P.S. The Supreme Court said yesterday that the cops can't use heat sensing
devises to snoop on people in their homes. My little castle is feeling pretty good
about that.
Yes, that was a relief. And Scalia wrote the opinion. Very interesting.
But as to freedom in the home ---
Grow marijuana in your own home for your own use at home, it's a crime.
Brew beer or wine at home for our own use at home, it's a crime without government permission.
Have certain kinds of sexual liasions at home, it's a crime in many jurisdictions.
View certain kinds of pornography in your home, it's a crime. Just to have it on your home computer is a crime.
Even it it's computer generated, it's a crime. (We'll see what the SC says about that one.)
Have an unregistered gun in your house, it's a crime in many jurisdictions. Even if you made it yourself in your own home.
You may not want to do these things, but is your home still feeling so safe?
We're building a house. I knew vaguely that there were such things as zoning ordinances and building codes, but I had no idea how intrusive the government had gotten into our lives.
We are on a well. A well on our own property, used only by us, drilled at least 70 years ago. We've been drinking out of this well and it's been filling all our needs since the family bought the property in the 50s. But we had to have it tested, and when it didn't prove to produce enough water to suit the government, we had to install a tank that could be filled from purchased water in case our well gave out. What business is it of the government whether we even HAVE water or want to live a waterless life? Nope. We have to have a certain minimum flow to get our building permit, even though this same well has been doing just fine for 70 years.
We are on the waterfront. We couldn't build wherever we wanted to, but had to have the house 100 feet behind the bank. So boaters out on the water would have a nicer shoreline to look at. They didn't pay a penny for this property, they don't pay a penny of taxes, why do they have the right to tell me where to put my house so they don't have to look at it?
The house is over 4,000 square feet. Not huge, but has an internal art studio. So we have to have a sprinkler system in it. In a residence. If the house had been 3,200 feet and the 800 foot studio had been a separate building, no sprinkler. But because they're together, we need a sprinkler system. What business is it of the government whether we have a sprinkler system or not for a private house? The same two people will be living it it whether it's 3900 or 4000 square feet. Doing the same things. Why on earth do we suddenly need a sprinkler because it's an hundred feet bigger? And why should the government care?
Most of the regulations are not to protect other people, but ostensibly to protect me. I have to have certain kinds of wiring because I'm not allowed to choose other kinds of wiring and take whatever risks that may entail. I'm required to use low flush toilets even though generally it takes several flushes to clear the bowl and winds up using more, not less water. But if it's our well, and our septic system, what right does the government have to tell me what kind of toilets I have to have?
I could go on. And on. And on. But I don't have time or energy to. Suffice it to say that any sense that I have my own property and should be free to do what I want to as long as I don't bother or hurt other people is out the window. |
