Raw Milk and Anti-Government Loons

[trotsky]

I posted this article over in the Health dungeon about people getting sick from drinking raw milk. There is a follow up piece in the same local newspaper today about the farmer responsible for sickening his customers - thought I would post it here because it's a fun read.

Raw-milk farmer Michael Hartmann has rebel history

Michael Hartmann, whose dairy is just outside this town of 800 people, last had a license to sell Grade A milk in 2001. He has kicked inspectors off his property, refused to tell a judge his name in court and asserted he is a "natural man" with a constitutional right to raise and sell food without government interference.

Someone must be keeping up with NaturalNews.com! :rofl:

[salvorhardin]

1. Ah, sounds like he's bought into the "Freeman on the Land" myth

In short, the Freemen believe that The United States (along with several other countries) is operating under Admiralty/Maritime Law (which is used for Shipping, Banks and Corporations) as opposed to Civil Law (which is used for our countries’ citizens). The apparent proof that they claim to have of this, is the corporate status of the United States (more on that later) the gold fringe on our American Flag and the pseudo-legal definition of a person all somehow put our country under admiralty jurisdiction.

Another misconception is that Common Laws are the only real laws that Freemen have to obey. They are convinced that statutes are not laws and therefore, do not need to be obeyed.

The theory, in a nutshell, suggests that we are owned and operated as a bankrupt nation; by the IMF and that our income taxes are (not only unconstitutional) actually paying tribute to the Queen of England. Furthermore, they believe that our birth certificates render us as property of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, INC. because any legal document with your name in all capital letters (i.e.: JOHN DOE) represents a loss of personal liberty and submission to another’s will.

The theory claims that your name in all capital letters represents a “corporation” (aka legal person), whereas your name in lower case lettering represents a “natural person” (you). One of the arguments a freeman will tell you is that you are not a person, but you have a person, or more specifically you have a corporation. This is partially true, but we’ll explain how this is misinterpreted in the second half.

Essentially, they believe that if you agree to allow your birth certificate to represent you (which contains your name in all capital letters) then you agree to forfeiting your constitutional rights and therefore have willingly accepting the status of a corporation, which (again, according to the theory) reduces your rights to that of a debt slave.
http://www.examiner.com/x-23787-Denver-Skepticism-Examiner~y2009m10d7-The-Freeman-on-the-Land-myth-Debunked

[onager]

2. Nineties redux!

I remember these "admiralty law" nutbars from the Clinton Administration.

Here in California, they formed clubs that operated something like this, IIRC: since you are a "corporation," you as a person are entitled to all the financial/tax benefits of any other corporation.

Some of them held (quite expensive) seminars, selling information packages. Complete with blank "purchasing warrants."

These things apparently looked like some kind of legal tender, because a couple of nimrods used them to buy cars, motorhomes, etc. etc.

A few of the Sovereign Corporate People also rented houses, then tried to take over the deeds based on some bizarre concept of ownership.

Before long, California courts were clogged with lunatics screaming about admiralty flags in the courtroom.

In every case I know of, the judges introduced them to some other fine old common-law concepts, like fraud and theft. And jugged them.

[salvorhardin]

4. Yes! That's them exactly.

The thing about names being written in all-caps is especially nutty because it's mostly a modern typological convention. A cursory glance through some old (pre-typewriter) legal documents is enough to demonstrate that there wasn't any especially fixed way of writing court documents.

[Odin2005]

6. Holy Jesus, that is some insane nut-fuckery right there!

:wow:

[HuckleB]

3. I have to honor both you and Orrex for your patience in the Health forum this week.

I am impressed.

:toast:

[Odin2005]

5. To be fair, as someone who grew up in a rural area and has drunk raw milk...

There needs to be a middle ground so the Big Guys don't use the regulatory system against folks giving away raw milk to their neighbors.

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. Perhaps, but it would have to include proper inspections

This guy is clearly a danger to people who drink his milk:

In 1993, Hartmann refused to let animal health officials test his swine for pseudo rabies and was fined $450. Court papers say the Hartmanns sold uninspected meat as early as 1998. And in 2001, the dairy's license to sell Grade A milk was revoked after state inspectors discovered unsanitary conditions, including chickens roaming and defecating in the milking parlor, according to the state Agriculture Department.

Yet the Hartmanns still operate a creamery. State officials say it is illegal for the Hartmanns to sell raw milk away from the farm. But customers say they pay the dairy directly for the raw milk, which is dropped off at a customer's home for pickup by other buyers.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

8. My stepfather caught TB from raw milk when he was 14

It's led to complications with his back ever since.