So can you secede from a town?

We recently looked at  a very nice home and quickly ruled it out because it was the last house inside town limits.  With town water, sewer, and taxes, it added over $200 per month to the cost.  So it made me wonder, can you secede from a town?  A quick Google search showed me that I was not alone in my thoughts.   It has been done by at least one condominium complex in Pennsylvania and is being considered by another in New York.  (http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DEFDA1431F93AA35752C1A961948260)

My question is can one homeowner secede?  There have been many towns that want to secede from their state.  I know there are advantages to being part of a town and that those advantages come at a price, and for me, they are not a good value. 

My question goes much deeper than just pure economics.  What about political and regulatory issues?  I am, for the most part,  a far right social conservative but I have very libertarian views on property ownership.  I have a hard time paying the town a fee so that they will allow me to make improvements on my property.  Uh, thank you?  I understand the need for safety and good citizenship but we have become this nanny state society where everyone must be protected from themselves and have government watch over every move.  I have said it before and I will say it again, at the very least, our forefathers would be disgusted at what our country has become.  I fear that they would label us all Tories.  I find that my desire for independence does not fit well with municipal living. 

So, can someone legally secede from a town?

Josh Howard, Let Me Help You Out

I know everyone is dumping on Josh Howard right now.  I don’t want to do that.  I actually want to help him out.  First, let me thank him for being honest with us.

Josh, do you feel like the world is closing in around you?  Do you need to get away?  After you clear up this little drag racing trial, why don’t you take a little trip.  I found a place that would suit you.  You won’t have to worry about being harassed about your comments about The National Anthem.  In fact, you will be held in high esteem.  If only you played baseball instead of basketball, they might even adopt you.  Just go to http://www.cubalinda.com/ and book a flight.  You’ll feel right at home.

Unfortunately, Howard has the right to make disparaging comments because of the thousands of men and women gave their lives to defend his freedom.  The very poem that became our national anthem was birthed in a battle for that freedom.  I realize that one song could never fully reflect the deep love and commitment that so many of us have for this great nation, but I can’t think of any other song that comes close.  People risk their lives to get into this country, albeit illegally. 

Josh, try what I do when I celebrate this fine song and all that it represents.  Keep your mouth shut, stand up straight, and think about those brave soldiers who served us, the brave forefathers that faced tortuous deaths, the freedoms that you enjoy, and the God that gave us the rights that we are guaranteed.  If you don’t want to do that, I’d suggest that you make that little getaway destination a permanent relocation.

It’s A Two Man Race…

Obama has clinched the Democratic nomination.  Now it is official, McCain vs. Obama.  Elder Statesman vs. Political Phenom.  Personally, I think McCain will win in November because he has a few hundred more elections under his belt.  What I really think is that the most important leader in the world will be decided on sound bites and nonsense.  Sometimes, listening to the “analysis” on some of the news networks sounds more like Entertainment Tonight.  Who had the better speech, who looks more presidential.  Are we picking a prom queen or a president? 

Here’s what I want to know:
Are you going to defend me and my freedom at any cost?
How will you honor the Constitution and what does that mean to you?
Where do you stand on the key issues?
Can I trust you with my country?

I don’t care about what you look like, sound like, or whether you always say the right things in your speeches.  I know there is a science to this stuff, but I wonder if given the opportunity, would we have the wisdom to elect George Washington,  John Adams or Thomas Jefferson today?  Would we have the courage to elect Abraham Lincoln and stand behind him when the right thing proved so costly in today’s political atmosphere? 

Memorial Day Weekend

This ficweekend we have already celebrated Memorial Day with two picnics.  There was lots of fun.  Games were played, burgers were grilled, and way too much dessert was consumed.  I am happy to have the day off from work tomorrow.  We have already layed our our plans for tomorrow.  Isn’t that what Memorial Day is all about?  Fun, picnics, and the unofficial start of summer?  Wait a minute, aren’t we supposed to remember someone? 

Unfortunatly, our society has trouble remembering why we celebrate holidays.  It happens at Christmas.  It happens at Easter.  It’s happening this weekend.  Many times, I have thought that the commercialization of holidays was due to the lack of spirituality in our country, but this weekend, I see that it is more than that.  There is something in our culture that drives us to turn every holiday into a selfish event.  We live in a society that take a holiday that is meant to give thanks into a full day of glutony. 

I will be very honest with you.  I have never served in the military.  I was too chicken.  When I was eighteen, I was not man enough to serve my country.  I’ve grown up quite a bit in the last sixteen years.  However, I cannot change the past.  Through those sixteen years, I have grown to hold our military personnel in very high esteem.  Today, I am proud to say that I am an American citizen and that I live in the most free and greatest country in the world!

In the last year, I have developed a love for American history.  I have been reading biographies of presidents and historical accounts of the American Revolution.  I have read of the sacrifices that our forefathers made to form this great country.  I have read of the incredible forethought and insight that the fathers of this land had.  I have read and I have been amazed.

I am amazed at the sacrifice that our soldiers who are serving abroad make on a daily basis.  I don’t even want to miss any event that my children are involved in, no matter how trivial.  I cannot imagine leaving them for months at a time and not know if I will ever see them again.  I cannot imagine being in a situation where I must act because it’s either them or me.  I am amazed at the skill, training, and discipline that our military and veterans exhibit. 

I enjoy the freedom that we enjoy in this country.  I enjoy the safety that we have on our shores.  I stand and salute each and every veteran that has served or is currently serving.  I am grateful for every family that watches their sons and fathers go off to war and pray every night that they watch them return.  I mourn for every veteran that gave the ultimate sacrifice so that I can be free to be home with my family. 

To all veterans, thank you seems so inadequate.  God bless you! 

Senator Ted Kennedy

I’m about as politcally conservative as one can get in the 21st century.  I complain that most Republicans aren’t conservative enough.  I’ve never voted for a democrat in any national election.  All of that aside, Senator Ted Kennedy and the entire Kennedy family need ALL of our prayers tonight.  In case you’ve been under a rock without any connection with the known world, Ted Kennedy has a malignant brain tumor.  His final diagnosis is still unknown.  I know what how his family is feeling right now.  Uncertain, scared to death and of death.  The world they knew on Friday has spun off its axis and into an abyss. 

Cancer doesn’t care if you are a kindergarten teacher, as my mom was, a vagabond, or a United States senator that has served eleven years longer than I have been alive.  It is an equal opportunity world wrecker. 

So please join with me tonight, no matter what your political and social views are, and pray for the Kennedy family.  I John 4:11 says “Dear friends, God so loved us, we also ought to love each other”