It’s been a good week for the emerging Food Rights movement.
Today, day 37 of dairy farmer Michael Schmidt’s hunger strike, he met with Ontario’s premier, Dalton McGuinty. It seems Schmidt was meeting with the premier’s chief of staff this morning, when McGuinty decided to join in. According to one report, McGuinty reiterated Ontario’s opposition to raw milk. No matter. Schmidt can now toast his achievement with a tall cool one. (Actually, word is he had a few sips of soup at lunch to begin breaking his fast.)
The break in the Schmidt deadlock follows the achievement of the Raw Milk Freedom Riders on Tuesday, gaining a minimal amount of engagement when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration backed off of enforcement of its ban on interstate shipment of raw milk, and announced it won’t interfere with individuals bringing milk across state lines for their own personal consumption.
President Franklin Roosevelt delivers his first inaugural address in 1933. The accomplishments in both situations are small, but the symbolism can’t be ignored–we are witnessing before our eyes the birth of a movement.
The accomplishments suggest both that achievement is possible, and that the path toward the ultimate accomplishment of serious restoration of food rights will be a long and arduous one. The biggest barrier to success? Our own anxiety.
Franklin Roosevelt said it most profoundly in his first inaugural address in March 1933: “The only thing we have to fear…is fear itself…nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror…”
I sometimes wonder if Roosevelt knew just how profound his words truly were. By so accurately identifying both the power and the place of fear in our psyches, Roosevelt helped provide a context for the challenges posed by fear throughout life, including at this current turning point in the Food Rights movement.
The growing numbers of individuals being swept up in the current Food Rights protests are inevitably confronting serious feelings of fear. Michael Schmidt’s seemingly endless hunger strike was terribly strenuous not only for him, but for the thousands supporting and admiring him.
Mark McAfee expressed much of that fear in his comment following my previous post, pleading with Schmidt to give up his hunger strike. McAfee expressed the fear many of us felt, that Schmidt might actually die of starvation. It was fear for not just for him, but for ourselves.
Those of us who value food rights were afraid we would lose a selfless and unifying leader, not to mention a wonderful friend. The question lurked: who among us would be brave enough the emulate Schmidt’s courage?
Then there was the fear many of the Raw Milk Freedom Riders experienced violating federal law on Tuesday by transporting raw milk from Pennsylvania to Maryland. Indeed, that fear kept some individuals away from the Tuesday event…fear of being challenged by authorities, of being arrested, of having their lawbreaking publicized for friends and neighbors to observe.
The accomplishments of the last week have taught us two things: that the fear levels of recent weeks are almost certain to mount, as this movement seeks to wrestle real rights from the power structure, with new, more provocative, challenges of the federal prohibition on raw milk shipments.
The events have also taught us that ordinary individuals can come together and overcome the inevitable fears.
It will be incumbent on everyone who contemplates serious involvement in the flowering Food Rights movement to learn to take Franklin Roosevelt’s words to heart. What he was really saying is that fear isn’t nearly as solid and permanent as it seems when it crowds our minds. That fear is simply a feeling–one that arises and passes away.
What he was also suggesting was that, when we are willing to pause, and simply observe the fear as it invades our minds and makes our palms sweat and hearts race, we will inevitably discover that it is the exact opposite of what it seems, that it is ephemeral and impermanent. I’m not saying that confronting our fears head on is an easy thing. Or that they will instantaneously deflate. But over time, confronting and acknowledging the fear rather than trying to push it away, will reduce its impact.
There is no “right” way of dealing with fear. But dealing with it will be a prerequisite as the Food Rights movement expands. Michael Schmidt and the Raw Milk Freedom Riders have taught us important lessons about moving past the constrictions of fear. Our enforcers at the FDA and elsewhere count on using fear to intimidate and keep us in our place. Once we demonstrate an ability to overcome our fears, they will lose all their power.
***
The Raw MIlk Freedom Riders’ success on Tuesday is already reverberating in the courts.
The Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund immediately asked a federal to include as part of its case against the FDA the agency’s announcement that it won’t enforce the ban on interstate raw milk shipments against individuals. Absolutely, said U.S. District Judge Mark Bennett.
In an order issued today, he stated: “I conclude that the press release and arguments about its impact are clearly relevant to this litigation and that any potential prejudice to the defendants from allowing the late amendment can be effectively mitigated by granting the defendants the opportunity to respond to the new arguments.” The FDA has two weeks to explain itself.
Once again, a small advance, but an advance nonetheless.
as i've said many times before on this blog, "never take counsel of your fears." (t.j. jackson)
The very first thing I did when I arrived at the scene of our crime at the rally was to go talk with all of the cops. I wanted them to know that these moms were not interested in being arrested, they were interested in delivering a message to the FDA on behalf of their childrens health. I had small talk with all the cops and when ever there was an update of information, I told them all about it.
As an old retired Paramedic, I know that cops do not arrest people that they like. Cops do not arrest friendly people. So put away those fears. The people that should be and will be messing their pants are the processors and the FDA. They are scared to death. Scared that their lies, milk allergies and lactose ontolerance and CAFO filth is about to be spread all over prime time. They are scared. You have nothing to fear.
I am so happy to hear the news about Michael Schmidt. It's like a breath of fresh air and the sun coming out to shine after a long grey storm! I am so glad he is back, because we do need him actively leading this revolution of accessing real, authentic food which begins with farm fresh milk! When he gets his strength back, he can then pick up that earthly warrior sword once again! God Bless you Michael, God Bless the fact that we have leaders of courage and integrity like Michael Schmidt. Thank you, a million times, Thank you.
Perfect timing, sense and action! Praise to you!
What could the FDA possibly provide in their defense?
You will prevail. Correction – you provided a compelling argument, and you SHOULD prevail.
Mark,
There will be no messy pants soon lol. They still don't believe a word of it. Their jobs depend on believing the lies. Your communication with police was excellent strategy though – kudos!
We will have to take them down one by one, and seems to me the FDA is off-loading this milk war to the NMPF et al. (That's smart. They know they're just regulators, not lawmakers.)
NMPF just stood up with their gloves on, openly opposing raw milk and launching a lobby campaign to legislators. The CEO of NMPF wrote an editorial "Rubbed Raw" and some of the REAL dairy farmer NMPF members wrote in telling him to change strategy; that they consumed raw milk everyday. I tried to respectfully post some suggestions but they apparently lost my comments.
The Center for Food Integrity has big bucks, and they have launched a media campaign that includes all kinds of trolling on blogs and news links. I'll bet they don't have 14,000 trollers, like WAPF, but they are paid full time trollers, trained in spin.
There will be more horrendous outbreaks, and more people will distrust their food supply.
Meanwhile, all my google alerts highlight the dangers of raw milk when the problem was some other source. They dominate the media, but the grassroots orgs have been around a lot longer.
The truth will prevail.
I just loved how the Raw Milk Freedom Riders tricked the FDA into issuing a (vaguely) conciliatory press release, which compromised their 1240.61 lawsuit, which Gary pounced on, and the judge agreed. I loved hearing that Michael is still with us. As David said, it's been a good week.
-Blair
I stand with the truth and moms every time. There is no fear when you carry and teach and know the truth. No fear at all.
Blair, their messing of their pants will be private. I know they are scared. They see the sales numbers going down every year. Regardless of marketing dollars spent.They see the medical advice that says do not drink pasteurized milk, because it triggers allergies and asthma. They have seen the PARSIFAL and GABRIELA studies. They are not stupid. Trust me they are scared. They are begging scared and imploring their puppets at the FDA to hold the line. To keep the RAWMilk Berlin Wall strong. It is one of the only legal restrictions that keep their national monopoly intact. When CFR 1240.61 fails, then the FDA will need to address raw milk standards. That will be a whole new bag of ugly critters. The FDA will h e to set some kind of guidelines for raw milk that goes over statelines
And you all thought RAWMI was not a friend. You will need RAWMI immediately. CFR 1240.61 will fall. It will be a whole new world with all sorts of new challenges.
Thankful for Michael's sacrifice,
For Mark's –work– on RAWMI
For the people that could and did make the FDA event a great success
For everyone that took the time to help Michael.
Not so much for those that just talk and talk and talk.
We jettisoned a very few like that here (or they did themselves).
What's left is a core of people that are willing to sacrifice some amount of their time for the goal. We're going to -work- towards legal raw milk, and not -talk- about all the things and reasons 'out there' that can't be changed until someone else does something.
Courage and conviction would be NO raw milk for anyone that isn't willing to be a raw milk activist. Raw milk producers aren't drug dealers, yet, some of their customers treat them like they are. With Pauly pot dealer, he knows that if he gets busted, Sally Smoker isn't going to be there to bail him out. They have that understood. What the raw milk producer doesn't understand – though some of us do – is that too many consumers just want what they want, and if I can't get it from Pauly over here, Pete over there won't hassle me and make me feel bad for not backing him up, mostly because Pete thinks since he's hidden or protected, nothing bad will happen.
I found it interesting that certain raw milk providers, even ones that had met Michael themselves, Michael went out of his way to spend time with them, did very very little to help. And these are people that would describe themselves as very christian, and are the first ones to say "we've all got to stick together". Translation: If I get busted, you all drop everything and come to my aid. But if it's someone else, well, if I have the time (which I won't), I'll help. Sad, really, the delusions. I'm here to tell you being busted clears the mind real good of illusions. Would I be like those others had I not? I am fearful maybe I would be. I'd be under cover and counting the money and passing judgement – but doing so very little.
But that wasn't my experience. And so here I am today.
I didn't do nearly enough for Michael but we did do quite a lot more than nothing.
I have had the honor of getting to know Michael, and that surely had a lot to do with my willingness to work hard for him. Blessed are those that haven't yet met him, yet they sacrificed for him anyway.
Fear is the killer, David, you are so right about that. I struggle with it. So easy to say the words of how brave we are (and so many words here), but so few of real action, that really put it on the line, beyond their own need. Michael is such a person.
We will work harder, smarter, and we will never give up.
Fewer words, more action.
Less blame, less bickering, more action.
On the other hand, I agree with "fewer words, more action." To that end, I'd like to announce a rally on the steps of the BC Legislature, Wednesday, 23 November, 11:30 AM to 13:30 PM. We are planning live milkings and possible civil disobedience. If you are able to attend, we'd love to have you there!
Given that Michael is eating again, the nature of the protest is not as clear as it was two days ago. We'll probably push for changes to the BC laws, which seem to make herd shares illegal, at least in the case of Alice Jongerdon, which Michael is also involved in.
Open confrontation has brought heavy-handed action from the government, and public outcry is making them second-guess that tactic. It's time now to have all our facts straight, and to begin intensive lobbying.
I am in Green Party Leader Elizabeth May's district (she's enjoyed our raw dairy products) and I'm planning to consult with her as to the best way to move this forward in legislature in a way that will be hard for the "family- and farmer-friendly" Conservatives to resist.
One of the intriguing aspects of the FDA protest was that the source(s) of milk from PA wasn't revealed. That was intentional. And I expect that will be the case as the challenge to the interstate raw milk ban moves to other states.
It's essential that the Food Rights movement transition to consumers, and make one of its goals to protect farmers. Farmers have been bearing the brunt of the government crackdown for several years now. That's the way the government wants it, since they can be easily isolated, harassed, prosecuted, etc. And they don't cast many votes.
The government enforcers would rather not mess with consumers. We're more difficult to isolate, especially when we act en masse, as the Raw Milk Freedom Riders did on Tuesday. The government reaction was much different that it ever has been when an individual farmer expressed defiance. This time, the government enforcers actually expressed some sense of conciliation.
One of the truly inspiring occurrences on Tuesday was how far people traveled to participate. They were there from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, California, all over Pennsylvania, among other places. Thus, they had traveled many hours, invested real money, and forfeited earnings at their jobs–all to participate in an event that might have gotten them arrested.
There's been a similar kind of consumer outpouring on behalf of Michael Schmidt in Canada. I've been amazed to follow the exploits of consumers on the "Support Michael Schmidt" Facebook page. People have been faxing and calling the premier's office, calling their MPs, even contacting representatives of the Queen of England. And look what they accomplished: they pressured a reluctant politician to show conciliation.
My sense is that, as more people learn the stakes, more want to become involved. They may get their feet wet with small tasks, and graduate to more significant ones. One thing that more and more people are discovering is that there is strength in numbers. Huge strength.
David
And thanks so much, David, for your great post!!!!
Busy, busy, busy here on the farm . . . shearing the fall fleeces off of our Icelandic ewes . . . this year Mark and I did 15 each over the last two weeks, took our birds three hours south to our nearest "State Inspected" poultry processor last week, planted garlic and shallots, mulched, cleaned up five garden beds for the winter, MIL is here for 10 days . . . Mark and Scott did you miss me:)
As a raw milk consumer . . . I watched everything that happened in DC . . . Great Job . . . Liz! Tried to make it but this is the busiest time on our farm. You all were in my thoughts on the first . . . I am so proud of you all!
Well I am still here and am waiting for Mark to post all of the farms who have joined RAWMI:)
The debate about RAWMI has not ended, Scott:)
Kind regards,
Violet
http://www.kilbyridgefarmmaine.blogspot.com
I want you to be the first farmer!!
We have five dairies wanting to be listed. We are still working on the details of the Common Standards and concentrating on new cow purchasing prescreening protocols.
I have it on good authority that Jenny Kwan, who is an NDP member of the Legislative Assembly, will be tabling a private member's bill on November 14th to do with raw milk being available in British Columbia. So Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition now gets the glory as facilitators of the "dialogue with dignity" personified by Michael Schmidt, around the raw milk issue
"politics makes strange bedfellows" .. More than a few MLAs have told us privately that they sympathize with the Campaign for REAL MILK : so It will be fun to see how many come out and join us for a photo-op, on the picturesque lawn of the Leg. … downtown Victoria BC
I have fond memories of having Michael Schmidt in my classroom at Rutgers University about a year ago. When Michael spoke in class, the students were literally captivated by the substance and style of his teaching. The response was overwhelmingly positive. http://www.thecompletepatient.com/journal/2011/4/1/to-teach-next-generation-of-farmers-well-need-role-models-ho.html
.
I am pleased that Michael Schmidt will soon be coming back to New Jersey. The Northeast Organic Farmers Association has him on their program as a keynote speaker for its Winter Conference that will be held on January 29, 2012 at Princeton University. http://www.nofanj.org/winterconference.htm
Part of what you seem to be suggesting is that it will be necessary for Canadians who support raw milk to capitalize on the momentum of Michael Schmidt's accomplishment. It's natural after such a highly focused emotional effort by thousands of people for intensity to dissipate. It's a not dissimilar situation in the U.S. Supporters need to be sensitive to the tendency to rest on their laurels…when the battle has only just begun.
David
Go Raw Milk Freedom Riders and go Gary Cox for pouncing on the FDA's hypocritical announcement about not prosecuting individuals. We need to stand with our farmers.
So many thoughts that are fragmented here – sorry.
Good family farmers raising healthy crops and animals are continued to be oppressed and raided having their liveliehoods destroyed, their family destroyed, personal property taken, making a living doing something immensely worthwhile, THIS MUST STOP! They should be held up as the standard for creating good FOOD – everywhere! When I think of lawyers making much money going after these people blaming "their foods" for others health problems with all the other crap that goes on – continues scott free…THIS MUST STOP!
Consumers who have awakened to REAL food MUST realize that ANYTHING like vaccines (includes flu shots) and pharmaceuticals and consuming ANY PHOODS weaken and compromise the immune system IMMENSELY causing real health issues.
When REAL FOODS (from healthy farms and animals) are consumed they cannot be blamed for health issues. Consuming REAL FOODS can cause detoxification of the body – includes diarrhea and other things to happen. When detox happens, it needs to be allowed so that the body does what it is supposed to do, what it was designed to do.
People like marler clark and others pushing the fear based mongering that raw milk is dangerous are clueless. The amount of people made sick (and killed) by consuming pasteurized milk (dead and worthless to the body) and the other crap mentioned above, pharmaceutical drugs, vaccines is blatently ignored. This is WRONG.
From The Canary Party – their summary of the main issue at hand: Corporations donate huge sums of money to the election campaigns of government officials. Government officials of both parties depend on corporate donations to get elected and re-elected. Lobbyists from corporations write legislation which elected officials readily adopt. Both government and corporations are responsible for this mess, aided and abetted by the courts, whose justices are appointed by government.
Consumers must become conscious consumers and take responsibility for their own health rather than blaming other things.
"Last night we received some disturbing news. Despite more than 27,000 phone calls earlier this week and general outrage from the American people, we received an email that the leaders of the House agriculture committee (Frank Lucas R-OK and Collin Peterson D-MN) had most likely reached an agreement on the Secret Farm Bill and a decision could be announced as early as this weekend. Sources have confirmed that while House Ag leadership are ready to cut a deal, Senate Ag leaders (Debbie Stabenow D-MI and Pat Roberts R-KS) are still fighting over subsidy payments to the largest corporate farms.
We find these backroom deals to be an outrageous betrayal of our democratic process and another sign of how deeply out of touch politicians are in Washington DC. As we mentioned earlier, the Secret Farm Bill is being hatched behind closed doors by only 4 members of Congress and Big Ag lobbyists in an effort to reach arbitrary budget cuts to food and agricultural programs that will be proposed to the Super Committee to meet the November 23rd deadline.
Its widely agreed that the $23 billion in cuts proposed by House and Senate ag leadership will essentially kill the 2012 Farm Bill, gutting any chances for major reforms in food and agriculture until the next farm bill due in 2017.
Last week the Secret Farm Bill was supposed to be announced on Tuesday November 1st, but after more than 27,000 phone calls from Food Democracy Now! members you helped stall that process. Today we need your help again to make sure that the Four Horsemen of the Farm Bill Apocalypse hear the voice of the American people that backroom deals on major policy issues impacting the food that we feed our families, farmers and the environment cannot take place behind closed doors!
In the 21st century, theres no room for secrecy like this help shine a light on these corrupt and undemocratic negotiations.
PS Right now these four members of Congress are locked behind closed doors trying to shut down any chances of possible reform. Make sure they hear your voice today! Take a look at their record of Big Ag donations below to see if these are the only people you want deciding the future of your food.
The Four Horsemen of the Farm Bill Apocalypse
Zombies of the Haunted House:
1. Frank Lucas (R-OK) Current Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee
Lucas is so in the tank for industrial agriculture that earlier this year he proposed a hearing on the over-regulation of agricultural biotechnology.
Not surprisingly, during the 2009-2010 election cycle, Lucas received more than $317,000 from agribusiness interests, including $16,000 from Monsanto and $15,000 from the National Cattlemens Beef Association. What do you think they want now?
2. Collin Peterson (D-MN) Former Chair of the House Agriculture Committee
Peterson is widely known as Cargill Peterson for his love of defending industrial agriculture and has taken millions of dollars from agribusiness firms during his career; including $19,999 from Monsanto and $21,750 from the American Farm Bureau during the 2010 election cycle.
Vampires of the Seditious Senate:
3. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) Chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee
Rumors point to Stabenow as leading the push for the Secret Farm Bill because she doesnt want to have to deal with crafting this complicated piece of federal legislation during an election year.
If you think Stabenows willingness to throw out real reform of U.S. food policy because she doesnt want the headache during an election season, consider the fact that during the 2012 election cycle, from 2007 to now, Stabenow has pocketed more that $483,000 in agribusiness PAC and individual donations and is currently the top recipient of Agricultural Services & Products donations. Priceless!
Kind of gives new meaning to the term, Perks of the Senate.
4. Pat Roberts (R-KS) Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member
Roberts is a known industrial ag favorite, that during the 2009 Senate confirmation hearing of Secretary Vilsack he went so far as to draw an outrageous picture of organic farmers as GQ reading porch sitters. If that werent bad enough, Roberts has already grabbed more than $706,000 in agribusiness cash for the 2012 election cycle, including political donations from the National Corn Growers Association, DuPont, Pfizer and Syngenta.
This fight is really no different than the other things we've been fighting in the country for years. How long do we have to keep repeating, for instance, that after 60+ years we know that drugs and chemo and surgery are not the answers for cancers. The only and best answer is prevention. But still we hear ads on TV and Radio every day for drugs, drugs, drugs as if they were the answer to ALL of life's problems from the bathroom to the bedroom and beyond.
Or how about the truth about cholesterol? How long have we been repeating the mantra that higher is healthier than lower?? And still people don't "get it" because the doctors and the big goons in control of the $$ going to the legislators keep pounding the same old drum, and advertising stuff like Cheerios and oatmeal and having cholesterol lowering benefits. Tell us the benefits of lower cholesterol? There aren't any, but the public sure won't hear about from any mainstream sources.
We're not winning any of these fights, so the best we can do is fend for ourselves and do the best we can until we can't.
A. Quit fighting is the way to go for now.
B. Continue fighting.
Mr. J. Ingvar Odegaard
That is the "rock" bottom message from the Newest Cave Man "GOT MILK?" commericial in CA. In the recent past, there have been movie stars with fake milk mustaches, Mooootopia Maidens bathing in milk arguing about how shinny their hair is….there was the failed Milk as a therapy for PMS debacle.
Now this!!! I quote…."this is gonna be bigger than the wheel"
Knowing that raw milk is becoming very popular, why not confuse the consumer even more and connect all milk directly to the cow….THAT IS RAW MILK GUYS!!!
The California Milk Advisory Board ( Got Milk? People funded by Industry check off dollars ) has become our greatest Raw Milk Advertizement!!
I vote for # B.
But may I add a little more to B. Fight like your life depends on it…teach like your kids lives depend on it…cause they do.
Surrender is not an option when your kids lives and health depends on it. Surrender is only an option if you want to save yourself and your immediate family in a face of pending disaster.
I can agree with this as a last option when you have written off your fellow man and our country. Raw milk is at the core of how we will save our fellow man and our country.
Fight and Teach!!!! We got them running scared. Why stop? They are now running Raw Milk commercials with raw milk drinking cave men that are smarter than modern man. We have the FDA agreeing not to criminalize moms for transporting raw milk across state lines. We have CDFA agreeing that there are substantial differences between raw and pasteurized milk.
Charge the hill !!!!
This is huge progress.
Next time you share in Church….think about "Raw Milk and Honey". God is good and God is right. Jesus was a teacher and a fighter….
We abandon this fight…we abandon all that is good about this world and let selfish, greed based, fascist interests take over. Do you want Monsanto to pollinate your world?….you can not really escape from that eventuallity.
Teach and Fight….there is no option A.
AGS
Fix the gut…fix the lid on the kid.
"Fix the gut…fix the lid on the kid"
You can fix the gut when you say no to all those vaccines that are pushed from two months old and on . . .and then the gut really has nothing to do with all of this . . . but dead CAFO meats, processed junk and vaccines have everything to do with this.
Okay here goes and it is not very pretty:
MMR vaccine given to my husband's friend's kid at 18 months . . . perfectly fine developmentally up until the MMR shot given . . .now Autistic.
Another friend of mine has a nephew who was fine until MMR was given at 18 months . . . now severely Autistic . . .
DPT shot given to a teen that I know . . . developed Guillian Barre Syndrome . . . broken bones from long term predesone use . . .lifelong disability . . .
Family member told to give child "Soy Milk Formula" since mom did not want to breast-feed" and child was allergic to milk based formula . . shots on schedule . . .severely developmentally delayed at three years . . .
I can keep going on, and on, and on . . .
This is not just about Raw Milk . . . it is all the junk that the PTB in the FDA and the government says is perfectly fine for our kids to eat and inject. We have a damaged populace now that relies on handouts from the government to support these kids . . . .it never, ever ends . . .
My 12 year old son had a 90% chance of becoming severly asthmatic due to Severe MAS syndrome as an infant . . . . he is perfectly fine . . . and his diet is based on "Grass Fed Meats, Eggs and Raw Milk".
My kids are perfectly healthy and do not need well checks anymore . . . .doctors do not cure anything anymore . . . they are paid to treat using expensive Big Pharma Drugs that cause more problems than they solve.
And we all wonder why healthcare is so expensive today . . . . and we look at the government to bail us out and give us a single payer system . . . for shame . . .
Kind regards,
Violet
http://www.kilbyridgefarmmaine.blogspot.com
The answer to autism is not raw milk…the answer is less FDA and Pharma and their toxic lies that created autism in the first place!!! Raw milk is being used to help kids that are already injured with autism and present with a GUT in a car wreck and a brain that is trashed. That is kinda late…
Now the question is this…how on gods green earth to do we scream loud enough to stop this madness!!?? Who will hear your story??
I love the quote from Mike Badnarick when he said…."you bring your needle and I will bring my .45 and we will see which one makes a bigger hole!!"
Anyone that gets near my raw milk drinking grand kids with a vaccination needle is risking grandpas wrath. Stand and fight…be counted. Engage in our countries business.
http://www.ncsu.edu/faculty-and-staff/bulletin/2011/06/dunns-latest-wild-life-of-our-bodies/
http://www.ncsu.edu/faculty-and-staff/bulletin/2011/10/what-lives-under-your-bed/
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21228375.700-blood-platelets-get-a-new-job-fighting-invaders.htm
PLATELETS just got a lot more interesting. As well as helping blood to clot, they also play a role in driving immune responses.
When bacteria enter blood they rapidly become coated in platelets, says Dirk Busch at the University of Munich in Germany. These sticky cell fragments then direct bacteria to the spleen, where they are engulfed by dendritic cells – immune cells that trigger a full-blown immune response (Nature Immunology, DOI: 10.1038/ni.2140).
This process relies on the interaction between a platelet receptor called GPIb and a blood protein called C3, which sticks to bacteria. When mice bred to lack C3 were injected with Listeria monocytogenes, platelets failed to surround the bacteria. Instead, they were destroyed by a different immune cell, the macrophage.
Although the macrophages cleared the bacteria, the lack of C3 prevented the formation of immunological memory – which enables the immune system to remember foreign invaders and respond to a future attack.
Friend of mine went to Buffalo Wild Wings (ugghhh) to eat on Sunday. Got immediately sick afterwards with headache and nauseous. Told me on Monday and how drained he was. Dawned on me they must HEAVILY use MSG (known by about 24 different names – thanks to the FDA and USDA). MSG is used in MANY processed phoods and seasonings. MSG works to destroy the brain, leaving the microglia open and allowing continuous inflammation in the brain and causing neurological damage (watch any You Tubes with Dr. Russell Blaylock – a neurosurgeon).
MORAL – GOING OUT TO EAT IS VERY RISKY BUSINESS TO YOUR HEALTH UNLESS YOU ARE A CONSCIOUS CONSUMER!
Marler's answer according to his latest food safety push is to STERILIZE the food, cook it well so it kills all bacteria.
This is not the answer – maybe to FACTORY FARM PHOOD but certainly not GOOD SMALL FARMS DOING IT RIGHT. The fear mongering continues, cook it until it's tasteless and DEAD.
The FFA member last name Dunham (at the foodsafety link) took away from his talk that she needs to go get a meat thermometer.
I eat raw and close to raw meats, beef and chicken and pork. Would never do this from factory farmed meats!!!
OUR GUTS need good bacteria to help combat the bad. Most people get no GOOD QUALITY PROBIOTICS in their gut on a daily basis.
nancy
That statement is bothersome, from Goatmaid's link…. I guess finding ways to boost the immune system isn't feasible.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003539.htm
In regards to blood protein C3, if you are malnourished, then you open the pathway for many diseases, pathogens to over take the body. It is common sense….. or should be.
Now, those moms who spent $50 for a contaminated sucker from a kid that had chicken pox….that is not too smart. Chicken pox is an airborne virus or spread through the drainage from the rash…not spit. I would be concerned with passing hepatitis or other bacteria/virus through spit. Chicken pox is rarely fatal, adults tend to have a more severe illness with it.
I think every parent that gets their child immunized should have to read and understand all the potential side affects of each inoculation. They could then make an informed choice. I know tptb say the % of complications of vaccinations is very small….if it is your kids then it is 100% complication…. weigh the odds and choose what is best for you.
Many people help their causes in their own way. Just because it is not seen by all, does not mean that they aren't doing the best they can and they shouldn't be demonized because it is not up to others standards. Negativity towards those who aren't "in your face" only serves to drive a wedge and further distance people. Silent numbers are better than no numbers.
We do not encourage raw milk for mid to severe autism. Perhaps this is correlated with mid to severe leaky gut. I do not know. I do know that fermented raw milk can play a part of gut rehab. We have had hundreds of moms with autistic kids report dramatic improvement on menation after their Childs guy is healed up.
So….just for the record I do not go arround recommending raw milk for ADD and autism. I do however strongly recommend GAPS diet and that does include fermented raw milk later on the protocol. Each kid is different. It takes time to fix a gut. Do not expect miracles in two weeks. It is gradual and takes months and years.
Teacher yes….salesman No.
I certainly didn't mean that we should give up the good fight for raw milk or any other cause we believe in, I just meant sometimes things are easier for everyone concerned if the gov't knows less. (That's what my church conversation entailed.) Keeping quiet about source information is one of the ways we can do that. This is not a fight we're going to win, at least not anytime soon.
By mentioning cancer research which has taken us literally nowhere in 60+ years and mentioning childhood vaccination difficulties, etc., is just my way of saying "see what I mean". We simply do not have the resources nor the numbers to win fights about food, so our church conversation aside, I feel maybe those people are right to say we were better off before we made the front page and brought ourselves into the limelight.
Mark, it's easy for you to speak in those terms because you live in CA where raw milk is legal. Not all states have that luxury regarding raw milk and pastured eggs etc., and our small farmers end up paying a price for supplying customers who then blab all over the place and spoil it for everyone involved.
It's just another viewpoint, not saying it's right or wrong for everyone. But I do agree with those I've spoken to who feel we won't see another "prohibition" type success here. We can fight, sure, but the cards are definitely stacked against us.