By DAVID EPPS
Pastor

One of the great myths of American society is that citizens are allowed to own property. It's true that Americans may negotiate contracts for the acquisition of land, may take out loans and mortgages, and may even hold a deed.

But own the property outright? Don't kid yourself. There was a time in the nation's history when a person could move in whatever direction his means of transportation would take him and settle on a plot of ground. There he could raise crops, livestock, and kids. He could even establish a business if he wanted. If he wanted to put up a fence, he did. If he decided to cut down some trees to build a house well, it was his land and his trees.

But no more. In the south metro Atlanta town of Peachtree City, a new proposed ordinance would continue the modern trend toward the socialization and Sovietization of the average American community. It seems that, if the new ordinance is implemented then homeowners, and I use that term loosely, will be required to replace any of their trees that they cut down on their property.

If it were deemed impossible to replace the tree that was removed, then the alleged homeowner would be required to pay a fee for each tree that would go into a fund that would finance the planting of other trees in the city. One assumes that smarter people than the homeowners will manage this fund and that this tree-politburo will speak on behalf of and make decisions for all the comrades in the town. In fact, homeowners are already required to get permits to cut one of their trees on their property.

A city planner was recently quoted as saying that, currently, unless the trees are specimen trees or protected trees, the city cant stop a homeowner from cutting them down. Now, Why, I ask, is that a problem? Most of the resident homeowners of Peachtree City are highly educated, upscale professionals. Are they too stupid to know when one of the trees in their yard needs to come down? Apparently, they are.

Another proposal afoot is to hire a tree expert, know as an arborist, to rule on whether there is a need for the tree in question to come down. In fact, the city may even prohibit the homeowner from getting the permit himself, requiring, instead that yet another expert, in this case a tree-cutting business, get the permit for him.

A senior forester, an expert, one assumes, with the Georgia Forestry Commission said recently that there is a need to educate the homeowners to convince them that they really don't need to cut down all those trees. I never realized that the good folks of Peachtree City were such chain-saw wielding, tree-killing maniacs. I always thought that they were responsible, environmentally sensitive, intelligent people. But now, it seems, they will need new ordinances and a herd of experts to protect them and their trees from themselves.

I have lived in a community for the last eleven years and we do not have a tree-cutting ordinance. Yet, all the houses are surrounded with an abundance of trees. In fact, my next-door neighbor has planted a few new trees recently. I can't even recall the last time that a healthy tree was removed. Not one lot has been clear-cut and, so far, the experts have left us alone.

Out here in the sticks beyond the city limits, the county fathers assume that we are not stupid. The mayor of Peachtree City, said, We need to make sure we dont become tree Nazis. Hooray for him! Hopefully, the other members of the City Council and the Planning Commission will have similar reservations and will begin to put a stop to this nationwide epidemic of treating the citizens like serfs.

In some communities, city fathers have attempted to silence the ringing of church bells. In other communities, such as Pittsburgh, the term "Christmas" has been discontinued by the city and the new name for the holiday is sparkle season.

Doesn't government have enough to do in the aftermath of Sept. 11 without creating new laws that further reduce the rights of Americans? Why, the next thing you know they'll have a law about mowing your grass in Peachtree City.

Oh, I forgot. They have that already.

[David Epps is rector of Christ the King Charismatic Episcopal Church in Peachtree City. He may be contacted at FatherDavidEpps@aol.com or at www.ChristTheKingCEC.com.]

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