Armed Agents Raid Shelter to Kill Baby Deer--The Fawning Police State--The Apex of American Insanity

[HomerRamone]

In a case that highlights absolutely everything wrong with this country, Wisconsin state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) agents and sheriff's deputies "armed to the teeth" raided a non-profit no kill shelter based on multiple anonymous tips of a deer on the premises. Aerial photos were taken, warrant issued, and the raid ensued by heavily armed agents. The staff was corralled, not permitted to make calls and a cellphone was confiscated to delete pictures of the raid. A baby deer (named Giggles by the staff) was indeed seized and stuffed into a body bag...and then promptly killed by the agents. The presiding warden compared it to a drug raid to justify the SWAT-like tactics.
<...>
not only does this one state agency need to be shamed, America needs to own up to this shame internationally. If it takes shame to force us to deal with our problem of hyper fear and SWAT-ing of even the most trivial, non-threatening problem, I'm all for it. It is this jack-booted heavy-handedness that creates real danger and is far more terrorizing to our population than a vague threat of "terror" from some poor bastard we just took out with a drone attack without proof of guilt as he sipped tea on a mat in Waziristan with his buddies.
<...>
more news is coming to light. Like how the agents corralled the staff (essentially at gunpoint) and onsite contractors and refused to let them leave or even call anyone. How one agent seized the phone of one who was taking pictures of the raid and deleted the photos. How the agents went far outside the search for the deer and searched the residential quarters, clearly fishing for anything else when their own warrant made clear they knew the animal was in the barn. I've read of the callousness of stuffing the fawn into a bodybag.
<...>
people need to understand that what occurred in Germany in the 1930s, or Italy, CAN happen here. In fact, Americans may be MORE predisposed to this risk than other societies because of our "Exceptionalist" myths/indoctrination and our high percentage of religious fundamentalists. People will still be yelling "Godwin" up to the very day authorities show up at your house, applying methods more suitable to Seal Team 6 hunting Osama Bin Laden. If they'll gear up for a baby deer, imagine how they'll take you down.

MORE: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/08/01/1228320/-The-Fawning-Police-State-The-Apex-of-American-Insanity-Has-Been-Reached?detail=email

[Junkdrawer]

1. "Aerial photos were taken" - as in 27 8×10 color glossy pictures with circles and arrows...

This incident has Officer Obie written all over it...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice's_Restaurant

[DinahMoeHum]

2. aka Standing On A Brick To Kick A Duck In The Ass

[Faryn Balyncd]

3. This is a powerful symbol of what we have become.

[ConcernedCanuk]

4. Something tells me it would be wise for me

.
.
.

to never visit the USA again

I'm happy where I am,

why take a chance?

CC

[n2doc]

5. Good thing this is a Wisconsin State matter

Because if the feds were involved we would be hearing about how this is all 'alarmist woo'

Sad that out country is going down this well trodden path.

[Faryn Balyncd]

7. Unfortunately, you are right.

[Rex]

6. It was completely unnecessary.

nt.

[chervilant]

8. Why?!?

Does anyone know why they killed the baby deer?!?

[Crepuscular]

10. Because it's illegal to possess a wild deer

and the law requires that deer taken into captivity be euthanized and not released into the wild due to fears of spreading CWD. However much you may disapprove of the tactics that were employed, the fact is that the law in question is a biologically sound one and there are good reasons why wild deer should not be turned into pets.

It was illegal for the shelter to possess the deer, as it should be. What did they think they were going to do with it, let somebody adopt it? Keep it as a mascot? Sorry, they were breaking the law and while it's not the deer's fault that stupid people tried to turn it into a pet, but unfortunately releasing it back into the wild is not a viable alternative.

[Mojorabbit]

11. They have chronic wasting disease in the wild deer population and have a law

that deer cannot be transferred out of state to a wildlife rehabber. I just read the "out of state" quote in an article. I know there are rehabbers within that state so that seems weird to me. Perhaps they have a law where no deer can be rehabbed there. I only know the rehab laws for my state.
The deer should have been transferred to a wildlife rehabber who will have the knowledge how to raise it so that it does not habituate to people. Putting a deer out in the wild who sees people as friendly can be a death sentence during hunting season. There are ways to raise them so that does not happen.

At the end of the day, way too much force was used, the deer was put to death unnecessarily, and I am glad the story has gone all over the world and shamed the department. This is the best I have from what I have read so far. Perhaps others have more insight.
Peace, Mojo

[chervilant]

13. Thank you for helping me

understand this situation.

I live in an area where it's common for people to have quasi-domesticated deer. My sister rescued a fawn while I was away in college. One of my closest friends here had a 'pet' deer for years. The guy who lived in my rent house before me had a pet deer.

I'm not familiar with chronic wasting disease. I do think this could have been handled differently.

[indepat]

9. Para-military SWAT teams keeping America safe from lurking terra created by Bambi

Grotesquely unspeakable.

[Logical]

12. If this scene was in a movie, I would have thought the writer was an idiot. n-t