Everything sublime is as difficult as it is rare. Baruch Spinoza

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Scurrilous


My day had been planned. I was to testify at the restitution hearing regarding my mutilated trees. Once again there is a continuance.



Two years ago this month in the dark of night chain saws were taken to my old foundation spruce trees. These trees were planted at the time of platting and homestead. They are something to be enjoyed, cared for and passed on to the next generation.




A mindless, narcissistic man found them to be in his way. A local evangelical minister moved a house down my road. Instead of talking to property owners to accommodate his venture, he took it upon himself to use a cherry picker and a chainsaw on anything he found in the way.



No remorse. Arrogant, in my face 'so what'. I told him he messed with the wrong person and like a pit bull I pursued this case. I pushed the Sheriff's office, I hounded the county prosecutor, I went off like a banshee each time the county attorney tried to settle this in his favor. I never let go of the bastard's pant leg. After nearly two years he eventually pled down from a felony to a misdemeanor. A lessor charge, but he was convicted. One half of the equation has been accomplished. Restitution is the second half. So the weaseling begins again.




A minister. Evangelical. Another crook hiding behind a collar. I'm stuck with him in my neighborhood. His congregation is stuck, although they would never believe it, with a soulless narcissist as their spiritual leader. Ironic.

If his god does exist, I would like to be the fly on the wall when they meet.

9 comments:

Deb said...

Sandra, I am so sorry for the mutilation of your beautiful trees. It's hard to believe that anyone could do such a thing. Your trees thank you for being their voice and defending them. I have to hope that this lesson will open many eyes to the spirit and soul in all living things. At the very least, respecting other's property.

Cyndi and Stumpy said...

Sandra, thank you so much for not giving up the fight. People, and I use the term loosely, like this need to be held accountable for thier actions.

I know no amount of money will make up for what the world has lost when these trees were destroyed. Hopefully, the jerk will feel it where it hurts.

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

He wants to save people's souls as he murders trees??? I'm glad you are so tenaciously fighting for what is right.

Bravo!!!

Britwife said...

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, the biggest crooks in OUR little town are the two evangelical ministers (brothers - they both have figured out how to con). They EACH have their own churches to fund their passion for Harleys and fast cars. Amen. (And I am not stereotyping...it's just a fact).

Ganeida said...

Here too, only it's the charismatics who are the crooks. I wish these people would actually read what our book *says* about looking after the world & each other. How they expect people to listen when they so misrepresent Christ I do not know...but people are weird like that. I am so pleased you have done your pit bull thing & hung on to force compensation. People like this need to learn that they can't just railroad everybody. Beautil trees like yours should never have been mutilated for *convienience*!!!

Ganeida said...

I should proof read before hitting *publish*. You do know I meant beautiful, don't you?

A.Smith said...

Obviously his god is not the god of Creation. So, let us hope there is a place for him, front row center in whatever hell is reserved for those who kill living trees.

Memories Of Mine said...

It just proves that people that go to church are not necessarily nicer people that ones that do not agave attend.

Belief of god and goodness is in the heart and soul of a person, it is not found within 4 walls.

I love it when justice is severed and I admire people who stand up for what is right. I am glad you gave hm a good fight. Let 's hope he learned his lesson.

Sandra said...

Hi everyone. He did not kill my trees, but he cut the branches of conifers back to the trunk as far up as 16 feet. The trees will never be the same and their purpose as a privacy/dust screen/windbreak is gone. The creep did cut down to the ground my neighbors trees that lined their property at the road. Eight of them. They even took the wood. The neighbors attached to my complaint. The other seriously aggrieved person along the route did not.