Florida Comes Down on Widow Living Off Grid

Discussion in 'Freedom and Liberty' started by Minuteman, Mar 10, 2014.


  1. Minuteman

    Minuteman Chaplain Moderator Founding Member

    Got bullied by the local government
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    March 10, 2014
    En route to Honduras


    [Editor’s note: The following is an excerpt from an interview with Robin Speronis, the woman in Cape Coral, Florida who Simon wrote about recently that got bullied by the local government simply because she was living off the grid.]

    Simon: So, Robin, you’d been living a completely self-sustainable lifestyle, unplugged from the grid, collecting your own rainwater, harnessing solar power etc. since January 2013.

    Then the local authorities found out… and decided to come after you aggressively just because you weren’t plugged in to the grid.

    What happened?

    Robin: I was writing a book about living off grid, and I also have a blog where I published a few chapters—and my story got picked up by a local Fox affiliate, because they thought what I was doing was cool and wanted to do a special report on the topic.

    That special report aired on November 14 last year, and immediately the next day the local code enforcement came and placed these placards on my door that said “Do not enter, do not occupy. This property is unsafe and unfit for human habitation.”

    Simon: But you had been living there for eleven months.

    Robin: Right. And they decided to use the Florida statute for trespassing. It was illegal for me to be living on my own property. No notice, no hearing.

    Oh, and the code that they cited on that placard said that the interior of the home was unsanitary. Of course, they’d never been inside the house.

    Simon: I understand they applied some vague international building code… quite a stretch just to find some violation.

    Robin: Yes, the whole code is very vague, there’s no definition of what “unsanitary” means. They didn’t want me being an example for other people, so they just tried to terrorize me. But I won’t let them.

    Simon: Right. And since then you’ve taken them to court basically, and you’ve had an administrative hearing. Was that something that you pushed for or was that something that the city pushed for?

    Robin: Well, my story was picked up and got a lot of media attention. Initially the city backed off, and they were even ignoring my lawyer’s calls, hoping that it would blow over.

    But because I was technically still a trespasser in my own home I wouldn’t let this go away. So we had a hearing.

    The city read off five pages of assorted codes that I was in violation of. I already got most of them voided. So that was a big victory.

    Simon: This is so typical. These government officials look at you and decide, “We’ve got to get her. She’s doing something we don’t like.” And so they just come up with pages of senseless code violations hoping that something will stick.

    It’s all about terrorizing people, making them obedient, and readily dependent on the system. And anyone that defies that is an enemy to them, someone they have to go after. So they tried to make an example out of you and terrorize you.

    As I’ve written so many times before, we’re all guilty of violating some obscure law or regulation. They have criminalized –everything-. You can’t even apply for a passport anymore without being threatened with imprisonment.

    I’m very glad that you didn’t cave in. Thank you Robin, this is very encouraging. Best of luck with your case in the future.


    To your sovereignty,
    [​IMG]
    Simon Black
    Sovereign Man
     
    Yard Dart likes this.
  2. Mike

    Mike Ol' Army Sergeant Monkey

    No surprises there. Independence is frowned upon. How would they every coerce your vote?
     
  3. Yard Dart

    Yard Dart Vigilant Monkey Moderator

    If one will not stand against the government... how will the many? My hat is off to her.....[winkthumb]
     
  4. kckndrgn

    kckndrgn Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Off - grid living illegal in Coral Gabels

    And she has sued the city and won 2 out of 3 of the violations against her. The only thing the court said was that she had to hook up the city water, didn't say she had to use it.
     
    Mike and Minuteman like this.
  5. Snake_Doctor

    Snake_Doctor Call me Snake...

    That's just messed up.
     
    Mike likes this.
  6. Mike

    Mike Ol' Army Sergeant Monkey

    Government overreach and government bureaucracy
     
  7. Snake_Doctor

    Snake_Doctor Call me Snake...

    Yup, got a problem with our local gov myself
     
  8. bfayer

    bfayer Keeper Of The Faith

    There is a little more to the story, although I still believed the local government overstepped and tried to throw their weight around inappropriately. The government should be there to serve the citizens not dictate obedience.

    My understanding is she was using the city sewage system, using rain water to flush her black and grey water. The sewage bill is paid as part of the water bill. So in effect she was using the city sewage system for free. Local governments need to fund the services they provide for the health of the community, and when you live in a suburban area that means paying for your sewage. She wasn't.

    So in my mind the city is justified in their cause, but WAY OUT OF LINE in their tactics.

    The moral of the story is: Don't live in suburbia if you don't want to follow the rules of suburbia, but if you do, stay involved in local government to keep them in check. If you don't, the power hungry mini dictators will take over every time. Same thing goes if you have a homeowners association, if don't want some pinhead telling you what color your trash can needs to be, you need to either stay involved to keep them in their place, or move out.

    I'm glad she pushed back and didn't roll over, but she really should have been paying for her sewage to begin with.
     
    BTPost and Mike like this.
  9. Mike

    Mike Ol' Army Sergeant Monkey

    that being the case, she wasn't truly off the grid. But the tactics were definitely over the top
     
  10. Georgia_Boy

    Georgia_Boy Monkey+++

    If'n your going to be a nail, expect the hammer. In actuality I am 100% behind this widow in supporting her position. She has demonstrated initiative, frugality, and common sense. The leaders of this community need to hang their heads in shame. To use the power of gov't to punish her is just another example of evil.
    GB
     
    Mike and Yard Dart like this.
  11. Illini Warrior

    Illini Warrior Illini Warrior


    ditto guy .... everytime I read about someone being victimized by their local gooberment or homeowner's association .... it's a mutual agreement .... YOU shouldn't be there and they don't want YOU there ... and all these poor victimized people feel that they're entitled to break the law, have it THEIR way and try to force their neighbors into THEIR world

    if you want a garden in your front yard, have a mile high pile of "salvaged" goods, 15 different vehicles "under repair", an outhouse, a barnyard of livestock - all violating the local zoning laws .... MOVE ... you either shouldn't have never moved there or the urban world has caught up with your world and it's time to pioneer ... but you aren't entitled .... zoning laws are passed by elected officials who are selected by the majority of voters .... you might not agree or like the situation .... get your people elected to make changes to the laws or move elsewhere
     
  12. Snake_Doctor

    Snake_Doctor Call me Snake...

    Finally someone who see's that you have to follow the law,
     
  13. Minuteman

    Minuteman Chaplain Moderator Founding Member

    Yep, go along to get along. Good philosophy, worked real well for the Jews in Germany. Same philosophy as "What do I care if my government spies on me or taps my phone, I have nothing to hide."

    So she was using the sewer system, ok great, pay something for the service, but they declared her house unsanitary and unlivable because she didn't have city water or electricity. Her choice, none of the city's business.

    With all the myriad of BS "laws" on the books on every level, city, county, state, and federal, many which contradict each other, there isn't anyone on this board who isn't in violation of one somewhere. It all comes down to if and when you get on the wrong side of TPTB. They will find something you are guilty of and come down on you for it.

    "You have to follow the law". If it violates the constitution, such as many gun laws being passed today, then it isn't a valid law and you are not bound to obey it. But, hey, there were only 3% of the colonists in the 1700's that refused to bow down and obey unfair, unconscionable laws. The other 97% percent went along to get along and obeyed any law, no matter how egregious.

    Thank God for the 3%. It's the independent, freedom minded, and often lawbreaking radicals that change things in this world. The rest just follow along like good little sheep, going along to get along.
     
  14. Snake_Doctor

    Snake_Doctor Call me Snake...

    Damn dude, take a pill. upset much? How can anybody who conversed so calmly on the jesus myth rant on this? I was agreeing with him about the people who turn their yards into junk yards and scrap yards. I se too much of that here. I wasn't referring to the old lady, though she did break the law with the sewage thing and should have been brought to task for that, not the other stuff.
     
  15. Minuteman

    Minuteman Chaplain Moderator Founding Member

    Since this thread is not about "people who turn their yards into scrap yards" but about the old lady and how the local government abused her rights and intimidated her by applying liberal usage of inapplicable local ordinances and found her in violation of "laws" that they were only attempting to enforce to deprive her of her home and property, to use government authority to infringe on the rights and freedoms of an innocent person, then the statement that "We have to follow the law" is one to raise any freedom lovers ire.
     
    Dunerunner, Yard Dart and Falcon15 like this.
  16. Snake_Doctor

    Snake_Doctor Call me Snake...

    Did you actually read the post I responded to? Or go back and read my post when this thread was started? We're not allowed to respond to others posts? That seems rather Nazish. Hmmmm I argued with a mod this morning, and now two mods who have always seemed cool are after me in a five minute period... that doesn't seem strange at all.
     
  17. Minuteman

    Minuteman Chaplain Moderator Founding Member

    Seem to be a pattern there? What is the common factor? What is more likely, people are conspiring to go "after" you or that you're just very good at pissing people off?
     
    Falcon15 likes this.
  18. Snake_Doctor

    Snake_Doctor Call me Snake...

    Oh I'm good at pissing them off. But that wasn't my intent. And I certainly didn't use my training to do so. Two mods coming after me? You do the math. Tell you what. I'll just leave and you can just wallow in your hypocritical sty?
     
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