Hey, I see it right here on my blog, several anonymous commenters throwing barbs at each other, because it is protected speech, and better yet, no one knows who is saying it. We seem to be a lot more daring in how we treat people when we can get away with it without being identified. Sad really;
Is there really a need to demand action from the city or call the police every time we’re annoyed at a neighbor’s too-long grass or the landmine their Chihuahua left beside our mailbox?
Approach minor nuisances of daily existence on your street with a Neighborhood Watch philosophy that promotes autonomy and self-reliance. There will always be occasional extremes — like the toxic situation seen recently in Norton Acres — but a great deal can be handled on a neighbor-to-neighbor basis without appealing to authorities. Good fences might make good neighbors, but only if we’re willing to walk through the gate for mediation and understanding when needed.
In other words if we just chose to talk with each other instead of anonymously turning each other in, things would be a lot better off, and frankly cheaper.
There’s stress and civil decay. People work 80 hours a week and still can’t make it. In this atmosphere you’re a worn out tool that’s easily replaced. If you take their lane to soon, they shoot you in traffic. Police come to a scene and stir things up. There’s more division in neighborhoods than stars in the night sky. We’re becoming biological artificial intelligence with a virus that can take down the whole system.
Sometimes I imagine myself as Mike Huether. He lives in an insane narcissist body where he’s always right. Everybody’s wrong and they need his fascist approach to survive.
I think there should be anonymity in police reports. But at the same time, we shouldn’t be using police resources for every little thing. Neighbor doesn’t cut their lawn? I’d rather cut it for them than call the authorities.
For every thing your neighbor does that annoys you, I guarantee you annoy them equally or more.
If anything is egging people on, it’s the yearly reports the news outlets have about snow and grass and how to turn people in.
MB, our mayor brags of his ability to change Sioux Falls into his imagined version of what is beautiful. His image of Leave It To Beaver movie studio perfect lawns of unsustainable blue grass with lawn services hired to maintain it is not for all.
Our recent video showing Henry Carlson Company natural grasses is something we need to seriously consider for our futures. There are different versions of what is beautiful and it is based on each of our personalities.
There might be reasons for longer grass in your neighbor’s yard, did you ask them? There are different tastes on flowers or lack thereof. Quit trying to rule your neighbor. Make your world your own and quit trying to hurt your neighbors. Be a neighbor and talk to them. Quit using city resources to force your neighbor to do things your way. Your neighbor’s way may just be as valid.
I ask over and over, “Have you considered what is happening in their house?” and “Is there anything we can do to help them?”
As we have been digging into the code enforcement system of Sioux Falls we are finding several disturbing scenarios for their actions. We have many petty people in and out of the process all looking for a passive-aggressive way to get even with a world they can’t control.
Quit bothering your neighbor with code enforcement threats. Learn how to talk to your neighbors, find solutions to quirks before they become issues and if someone is having a hard time, ask if you can help them through it.