Arresting Americans for having a brown lawn

[rambone]

#1. Joseph Prudente, a 66-year-old grandfather from Florida, was put in jail because he couldn't afford to comply with the court's orders to re-sod his lawn. He said that paying his mortgage seemed more important.

Brown lawn means jail time

​

#2. Betty Perry, a 70-year-old widow from Utah, couldn't afford to water her lawn, as dictated by the local nanny ordinances. She spent a night in jail and had this to say about her experience.

"Don't ever say no when the police tell you do to something. You better do what they tell you no matter what, even if you don't have anybody to help you. You've got to do what they tell you or they will hurt you."

Woman Arrested for Not Watering Lawn

How many elderly people are you willing to put in jail in order to live in a little utopia with perfectly manicured lawns, inspected by the Grass Police?
​

 

[trnsplntfrmohio]

She says, "Don't ever say no when the police tell you do to something. You better do what they tell you no matter what, even if you don't have anybody to help you. You've got to do what they tell you or they will hurt you."

well she learned her lesson, do what big brother says or big brother will f' you up.

 

[jsharmon7]

These ordinances can be a little stupid, even if I understand the reason for them. I do, however, want to point out that neither of these people were arrested for having brown lawns. The first guy ignored multiple court orders when he could have just gone in and explained to the judge his situation along with supporting documents. It says he made a case to the HOA, but that isn't a judge. I see where it says the judge believed that the defendant had it within his grasp to avoid the arrest, but it doesn't clarify what that means.

The second lady was arrested for failing to identify herself to the officer and then attempting to go back inside and shut the door. Again, just tell him your name, accept the ticket, and go fight it at city hall. He didn't knock on the door with the intent to lock her up for having brown grass. He was going to write her a (stupid) ticket and she escalated it into an arrest.

The stories are trying to make this about people being arrested for having brown grass, but the reality is that they were arrested for other things.

 

[dross]

These ordinances can be a little stupid, even if I understand the reason for them. I do, however, want to point out that neither of these people were arrested for having brown lawns. The first guy ignored multiple court orders when he could have just gone in and explained to the judge his situation along with supporting documents. It says he made a case to the HOA, but that isn't a judge. I see where it says the judge believed that the defendant had it within his grasp to avoid the arrest, but it doesn't clarify what that means.

The second lady was arrested for failing to identify herself to the officer and then attempting to go back inside and shut the door. Again, just tell him your name, accept the ticket, and go fight it at city hall. He didn't knock on the door with the intent to lock her up for having brown grass. He was going to write her a (stupid) ticket and she escalated it into an arrest.

The stories are trying to make this about people being arrested for having brown grass, but the reality is that they were arrested for other things.

No, they didn't get arrested for having brown grass. They got arrested for refusing to take action after being ordered to deal with their brown grass.

A distinction without a difference.

 

[hornadylnl]

These ordinances can be a little stupid, even if I understand the reason for them. I do, however, want to point out that neither of these people were arrested for having brown lawns. The first guy ignored multiple court orders when he could have just gone in and explained to the judge his situation along with supporting documents. It says he made a case to the HOA, but that isn't a judge. I see where it says the judge believed that the defendant had it within his grasp to avoid the arrest, but it doesn't clarify what that means.

The second lady was arrested for failing to identify herself to the officer and then attempting to go back inside and shut the door. Again, just tell him your name, accept the ticket, and go fight it at city hall. He didn't knock on the door with the intent to lock her up for having brown grass. He was going to write her a (stupid) ticket and she escalated it into an arrest.

The stories are trying to make this about people being arrested for having brown grass, but the reality is that they were arrested for other things.

A king can make all manner of laws he wants that will infringe on our liberties. But those laws are pretty useless if there is no one to enforce them. The fact that officers are more than willing to hand out petty tickets and arrest people because they refuse to deal with them over grass is pretty telling. And people wonder why some make the correlation of enforcing these laws to more heinous acts against the people. Can you tell me what the magical boundary is between "it's the law, we have to enforce it" to "we can't obey that order, it's unconstitutional"?

 

[jsharmon7]

No, they didn't get arrested for having brown grass. They got arrested for refusing to take action after being ordered to deal with their brown grass.

A distinction without a difference.

You really don't see the difference? When someone is arrested on a body attachment warrant, it isn't because they owe someone money. It's because they failed to appear at a couple of court dates. Inevitably they want to cry and fuss about how they're being locked up for not paying a bill. No, it's because you ignored the court system and judges don't like that.

And as far as the second lady, the actual arrest had nothing to do with brown grass. It was her behavior.

 

[hornadylnl]

And as far as the second lady, the actual arrest had nothing to do with brown grass. It was her behavior.

If the law harasses me for something they have no business harassing me for, you can expect unpleasant behavior from me as well.

"We're going to search your home for no other reason than we feel like it"
"Get a warrant or go **** yourself"
"You're under arrest for disorderly conduct"

 

[jsharmon7]

A king can make all manner of laws he wants that will infringe on our liberties. But those laws are pretty useless if there is no one to enforce them. The fact that officers are more than willing to hand out petty tickets and arrest people because they refuse to deal with them over grass is pretty telling. And people wonder why some make the correlation of enforcing these laws to more heinous acts against the people. Can you tell me what the magical boundary is between "it's the law, we have to enforce it" to "we can't obey that order, it's unconstitutional"?

The fact that this officer enforced the watering ordinance IS stupid, that's not what I'm arguing. Officers don't HAVE to enforce every violation of the law they see, so that part is on that individual officer. My point is that the story is saying that "brown grass = jail time" and that is absolutely not the case here.

 

[jsharmon7]

If the law harasses me for something they have no business harassing me for, you can expect unpleasant behavior from me as well.

"We're going to search your home for no other reason than we feel like it"
"Get a warrant or go **** yourself"
"You're under arrest for disorderly conduct"

And whose opinion do we go by for what business the law has with you? We, as individuals, don't get to decide which laws we will or won't abide if we expect to avoid the legal system. You can decide that you don't think the speed at which you drive your car is any of "the law's" business but don't expect "the law" to agree when you get pulled over and issued a ticket. Society where everyone makes their own rules is called anarchy. If your unpleasant behavior toward an officer on official business causes that officer to arrest you, well that's your fault. Contact your elected officials if you think an ordinance should be repealed.

 

[hornadylnl]

And whose opinion do we go by for what business the law has with you?

Um, it's called the constitution and the opinions of those who wrote it.

We, as individuals, don't get to decide which laws we will or won't abide if we expect to avoid the legal system. You can decide that you don't think the speed at which you drive your car is any of "the law's" business but don't expect "the law" to agree when you get pulled over and issued a ticket. Society where everyone makes their own rules is called anarchy.

Here we go with the anarchy accusations again. Anyone who doesn't agree with every law I do is an anarchist.

If your unpleasant behavior toward an officer on official business causes that officer to arrest you, well that's your fault. Contact your elected officials if you think an ordinance should be repealed.

Official business? What isn't official business any more? We live in a society where a man exercises his constitutional rights (carrying a holstered gun) on his lawn and gets arrested for it. But it was official business though.

 

[jsharmon7]

Um, it's called the constitution and the opinions of those who wrote it.

Hmm can you show me in the Constitution where they said you can't be arrested for breaking the law? I missed that part.

Here we go with the anarchy accusations again. Anyone who doesn't agree with every law I do is an anarchist.

Again? When have I accused you of it in the past? Your post read as though you shouldn't have to follow the laws you don't agree with. Everyone making their own rules IS anarchy.

Official business? What isn't official business any more? We live in a society where a man exercises his constitutional rights (carrying a holstered gun) on his lawn and gets arrested for it. But it was official business though.

Making contact with a citizen in violation of a local ordinance, however stupid said ordinance may be, is official business. She wasn't just walking down the street and got arrested for not talking to the cop.

 

[hornadylnl]

Hmm can you show me in the Constitution where they said you can't be arrested for breaking the law? I missed that part.



Again? When have I accused you of it in the past? Your post read as though you shouldn't have to follow the laws you don't agree with. Everyone making their own rules IS anarchy.



Making contact with a citizen in violation of a local ordinance, however stupid said ordinance may be, is official business. She wasn't just walking down the street and got arrested for not talking to the cop.

So our founders intended to have a government big enough to tell you what shade of green your lawn had to be?

You specifically haven't made the anarchy accusation but many of the big government lovers on here have a lot lately.

If there is any one flaw in the constitution is that it didn't specifically outline property rights. My guess is the founders thought it akin to breathing. It was understood.

 

[rambone]

The fact that this officer enforced the watering ordinance IS stupid, that's not what I'm arguing. Officers don't HAVE to enforce every violation of the law they see, so that part is on that individual officer. My point is that the story is saying that "brown grass = jail time" and that is absolutely not the case here.

Ah, but neither of them would be in jail if their grass was the proper color for the nannies in charge. I think its perfectly reasonable to say that their lawns led to their arrest. God forbid a woman walk back into her own house without kissing the royal emblem first.

Society where everyone makes their own rules is called anarchy.

We are a long way from Anarchy, my friend. We are discussing multiple stories where the Police are telling people what color their grass has to be. They have a word for that, too. Tyranny. And (unlike Anarchy) we are well on our way to a state of tyranny, if we are not there already.

 

[hornadylnl]

We are a long way from Anarchy, my friend. We are discussing multiple stories where the Police are telling people what color their grass has to be. They have a word for that, too. Tyranny. And (unlike Anarchy) we are well on our way to a state of tyranny, if we are not there already.

The INGO translation definition of anarchy: If I believe 1,000,000 laws are just and you believe only 999,999 laws are just, you're an anarchist.

 

[SemperFiUSMC]

Where is the special place on the Interznet one can go to dig up two year old stories of injustice? Oh, it's INGO.

 

[jbombelli]

Brawndo. It's got what plants crave.

 

[John Galt]

Interesting thread going on here! I see two different views and what I am interpreting is AT WHAT POINT does the tyranny begin, when the government agent walks onto your property and making an issue out of the condition of your grass or when you refuse to "cooperate" with said government agent? It just goes to prove my point (to me anyway) that different people have a different tolerance of tyranny.

And no, I'm NOT an anarchist and fully believe in government (the one the Constitution lays out would be a great one!), but the fact that an issue escalated to the point that an elderly woman was arrested on her property over a lawn speaks volumes about our current government.

 

[SemperFiUSMC]

Interesting thread going on here! I see two different views and what I am interpreting is AT WHAT POINT does the tyranny begin, when the government agent walks onto your property and making an issue out of the condition of your grass or when you refuse to "cooperate" with said government agent? It just goes to prove my point (to me anyway) that different people have a different tolerance of tyranny.

And no, I'm NOT an anarchist and fully believe in government (the one the Constitution lays out would be a great one!), but the fact that an issue escalated to the point that an elderly woman was arrested on her property over a lawn speaks volumes about our current government.

No disagreement. This is just plain wrong on so many levels.

I just wish we could talk about current events close to home, not 2 year old stories from Florida.

 

[phylodog]

We are a long way from Anarchy, my friend. We are discussing multiple stories where the Police are telling people what color their grass has to be. They have a word for that, too. Tyranny. And (unlike Anarchy) we are well on our way to a state of tyranny, if we are not there already.

Not exactly. I realize it's much more fun to throw darts at your typical scapegoats but as usual your anger is misdirected.

 

[ocsdor]

Lesson here: If you didn't call for the police, then don't answer the door when they show up.