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ORGANIC VEDIC THUGGERY

August 31, 2007

There's a new Weekly Standard article up about the state of eminent domain in Iowa under the restrictions passed in 2006 on government property seizures. It makes the case that the reforms, passed over the Governor's opposition, still have loopholes.

This had escaped our notice:

Then there's the case of Maharishi Vedic City (population 420), a town founded in 2001 by followers of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the Transcendental Meditation guru. The city government named Sanskrit the official language, adopted the use of an alternative currency (the Raam Mudra), and banned the sale of any food not grown organically. Bob Palm owns a 149-acre farm on Vedic's border. When he and his brothers began toying with the idea of building a hog farm on their land, the Vedic city council made noises about seizing the farm and turning it into a public park because, as the city's attorney told the Associated Press, "It would be a very difficult situation for the city if a hog confinement is built on its boundaries." The city has drafted a proposal to buy the farm and "if that plan fails, they expect to use eminent domain to force the sale of Palm's land."

Sorry, buddy. The harmony of the Unified Field requires you to hit the road, and if you don't go along peacefully, armed men with the authority of the state will drag you away. Peace out.

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