raw milk is dangerous

Science is NOT the Enemy! 

I was searching the web hoping to find other blogs dedicated to healthy and green living, when I came across this blog post at Beyond Organic:

When Food Becomes a Crime 

I skimmed through in a panic. The headline, "Farmer Charged Criminally for Providing Fresh Food to Mothers" immediately grabbed my attention. Oh my goodness, how could this be!! 

As I read on, I was shocked. Absolutely shocked! And incredibly saddened. 

Read on to find out why...(Warning! Super Sarcasm Mode Has Been Activated!)

Background

"According to their report, a civil disobedience action and rally will be held this month to protest the upcoming trial of Alvin Schlangen, a farm club buying manager in Minneapolis. His crime? Selling local farm foods to mothers who wanted fresh fruits and vegetables for their children."

NO way! A farmer arrested because he sold women mothers fresh fruits and vegetables?? But how. Why? I don't understand!! 

Wait, there's more! 

"The Minnesota Department of Agriculture allegedly conducted investigations, sent warning letters to several mothers, and threatened that if they continued to help provide fresh food to their friends and neighbors that they would be subject to criminal charges and prosecution."

So the women mothers could be arrested for providing fresh FOOD to their friends? This is just insane! I kept looking for answers, though, because this really wasn't making sense. Then, they wrote...

"If Schlangen is found guilty of misdemeanor charges of handling food without a permit, mislabeling food, and handling unprocessed, fresh milk..."

"Drinking E. Coli Raw Milk is Not A Crime!"

Ahhh...well that's a red flag! So, I did my own search. I even found the original "source" for the guest post that was on Beyond Organic. On the FarmFoodFreedom website, there was an announcement of a demonstration that happened last year. This demonstration was a little more upfront about the background (The news article seems to be more of an update):

"A group of mothers from across the country who feed their children raw milk plan to hold a demonstration to protest the FDA’s crackdown on raw milk production and distribution, arguing that the government campaign not only criminalizes raw milk, but criminalizes the American citizens who buy and consume it."

Okay now it made a little more sense why the blog post kept saying mothers (I was wondering why they were so specific...) and why the blog post tried to avoid saying "raw milk" as much as possible, using instead words like "food" and "fruits and vegetables.

The issue here is really about raw milk, and that's it. 

Let's Talk About Science

Okay. What's going on here? I don't get it. People are fighting for the "freedom to choose" to drink something that is dangerous for their health? And to be able to give it to their children? 

Say What?

Over at naturalnews.com, they give a fair and balanced report, full of scientific evidence to support their claims a ridiculous summary of the situation.

"In Minnesota, a mother's struggle to raise her children, and to provide them with a complete and healthy diet has come under scrutiny from local civil courts."

Healthy, you say? Let's look at the facts. You know, those things that science helps us figure out... 

What is Raw Milk?

Raw milk is unpasteurized milk.

Is RAW MILK Bad for EVERYONE, Though? 

Certain groups are at a HIGHER risk for getting sick than others.

• Children
• Pregnant Women
• The Elderly
• People w/ weakened immune systems

Why Does Milk Get Pasteurized? 

Because over 100 years people got diseases and infants were dying from drinking raw milk. Raw milk has harmful bacteria in it. Not the good kind (like those found in yogurt). It's bacteria that can harm you and make you sick. Bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria. 

Pasteurization gets rid of these bacteria.

How Does Milk Get Pasteurized?

It gets heated up real hot, bad bacteria dies.

Is Pasteurized Milk Less Healthy (less nutrients, etc) than Raw Milk?

No.

But...but...doesn't raw milk help with / prevent / reduce allergies?

No.

But...but...doesn't raw milk help with asthma? 

No.

But...but...doesn't raw milk help with / prevent/ cure lactose intolerance?

Seriously??? No!!!

But...but...

Oh Yea? Well... How Do You Know?

Sources: 

FDA (a.k.a. the people and scientists hired to make sure our FOOD/DRINKS are SAFE!)

• The dangers of raw milk
• Raw milk may pose health risk 
• Raw milk misconceptions and the danger of raw milk consumption
• this one includes SCIENTIFIC sources as well!

CDC (a.k.a. the people and scientists hired to prevent a bunch of illnesses and diseases)

• Food safety and raw milk

RealRawMilkFacts.com

• All sorts of information about the dangers of raw milk (While still saying that people should be able to purchase it if they want?)

FoodSafety.org (just for good measure)

• Myths about raw milk

"Freedom to Choose"

I also didn't understand how people were trying to use the argument that they have the "freedom to choose" to drink raw milk.

Like they were quoted as saying in this article over at infowars.com:

It is my right to contract privately with a farmer for the food of my choice just as it is the right of every American,” says Melinda Olson a mother and recipient of one of the MDA’s letters. 

Is it? I must have missed that section in the Bill of Rights.

Must've been the 11th right...

Olson continued on:

“The MDA’s harassment against mothers will not work. We plan to ignore this warning and continue operating as we are. MDA should not waste taxpayer money investigating, prosecuting and jailing peaceful farmers and mothers for helping their communities secure fresh foods. Our time to stand up against this tyranny is now!”

Actually...I'm pretty sure that taxpayer money is used to conduct investigations about peoples' actions that could harm society. Raw milk is dangerous. It's dangerous to give it to kids. These families (I'm sure there are some fathers involved somewhere in all this, too) are giving children harmful foods. I'm not quite sure how that's tyranny. Is it okay to spend money on hospitalizations because you got sick from purchasing something that doctors already told you could make your kids sick?

And I like how the dangerousness of raw milk is downplayed by naturalnews:

Twenty of the fifty states explicitly ban the sale of raw milk across state lines, because of the possibility that it may be contaminated with disease causing bacteria such as Listeria, Campylobacter, Salmonella, or E. coli. (Emphasis Added)

mmm...got vomiting, diarrhea, and cramps?

Right. The "possibility" that it "may be" contaminated with things like E. coli. You know...the harmless bacteria that could cause children to have kidney failure (E. coli) or women to miscarry if they're pregnant (Listeria). But who needs science?

Yes, yes--cigs and alcohol are dangerous and yet you can buy those, right?! 

FREEDOM!!!!!!!!

Except...you can't. At least, not everyone can. There are regulations, age restrictions, laws. And, parents will still get in trouble (or, are supposed to according to the law book) if they provide their minor children with either. So...yea. And, last I checked, people tend to be less sympathetic when someone gets lung cancer because they smoked (one of the reasons lung cancer funding is one of the lowest--just look at the money).

One More Thing...

Just because you know a guy, who knows a girl, who knows a guy that drinks raw milk and is fine, that doesn't disqualify the mounting scientific evidence that shows how dangerous raw milk can be. Can people drink it and be healthy? Of course it happens. There are people who smoke their whole lives and never get lung cancer.  Does that mean I should run out and buy cigs right now?

In Conclusion

Science is our FRIEND!