Friday, February 26, 2010

Render unto Caesar

DC is still ticketing cars despite the meters being buried under snow.

Looking at it through the Common Law angle, the city is entitled to charge for parking whether the snow is there or not, although it is a dick thing to do. On the other hand, those who have shoveled their asses off because the city can't seem to clear the streets definitely have a claim to get that ticket money refunded.

Overall, those who live and thrive in the city ultimately agreed to this mess. It's Commerce.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's why I like my small town, nothing silly like parking meters.

Sans Authoritas said...

In other words, if you cross the line in the sand the bully draws, in order to get to somewhere you need to be, you deserve the beating you get?

You appear to have a touch of the Stockholm syndrome, CTone. A touch of the "abused wife defends the unjust actions her abusive husband" syndrome.

Unknown said...

Welcome back!

Oh, I share your disdain for the city, and I agree completely that DC is being a bully in this matter, but even Jesus understood who's face was on the gold coin. City parking meters are property of the city because the general population of the city allows it.

Jurisdiction is rendered by the residents because they tend to know no better these days. Indeed, it is the "abused wife defends the unjust actions her abusive husband" syndrome," but I am not defending it from the point of view that you think I am. It is how it is, and people go along with it. They allow it by paying the tab, or by not arguing their claim. Thus, they play by the rules whether they know it or not. Unfortunately, this affects all of us, which is why myself and Practical Gun Review tend to stay the hell out.

It is Commerce in its simplest form.

Sans Authoritas said...

I understand what you mean by "compliance."


It is true that Jesus understood whose face (a graven image prohibited to the Jews to begin with) was on the gold coin. But he did not say the coin belonged to Caesar. Read the passage carefully. See who says what, and what it means.

Unknown said...

Agreed. Jesus understood that the Jews, and the Romans for that matter, feared Caesar, and had given him authority over them for simply recognizing Roman law.

Jurisdiction - or compliance, as noted.

If you recognized the laws of Caesar, and you showed this by using the coin with his image, then it's not a stretch to say you have to pay his tax. If a Jew didn't want to pay the tax, they had to refuse to play Caesar's game. Really that lesson hasn't changed. Our monetary system isn't federal at all, but private; we bend to the will of banks merely by using their printed money.

Jesus later demonstrated his knowledge of jurisdiction by not giving the Roman court authority over him, and is why, ultimately, he wasn't executed by the Romans, but was murdered by a mob.

My point is that DC residents built their little sand castle, and they give that city authority over them. To me then, it's surprising that they buck the very laws they not only allowed to be passed, but regognize every time they drop a nickel into the machine. A parking ticket is a statutory matter, not a criminal one, so a free person with lots of time on their hands can win against it with some effort. At the end of the day though, is it worth it?

To some, perhaps. Jesus payed the tax and fought his battles elseware. Me, I just stay the hell out.