Freedom?

Today I showed a news video that I recorded long ago about a man in the D. C. area who was jailed for planting trees on his golf course in the wrong place.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=24166

The county gave approval to the man, then later the county hired a new arborialist (what a title!) who interpreted zoning regulations differently. The property owner was ordered to change $125,000 worth of landscaping. He refused and was thrown in jail for contempt of court.

He had planted trees too close to the neighbor's yard according to the new arborialist. The neighbor was the property owner's father, who did not care where the trees were.

The county also required that the man construct a nature trail that led to an eight lane highway. Further, a hill behind the clubhouse was in violation of zoning ordinances, but the commission refused to say what was wrong with the hill (too high? too low?).

Eventually the county required that the man plant more trees.

The Declaration of Independence says that we are endowed with the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. "The pursuit of happiness" meant property rights.

When government takes away property rights at will, then we are one step from slavery.