the majority of Americans and common sense on our side, I know this is a fight we can win.

With our government trillions in debt, why is our government using taxpayer dollars to come after me, Oaksterdam, and the thousands of patients who need medical marijuana just to get through the day?

Political activism is needed now more than ever. The federal government has agents, guns and a lot of taxpayer money to back them up. Only voters can change the politicians and officials who control those agents. But the time for talk is nearing an end. 2012 is the year of the vote, and the year we begin to take our country back.

- Joe Klare