SWAT Team like raid by Ohio authorities on a farm house in LaGange

By Michael Smith

According to the Christian Worldview Network authorities in the State of Ohio stormed a farm house in LaGange on Monday, December 1, in order to execute a search warrant, holding the Jacqueline and John Stowers and their son and young grandchildren at gunpoint for nine hours.

During the raid the Ohio Department of Agriculture and police confiscated over ten thousand dollars worth of food, computers and cell phones. The Stowers’ crime? They run a private, members-only food co-op.

While state authorities were looking for evidence of illegal activities, the family was not informed what crime they were suspected of, they were not read their rights or allowed to make a phone call. The children, some as young as toddlers, were traumatized by armed officers interrogating the adults with guns drawn.

The Morning Journal, a newspaper serving northern Ohio, reported that the Stowers were believed to be operating without a license. However, the Stowers claim that the food co-op they run does not engage in any activities that would require state licensing.

Friends of the Stowers openly question why such aggressive tactics were necessary to investigate a licensing complaint.

The Ohio Department of Agriculture has apparently been chastised by the courts in previous cases for over-reach, including entrapment of an Amish man to sell raw milk, which backfired, when it became known that the man gave milk instead of selling it to a state undercover agent, refusing to take money for what he believed to be a charitable act. The Amish literally interpret the Gospel of Matthew (5:42) to “give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.”

The matter has been forwarded to the Lorain County Prosecutor’s Office and the Lorain County General Health District according to Lorain County court records.

What we can see here is the state, yet again, taking things way too far but then, thus is the nanny state.

Many Americans keep accusing us in Britain of living in a nanny state and allowing it to be thus. The truth is that it is no different in the USA and the more I see of that country the more I can but say “be afraid, people, very afraid, of your government”.

It would appear that running a private, members-only food co-op is seen as “hoarding food” and hence as a felony. Or haven't you realized that it is, in fact, illegal in the eyes of the law enfarcement and such like, to stockpile food; at least more than the recommended 72hour or such amount?

While there may be no actual law, in most states, or other ordinances, against the stockpiling of food, to those in authority people who are self-sufficient and independent in food, water and other things, and who can, hence, not be easily controlled, are an anathema and something that just must not be. Hence the raids on people who have a large amount of food and supplies stored.

Let's face it. This is not the first raid of this kind in one or the other state. We can but wonder what is going to be next on their list. Oh. Yes, rain water harvesting, something that is becoming now a legal requirement in the UK with new houses, is, BTW. You may not, in many places in the USA, collect rainwater from your roofs and such. It is a felony.

And you thougth you were free. Think again!

© M Smith (Veshengro), December 2008
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