The Theft of Heaven

The federal government has acted to steal the land called Camp Zoe south of St. Louis that was the home of the "Schwagstock" festivals. Jimmy Tebeau, owner of the land and member of the band "The Schwag" took a plea deal for 30 months for "Maintaining a common nuisance." Under the un-Constitutional forfeiture laws, the government has seized the land.

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/schwagstock-host-pleads-to-federal-drug-charge/article_3b7ef3c4-b4b4-11e1-ac9b-001a4bcf6878.html#.T9ewGI6pkQc.facebook

Schwagstock was a series of gatherings on a piece of land that can only be considered heaven on Earth. You camped, either tent or RV, as to your choice. The land is nestled in the Ozark Mountains, just 50 or so miles south of Saint Louis. Hiking, camping, Hippies at play. Drum circles ran all night long. You could run around naked, if you wished. There were vendors, selling high quality tie dyes and jewelry, and some of the best food I’ve ever eaten at a gathering.

One of the natural landmarks is a stream fed from underground, clean, potable, cooling water. When I was there in July of 2010, it was hot. Ungodly hot. But an hour in the stream and you were cool all afternoon and evening. And the sweet smell of the Ozark mountain air permeated the area.

And of an evening, the music would flow like the cooling water of the stream. The Schwag would play, summoning the Spirit of Garcia and the Dead, and causing me a trip back to the days when the Boys played everywhere. Melvin Seals of the Jerry Garcia Band often played with the Schwag. The people danced and listened, and, for at least a few hours, forgot about the nastiness of the world of Fascism the United States has become.

Were there drugs? Of course. Tobacco and alcohol were present, and I’m sure someone there had really bad drugs like heroin, cocaine and meth. There was LSD and mushrooms. And the Herb was present. Contrary to the newspaper article above, you didn’t walk from table to table picking out your desire, but if you wanted some trip or bud, it could be found. It was a far cry from the pictures the federal pigs painted.

Camp Zoe was a place of freedom, which, of course, runs counter to the positions of the U.S. government. And the pigs came, arresting Jimmy and confiscating computers and equipment. Now, as is the dark focus of the federal government against anyone who might think for themselves, they will lock up Jimmy Tebeau for nearly three years for the horrid crime of owning property where people could enjoy themselves.

The government has no right to take these actions. The “Laws” that permit these thefts of land and life violate not only the U.S. Constitution, but natural law as well. There is vengeance that needs to be dealt here, and that vengeance needs to be in the form of a retaking of a government that has become so corrupt it would steal a person’s land and lock him in a cage for trying to enjoy life and share that enjoyment with others. 

The Whine Over Political Party "Spoilers."

I, from time to time, deal with the idea put forth by, mostly, Democrats, that Third Parties like the Greens, are nothing but "Spoilers" during elections.

This is nothing more than a whine that "If you compete with us you might cost us our power." The DNC has become as corrupt as the Republicans. DNC sucks at the same corporate teat as do the Republicans, and has no concern past their own power. The Obama administration has done little for the people; a few advances for the people with the healthcare act, a few minor changes in Labor policy and helped the LGBT community, but that's it. Billions of dollars spent propping up the banks that caused the economic collapse with the knowledge that the only thing trickling down on the people is more debt.

With a stroke of a pen, Obama could relieve the suffering of hundreds of thousands of Americans by reclassifying Marijuana as a medicine. Instead he wastes millions of our dollars in his stepped up campaign against medical Marijuana. Obama, crying alligator tears, signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) fully acknowledging the severe, negative impact on citizen's rights.

 As members of Occupy were beaten by police, Obama has said nothing. As President, he carries political weight and could have criticized state and local governments into observing citizen rights. He said nothing. The President, regardless of Party, will follow the Party Line, otherwise he/she will lose the support of the Party at best. Obama obviously followed the Party Line on these and many other things.

 Albeit, the Republicans are worse. But what we have is Fascism and Fascism Light. They're both Fascist, and both want total and complete control over government. Both major Parties are deep in the pockets of America's corporations, and both will do whatever is necessary to keep that corporate cash flowing into their coffers. The Green Party, as one example, does not take corporate contributions as the Party realizes this is the root of Fascism. The Greens put people first. Third Parties are, indeed, spoilers to the major Parties. They wouldn't be if the major Parties were doing the will of the people. If the Democrats want power, they need to support the people, not the corporations.

 As a caring citizen, I will not support a Party whose only goal is to maintain their own power. I've heard these arguments since the mid 90's, and they always boil down to a worry about losing power. If the Dems are that good, they wouldn't need to worry about it enough to complain that they have honest competition.