Footing the bill for the happiness of others- A gripe

**hamtown mike** · December-13-10, 12:36 PM

Those of you who have read my posts would more than likely agree that most of them carry a tone similar to that of an old man shouting at children to stay off his lawn. This post is no different.

However, instead of shouting at children to stay off my lawn, I am shouting at one of my neighbor’s 4 pitbulls to stay off. Yesterday, Corrupt, yes the dog’s name is Corrupt, decided to punch through my wooden fence for the 5th time in less than a year. In case you are wondering the other dogs are named Felony, Convict, and Rumor.

So, because somehow it has become my responsibility to keep their dogs in their yard, I head out in the snow with freshly ripped fence boards and make the repairs.

As I froze my ass off, I grew increasingly angry and a figurative piece of sand firmly planted itself under my skin. A grain of sand that has grown in to this pearl of a post.

In short-Why the hell is it my responsibility to cover the costs tied to the happiness of others? My assumption is that these dogs bring my neighbors some degree of happiness. Who knows, perhaps they were court ordered to raise these animals, but I doubt it.

The neighbors will not maintain the fence, the city will not seize the animals, and it’s not worth fighting in small claims court. Where is my recourse? It looks like, as it often occurs in Detroit, I have no other option but to live down to the lowest common denominator.

This “living down” runs rampant in the city of Detroit. Alarm systems, bars on windows, picking wind blown garbage out of your yard, taxes, increased insurance rates and more are tangible costs we pay for the happiness of others.

Case in point, I stopped by the party store after fixing the fence. I stood in line behind a fella who peeled off a sawbuck to pay for his pint of congress vodka only after using his bridge card to pay for his 2-liter of Faygo. I know this is not a rare occurrence but coupled with Corrupt’s jail break, I was fuming.

Then it hit me-every week a big bag of dog food makes its way into the income-adjusted house of my neighbors. Who’s paying for that? I know they already use a bridge card-I discovered this after a knock down drag out over the card in the front yard this summer after it was discovered that someone had used up all the credits in the first two weeks of the month.

Don’t get me wrong-I believe in the attainment of happiness at all costs-until you begin spreading the costs of your own happiness onto the shoulders of others.

So how do we do this Detroit? How do we ignite the fire of personal responsibility? How do we reinstate the laws of cause and effect? How do we turn down the spigot? How do we show the benefit of actually earning what you have?

Random drug and alcohol screenings for anyone receiving “entitlements” or welfare? [[People are already screaming bloody murder by disallowing smoking in public housing.) Disallow pets in the homes of welfare recipients? Reduce welfare payments to families with children earning poor grades? Sterilization for those deemed unfit parents? Deny voting rights for non-tax payers? Place a refundable deposit on McDonalds hamburger wrappers, Big Chug bottles and Funyon bags?

We could just sit back and let the problem take care of itself. Keep throwing money at the problem while those who care [[tax payers and home owners with a vested interest) leave thereby shrinking the tax base and available funds to throw at the problem, creating bigger problems which pushes more out which... and on and on and on until there is nothing left and nobody to care.

I would love to hear your thoughts. What can be done? Can anything be done? No idea too outlandish! Let’s hear it!

**izzyindetroit** · December-13-10, 12:55 PM

Where I grew up, we pulled out a .22 and shot unwanted animals. Once this relationship is established, your neighbors will think twice about letting their pets run off the leash.

**terryh** · December-13-10, 01:26 PM

Originally Posted by izzyindetroit

Where I grew up, we pulled out a .22 and shot unwanted animals. Once this relationship is established, your neighbors will think twice about letting their pets run off the leash.

Sounds good to me, especially knowing what breed of do lives next to Mike, but in that neighborhood, serious retaliation may occur for shooting a stray dog. Its unfortunate that many neighbors care more about a dog, than the safety and comfort of their fellow community members.....

**Detroitnerd** · December-13-10, 01:29 PM

Why don't we take all the people we deem not smart enough or industrious enough and round them up and put them into gas chambers? Then there'd be just us smart and industrious people left.

**bailey** · December-13-10, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Why don't we take all the people we deem not smart enough or industrious enough and round them up and put them into gas chambers? Then there'd be just us smart and industrious people left.

Dnerd...always bringing the nuance to the conversation.

Buy American · December-13-10, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Why don't we take all the people we deem not smart enough or industrious enough and round them up and put them into gas chambers? Then there'd be just us smart and industrious people left.

What does that have to do with anything? This is about taking responsibility for ones self and ones actions. It doesn't take a lot of brains to know that my pit bull doesn't belong in someone elses' yard...it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that caring about a neighbor or others is important. That's the whole problem with people today...it's not my responsibility, it's not my job, I'm entitled to this, I don't have to...and on and on.

**Detroitnerd** · December-13-10, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by Buy American

What does that have to do with anything? This is about taking responsibility for ones self and ones actions. It doesn't take a lot of brains to know that my pit bull doesn't belong in someone elses' yard...it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that caring about a neighbor or others is important. That's the whole problem with people today...it's not my responsibility, it's not my job, I'm entitled to this, I don't have to...and on and on.

I KNOW. That's what I'm saying. Solving society's problems is as easy as figuring out who we need to pen up and slaughter, and then only the responsible people are left. You know, the ones who are smart and work hard and only just happen to look like me ...

**laphoque** · December-13-10, 02:00 PM

Sounds like you need a better fence.

lilpup · December-13-10, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by hamtown mike

The neighbors will not maintain the fence, the city will not seize the animals, and it’s not worth fighting in small claims court. Where is my recourse? It looks like, as it often occurs in Detroit, I have no other option but to live down to the lowest common denominator.

I read a lot of bitching about what other people should do, but what's it worth to you??

**sirrealone** · December-13-10, 02:15 PM

Originally Posted by hamtown mike

Random drug and alcohol screenings for anyone receiving “entitlements” or welfare? [[People are already screaming bloody murder by disallowing smoking in public housing.) Disallow pets in the homes of welfare recipients? Reduce welfare payments to families with children earning poor grades? Sterilization for those deemed unfit parents? Deny voting rights for non-tax payers? Place a refundable deposit on McDonalds hamburger wrappers, Big Chug bottles and Funyon bags?

While these specific items are extreme examples, they basically tie back to the same principles: Accountability. Make assistance temporary. Give incentive to those taking assistance to no longer take it.

Quite honestly, I see these things as some of the basic principles on which a fairly recent governor of the state based his administration off of. Given that so many in DYes land come on here proclaiming that John Engler was the worst governor ever, I don't think you're going to get a lot of sympathy. Quite honestly, it seems in this day in age, we're all about making excuses for those who just take and take and take without even trying to give back.

Don't get me wrong, I know there are people who truly need. There are people who don't abuse the system. It's a matter of differentiating between those who truly have no other alternative and those who choose not to have one.

When the 'norm' or anything close to the 'norm' is to use assistance to feed a litter of pit bulls or buy cocktail mixers, then there's something broken.

Should it be fixed? I think so, but from what I've seen from a lot of people on here, the last guy to really try in this state apparently ruined everything.

So, you have my sympathies and agreement in principle on the fact that what you saw is truly messed up. I just wouldn't expect a whole lot across the board.

Buy American · December-13-10, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by lilpup

I read a lot of bitching about what other people should do, but what's it worth to you??

I don't understand some of you people! The other people hamtown is talking about are his neighbors. Why on earth should it be his responsibility to do anything? He already tried to fix his fence to keep these animals out of his yard. When is it the neighbors responsibility?
It may be worth thousands of dollars for hamtown to erect a new fence, but should he because of uncaring people, an uncaring City?

hamtown mike...izzy may be right.

**JStone** · December-13-10, 02:19 PM

I feel your pain Hamtown Mike. There is no answer. Just give up. I have. My best estimates to avoid situations like a Southeastern Michigan, would be to move to a place like Portland. It will cost you a lot more money, but you will be able to live the rest of your years in relative peace and harmony. We are on the steep declining end of a once great civilization. No sense in going down with the ship.

**hamtown mike** · December-13-10, 02:23 PM

Originally Posted by lilpup

I read a lot of bitching about what other people should do, but what's it worth to you??

I don't think I follow...

What is It worth to me? If "it" is my time and effort, "it" is worth quite a bit to me. Hence my frustration with how others are dictating how and when "it" is to be spent.

if "it" is living in Hamtramck or in Detroit- "it", the 1% income taxes we pay for the privilege, is worth very little. But sadly, I'm stuck like so many others who want out. Couldn't sell or rent out my home to cover the mortgage- and I didn't do anything fancy just a standard 30 yr fixed at 5.5% 7 years ago.

**hamtown mike** · December-13-10, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by Buy American

hamtown mike...izzy may be right.

Sadly two 9mm, belonging to the neighbors, beat one 22 any day of the week.

**Hermod** · December-13-10, 02:26 PM

Originally Posted by laphoque

Sounds like you need a better fence.

Next time repair the hole with razor wire.

**hamtown mike** · December-13-10, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by laphoque

Sounds like you need a better fence.

Yes, a fence that I will have to pay for to replace a fence I already paid for. And every damn dime I drop into my house kills me.

**izzyindetroit** · December-13-10, 02:45 PM

Originally Posted by hamtown mike

Sadly two 9mm, belonging to the neighbors, beat one 22 any day of the week.

Than may I suggest:

If they aren't collared, they are illegal and dangerous, take them to the society.

**Gannon** · December-13-10, 03:02 PM

Yeah a .22 is merely going to piss off a poorly-raised pit bull. Razor wire will only tickle it.

Don't have any answers but REALLY want to fashion an argument against JStone, but I've got nothing tangible...still don't want to yield that he is right just yet, though.

**Detroitnerd** · December-13-10, 03:05 PM

I keep forgetting to mark my posts as "satire"...

**Zacha341** · December-13-10, 03:06 PM

I am pet-free by choice [[last pet passed away last year) and just do not want to be subject to others willy-nilly choice to not take care of their animals subjecting all of that upon others. I hope to never be subjected to be a captive audience to someones unkempt dogs, especially pit bulls. I'd be calling the police daily. Ugh.

**Zacha341** · December-13-10, 03:08 PM

That is usually the response of the police if they have one too many domestic nuisance calls especially re. pits roaming about, un-tagged, un-licensed, not spayed or neutered... of whom they seem to have little tolerance for. I live in a shared dwelling that has three pits, for the most part they are quiet except when someone comes around which is an advantage to having them I suppose. They are well maintained and not a nuisance so far, thank goodness.... I am personally not interested in pets right now....

Originally Posted by izzyindetroit

Where I grew up, we pulled out a .22 and shot unwanted animals. Once this relationship is established, your neighbors will think twice about letting their pets run off the leash.

**rjk** · December-13-10, 03:10 PM

The three names we were considering for our new cockapoo pup were Felony, Convict and Jack. We settled on Jack.

This is a prime example of what is wrong with Pitbulls.
Too many Pitbull owners want the dogs to live up to the tough image that they've developed.

**Zacha341** · December-13-10, 03:14 PM

Yep, and too many people have dogs without being able or willing to car for or maintain them properly. Some seem completely oblivious to the disturbance their dogs are creating to others as well.

Originally Posted by rjk

The three names we were considering for our new cockapoo pup were Felony, Convict and Jack. We settled on Jack.

This is a prime example of what is wrong with Pitbulls.
Too many Pitbull owners want the dogs to live up to the tough image that they've developed.

**Gistok** · December-13-10, 03:24 PM

I know someone who's dog died when he licked up some anti-freeze off his neighbors driveway.....

**luckycar** · December-13-10, 03:31 PM

Pitbulls in the yard,anti-freeze in a dish.Here puppy,puppy.Works on cats too.Or just shoot all your undesirables within a two block area.A safe zone.The crime most likely won't be sovled,and the crime rate for your part of town will go down a lot!SATIRE,poorly written and poorly stated.I do feel your pain.Just ask about a million others who have voted with their feet.