The Goofball Of The Month for November is not just one person but the entire City Council for Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Including Mayor Dave Bronconnier, aka Bronco, and most notably Alderman Craig Burrows. For his motion and council's almost unanimous support for the "Bad Behavior Bylaw". Which gives city bylaw officers the right to ticket/fine people in the city, for certain actions which violate this bylaw.
Here we go.
Defacating and/or urinating in public. $300 fine.
-I can understand the shitting in public. That's gross. But I don't have a problem with taking a pee in a bush or on a tree. Because when you gotta go; you gotta go. Not to mention this gives the city free reign on the homeless. but also gives calls for public facilities.
Fighting. $250 fine.
-If a group of people are brawlin' no problem. But if 2 guys wish to settle their differences one on one with some fisti' cuffs. No need to step in here.
Spitting. $100 fine.
- Exsqueeze me, I beg your powder. What do you mean I can't spit on the sidewalk? Sorry buddy, but if I cough up a lougy. I'm spitting it out right there and now. Sorry. But it's part of being a 'free' society. I won't run from the cops. But I would definately think about splitting from a bylaw officer if he was coming at me for that.
Loitering and Obstructing. $250 fine.
- Again, pushing the homeless around. If one Alderman, Madeleine King, had her way she'd bus all the homeless outta town. Put them in some type of homeless camp. I don't like her, never have.
Standing or putting your feet on a table/bench/planter/sculpture. $50 fine.
- So if I put my foot on a bench to tie my shoelace. I could potentially get fined for that. Or if I kick back in a public place and put my "dry" feet, on the coffee table... yeah, right. Gimme' a break. That's garbage.
Carry a visible knife in public. $50 fine.
- Does my pen knife on my key chain count. It can be a visible knife when opened and used in a dangerous manner if need be.
Now the chance of this happening is low. But it will still happen to people. Some guy's going to get busted for spitting and the homeless. Look out. There's lots of working homeless in Calgary. They're now going to have to work extra to pay off all these fines. I think this is an absolute joke. There's already a law for most of this shit, it's called mischief. People get charged with it all the time.
Take a bow City Council. You're the Goofballs Of The Month for November 2006.
