LF: Welcome To Amerika: Family Fined, Threatened With Jail for Building a Sand Castle

Title: Welcome To Amerika: Family Fined, Threatened With Jail for Building a Sand Castle
Source: Free Thought Project
URL Source: http://thefreethoughtproject.com/we ... il-for-building-a-sand-castle/
Published: Apr 1, 2017
Author: Matt Agorist
Post Date: 2017-04-01 14:32:49 by Deckard
Keywords: None
Views: 21708
Comments: 146

Panama City Beach, FL — In the ostensible land of the Free, cops claim the legal authority to extort money from you, or even kidnap you for a slew of activities which have no victim. Window Tint, smoking a plant in you own home, not wearing your seatbelt, walking across the street, sagging your pants, and even juggling — can and will get you extorted, kidnapped, caged, or even killed. Now, as a recent case in Florida illustrates, we can add building a sand castle to that long list of victimless “crimes.”

Bryant Rylee and his family were at the beach last week building an awesome sand castle when they were confronted by police. The officer, who was ‘protecting society’ by patrolling the beach for illegal sand castles, told the Rylees that their sand castle was in violation of the law.

At first, Rylee thought the officer was joking. After all, he and his son were harming no one while building their most epic castle. In a Facebook post, Rylee explains that it is ‘illegal’ to build a sand castle with a hole deeper than two feet. However, he explained that their hole was only one foot deep, so there was no way it was in violation.

It wasn’t the hole from which the cop was protecting society, though — it was Rylee’s son’s equipment that was criminal. According to their obscure ordinance, only plastic tools are allowed on the beach, and they had some metal ones.

It is important to note that the officer explained to Rylee that she would let him off with a warning if he simply filled in the hole. But Rylee wasn’t buying it. He wanted to know what ordinance he was violating.

It was Rylee’s questioning of authority which led to police escalating the call. When her authority was put into question, the officer brought in backup.

Before the officer could tell Rylee which ordinance he was violating, the family was surrounded by police. In fact, four patrol units would show up and sit there for 20 minutes before any of them could produce the law which said metal beach toys were illegal.

After it was all over, as Rylee explains, the construction of a sand castle cost him $25 and could’ve cost him $500 and up to 60 days in jail.

When building a sand castle becomes a criminal act, it is high time we question where this ostensible Land of the Free is headed.

This is the sand castle that cost me a $25 fine & could have cost me up to $500 & no more than 60 days in jail. Incase you didn't know, at Panama City Beach you can't dig deeper than 2ft & not exceeding 2ft long on the beach & you can't use any metal tools. I've been going to PCB for spring break for over 13 yrs, we've always built things digging with metal tools. So be sure you study your ordinances before you make a trip. My big mistake was asking the ordinance number & asking to see the ordinance. Apparently the beach patrol lady didn't like that so she called for back up...

That's when three other units arrived on the scene. One officer said, if I'd just cover the castle, I wouldn't get a ticket but if I must inquire or see the ordinance, I will receive a ticket. It took them 20 minutes to find the ordinance & it's not exactly the way they quoted. It said "2ft deep" but it didn't say "not more than 2ft long" & since I had dug only about 1ft deep, I was only ticketed for my metal tools. I do support law enforcement & pray daily for their protection. And I do believe that "we the people" have a right to ask what ordinance number or to see the ordinance. So... How many cops does it take to shut down a sand castle bandit & his son? The answer is 4! Be careful out there!

Well, here we go again. As far as I'm concerned, anything that happened after he refused a reasonable offer is on him. Asshole.

Yeah sure - he should have just bent over and taken it. That's what you'd do, right paulsen?

You'd never question any cop or ask to see the ordinance that you are supposedly violating.

For politely asking what law he had broken and asking to be shown a copy of the ordinance?

You mean set up a mini-courtroom on the beach to present evidence and call witnesses? You sure you want the police to do that, not a judge?

This may come as a shock to you, but it's actually in the best interests of the police to maintain a good relationship with the general public, and taking a kind rather than militant approach to people having fun on a public beach who don't know that they *might* be violating an ordinance can go a long way to promoting those good relations.

From the article: "It is important to note that the officer explained to Rylee that she would let him off with a warning if he simply filled in the hole." But the asshole refused.

Because the cop offered to let the family enjoying a day at the beach off with a "warning"?

A good cop, seeing a potential problem, if indeed there was a real reason why the hole was a real problem, would have approached the family in a friendly way, complimented them on the well above average work of the sand castle, and then informed them that the only problem with it was the hole, that in fact, it was a violation of ordinance to have one that deep, and that it's a good ordinance because [fill in the blank] and then ask them to please fill it in because she's got a job to do and she sees they are having a good time, and thank you! If they ask about the exact ordinance, then take the time to look it up and show them, and if they disagree, provide them some information about how they could do their civil part to change the ordinance, and in fact, encourage them to try because it's always good when more people get involved in voicing their say in government big and small.

But no, it seems she didn't do that. Instead she employed the ransom method of diplomacy, demanding they comply in exchange for a reduced punishment. The guy is going to get written up either way. There will be file created with his name on it at the police station, so they'll know who he is the NEXT time they see him making a f**king sand castle, dammit. So, in answer to your question of who was acting like a jerk, given the story as reported, which granted is slanted, I'd answer that the the cop was a jerk.

How do you know she didn't do that? I'm saying she could have written a ticket costing him $500 and up to 60 days in jail. She chose instead to give him a warning -- if he filled in the hole.

99.99% of good citizens, realizing they were given a break, would fill in the hole and be done with it. This jagoff refused to do so.

At that point, I would have written the ticket for the full amount and let him plead his case with the judge. I'm not going to stand there and argue with some asshole after I was nice enough to offer him a way out.