Originally published September 8 2011
Gibson Guitars raid proves the environmental police state wants your wood products and guns
by Jonathan Benson, staff writer
(NaturalNews) The recent US government raid of Gibson Guitars' Tennessee manufacturing facility is now receiving widespread media coverage, thanks to a flood of reports that have appeared across the web in recent weeks, including here at NaturalNews. But beyond simply the raid itself is the reality of the new environmental police state that appears to be taking over, where personal wood products of all kinds -- whether they be furniture, hand tools, or even guns made with rare wood stocks -- are now threatened with arbitrary confiscation.
As we mentioned previously, the US Fish and Wildlife Service's (FWS) use of the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Lacey Act of 2008 to invoke the Gibson raid sets a chilling precedent for the environmental police to go after others, including ordinary individuals, who may possess wood products deemed unacceptable, even if such wood products were obtained legally.
You see, Gibson's import of rosewood and ebony from India was not illegal under either US or Indian law. FWS merely decided to interpret Indian law in its own illogical way, and invoke the Lacey Act as justification for its illegal raid. And if the agency gets away with doing this to Gibson, they will surely do it again to others.
The issue surrounding Gibson's imports had to do with specifics about where it imported wood was actually manufactured, not where it was imported. But even though both the US and Indian governments approved the exports, which they do for virtually all other guitar manufacturers, FWS selectively targeted Gibson for enforcement of a law that basically does not even exist.
Why did FWS do this? One reason, as we reported earlier, is to outsource remaining US jobs overseas (http://www.naturalnews.com/033506_Gibson_Gui...). But another reason is to assert strict control over the use of natural resources like rare woods, which are used in a variety of products besides guitars.
In other words, if FWS actions against Gibson are allowed to prevail unpunished, there is no reason why the agency cannot and will not use the Lacey Act to go after owners, traders, and sellers of other products that contain rare wood materials, which include personal handguns and rifles. Yes, when taken to its logical conclusion, FWS could theoretically invoke gun confiscation in the name of protecting the environment.
The American police state truly is growing at an unprecedented rate, which is evidenced by the unveiling of this new environmental police force that is eager to confiscate personal property in the name of enforcing (fictitious) laws. If it is not stopped now, it will continue to grow until not a shred of freedom remains.
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