Baraboo raw milk trial calls to mind George Orwell and Franz Kafka

From Daniel McAdams, writing for the Ron Paul Institute blog:

Vernon Herschberger and family. Photo via Complete Patient blog. Click image to go there.

“The trial of Vernon Hershberger for the crime of selling healthy, unprocessed milk to informed and willing customers is sadly a damning commentary on the times in which we currently live.

This humble yet learned Amish farmer faces the ruin of his farm, his family, and jail time in a trial that highlights the utter depravity of the so-called authorities who claim the right to rule over the rest of us.

Over and over thugs raided the peaceful Hershberger’s farm, destroying his property and terrorizing his ten children. His crime was selling a product that has been consumed from time immemorial and which thousands upon thousands of families (including this writer’s) increasingly swear by as healthful and wholesome: unprocessed, fresh milk.

Hershberger was caught up in a hell of Kafka’s worst nightmare:

“The state is arguing that Hershberger violated the law by selling milk (raw) while he was not licensed. But here’s the problem: licensing requires that milk producers sell to a licensed processing plant. If you don’t sell to a plant, you aren’t licensed. At issue is not the fact that Hershberger failed to obtain a license, but that he cannot get a license, period, to sell milk because he was no longer shipping to a plant. Instead, he was attempting to sell raw milk directly to buyers or buying club ‘members’ who had purchased shares in cows. But no one is allowed to say that.”

His trial is a repulsive, Darkness at Noon, mockery of justice, where the judge forbade the words “raw milk” from even being uttered in the courtroom where the very “crime” is that Hershberger sold raw milk to willing customers! Every time this forbidden phrase was about to come out of the mouth of either side in the trial, the judge ordered the jury to be quickly removed from the courtroom to protect them from even hearing this dangerous term.

California raw milk entrepreneur and activist Mark McAfee was forbidden from entering the courtroom due to a mere suggestion of the banned term:

“McAfee was not allowed to wear his organic pastures t shirt in the courtroom because of its reference to raw milk.”

A woman wearing a t-shirt that read “Got Initiative” was likewise banned because of the milk implication of her chosen attire.

A teen-aged girl was forced by the court to remove a button that simply said “Raw Milk Me.”

Hershberger’s children were forced to listen to the dedicated father that they no-doubt idolized being portrayed as a dangerous criminal for selling unadulterated, natural, healthy, chemical-free meat and dairy products to grateful customers…..”

“The food freedom movement is rapidly becoming the most fundamental issue of our time, as there can be no more central issue than the state demanding to approve the very sustenance with which we chose to nourish ourselves. Cannabis decriminalization, wiretapping, IRS thuggery, and other issues are indeed important to the struggle for individual liberty. But if we surrender to the state the authority to dictate what we are allowed to feed ourselves and our families then little else matters afterward.”

Updates on the close of the trial

Dana Schultz on FB: “Wisconsin Amish farmer Vernon Hershberger’s criminal trial in Baraboo is now with the jury as they deliberate their verdict. Closing arguments by the defense were meaningful and cut to the heart of the matter: an innocent farmer, too much government control & who will be next – will it be your refrigerator?”

Vernon surrounded by family during a 10 minute recess before closing arguments. Still feeling great! Photo and caption – Liz Reitzig