Mea Culpa
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, the day reserved for giving thanks and feasting. In Ohio, at least, another day may be reserved in the future: a day for apologizing to the state.
In 2006, an Ohio hunter shot a deer out-of-season. It doesn't matter whose property the deer was on, all deer in Ohio are the assumed property of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Nor does it matter that the deer population in the state is exploding as fewer hunters choose to pay the ever-increasing fee for a hunting license.
Just this week, the hunter was sentenced. Besides 20 days, a $3400 fine, and 150 hours of community service, this man has to write a letter of apology to the department.
I am certain that we all have offended the ideals and sensibilities of some state department during the past year. We, therefore, need to apologize for our actions. It's the right thing to do.
For no particular reason at all, let's designate December 1 as Mea Culpa: the day of state apology. Please write at least one letter of apology, I'll even start you off:
Dear Department of ___________:
In recognition of Mea Culpa, please forgive me for _________. I sincerely apologize that my actions have offended you.
Sincerely,
____________________
Comments (8)
So when is the State going to apologize to all its victims, all those it inflicted suffering upon in its many forms?
Published: November 21, 2007 10:19 PM
so should we apologize for working to undermine the power of/cut funding to the dept. in question?
Published: November 21, 2007 11:24 PM
Yes, an apology seems a bit over the top, especially as the court is depriving him of hunting privileges FOR LIFE.
Published: November 22, 2007 4:33 AM
This reminds me of Robin Hood, one of his main "crimes" in the traditional stories was poaching the kings deer. However in the stories, Robin Hood was looked upon as a hero for it, because the deer were not considered property that the king could claim ownership of. The peasants were starving while the deer were a plenty, was one of the reasons the king was hated.
Published: November 22, 2007 10:27 AM
Indeed, Robin Hood is one of the most misunderstood, misused historical figures. He robbed the state to return their ill-gotten gains to those who were robbed initially, yet today we treat him as if he were an old form of welfare state politician, taking from "the rich" indiscriminately to give to "the poor." Even Ayn Rand fell for this nonsense, calling him a terrible evil, when in actuality he was no different from her Ragnar.
Published: November 22, 2007 2:46 PM
Interesting what if a king had a private forest for private hunting? If it's a case of private land it goes without saying anyone on the land without permission is a trespasser? Isn't a point of owning private forests was for environmental reasons? Or that for someone to trespass and hunt because they're 'hungry' amounts to denial of private property rights and Socialism? That to allow to 'special cases' opens the door to any and all with a 'case'.
Published: November 22, 2007 5:03 PM
20 days in the Big House and a $3400 file. It sounds like between the hearings, trial, incarceration, enforcement, etc the State of Ohio LOST MONEY!!!!!!!
And to make matters worse:
The dude will have less income (20 days + 150 hours), less cash 3400, and EVERY INCENTIVE TO GO OUT KILLING DEER FOR FOOD.
Way to go Ohio!!!!!!
Published: November 22, 2007 10:40 PM
Dear State of Maryland Income Tax Division:
In recognition of Mea Culpa, please forgive me for not paying the $4,000 you claimed I owed the State of Maryland for the year 1987. I sincerely apologize that my actions have offended you.
I answered your somewhat relentless phone calls and "Demand for Payment" letters from a collection agency in 1996, but I took the matter lightly and actually laughed about it at first.
I realize now that my excuse - I never set foot in the state of Maryland or received a cent of income from that state in 1987 - was wholly without merit and I should pay taxes to any state who demands it, but at the time I didn't know any better.
Please forgive me for thinking that my silly excuse put an end to the matter, which I realized in 2001 when I tried to buy a house and couldn't until I settled the tax lien. I did that by sending you a copy of my 1987 Form 40 from the state of Alabama. I could have sent this to you in 1996, but for some reason I was too angry. (That's how Southern people are - we get so sick of Yankees always telling us what to do and that's just plain wrong. I appreciate that every few months thousands of you must march down here for something or other and put us in our place. Otherwise, we would think we were your equals, and that, too, is just plain wrong. Not to mention rude.)
I repent in sackcloth and ashes that I was ever born. (By the way, I did live in Maryland for six months during 1988, and you just got the year wrong. Whoops.)
Sincerely,
Sue Ann Sally Billy Bob
Published: November 23, 2007 11:04 PM