03/05/2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Ghazey Aleck
1-800-608-7375

Amos Weaver of rural Gladwin County is only one of a growing list of Michigan citizens who have discovered that you don't own the land you pay for.

 

Forget for a moment about the fact that the government will take your property away from you for non-payment of the rent they charge you (called taxes), and forget about the way they tell you how to use their rented land through unreasonable enforcement of zoning laws too. The government has more ways to get you than you can ever imagine.

 

On January 31 of this year Mr. Weaver, joined by a number of his fellow Amish neighbors, found out it is illegal to occupy a dwelling without specific water and sewer systems. The case is still pending in the 80th District Court.

 

It doesn't matter that his community has been living this way for hundreds of years. It doesn't matter that the land is bought and paid for. It doesn't matter that he has diligently paid his property taxes. It doesn't even matter that he is happy and no one is getting hurt.

 

The government tells what you can, and what you cannot do with your own property right down to the type of toilet you can use. In other words you simply rent the land from the government because they ultimately decide every aspect of how you can use the land.

 

According to Libertarian Party of Michigan Ghazey Aleck, "This is wrong in so many ways. Mr. Weaver is guaranteed protection under the United States Constitution for freedom of religion. More importantly, it is the government's job is to protect the rights of property owners not destroy them. Ownership means doing what you want when you want as long as you do not hurt anyone else in the process, and the government should have no authority to circumvent the rights of property owners. What has this country come to?"

 

The battle is not over for Mr. Weaver. If convicted he could face a fine and 90 days in jail -- just for living happily on his own property.