Camp Zoe Seized By The Feds

[Idylwilde]

I have been around the area of Zoe for 26 years and seen first hand what went on there when they had 3000 people camped there. Nothing has been said about the amount of damage these big crowds do the environment on the Current river. All the waste that is put on the ground (Human waste) that washes into the water contributory of the Current River. I am sure before it's all said and done the DNR will be involved. A small Woodstock was what they were holding two or three time a summer.

They did have so called security guards on the property, but that was only a joke. The guards were part of the problem by ignoring the trouble spots. I hate to see anyone loose their livelihood with out having the benefit of defending themselves, But the law is just that the law and put in place by the people to protect the people who stood to be hurt by actions or reactions from illegal activity's. The enforcement of the law's in a small southern Missouri community could not have had time or resources to baby set these crowds. Little lone hold a raid on 3000 people in the wooded area at Zoe. So what should have been done?? The owner had to know what was going to happen and simply pushed his luck to a point that now he is in this shape. As the old saying given an inch and took a mile.

[Justin Spencer]

Thanks for chimeing in Idlywilde good to hear from someone with first hand knowledge of what was going on.

[Smalliebigs]

I have to agree with Cricket, Wrench and Eric on this one. We don't know what was going on there....I camped there once like Cricket and it seemed much more clean than most state properties I have camped in.

I don't like the Feds or State police taking anything from anybody.If it's some kids smoking a ton of weed, well that dosen't bother me. I also agree with Justin in the country unique events thru out the year are what drums up commerce in a already depleted commercial region.

show me some evidence that would support such a siezure...if it's just a little weed smoking and people listening to the Dead and and camping, then that is just plain wrong. Our society is going up the craper with how PC we think we are.

[Gavin]

This guys clearly an odds on favorite to get the shaft because of the alleged scale of the activities that went on there. No doubt about it. I think that he should have done more to stem those activities but it still doesnt justify the actions of the government. If they can take this guys property without a criminal conviction, they might be able to take yours.

This guy cleary isnt a no-nothing property owner, but there cleary needs to be some reform in the area of federal forfeiture law. Wonder how many no-nothing property owners have had there property taken? Say you have a rental house, and you rent it to a drug dealer by mistake. Your rent is paid on time & in full and your happy as a clam until the DEA breaks down the door arrests your tenant. Whats there to prevent them from filing suit to take your property away from you?

[jecuwilson]

The war on drugs is a joke. The Mexican border is a lawless area and they are worried about some hippies in E. Missouri? If they werent hurting anyone, who cares? It is to the point that the Law, and our Gov can do pretty much whatever they want. Who is going to stop them. They know they cant win the drug war. They just want to seize peoples' assets. Anyone ever drive thru Foristell,Mo late at night? Like 1:30 to 3:00 in the morning? I have been pulled over twice by those Nazis. Not speeding,wearing my seat belt, insured, everything legal. I didnt get a ticket for anything because I wasnt doing anything wrong. It justs pisses me off that they can pull you over, invade your privacy for no reason.

[eric1978]

...if it's just a little weed smoking and people listening to the Dead and and camping, then that is just plain wrong. Our society is going up the craper with how PC we think we are.

I'm sure there are also guys dropping acid and eating 'shrooms, too, and a few more that are doing the hard stuff. But the point I made earlier has been all but ignored, so I'll make it again...

For those of you who support this property seizure, I guess you're okay with the government also shutting down (just in St. Louis) Fox Theater, Scottrade Center, Edward Jones Dome, Verizon Ampitheater, Busch Stadium, The Pageant, Cicero's, Blueberry Hill...should I go on?

.....because I don't know what kind of concerts y'all go to, but I'm not sure I remember a single concert that I've attended where I didn't smell weed at least once, and the place wasn't filled with drunks, and by law of probability there weren't at least a few people there on acid or 'shrooms or even coke or meth. One thing I do know, though, is that every one of them drove home later that night, whereas at least some of the Zoe partiers just slept in the mud and stayed off the roads.

And I still haven't heard who these hippies were hurting. Anyone wanna tell me? I find the "poop washing into the Current River" complaint a weak one. Where do the hordes of floaters poop all summer?

[ness]

There's obviously a difference between a few guys passing a joint around in the dark in a crowd of 10,000 people and a small outdoors venue where hard drugs are openly consumed and sold, repeatedly, to undercover agents.

That's probably why your point was ignored.

[eric1978]

There's obviously a difference between a few guys passing a joint around in the dark in a crowd of 10,000 people and a small outdoors venue where drugs are openly sold and consumed, repeatedly. That's probably why your point was ignored.

If you think what happens at Zoe doesn't happen at a Phish concert at Verizon Ampitheater (or countless other bands with the same or similar demographic following), then I don't know what to tell you other than you're naive.

[ness]

Yes, I'm gonna guess sales and consumption of hard drugs, and repeated drug sales to undercover agents, isn't occurring at Verizon right under the nose of management/security. Have you got something solid to back your claim up?

[Smalliebigs]

IT'S THE DEVIL WEED!!!!!!!!!! If we were talking about a property owner that held concerts and served whiskey who's land was siezed and his accounts frozen by the Feds most of you would be in an uproar. Ness I hate to say it Eric's right you my friend are naive....drugs are beeing consumed and sold at all venues in the big city during concerts....hell I smelt weed at the Sesame Street on Ice show @ Scottrade....bottom line is the guberment shouldn't be allowed to sieze anyone's property....the war on certain drugs is a joke!!!!!