Fuck Amerika.
==========
Police Raid Small Family Farm, Charge Family, Seize Animals Because they were Free Range
Schenectady County, New York – Earlier this month, a family farm in rural New York was raided by police after the owners were cited on a number of trumped up regulatory violations. Joshua Rockwood, the owner of the farm, is being accused of mistreating his animals, and the local government has began confiscating some of them.
Police initially visited Rockwood’s property on February 25th to investigate reports of unlicensed working dogs, weeks before the raid. Unfortunately, Rockwood voluntarily showed local police around his property, which he had not yet tended to that day because of their unexpected interruption. After showing them around, they began to critically assess every aspect of the farm, writing a number of citations for arbitrary offenses.
The very next day, Rockwood had a veterinarian visit the farm to check on the animals to confirm that they were well taken care of and in good health. According to numerous reports, the vet said that the animals were just fine, and did not seem to share the concerns that the officers alleged during their walk-through.
A second veterinarian was also called in to verify the health of the animals and they also found them to be in perfect health.
A week later, police returned again to notify Rockwood that he was to appear in court the next Thursday on a number of charges relating to the animal’s food and shelter. In total, 12 different charges were brought against Rockwood, but he has posted a number of photos to a Facebook support page, which shows the animals with sufficient housing, and plenty of food.
Rockwood has been charged with 12 counts of animal neglect and abuse – some of the charges relating to frozen water bowls and tanks – despite the animals still having access to water. His dogs and horses have been seized and taken away.
Rockwood treats his animals better than most factory farms do, but since he uses traditional farming methods, his farm will fail regulatory inspections, while factory farms will pass.
Meanwhile, New York is one of many states that are currently considering “ag-gag” laws, which place criminal penalties on activists who expose animal abuse at factory farms.
The controversial ag-gag laws prohibit “recording an image or sound without the operator’s permission; gaining ‘access to an agricultural operation under false pretenses;’ asking for a job at a place for the purpose of making recordings; and making a recording while trespassing.”
The irony here is that the state will lock you in a cage for filming the horrific atrocities at a factory farm while simultaneously trumping up ridiculous and petty violations if you aren’t a factory farm. Just who does the state “protect” by doing these things?
Rockwood has launched a $50,000 gofundme campaign to raise money to post bond for his horses and to pay for the disrupted legal fees and lost business he has incurred and will incur due to the publicity and effort involved in defending himself. He means to go to court to try to fight the charges and to win back his reputation, his rescue dog, and his horses.
Because of his caring and generous customers and supporters they are almost halfway to that goal.
I’m sure most TBPers can donate five, ten or even twenty bucks to help these folks. Every penny helps.
http://thefreethoughtproject.com/family-farm-raided-animals-seized-trumped-regulatory-charges
They will not drop these charges, it’s too lucrative to take it to trial and to assess penalties. Once there’s a budget for this stuff it tends to steamroll to keep making reasons for the agencies to exist, to justify their activities. Having had the misfortune to be at the wrong place at the wrong time recently, and having to deal with the “justice system” I can definitely see where this is going.
Jason posted an update this morning; all 12 of the charges stand and it will go to trial next month. He has a GoFundMe website and has raised nearly $45K for legal fees – and I expect this will cost him far more than that before it’s done. I contributed, not nearly enough but more than we could afford. There but for the grace of god go I as well.
Susan
Not surprised the State will continue on.
What is amazing is that some jury will find him guilty, no doubt. Juries side with the State — I’m guessing — at least 90% of the time. Hard to fathom, that. This could have been THEIR farm! THEIR livelihood! THEIR freedom at risk. But, they convict anyway.
Fuck Amerika. We deserve all the shit coming our way …. not ALL of us, but MOST of us.
I would be afraid that people would get pissed off and shoot me for making their lives a living hell.
But i couldn’t actually act like these officials to start with.
One in a hundred Americans has any idea what farm life is like and the 99% will become very hungry when the dollar collapses and they have to produce their own food. But I’m ready: “Sorry bozo, no food for you but I have some chicks I’ll sell you to raise and good luck with the cutesy predators you watermelons love so dearly.” Seriously, they are doing their best to kill off small farms and they are doing a great job of it. When the Useful Idiots figure it out, it will be to late. .
Was going to add just watch Food Inc if you want to see how corporate farms treat animals, I see that’s already covered.
This nation is completely falling apart, from the shitforbrains fucknuts that believe they are farming experts to the shitforbrains fucknuts that believe anyone in government simply knows everything.
You can’t fix stupid.
Donation is on the way.
The Federal Gooberment will eventually outlaw even backyard gardens. Couple this with the EPA’s desire to control all of the water in the USA and you will have shut down peoples ability to feed themselves in a time of crisis. Of course if the inspectors are met with Mr Greentip when TSHTF I doubt any inspections will be done .
i wonder what Mr. Rockwood did to piss off his local county ‘Viceroy”? We’re headed for Medieval times, and I don’t mean the restaurant.
Fuck those fucking fucks.
It’s all in an effort to gradually centralize food production to a few corporations. I’d say globalization, to increase shelf life, and, of course, profits. Sometime in the future all food will be owned by private corporations and all will be fed “manufactured” food…or feed. Like farm animals. The wealthy and the political class will have access to their organic food. Slowly but surely. I hope I’m wrong, but so far that’s how it looks.
Spin…a little soylent green for the masses.
This is brazen theft and nothing else. Some shit-bucket politician in the local government wanted Joshua Rockwood’s farm, animals and probably the land too.
So its always been for the family farms. The free range and organic trend has been very positive for the smalls, its why they must be crushed. We cannot have a bunch of people feeding themselves wholesome food. Outrageous Debt Pyramids must have a large base.
I am going to propose something controversial as a solution to this problem; namely since the State feels it can use violence, either actual or implied, to seize private property and destroy livelihoods, the time has come to respond in kind. While I sympathize with those who would donate money and try to fight this legally, I feel this is an impotent and doomed-to-failure act of those who have no power against those who do. The courts are already completely captured, bought and paid for long ago by the same State that controls the thugs with guns at the behest of their corporate contributors and their (s)elected psychopaths who pursue power for power’s sake.
Those who perpetrated this fraud are secretly laughing at the futility and impotence of the response of private citizens to their criminal acts done under the guise and cover of the rule of law. I propose this instead – The names and addresses of all of those who participated in the raid should be posted on the digital equivalent of the Tree of Liberty; their families members and photos thereof gleaned from social media and also distributed with the intent that those who despise the criminal violent acts of a vicious gang of thugs hiding behind rule of law, will track these people down and deliver upon them a taste of what violence is like. The message needs to be delivered loud and clear – we will not be fucked with, and those who choose to disregard this warning will be dealt with in kind. And for those who think their badge or office provides them with protection from reprisal, their loved ones will be forfeit to their actions, and will also get a taste of the same violence which they have no problem dealing upon private law-abiding individuals and their families. While some undoubtedly need to be shot, for most, a thorough beating with clubs or a torched home and vehicle would get the message across to even the most closed-minded State thug.
While I would never advocate the initial use of force, I believe strongly in answering violence in kind; these types of actions happen precisely because those who do them have no fear that anyone will respond in kind and hold them accountable. Violence is a tool, just like a lawsuit or a petition. Many of us might shrink and recoil from the very thought of doing violence to someone who has not personally harmed us, it is this unwillingness to use violence as recourse when other non-violent means of resistance have been exhausted or are ineffective, that ensures we will only see more and more of this kind of State-directed thuggery in the future.
Nicely said, Simon. I have little doubt it will eventually come to that.
I’m afraid Simon might be right if not for the finished work of Jesus Christ. Corporate prayer for that which most deem impossible is effective. Do not doubt…
CZ,
Even such a man as Jesus, along with telling his followers to “turn the other cheek”, also instructed them to “sell their cloak and buy a sword”.
The Lord helps those who help themselves.
Understood: “when all non-violent means have been exhausted.”
The real, exhaustive prayer approach is rarely/never? employed.
I’d bet on rarely, but it’s probably closer to never. Faith in Christ is left in the ditch. TBP commenters, tell me I’m wrong. You won’t because I’m not. Too many smart peeps here.
CZ,
It takes all kinds; those who cannot or do not wish to lift a sword should most certainly pray for those who can and do. I do not see the two as being mutually exclusive. Is it any more of a miracle when hundreds of patriots, armed to the teeth, descend on the police department and the City Hall and threaten to burn them to the ground if charges are not dropped with prejudice and property returned to the rightful owners?
My point is that unwillingness to use violence when violence has been done against us, only ensures that inevitably, more violence will be used in the future. The best way to deal with a bully is to beat him to the ground, publicly if possible, and with such decisiveness and violence of action that the bully is never again tempted to hurt anyone again, lest he again receive more of the same. The Lord uses men as His tools to work His miracles; the answer to your prayer for peace might just be rough and violent men threatening bodily harm upon those who seek to disturb it.
“Corporate prayer for that which most deem impossible is effective.” ———- cz
Funny thing about prayer …. the WAY it’s answered is often not what you expect. I learned this from the pastor — a Biblical scholar at a Bible college — who married my ex and I.
I’ve always had a wicked temper … long term folks here have seen that. Without going into details, trust me, It carried through early on in our marriage. So, the ex and I go see him or marriage counseling. I tell him that I often pray for patience. He says, “THAT might be your problem!”.
He said that only way to learn patience is NOT by eliminating things that make me impatient, but rather, by INCREASING those things. Prayer is active, not inactive and just waiting for things to happen without effort on my part. Just like one does not get physically stronger by decreasing resistance, but rather, by increasing the weights.
Obviously, that teaching has stuck with me the rest of my life.
Likewise, I believe the same could be true when praying for peace. I think what Simon Jestor is saying is that in order to have peace, the obstacles to peace may have to be removed … such as the evil copfuks who steal our peace.
If by prayer you mean that we humans just pray the words — “Lord, give us peace.” — and then sit back and wait or peace to come …. well, you will be waiting a loooong time. It just doesn’t work that way. Suppose you are fat, and you pray — “Lord, help me lose weight.”. Do you think you’ll slim down if you do absolutely nothing? Of course, not! So, why is praying for “peace” any different?
While the PHRASE — “Then Lord helps those who help themselves” — is nowhere to be found in the Bible, the PRINCIPLE is everywhere.
Freedom is never free … it comes at a price. So does “peace”.
Donation sent, wish it could be more but there are far too many worthy fights that need help, and my ability to help shrinks at the same time.
Back during the Great Depression, a small farmer couldn’t afford the new government set prices for wheat to feed his livestock and family.
He put a less than an acre plot of wheat in his yard.
It was burned by the State and he was jailed.
He fought it, trying to garner support from other hungry, deprived by law, citizens.
It ended with him losing everything, and his neighbors keeping their heads down.
Same as it will now.
The law was written by Demoncrats and signed by a Repuke to make sure we are unable to feed ourselves and our families.
We, as in our fellow lazy ass, scared, ignorant, citizens, aren’t going to do a freaking thing to enable a small group to work hard and succeed. If they chose to not do it, you shouldn’t be able to do it either.
Rand used too many words to explain this to the masses. They are too apathetic, delusional, prayerful to bother to read and understand.
At the heart of our problems lies sloth and greed. The seven deadly sins weren’t kidding. Those too are killing our very nation and souls.
Oh yeah, two more things.
1. How are COPS experts on animal husbandry? Shouldn’t a visit from licensed vets overrule a freaking revenue enhancement officer?
2. My last sentence was supposed to read: “Those two are killing…” but it kinda works either way
Another glaring example of how shit is fucked up and bullshit in this country.