Friday, August 26, 2011

First They Came for Kid-Run Lemonade Stands,IV

Then armed federal agents raided guitar factories like Gibson and seized wood, guitars and company records.
Wall Street Journal -- "Federal agents swooped in on Gibson Guitar Wednesday, raiding factories and offices in Memphis and Nashville, seizing several pallets of wood, electronic files and guitars. The Feds are keeping mum, but in a statement yesterday Gibson's chairman and CEO, Henry Juszkiewicz, defended his company's manufacturing policies, accusing the Justice Department of bullying the company. "The wood the government seized Wednesday is from a Forest Stewardship Council certified supplier," he said, suggesting the Feds are using the aggressive enforcement of overly broad laws to make the company cry uncle.

It isn't just Gibson that is sweating. Musicians who play vintage guitars and other instruments made of environmentally protected materials are worried the authorities may be coming for them next.

If you are the lucky owner of a 1920s Martin guitar, it may well be made, in part, of Brazilian rosewood. Cross an international border with an instrument made of that now-restricted wood, and you better have correct and complete documentation proving the age of the instrument. Otherwise, you could lose it to a zealous customs agent—not to mention face fines and prosecution."

15 Comments:

At 8/26/2011 3:34 PM, Blogger Michael Hoff said...

From my cold, dead hands.

 
At 8/26/2011 5:09 PM, Blogger Ian Random said...

I would like to see a law saying it is okay to record a raid as long as you are 6 feet from an agent.

 
At 8/26/2011 5:38 PM, Blogger Ron H. said...

"I would like to see a law saying it is okay to record a raid as long as you are 6 feet from an agent."

I believe that's already covered here.

 
At 8/26/2011 7:16 PM, Blogger Craig Howard said...

What can these people be upset about. Trees grow back.

 
At 8/26/2011 8:09 PM, Blogger W.E. Heasley said...

One can only imagine how many “jobs were saved or created” during the misadventure?!?

 
At 8/26/2011 8:15 PM, Blogger VangelV said...

I wonder what all those idiots who keep giving those benefit concerts think about the government now.

 
At 8/26/2011 8:42 PM, Blogger Hydra said...

True rosewood is an endangered species due to over harvesting. Trees grow back, eventually, if they have a place to grow and a parent to grow from.

This is not the first time Gibson has had problems stemming from using wood of uncertain origin.

Thirty years ago, when some rosewood was available at a price a shipwright friend told me that he only used the best mahogany. With teak he could work around a few knots, but with rosewood, he would accept a thouroughly rotten heart, and find a way to make it beautiful.

Trees do grow back, but there is an enormous difference in quality between a naturally grown antique tree with fifty rings to the inch and a cultivated tree farm specimen with ten rings to the inch.

 
At 8/26/2011 8:48 PM, Blogger Hydra said...

Consider this an exercise in enforcing the border. You do support the rule of law, no?

 
At 8/26/2011 8:56 PM, Blogger bee said...

It is shameful that this happens in the USA. Abuse of government power

 
At 8/26/2011 10:36 PM, Blogger juandos said...

"Consider this an exercise in enforcing the border. You do support the rule of law, no?"....

Well now hydra I'm not being sarcastic by saying you're bringing up a salient point...

Do you feel the same about reefer or cocaine?

Be that as it may I wonder if there are some places in the US that might lend itself to growing of these particular Madagasgar trees?

 
At 8/26/2011 11:13 PM, Blogger juandos said...

There is more on this story plus a talk with Henry Juszkiewicz of Gibson over at Gateway Pundit...

 
At 8/27/2011 6:15 AM, Blogger OBloodyHell said...

>> If you are the lucky owner of a 1920s Martin guitar, it may well be made, in part, of Brazilian rosewood. Cross an international border with an instrument made of that now-restricted wood, and you better have correct and complete documentation proving the age of the instrument. Otherwise, you could lose it to a zealous customs agent—not to mention face fines and prosecution."

Anyone besides me thinking of the "China" segment of The Red Violin??

 
At 8/27/2011 6:20 AM, Blogger OBloodyHell said...

>> I wonder what all those idiots who keep giving those benefit concerts think about the government now.

Not to worry, their OALP®'s** are completely protected by the Liberal Midnight Reset Button from harm of any sort.

The LMRB is one of the first things installed with obtaining your Libtard Union Card.

====
** Officially Accepted Liberal Position®

 
At 8/27/2011 8:51 AM, Blogger cluemeister said...

Note that there wasn't a lawsuit filed by the Feds. No visit or investigation. No, it was a surprise armed raid by government agents.

No charges filed. No way for the company to defend itself.

The CEO even followed the environmentally correct Forest Stewardship Council system for these type of woods.

Its almost like the goverment acted like judge and jury.

Does this look like tyranny to anyone other than me?

 
At 8/27/2011 9:33 AM, Blogger VangelV said...

Its almost like the goverment acted like judge and jury.

Does this look like tyranny to anyone other than me?


It is tyranny, which is what you get when you allow the state to grow too large and for the government to subvert the limits on power that were placed by the Constitution.

 

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