The Nanny State is alive and well, and goodness knows we have covered the issue before (feel free to look here, here, here, here, and here for just a few examples). This particular article is just the latest illustration of a government doing what governments do: crushing freedom.
From the Independent Journal Review:
In recent years, the US has been tarnishing its reputation for freedom, due to these little devils called ‘zoning laws’. In essence, if your business, event, hotdog stand, or gathering is not properly zoned (or you didn’t run to the Nanny and get a permit), then you might be fined thousands of dollars or spend some time in jail. Besides, the existing corporations who’ve already bought the local politicians hate new competition.
Nowadays, you can’t host a bible study without asking permission from our all-knowing, all-caring Big Brother.
Evidence of this can be seen from a rally that took place in Virginia. What were these Virginian farmers protesting? Fox News reports on an incident where a farmer held a birthday party for a family friend’s child …so the local municipality will be fining them $5,000, because they were never asked for approval. The report states:
“Martha Boneta, owner of Liberty Farms in the northern village of Paris (Virginia), was threatened with nearly $5,000 in fines for selling produce and crafts and throwing unlicensed events, including a birthday party for her best friend’s child. She told FoxNews.com she wasn’t doing anything farmers haven’t done for generations, and at a recent zoning board meeting, her agrarian friends literally showed up with pitchforks to express their support.”
It seems, those in power simply love to …well… exercise that power. They become very offended when the citizenry denies them an opportunity. They are under the impression that they have a say in the littlest of things:
Boneta was told that she did not have the proper event permits for the party and other events, including wine tastings, craft workshops, and pumpkin carving.
“Why I would need a permit for a pumpkin carving?” she said.”
I am tempted to call this unbelievable, but it is all too believable at this point.
Now I’m sure the local government is probably confused by this reaction, since they are making the permits available… and that’s the whole problem. Why should a permit even be required for these activities? This is their own property! Why should someone have to grovel, hat-in-hand, to the government and ask “Mother, may I?” every time they want to do anything? Does this sound like freedom to you? ‘Cause it sure doesn’t to me.
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The election in November is going to be about ideas and ideology. It will be about government’s proper role in our lives. We need to take, not only the top of the ticket, but the majority of the down-ticket races, too. We need to win again as we did in 2010, when Republicans won 680 seats in state legislative races, along with 63 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, recapturing the majority. And then we need to make sure that the leaders we elect do what they said they’d do, and don’t give in to the temptations which power holds.
A win like that one, and we have a shot.
On a related note, Monica Crowley recently wrote a book titled ‘What the (Bleep) Just Happened?’ and in it she talks of the fourth branch of government. Crowley points out that most people believe “the Founding Fathers gave us three branches of government. Not true. They gave us four: the executive, the legislative, the judiciary…and the American people.” Basically, she says that the Founding Fathers anticipated that, someday, all three of the primary branches would all be in the crapper, and then it would be up to us. It’s up to us to lead politically, economically and culturally. She also quotes Thomas Jefferson: “Should things go wrong at any time, the people will set them to rights by peaceable exercise of their elective rights.”
This is our time, ladies and gentlemen. We can avert our own eyes, and hope that the gaze of government happens to fall upon one of our neighbors, or we can stand up and say “No more”.
Not really much of a choice, is it?
I’ll leave you with another quote from Crowley, which perfectly captures this issue. She’s talking explicitly about the Obama administration, but it applies to governmental control everywhere: “The vast majority of Americans are now sitting bolt upright. It took a while for the country to become hip to what Team Obama was up to, because nobody wanted to believe that any president, administration, or political party was capable of such deliberate destruction.”
Look around you. Look at our debt, our eroding freedoms. If there was any question before, there isn’t now.
Two Heads are Better Than One 
Excellent, as always JTR.
Thanks so much, Patriot!
News items like this get my blood boiling.
…..Why my blood pressure isn’t significantly higher than it is, I’ll never know.
And, if you haven’t read Crowley’s new book, do yourself a favor and grab it. It’s a fairly quick read, but it isn’t a throwaway by any means. She has some serious chops, and I’ll definitely pay more attention to her in the future.
It’s CLEARLY all about the “control”…..YOU will get a permit for what “Da Gubmint” APPROVES of you doing.
So, you want to have an anti-capitalist, anti-business, atheistic gathering? No problem! Here’s your permit!
But…..ya know…..that Faith-based, pro-America rally you want to have? Weeeeelllllll…..THAT may be just a bit too much, so NO PERMIT FOR YOU!
I’m with ya’, Pgh.
When the notion that our rights and activities can be approved (or, more importantly, DISapproved) by the government, we’re sunk.
Then it is up to the whims of the government official to do whatever they want, whenever they want. We were created as a nation of laws, and all men are supposedly equal before the law.
That’s out the window right now.
The argument which you hear from the Left on these issues is, “You want NO laws! You want ANARCHY!”….which is utter nonsense. A reasonable amount of government is needed, to keep the peace and perform the needed functions for our society.
When I get into this with Left-leaning folks, I usually give them my “ground cover” analogy: I have some weeds/vines on a section of my hillside which help prevent soil erosion. The weeds are attractive, and they work really well. They perform a necessary service, but I put them there specifically to do that service and nothing more.
However, when they start to grow into my yard (and they always do), I chop them off.
Simple, right?
You can trace all of this to the UN Agenda 21. In our local communities, it’s commonly called “Sustainable ” or “Smart” Growth. It all has to do with zoning and control and the eventual abolishing of private property. Look up Agenda 21 on Google, check out the map, read about ICCLEI, ect.
I’ve blogged about it as have others.
Is there such a thing as trickle down tyranny?
I would rather admit I worked for the IRS than reveal I was the birthday party and pumpkin carving permit inspector.
I may get Crowley’s book but it will be hard to open for staring at the cover…
I have a reply, Hatfield, but it isn’t G-rated.
Mr. G,
I’ve read about Agenda 21 over at your place, partner.
This is insidious, as are most of the UN’s activities.
It’s so much easier to control people if you can herd them ALL into the urban areas. I mean, what do folks need with their own land, anyway?
Then we can all use public transportation, give up our houses and cars, and live like the Chinese. Hey, maybe we can throttle back our standard of living to match theirs, too?
Yeah, baby, now THAT sounds like a great idea!
(**shudder**)
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