Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Raw Milk Criminals


Imagine being watched by two undercover cops as you engage in an illicit deal in a deserted parking lot. The buyer hesitantly hands you some cash. You flash a look over your shoulder, just to make sure the coast is clear, then you hand over the contraband. Neither of you says a word. You just nod, acknowledging the deal is done, then you head back to your car and buckle up for the drive home.

But before you can even put the car into drive, a screeching formation of police cars, surrounds you, sirens wailing. Armed officers leap from their vehicles, guns drawn and sunglasses glaring. "Come out with your hands up!" they shout.

You slowly open the driver's door of your car and inch out of your seat with both hands raised in surrender, cowering behind the open door. "What did I do, officer? What's my crime?"

Their answer comes back loud and intimidating: "SELLING RAW MILK!"


Undercover Sting Operations Against Families Selling Raw Milk



Once again, the state and its enforcement agents, the evil clowns commonly called cops, prove that they are the REAL criminals.

When I was a kid I lived with my dad on a ranch (so-called, it was more of an alfalfa farm) where he was working and at every meal we were served raw goat's milk. I never suffered any harm from it, it never made me sick and it tasted great.

But if you want to provide raw milk (cow or goat) to others in a free uncoerced exchange it's a crime (not a real crime, mind you, but one of the government's fake "crimes").

From the article: In case you're not yet sure what you're reading here, note carefully that these daughters were not caught selling crack, meth or crank. Of course, even if they were, that isn't a real crime either (what anyone chooses to put into their body is none of the government's business), any more than selling booze during prohibition was a real crime.

And here we also see at work the fact that government puts obstacles in the way of individuals, families and small businessmen trying to earn a living and instead favors the large over the small, the commodity producer over the artisan.

So, at this time of year, for families who may not live where they can buy the milk they prefer legally, Santa may find an alternative offering waiting for him near the Christmas tree.

1 comment:

  1. There's three things going on here:

    1. You can't do business out of a trunk in a parking lot. There are zoning issues, health issues, and not to mention the one the government cares about, tax issues. If they were selling their product at a booth at a farmer's market, or on their own property, I'm sure this would have been less of a problem, especially if they are recording their sales for tax purposes.

    2. Unregulated food products can end up costing the government. If people sell unregulated food, and the government just looks the other way, they stand to be liable. There are several multi-million (sometimes even billion) dollar lawsuits brought on by litigious Americans who claim regulators failed to do their job. Negligence cases like these cause agencies to step up vigilence. The government isn't out to get this family, or anyone, for selling raw milk, they are just covering their ass.

    3. Last, and sadly not even close to least (as I'm sure most reading this site are aware), private interests have lobbied pretty hard to make it near impossible to enter into their industries. From food to medicine to hair dressing, you need to have the right piece of paper signed by the right person... which means paying the right people while jumping through needless hoops which serve only to discourage competition.

    In the end, I'm pretty confident this family won't spend time in jail. Then again, neither should drug dealers.

    ReplyDelete

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