Topic: SWAT team raids an Ohio organic coop
Atlantis75's photo
Wed 12/10/08 11:59 AM
On Monday, December 1st, a SWAT team with semi-automatic rifles entered the private home of the Stowers family in LaGrange, Ohio, herded the family onto the couches in the living room, and kept guns trained on parents, children, infants and toddlers, from approximately 11 AM to 8 PM. The team was aggressive and belligerent. The children were quite traumatized. At some point, the “bad cop” SWAT team was relieved by another team, a “good cop” team that tried to befriend the family. The Stowers family has run a very large, well-known food cooperative called Manna Storehouse on the western side of the greater Cleveland area for many years.

There were agents from the Department of Agriculture present, one of them identified as Bill Lesho. The search warrant is reportedly supicious-looking. Agents began rifling through all of the family’s possessions, a task that lasted hours and resulted in a complete upheaval of every private area in the home. Many items were taken that were not listed on the search warrant. The family was not permitted a phone call, and they were not told what crime they were being charged with. They were not read their rights. Over ten thousand dollars worth of food was taken, including the family’s personal stock of food for the coming year. All of their computers, and all of their cell phones were taken, as well as phone and contact records. The food cooperative was virtually shut down. There was no rational explanation, nor justification, for this extreme violation of Constitutional rights.

http://www.nowpublic.com/health/swat-raids-co-op-rural-ohio

robert1652's photo
Wed 12/10/08 12:05 PM
They say this is a free country but you are treated almost the same as the time of Stalin in USSR. At least the Russians did make no bones about the way they behaved.Here we pretend we are free but yet not one thing can be done if the above story is true.

MirrorMirror's photo
Wed 12/10/08 12:47 PM



:smile: We have NO rights.:smile:

:smile: We just think we do.:smile:

Nicholai's photo
Wed 12/10/08 12:49 PM
We live in a police state and I am at the point where I want to gtfo

MirrorMirror's photo
Wed 12/10/08 12:59 PM
:smile: This kind of stuff happens all the time but no one believes it.:smile:

no photo
Wed 12/10/08 04:57 PM
Edited by Bushidobillyclub on Wed 12/10/08 05:00 PM
My brother is an adopted slightly mentally handicapped guy (he is a little mentally retarded, has some learning disabilities and doesn't "fit" in with average people)

So the cops harass him NON-stop. If it where not for me intervening and in some cases threatening legal action against specific police he would be in jail now for nothing more then a cop not liking him and using my brothers lack of influence and his authority as a means to do what he wants. (it might even be racial (my brother is Vietnamese), but the cop is not stupid enough to give me any ammo, although threatening him with such legal action seems to have worked, apparently even complaints cause cops to lose out on bonus money and promotion so we do have some power . . . its just a risk to use it at all given how much power they have)

I am sure there are good cops out there . . . I just wish we could get lucky enough to meet some when it was needed.

hellkitten54's photo
Wed 12/10/08 05:02 PM

My brother is an adopted slightly mentally handicapped guy (he is a little mentally retarded, has some learning disabilities and doesn't "fit" in with average people)

So the cops harass him NON-stop. If it where not for me intervening and in some cases threatening legal action against specific police he would be in jail now for nothing more then a cop not liking him and using my brothers lack of influence and his authority as a means to do what he wants. (it might even be racial (my brother is Vietnamese), but the cop is not stupid enough to give me any ammo, although threatening him with such legal action seems to have worked, apparently even complaints cause cops to lose out on bonus money and promotion so we do have some power . . . its just a risk to use it at all given how much power they have)

I am sure there are good cops out there . . . I just wish we could get lucky enough to meet some when it was needed.


That's terrible. I know a lot of nice police officers, but there are far too many that don't need a badge or a gun. It seems to me they should have to do some hardcore psychological exams on people wanting to become a police officer. Probably wouldn't help.

madisonman's photo
Wed 12/10/08 05:39 PM
They must be criminals

http://www.mannastorehouse.com/about.html

Manna Storehouse
"For the bread of God is He which cometh down from Heaven, and giveth life unto the world." John 6:33





The Stowers Family & Manna Storehouse


Manna Storehouse began 9 years ago as a small ordering group called the Stowers Co-op. At the beginning, it was run by John & Jackie Stowers and their 2 oldest boys, Chris & Chad. Eventually we expanded from 3 families to over 60 regular customers. Within the last 3 years, we have gone through a major transition time. We began ordering on a weekly basis, plus splitting cases for our customers and selling the left over items as retail. Thus, the Stowers Co-op became Manna Storehouse, creating what is now a non-working food co-op.

One of the reasons we began Manna Storehouse was to make it as affordable and convenient as possible for people to eat healthy. It is our belief that food is best as God intended nature to produce; no antibiotics, growth hormones, chemicals, food dyes or other man-made additives. That is why we began searching out the best sources for all natural and organic food ourselves. We have been encouraged to find many farmers who are researching and working towards restoring their soil to the proper vitamin & mineral balance, therefore enhancing the nutritional value of the foods they produce.

In our searching, we have come in contact with farmers and families all across Ohio that produce beef, pork, eggs, milk, cheese, produce, poultry, grains, etc… When we talk with a potential supplier, we always go and visit with them to get a feel for who they are and what they do. This allows us to observe the surroundings in which they operate, so we know how their animals are being treated and fed, how their land is being maintained, and how their business is run. Doing this gives us an opportunity to establish and continue a relationship based on common goals and to share ideas and information on how to best reach these goals. All of the farmers we have relationships with have the same heart and mentality as we do about food; that it should be all natural, as God intended it to be. Plus, the majority of our suppliers are from Ohio! We love supporting local organic farmers and businesses as much as possible.

Manna Storehouse continues to be run by John & Jackie, their son Chad and his wife Katie, plus a lot of help from all of the younger children and grandchildren! Our goal is to someday have a building with a work/storage area in back and a retail area in front. If you ever want to contact or visit us, please feel free to stop by anytime during our hours.


Atlantis75's photo
Wed 12/10/08 07:33 PM

We live in a police state and I am at the point where I want to gtfo


See the problem is, other countries are as much police states if not even worse. I've traveled around in Europe and I have seen it with my own eyes.

I'm ready to go to find myself a deserted island. I'll live off from coconuts and oysters. But first, I gotta find myself a lady who'd join me. :smile: