by Suzanne Reisig Olden

A curious but ground shifting phenomenon is occurring in the media.  Not the main stream media (MSM), but rather in the secondary and tertiary levels of alternate reporting media sources (ARMS).  ARMS individuals and writing cooperatives are now breaking the news in a very specific area of investigative research; that of monitoring local, state and federal governmental overreach.  And they have a lot to report; in an especially critical election year.  November is a mere few months away and, given the MSM’s apparent partisan twist to “news”, more people are turning to ARMS sites from which they are reviewing unfiltered information.

We provide an example of governmental overreach below, with an end explanation of why we chose to focus on a local example (as opposed to big government’s arrogant and intentional overstepping.)

News broken by:  Food Renegade blog   (Reported June 21, 2012)

Until August 11, 2011, Denise Morrison of Tulsa, Oklahoma, had lush green gardens covering a vast portion of her property.  Carefully designed, implemented and maintained beds of beautiful flowers, flourishing shade trees, lush full plants and bushes…  Until a neighbor complained about the height of her plants.  At her previous residence, Ms. Morrison had encountered similar issues with property garden codes so she carefully and fully researched her new home’s garden regulations to endure that she was not in violation of any of the applicable local ordinances.

Tulsa code states that plants may not be more than 12-inches tall unless they may be used for human consumption.  All of her plants were consumable.  Morrison intentionally grew such plants to holistically treat her diabetes, high blood pressure, and arthritis.  Her plants included stevia, vegetable plants and trees that bore fruits and nuts, among many other flora consumables.  She had photographic proof of her garden’s content and appearance. While not exactly the New York Botanical Gardens, her property’s blooms were lush, weed free and well maintained.

Nonetheless, she received a citation from the city for having overgrown (too tall) plants and trees on her property.   The judge, having heard the matter, postponed (heavy court schedule or Bahamian trip?) any decision in the matter for several months.  Three days after this hearing, Ms. Morrison woke to find city workers in her yard destroying her gardens and cutting down her trees, without her permission or that of the court.  After they left, her yard looked like a war zone, and now, not when it was occupied by loving and curative and shady plants, was it a neighborhood eyesore.  Not even the smaller plants, those well under 12 inches in height were spared the whacking.  Several months later, the court ruled in her favor; that her gardens were NOT in violation of any related city code.

A few additional components to this matter:   When advised of the code’s wording, the city workers destroying her gardens and plants replied, “We don’t care.”    Ms. Morrison even explained that she was unemployed and uninsured and these gardens were her only source of food and medication.  As opposed to requesting government assistance in the form of medical and food welfare, she had attempted to be self-reliant and grow her own food and medication.   It’s almost (?) as if the government would rather people become dependent on its seemingly bottomless coffers of public assistance monies than maintain self-sustainability.

So why did we choose an example of  local  governmental overreach?  The gradual degradation and loss of one’s basic freedoms and constitutionally enumerated rights always begins on a parochial level.  The divide and conquer theory of governance has a well proven historical track record of succeeding in the oppression of a people.   No Chicken Little perspective.  Simply that by becoming kowtowing ninnies, we tacitly allow the all-controlling Nannies.

Our Operatives: Street smart; info savvy.

As always, stay safe.

Related articles

• Woman’s Survival Garden Seized and Destroyed by Authorities (itmakessenseblog.com)
• Woman’s Survival Garden Seized and Destroyed by Authorities (offgridsurvival.com)
• Tulsa Officials Destroy Woman’s Survival Garden (reason.com)

Filed under: In The News, information, invasion of privacy, legal, Legal Decisions, opinion, property | Tagged: Garden, Governemental Overreach, Litigation, Morrison, Personal Rights, Tulsa Oklahoma, US Constitution | 7 Comments »