A Modern Woman's Perspective On The Kingdom of God on Earth


June 23, 2012

Saturday Morning Commentary: Guard Your Garden!

     Denise Morrison, of Tulsa Oklahoma, recently came under fire from the local code enforcement team.  Her crime?  Growing a "survival garden".  You see, after becoming unemployed, she decided to become self-sufficient, growing her own food and medicinal herbs rather than accept government assistance.
     She filled her yard with things like, fruit trees, berries, nut trees, and a wide variety of edible and medicinal herbs. She used these herbs to treat her diabetes, high-blood pressure and arthritis.  She had received warnings before, so she made sure that her garden met all the required ordinances; no plant was over the 12-inches tall that was mandated by code. She also made sure that every plant in her garden could be eaten.
     But apparently the city did not honor her responsible behavior.  According to Denise, “Every word out of their mouth was, ‘we don’t care’ .”   So what was their final action?  Over 100 plants were removed, leaving Denise with no way to feed or medicate herself.  They even took the fruit and nut trees.  Without committing any crime, the government came in and destroyed her garden.  Denise sat in her driveway and allowed herself a good cry; and then she just drove away.
     So apparently, if you want to be self-reliant and live a sustainable lifestyle, it is now a crime.  What this story is really about is Property Rights and Eminent Domain. Take, for instance, the heart-breaking story of Andrew Wordes of Roswell, Georgia, who fought the city for the right to raise chickens in his backyard.  He fought the City and initially won.  But further investigation found that his property was targeted for "city improvements" because it actually sat right in the middle of a planned city park.  The chickens were just a catalyst for the City of Roswell to unlawfully seize his land.  After the initial win, the City made Andrew's life a living hell; trying to foreclose on the home and ultimately arresting him.  Upon release from jail, he refused to leave his home and when authorities came to remove him, they were met with an explosion.  Andrew had had enough, and ended his life.
     In California, government officials formed "nuisance abatement teams" to intimidate people in giving up their lands, or hooking back into the grid.  And now the Department of Homeland Security has joined forces with the Environmental Protection Agency and are creating environmental justice units to "combat environmental inequities", supposedly to avoid burdening minority and low-income populations with a disproportionate share of any adverse human health or environmental risks associated with our (DHS) efforts to secure the Nation.  It's my thinking that they can use this "Environmental Justice Strategy" to tell you and me that we can't use our own land as we see fit.  No more gardens, no more chickens, no more fruit orchards, no sustaining ourselves.
     Where does it end?  And what can we possibly do to defend our rights?  When growing a garden becomes a crime, it's time to unite.  These individuals tried to stand up to the system and lost.  Eminent Domain will be the death of Liberty in this country.  It all comes down to this ..... If we rely on ourselves, then we don't need the Government.  And they can't have that, now can they?
   

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