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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: 19942
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. According to FEE: While Rylee, a devout Christian, says he supports law enforcement and prays “daily for their protection,” he also said on his social media account that, “I do believe that ‘we the people’ have a right to ask what ordinance number or to see the ordinance.” Rylee is absolutely correct. In the American legal system, there is a pillar of jurisprudence known as Mens rae, which is latin for “guilty mind.” The principle itself comes from the latin phrase actus reus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea, which translates to, “the act is not culpable unless the mind is guilty.” This is a standard test of criminal liability that asks the state to consider whether or not a person has broken a law knowingly before guilt can even be assessed. 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. Bryant Rylee added 5 new photos. 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!
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#107. To: All, Gatlin (#103)
(Edited)
For brevity on the agreement IRS has with USAID with regards to foreign countries may be found here https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/competent-authority-assistance https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/tax-treaties
Does that make you uncomfortable? Would you rather he enforce the law rigorously year round? Some posters on this thread seemed to be trying to portray this as a strictly enforced ordinance year-round despite the fact that the officer who was on patrol for exactly these kinds of infractions was so unfamiliar with enforcing them that it took her and several backup units of police to finally know the correct statute number to cite if they were to write a ticket for the infraction. Which means that the cops themselves are extremely unfamiliar with writing tickets for that infraction for beach holes (which was not violated) and the "metal implement" infraction. I suppose the perp should be happy that the cops didn't just shoot his dog and his kid.
I don't even get your point. I doubt anyone else does either. It seems I've been sucked into the vortices of a Complete Bullshit Thread.
Whoa! Who? According to the article the officer said she'd let him off with a warning. That's not strict enforcement. Why would anyone think this ordinance was strictly enforced? You're just making shit up again.
And yet he never thanked the cops for not shooting his dog and his kid. What a jerk.
Maybe this thread should just be deleted as Too Silly. Reading this thread is likely to make LF readers more stupid than before they read it. It sucks your brain slowly, a Dracula of a soul-sucking thread. Delete it now. Before someone gets hurt.
Did you see Gatlin's post #71 where there does exist a public notice on that beach? The city is supposed to work with local authorities to impose such ordinances as needed on public places so as to provide legal notice to the public to avoid liability. Local authorities are not only supposed to be informed about them but also to enforce them to avoid liability not just in their official capacities but also as personal.
In #71, those were rules for an entirely different beach (as Gatlin noted). In #72, Gatlin posted some recent actual published (or posted) rules from the same Panama City beach: Keep in mind, they were trying to threaten someone with a $500 fine. But he hadn't broken that ordinance because his hole was only a 1' deep hole and the ordinance only fines those who have dug a 2' hole. So, after threatening and summoning backup units, they finally got a $25 fine out of him. That was a piss-poor use of the time of the 5 officers involved for a couple of hours. If that's all that that PD has to do with their time, they need to fire some unneeded cops.
Reading this thread is likely to make LF readers more stupid than before they read it. It sucks your brain slowly, a Dracula of a soul-sucking thread. Delete it now. Before someone gets hurt. This is without question the most asinine post you have ever made. And the good Lord knows….you have made many before. Just pray tell, specifically who is going to get hurt? Maybe only you….with your overly sensitive feelings and you may start bawling like a little baby. Crying your heart out the same way your libertarian asshole buddy, Amash, did when he missed his first vote in the House and openly cried like a wussie in front of all his fellow Congressmen. My goodness, TC, what is your generation coming to? Your weak ass generation is nothing but a bunch of whining cry babies. What are you to do … [Cue scene from the movie Top Gun here].
It's not even a contender.
From the ordinance notice….read this carefully. What is there that you don’t understand about that breaking the ordinance? And BTW, you are correct….in that Chief Drew Whitman didn’t STICTLY enforce the ordinance year round. Instead of his officer strictly following the rules year round, whereby the asshole minister would have seen that a …. The minister asshole was so lucky … You can stop with your libertarian SPIN anytime you start to feel dizzy … Wait, you libertarians are always dizzy …
It's not even a contender. Okay....so you have made more asinine posts than this.
So...you finally admit I am right. I accept your concession with all humility. Of course, this is precisely why I was always so deservedly your Literary Hero.
This is not all they needed to do. The PCB police can multi task when dealing with crime. In addition to handling this minister asshole….the PCB police arrested “hundreds” of violators. Furthermore, the number of arrests were down this year….could be for various reasons, but most probably because of the new ordinance. One would objectively think so. So, you see….that is not “all that the [PCB police] has to do with their time”….they did this and everything else they needed to do. Again, crime was down this year….GREAT JOB, PCB Police Department! But, you keep on spinning, TC….even thought it does no good.
TC ...
I don't think so. Let me check my various lists for Tooconservative: Stupid ... no ... Ignorant? ... no ... Dumb? ... no ... Ah. Here it is ... Asinine. Whoo. It's a long list. And this latest post is ranking 26. So it's far from #1. But hey. Let's give him some time. He'll get there.
Funny...Funny...
asshole buddy The most dangerous sand sculpture ever made. Neither. You slink away in shame for being a dumbshit who doesn't watch where he's going.
misterwhite always wants to sue someonme.
From what he recently posted in addition to the previous post #71, it looks like PCB Police made no exceptions to the rules especially during Spring Break. The rules stand. If you don't like those rules go to a different beach from a different county or city that is more lenient. I'd prefer to go to a different beach that is more tolerant than this. However, there has been a case where (I cannot remember where in the US) a beachgoer was digging so damn deep that the ground caved in and he fell in six feet and it took a firetruck crew, police and first responders to dig around him to get him out at he had buried himself alive. Amazingly though he survived. True story. I could be wrong but I think it occurred in Florida.
So all this fuss and this mindbogglingly stupid thread is about a guy getting a $25 ticket because his kid had a little metal hand shovel on the beach. Much ado about nothing.
The sign plainly said "no metal shovels". If the guy was using a metal shovel he already violated the ordinance regardless of whether he was digging less than 2 feet.
Well maybe this was not that story because I remember watching it on Fox 11 Los Angeles news just very recently. Maybe it occurred out there. Yep, here it is he did survive thanks the authorities and beachgoers who pitched in to save his life by digging him out. He was buried in his hole of six feet under! www.dailymail.co.uk/news/...-built-sand-caved-in.html
I'm starting to wonder if even an assassination of the Queen of England would get 130 comments here on LF. I assure you: this is not national news.
Let's put it this was, the guy was lucky he was just fined $25 and nothing more.
Maybe next time, the cops will find the courage to pull out their guns and shoot these scofflaw metal shovel maniacs. I can't believe people actually care about something this dumb.
In reference to my post #131 maybe after watching the above video, it might change your mind. All those people digging are beachgoers along with fire department and first responders; all trying to save this young man's life.
I need to repeat that with emphasis … [….] The law banning metal tools on the beach says metal shovels, like the types sold in hardware stores, are not permitted on the beach. Digging holes deeper than two feet is also prohibited. While Rylee's son wasn't digging a hole deeper than two feet, he did receive a $25 fine for using the metal tool. Another source … Bama fan Bryant Rylee, a youth pastor, tangled (not really) with Panama City Beach cops last week after he was caught digging sandcastle holes with a metal shovel, which is a no-no on PCB after a 2015 ordinance preventing college kids from digging holes for what I assume were the sunken beer pong tables. Last week, one thing led to another and Rylee was fined $25 for his actions. I have no idea why TC keeps up his mantra with the false narrative about the man being fined for digging a hole when he was definitely not fined for digging a hole. He was fined for using a metal shovel on the beach. Well, I guess I do have good idea….TC’s extreme libertarianism causes him to be a contrarian firmly dedicated to opposing or rejecting any and all popular opinions, especially those supporting law enforcement; those going against his libertarian anarchist philosophy.
You really should be ashamed of yourself, if that is what you must resort to. You sound like Deckard….and that definitely is no compliment. He resorts to the same type charge….each time he loses, and that is almost all the time. Be honest with yourself, at least once….admit that is true. Try …
I had not seen this one that happened at Newport Beach, thanks for posting it. I only knew about the one that happened at Panama City Beach, the one I linked you to.
Now you have resorted to groveling, acting in an abject manner showing great fear that you are completely without any reasonable ideas to support your position….a position that was tenuous from the start, with your first post on this thread. Not everything must be national news to be of importance to some people. That statement shows evidence of your elitist mentality, something that keeps raising its ugly head during your discussion with us common folks. Why don’t you just give it up. Say that you lost and your position to defend this guy ....but moreover, to castigate the police, was a wrong position to take. Man up … Confession is good for the soul … Step in here, my son …
I read that link you mentioned in post #90. How very unfortunate that the guy died so young. :( From my video, when I think about it now, I remember seeing it on The Weather Channel on matters concerning "What Would You Do in circumstances like this". They showed that Newport Beach video and how they managed to finally get the guy out alive. They dug around the hole area where he was buried and just kept digging as if they were working in a circumference-style distance all the way around the hole. That's how they managed to find the guy. It was unbelievable and great work from all who participated in that rescue effort. He's damn lucky to be alive.
That WAS good news....he was lucky.
Personal Note: I want to tell you that I enjoy reading your posts and exchanging thoughts with you. We agree on some things and disagree on others. And this is good. Because after reading your posts, it looks to me like you are one of the few people who will consider both sides of a situation before forming your opinion and expressing it. Above all, I cannot but help notice that you can, and you do, change your mind when you discover new and different information. Very few people on this forum ever do that. Stone is the only one who also does this, that comes to mind right now. It is a definitely a positive attribute for which you are to be complimented to possess. FWIT....I personally consider you a great asset to Stone’s forum. Keep up the good work …
Well I won't be bringing a metal shovel to the beach. Maybe one of those carbon fiber ones and a tarpe measure so I can stay a 1/4 of an inch away from the limit. I would obey the officer. Not worth the trouble. I just think it is a stupid law. The picture didn't look like it was anywhere near excessive. Did you know they don't let you sleep on the beach at night either. I was at another beach in Florida. Daytona I think. Got up early at sunrise. The sun was up. So I put my beach blanket out laid down and closed my eyes. Some beach cop comes up and tells me I can't sleep on beach at night. The sun is already up. I know he thought I was there all night, but I wasn't, I just wanted to get there early and lay around with my eyes closed. I got up and went back to my room til piggy left. I told my wife what an asshole piggy was.
It was stated that the kid was 13-years old, as best I can remember. I could not find a body dimensions chart for 13-year old boys but I did find one for 15-year old boys. The knee height for 15-year boys, depending on their build, ranges from 14 3/8 to19 ½ inches. Since the kid was only 13-years old and definitely on the “porky” side, I would estimate that his knee height was around 12 to 13 inches. So you are correct when you say the hole didn’t appear “anywhere near excessive”….and Bryant Rylee was correct when he said the hole was a foot deep. Ah, but you, and everyone, has to watch ole Bryant Rylee, he operates using the typical Deckard and Tooconservative modus operandi. In that, they all will try to lead you down a deceptive path with an attempt to have you arrive at the same conclusion they did. Sneaky….Sneaky. So, it was to that end that Bryant Rylee made his post on face book “all about the depth of the hole” and the “sand castle”….when the issue was never about that. For evidence, “let’s go to the video” as Warner Wolf would say. The headline on the video from the local TV news and the headline for the local newspaper both stated the $25 citation was given for having the metal shovel on the beach….not the hole depth. But how much sympathy was Bryant Rylee going to get if he posted that he had been “fined $25 for having a metal shovel on the beach?” None….of course not. So, operating under the Deckard and Tooconservative Libertarian Community Organizer Rules for Dissention….Bryant went the “little boy’s sand castle hole sympathy” route. And he made it all about that. Which everyone bought into….except “old Greatest Generation” Moi. [That’s French, ya know. I was stationed outside of Paris for 6 months and I still like to through that word around when I get a chance to….and I just had that chance]. You have a right to think it is a stupid law. But the City Council had the right to make that law based on incidents of rape and other grossly nefarious law violations occurring in those holes that measured “10 feet in diameter and 4 feet deep.” Combine that with the fact that actual melees broke out where people were fighting like gladitors swinging metal shovels and getting severely injured. So, the City Council decided “enough was enough” and issued the ordinance with the changes in 2015. Since that time, incidents and arrests have decreased each year….according to local news reports.
Ah! So it's my fault. I suppose it's also my fault if I step on a piece of broken glass because you'd also permit glass bottles on the beach?
Thank you, Gatlin! I do enjoy reading your posts too. Yes, I do change my mind but that is rare depending on information that is relayed. I admit I do not always agree with you or on many issues with many posters here but I do try to see both sides of the issue while remain unbiased and with a reasoned point of view.
#108. To: misterwhite, Deckard (#105)
But he never said they weren't enforced at all. Just not as rigorously.
#109. To: Gatlin (#106)
Which as a matter of policy does imply, or mean, that during other times of the year there are no gang rapes, no murders, no people jumping off balconies and no folks digging 10-foot diameter holes 4-feet deep where rapes occur….so there are no violations of these ordinances to be strictly enforced.
Hey, what are you doing on this thread anyway?
#110. To: Tooconservative (#108)
"Some posters on this thread seemed to be trying to portray this as a strictly enforced ordinance year-round ..."
#111. To: Tooconservative (#108)
"I suppose the perp should be happy that the cops didn't just shoot his dog and his kid."
#112. To: misterwhite, A K A Stone (#111)
#113. To: Tooconservative (#108)
Some posters on this thread seemed to be trying to portray this as a strictly enforced ordinance year-round despite the fact that the officer who was on patrol for exactly these kinds of infractions was so unfamiliar with enforcing them that it took her and several backup units of police to finally know the correct statute number to cite if they were to write a ticket for the infraction. Which means that the cops themselves are extremely unfamiliar with writing tickets for that infraction for beach holes (which was not violated) and the "metal implement" infraction.
#114. To: goldilucky (#113)
(Edited)
Did you see Gatlin's post #71 where there does exist a public notice on that beach?
So there is a suggestion that these rules are not strictly enforced year-round, which would explain why the patrol officer couldn't even cite the ordinance number (which is, after all, required to write a ticket). We're proud you're considering visiting the World's Most Beautiful Beaches. In order to maintain public safety during spring break, we will be STRICTLY enforcing the following ordinances. -Chief Drew Whitman
#115. To: Tooconservative, misterwhite, aA K A Stone (#112)
Maybe this thread should just be deleted as Too Silly.
#116. To: Gatlin (#115)
This is without question the most asinine post you have ever made.
#117. To: Tooconservative, goldilucky (#114)
(Edited)
But he hadn't broken that ordinance …
WRONG … Metal shovels are not permitted on the beach…
The youth minister asshole had a metal shovel on the beach. Violation of these laws will result in;
… the benevolent officer kindly let Bryant Rylee off with a $25 fine and no night in the county jail, no criminal record that would follow him, and not a $500 fine or by imprisonment in the county jail not to exceed 60 days.
- Arrest and at least a night in the county jail
- A criminal record that will follow you past your spring break
- Up to a
#118. To: Tooconservative (#116)
This is without question the most asinine post you have ever made.
#119. To: Gatlin (#118)
#120. To: Tooconservative, goldilucky (#114)
If that's all that that PD has to do with their time, they need to fire some unneeded cops.
[No specific number has been released yet, only that generality]
#121. To: misterwhite, Tooconservative (#110)
You're just making shit up again.
WHAT?
#122. To: Gatlin (#115)
"This is without question the most asinine post you have ever made."
#123. To: misterwhite (#122)
#124. To: Gatlin, DANGER Will Robinson DANGER (#115)
The D&R terrorists hate us because we're free, to vote second party
"We (government) need to do a lot less, a lot sooner" ~Ron Paul
#125. To: misterwhite (#1)
So if I run along the public beach, fall in his hole, and injure myself on a metal tool, who do I sue -- him or the city?
#126. To: Hank Rearden (#125)
#127. To: Tooconservative, Gatlin (#114)
(Edited)
In #72, Gatlin posted some recent actual published (or posted) rules from the same Panama City beach:
#128. To: goldilucky (#127)
However, there has been a case where (I cannot remember where in the US) a beachgoer was digging so damn deep that the ground caved in and he fell in six feet and it took a firetruck crew, police and first responders to dig around him to get him out at he had buried himself alive. Amazingly though he survived. True story. I could be wrong but I think it occurred in Florida
You got the story somewhat right. It was in Florida. In fact it was at this same beach, Panama City Beach. The sad part, and contrary to your story, the 17-year old kid from Oklahoma died. See My Post #90 for Details and a Picture.
#129. To: goldilucky (#127)
(Edited)
...PCB Police made no exceptions to the rules especially during Spring Break. The rules stand. If you don't like those rules go to a different beach from a different county or city that is more lenient.
But this guy in the article had not broken the hole digging ordinance because his hole was only a foot deep. The ordinance only applies if your hole is two feet deep or more.
#130. To: Tooconservative (#129)
#131. To: Gatlin (#128)
(Edited)
#132. To: goldilucky (#130)
#133. To: Tooconservative (#132)
#134. To: goldilucky (#133)
#135. To: Tooconservative (#134)
(Edited)
#136. To: goldilucky, Tooconservative, misterwhite (#130)
The sign plainly said "no metal shovels". If the guy was using a metal shovel he already violated the ordinance regardless of whether he was digging less than 2 feet.
Right dead on, goldilucky….you nailed it absolutely correct. The sign plainly said "no metal shovels". If the guy was using a metal shovel he already violated the ordinance regardless of whether he was digging less than 2 feet.
Even the local TV station and newspaper carried the same story….he was arrested for using a metal shovel. Alabama man's "metal shovel" on Panama City Beach Facebook post getting huge attention
Bryant Rylee was fined for using a metal shovel, which has been prohibited by Panama City Beach ordinance since 2015. Bryant Rylee and Tooconservative keep typing to spin this to be all about a kid building a sand castle. Bama Fan Fined $25 For Using Metal Shovel To Dig Holes For Sandcastle On Panama City Beach
There are many other sources stating the same thing….he was arrested for using a metal shovel.
#137. To: Tooconservative, goldilucky, misterwhite (#134)
(Edited)
Maybe next time, the cops will find the courage to pull out their guns and shoot these scofflaw metal shovel maniacs.
TC, that is truly an extremely ridiculous statement….obviously made out of pure desperation by you, from a totally defeated position. I can't believe people actually care about something this dumb.
What you are saying is, “I can’t believe that you people will not agree with my point of view. You lowly peons should never challenge my superior intelligence and argue against my conclusion. I will not tolerate it.”
#138. To: goldilucky (#135)
#139. To: Tooconservative, goldilucky (#132)
(Edited)
I'm starting to wonder if even an assassination of the Queen of England would get 130 comments here on LF.
I assure you: this is not national news.
#140. To: Gatlin (#138)
#141. To: goldilucky (#140)
... how they managed to finally get the guy out alive.
#142. To: goldilucky, A K A Stone (#140)
(Edited)
#143. To: Gatlin (#142)
#144. To: A K A Stone (#143)
(Edited)
The picture didn't look like it was anywhere near excessive.
I blew a copy of the picture up and did a 60 degree sweep with a ruler from the pile of sand on the South side to the bank of sand on the North side upon which the small sand castles were built. The ruler always went through the kids knees to show the depth of the hole was definitely less than 2 feet. I would obey the officer. Not worth the trouble. I just think it is a stupid law.
I would obey the officer too, on this issue. But I would go to court and fight on something important and worth while that I knew I was right on….definitely something that I felt violated my civil rights. You betcha!
#145. To: Hank Rearden (#125)
"You slink away in shame for being a dumbshit who doesn't watch where he's going."
#146. To: Gatlin (#142)
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