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Saturday, December 13, 2008

City bulldozes Frank Giglio's house, jails him

I often read that local politics is what really matters the most in people's daily lives, and that is where the activism and involvement should be. I'm of the opinion that if you really wanted to help people's lives for the better, politics is the last thing you should get involved with. Your time would be so much better spent working for charity or entreprenuership. Politicians, even local ones, don't fight for the poor. They are nothing but parasites, feeding off their host, the people, until civilized society is destroyed.

This past week held many examples of stunning abuse from local governments, from city up to state. For one, in Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood, they bulldozed a man's house because they didn't think it was well kept enough. The man ended up going to jail for allegedly threatening demolition workers with a gun. I can't say I blame him for trying to protect his property. Maybe there is an argument somewhere in here for allowing people to own any means of protection they can get their hands on. Especially larger explosives and missiles. In cases like this, firearms or handguns are woefully inadequate to protect your property. Perhaps if this poor man had some heavier artillery they would have thought twice about razing his home.

It's astonishing that such a dysfunctional, wasteful, abusive city government can find the time and inclination to level some old man's house. Especially one in such an old and historic community. Where does it ever end? I wonder how much power will people give these locally organized criminals before they realize they made a terrible mistake.

There should be an important distinction here made between a city government and a homeowners association. When I bought my house in Ohio, I had to agree that I would follow certain rules and restrictions on the property. I knew this before hand, and voluntarilly signed the contract, allowing them to have that power over me. If people want to live in a community where standards like this are enforced, they should form homeowners associations like this. Frank Giglio lived a neighborhood that didn't have this type of voluntary enforcement rules. He was perfectly within his rights to have unkempt property. City government's job, incompetent though they are, is not to enforce cleanliness standards in privately owned homes. Screw you, Cleveland government. You should all quit your political jobs and work in private industry.

4 comments:

rayito2702 said...

"I wonder how much power will people give these locally organized criminals before they realize they made a terrible mistake."

I've noticed phrases like this in many of your blog posts. But I think it's disingenuous to conflate lawlessness with your personal sense of moral absolutism.

Were the government actions legal? Sadly, yes. Therefore there was no criminal action taking place.

Whether the government was right to take such action is a completely different issue. And I think that's the issue you are trying to address. Namely that in the current state of affairs such actions are legal. And since such actions are (in your view) patently wrong the system needs to be discarded.

daryl jensen said...

Yeah, I do believe their actions are criminal. Just because what they do is legal, this doesn't mean they aren't a criminal gang.

In my view they are criminals because they routinely trample people's natural, god given rights and freedom. Until they stop doing this, I think we should recognize them for what they are, and address them as such.

rayito2702 said...

I have no problem with saying the actions should be criminal. But they are not breaking the law.

I, for example, think recreational consumption of alcohol is wrong. But it's not correct for me to say that someone who drinks alcohol is a criminal as they aren't breaking any laws. If I go around saying people who drink are criminal thugs no one would take me seriously.

Attacking people for conforming to laws which Mr. Giglio's neighbors demand they conform to undermines your argument.

Or do you propose that your city council members spend all their time looking for houses they can tear down, and are only using the law to justify such dubious actions?

daryl jensen said...

Theft and destruction of property are against the law though. Are you saying that it isn't against the law because they are the government and they can do whatever they want, even though it is in violation of their own laws? How is this anything other than theft and destruction of property?

I don't see how drinking alcohol can be applied in this case because it isn't violating anyone's property rights. There is a difference between something being wrong and something being criminal. Criminal law is (or, at least, should be) meant to defend people against violation of their rights.