THE RAPID INCREASE IN THE SCOPE OF peaceful activities that are prohibited or restricted through nonsensical laws and rules made by our political masters has made nearly everyone — often inadvertently — into frequent law-breakers.
My California town has an ordinance against having other things occupying private garage space meant for a vehicle. There are detailed specifications on the permitted condition of grass and other vegetation on private property, with allowances for officials to impose additional restrictions at their discretion. There are extensive rules governing home-based businesses, along with a complicated process requiring application for a “home occupation permit.”
Governments in every jurisdiction impose multitudes of rules on harmless activities, of which most of us are not even aware. Many of these rules are seldom enforced, except at the whim of a politician, official or private troublemaker who may want a convenient excuse to harass somebody.
One recent morning, I was conducting an open house at a property I was selling. I had just finished placing signs around the neighborhood announcing the event and was lingering on the front step, allowing my senses a treat. Birds chirped, neighborhood children called happily to one another and a gentle breeze brought the delicate scent of blossoming fruit trees. Nearby, a young man waited in a van for a girl crossing the field at the end of the street. One could scarcely imagine a more tranquil scene.
Suddenly, a white Ford Tempo, the logo of our town emblazoned on its side, sped down the street, careened through a U-turn and screeched to a stop blocking my driveway. Out leapt a woman, her face contorted into a snarl. Rushing toward the van, she shouted, “Hey, dummy, can’t you read?” (The area was posted with a “No Parking” sign for no apparent reason.) After dispensing with the malicious van jockey, the glorified parking attendant turned to me and shook her head, obviously presuming that I shared her disgust with anyone who would blatantly disregard a rule, even a senseless one. Handing me a card identifying herself as a “Code Enforcement Official,” she assumed a demeanor reminiscent of a “Dragnet” episode. After establishing that I was indeed the person who had placed an “open house” sign at such-and-such intersection, she explained, condescendingly, that city code forbids such signs.
She responded to my question about the purpose of such a code with a vague reference to traffic safety, injuries and legal liability.
When I pointed out that every weekend our town is virtually abloom with similar signs, including the very spot where I had placed mine, she admitted that signs are tolerated at specified times as a “courtesy” to the real estate industry (i.e., realtors whose trade associations are among the largest contributors to political campaigns). When I asked if selective enforcement of codes only against certain people or at certain times seemed reasonable to her, she grew impatient and hinted that only valor above and beyond the call of duty motivated her to talk with me rather than simply confiscating my sign as provided in code paragraph xyz.123.abc.
I chuckled to myself, as this public servant scurried off to put a stop to some other harmless activity, reminded of the benign overzealousness of fictional characters such as Barney Fife.
After some reflection, however, I realized that such incidents are not really laughing matters. Given government officials’ lack of accountability for misbehavior toward private citizens, had this petty tyrant felt I was insufficiently submissive to her authority, she could, with impunity, have embellished her account of the incident and caused me serious trouble.
Without the current plethora of unnecessary activities of all levels of government, many benefits would accrue naturally to all citizens. Among them, tax rates could be reduced, allowing individuals the freedom and resources to make improvements in their quality of life according to their own preferences, and we all would enjoy a more peaceful society.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 18, 2007. Read the original PDF.