Of Special Interest

Not thinking about where our food comes from is easy, and this intentional ignoring is facilitated by the "food industry." The marketing of "food products" is a facade, and a distraction designed to befuddle our ability to discern real from empty, delicious from empty, nutritious from vacuous.

The "fast-food industry" is among the best examples of the bait-and-switch tactics of food industry marketing. Yes, everyone deserves a break today and there's a playground for the kids! "Mommy, can I have a Happy Meal?!" The distraction persists beyond the discovery of the mystery beheld when the wrapping comes off: a bun made from wheat flour (and other stuff) milled somewhere from wheat purchased somewhere from someone at the lowest price, grown somewhere (hopefully in the United States), pickle/mustard/ketchup (What is that stuff?!), - and is that lettuce in there? where's that from? - and orange cheese, and beef... is that really all beef? what does "all beef" mean, technically? Beef that comes from all-over-the-place, from all kinds of cattle, from all different cuts?

We worry about the calories.

It's no wonder the "food industry" is so concerned about "food safety." The problems with which it is preoccupied are those inherent to its existence. Having infiltrated the government, "food industry's" regulations have become laws which all farmers must abide regardless of participation - or non-participation. Enforcers of food industry regulations point the finger at the small farmer, drawing attention away from itself.

Meanwhile, small, independent, dairy farmer Vernon Hershberger in Loganville, Wisconsin is being pursued by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and the local sheriff's department for making available raw milk from his Jersey cows, if you want it.

Having an Amish background, Hershberger and his family conduct their lives in accordance with traditional Christian values. They do not place politics or economics ahead of their calm and humility.

Amish people are honest. Their honesty is intolerable to those of us in the greater spuriousness of Modern American culture. Their honesty requires no legislation or governmental enforcement. Their honesty burns holes in all the marketing, the food safety, the food products, the food perversions, the food industry, the Food and Drug Administration, and all of the good intentions of our public officials.

In times like these we might look for guidance to the principles of people like the Hershbergers instead of harrassing them with self-serving laws dictated by special interest. The freedom to choose should be in the hands of the people.

With so many people watching, do our elected officials want to ruin Hershberger and his family to keep a special interest group or two happy?

Today and everyday the food dictators busy themselves preparing and enforcing their agenda.

You don't have to buy raw milk if you don't want to.