Theres a new strain of illness making the rounds of Canadas rulers. Call it Michael Schmidt Paralysis.
You dont wish health problems on your enemies, but news that a second British Columbia prosecutor has bowed out of a major raw milk hearing against dairy farmer Michael Schmidt because of illnesswith no re-scheduling–has been greeted with at least a few knowing looks.
The case involves the Home-on-the-Range cow share in Chilliwack, British Columbia, that was established five years ago. When local authorities attempted to force farm owner Alice Jongerden to shut down her raw milk production, Michael Schmidt took over its management and all the penalties the local authorities could hit him with. They included a $55,000 fine for contempt of court.
A previous trial was delayed when a prosecutor took ill. In the meantime, though, Schmidt got Health Canada to approve use of raw milk as a cosmetic. In a blog post, he referred to the dairy as the Little Chilliwack Dairy (that could, should and would).
Fresh from this victory, Schmidt is challenging Canadian authorities to take him on in connection with something even bigger– the strange case of the disappearing, and re-discovered, Shropshire sheep. They mysteriously vanished from a Canadian farm in April after authorities targeted them for slaughter. They were thought to possibly harbor scrapies, a fatal degenerative disease that can spread among sheep and goats.
In a video statement in which he compared the targeting and slaughter of the rare sheep to Nazi Germany’s genetic engineering, Schmidt gently threw down the gauntlet to Canadian authorities. While denying direct involvement in the affair, he said, I am aware that I as a consequence to my public statement might be subject to an investigation and possible charges related to the sad sheep saga. I am determined to support the brave work of those who have risked their personal safety and security to try to protect those sheep with the hope that conclusive evidence would have been provided by the CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) in order to return the sheep for orderly slaughter if found infected or for further testing Whatever will evolve I am honored to be a part of this brave action, as I have taken on the role as liaison for the Farmers Peace Corp. He issued the statement on his 59th birthday, he noted.
Schmidt began his journey to the rarified role of national moral authority when he went on an eight-week hunger strike last fall, which ended when the premier of Ontario agreed to Schmidts demand for a personal meeting.
Next on his agenda will be a hearing July 25 in Toronto, where Schmidt is appealing a $9,100 fine on his conviction for violating Ontarios dairy law. Schmidt has previously said he has no intention of paying the fine. That will challenge the Ontario authorities to throw him into jail and turn him into more of a celebrity moral authority.
Pity the poor Canadian prosecutors and judges. They cant live with Michael Schmidt and his insistence on food rights and they cant live without him.
Finally, I hear “Michael Schmidt Paralysis” is highly contagious. Small outbreaks have begun occurring in the U.S., Wisconsin, Minnesota, and California. Try as they might, American prosecutors, judges, and regulators haven’t yet developed a vaccine.
“I am determined to support the brave work of those who have risked their personal safety and security to try” sounds like a good motto, let’s all adopt it. Happy B’day Michael, watch out for water buffalo and milk snakes.
Dissappearing Sheep that were destined for slaughter….prosecutors that come up ill and delay indefinitely any court proceedings….yep. Definitely Royal Scared Shitless Syndrome. With the 60th anniversery of the Queen sitting on her royal throne drinking raw milk. Definitely RSSS. Mike briefed me on all of this and it appears that persistence has paid off.
There were two pictures that Mike took with me along side my airplane in Redmond Oregon last weekend…. one is PG and the other is PG13….with Mike giving Third Finger to the Crown and the FDA.
Mike has become more than a celebrity or the Canadian Ghandi of raw milk. He has begun to win and win big. Some of that hurt came out in the third finger and I do not blame him one little bit.
The truth has a habit of winning out eventually.
I haven’t been scared shitless too many times in my life, but when I was, I was rather paralyzed – at least temporarily. It’s a good analogy.
1) A viral reservoir. One or two free-floating viruses do not a bureaucrademic make.
2) Complete life-cycle. Although I have no direct evidence, this disease appears to be transmitted from the viral reservoir to elected politicians, who then infect the bureaucrats. If you break the life-cycle, the disease is halted.
Regarding #2, I think if all elected officials were feeling as secure as “C-38 shoved down your throat” Stephen Harper, this would not be happening. In BC in particular, the ruling Liberals are way down in the polls and the loyal opposition has endorsed herd sharing as an “innovative” way around the Federal prohibition. They can’t be feeling too comfortable with public displays of abuse of power, as shown by FVHA.
Regarding #1, years of regulatory abuse combined with general discontent is increasing the base for support. This is related to the Occupy movement. People who are out of work have lots of time on their hands to make trouble for the ruling class. People who are out of work and have lost 40% of the equity in their home are even more desperate, and are taking to the streets.
Michaels can’t do this alone. We need to keep spreading his message to increase the size of the viral reservoir. And that then needs to flow into emails, letters, and calls to elected officials — especially in vulnerable positions. Only then will the health and legal bureaucrats begin to feel too insecure to follow through on their threats.
Jan, I agree about not getting too cocky. The bureaucrats and prosecutors still have many tricks up their sleeve, and won’t hesitate to try a few.
I’m not sure who infects whom, but it’s often said that the bureaucrats are of the mindset that, while politicians come and go, the bureaucrats know they’ll always remain in place.
It is not on-line yet.
http://www.mark@organicpastures.com
Ora Moose, bureaucrats, as used here, are the dept managers, agents, investigators, and assorted pencil pushers in the FDA and state agriculture and public health departments. They’re the ones who take it on themselves to harass small farmers and other food producers rather than take on the big boys.
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/toxin-from-gm-crops-found-in-human-blood/1/137728.html
What really needs to happen is a complete ban on *life patenting*. People have been concerned about this for at least 20 years already, as you can tell by reading this:
http://www.twnside.org.sg/title/pat-ch.htm
I do believe though, that since so much time has passed, we’ve already skipped down the yellow brick road.
The whole concept doesn’t work, anyway, to protect actual creators. It works only toward corporate profit.
(I’ll add that today’s IP regime is also completely unconstitutional by Article 1 section 8, since it doesn’t “promote…Science and useful Arts” (a recent SCOTUS decision explicitly flouted the constitution on this point; we see how illegitimate the SCOTUS is), nor “secure…to authors and inventors”, nor for “limited Times”.)
http://www.newson6.com/story/18802728/woman-sues-city-of-tulsa-for-cutting-down-her-edible-garden
Here it is on YouTube, just in case that other link doesn’t work:
“A natural ingredient found in milk can protect against obesity even as mice continue to enjoy diets that are high in fat. ”
I didn’t see if this study was with raw or pasteurized milk. Nor did it specify what “high fats” My dad consumes bacon fat daily, in most everything….he is skinny and low cholesterol, low BP……
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/14/health/human-microbiome-project-decodes-our-100-trillion-good-bacteria.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all
Injury to our bacteria is injury or death to us….we are truly Bacteriosapiens…DRINK YOUR RAWMILK and THRIVE!!
Well, so be it, but it’s not going to change my mind after nearly 60 years of drinking raw. In those 60 years I’ve never been sickened from raw milk or any of the things I make from it and that’s a fact.
When I read something, I also research what interests me and/or some of the questionable information out there. Since research on raw dairy is difficult to find and here in the US, almost nonexistent, along with being severely biased, I take what I find with a grain of salt and look further elsewhere. Sometimes what they print is a jumping off place for me to look into whatever the subject is.
I know it isn’t the case, but would hope all people look deeper into the research put forth and question everything. I can always hope.
As a nurse, I did not try to change any patients minds, I gave the facts as I knew them and the patient made their choices.