Pathetic: Korean War vet Johnny Ramsey, 79, gets 30 days in jail for junk on property, He sold junk to pay for wife’s medication
This just seems ridiculous and pathetic. People – and especially government – just can’t leave people alone any more.
Johnny Ramsey, the 79-year-old Korean War veteran who collected and sold junk to pay for medications for his ailing wife, said just minutes before court Thursday evening: “If I have to go to jail, I guess I am ready.” An hour later, Ramsey left a Clover courtroom in shackles – sentenced to 30 days in the York County jail for not cleaning up his yard eight months after a judge ordered him to get rid of the junk. Via Local News | Rock Hill Herald Online.
Locally, there’s a woman who would go around and get food donations from grocery stores and put the food out on shelves in her front yard for her neighbors who were having a hard time making ends meet. The neighbors could come and take what they needed. A kind soul, just trying to help her fellow man, but of course the city told her she had to stop because it wasn’t zoned for that or something equally stupid.
I will never ever understand what the purpose is of doing this to people like this poor man and the kind woman. If they aren’t hurting anyone, what is wrong with just looking the other way on some of these things? Really? Don’t they have actual criminals to harass instead of good people just trying to get by or lend a helping hand?
When did people start worrying more about the letter of the law instead of the spirit of the law? This stuff is just sickening to me.
Everything changed when the Police function changed from being peace officers, enforcing the peace and keeping it, and they changed to Law enforcement which means they don’t turn a blind eye on anything. It is not a kinder and gentler country now because of it. Its all about enforcing the laws, rather than keeping the peace.
Time was when decent local folk who’d grown up in the community has the authority to make things happen and make things go away. We’ve moved way beyond that. If you don’t have a Yale law degree and outside advice
Chipperoo, neighbors and church members did try to help – carting loads away and eventually putting up a fence to screen stuff from view. But even after eight months, much was still visible – and a contempt-of-court fine had not been paid.
OTOH, none of the people in the area had complained, only a govt. busybody.
Oh, my, you wouldn’t harass the criminals; they’re… dangerous. You have to get your authoritarian fix with the ones that won’t say bad words to you or hurt your feelings. Surprised there wasn’t a SWAT raid.