Uninformed Relinquishing

Warning: Mental meandering ahead

Promise: Arrival at a logical conclusion if you stay with me

Do you know what an easement is, dear reader? Here is a definition:

Easement: a right to cross or otherwise use someone else's land for a specified purpose

This past summer I saw a lot of men driving trucks marked Ledcor. Crews of guys dotted the streets of my city, and they busily buried cable wherever they went. Government money, read here tax payer dollars, were spent to dig up dirt in order to drop down and cover-up, fibre optics cable. My city is telling citizens that we will only have garbage pickup twice a month now, and suffer a huge tax hike without added services... hmmm, how come? My guess is technology that tracks and traces, numbs and dumbs humans with radiation and noise pollution, is more important and valuable than trash removal and responsible municipal spending. Yes yes, we must expect the government to have priorities, isn't that right, dear reader? (written with thick sarcasm). 

Just so you know that I am not only being a barer of bad news, I am going to share a bright light insight I had when Rodgers (the ever so sneaky cable company I like to refer to as Dodgy Rodgy) wanted to use my property as an easement, by burying cable in my front lawn for a service ordered by the neighbours. 

In the trees

As the story goes, or starts, I was asked if I would agree to cable running over my property, high overhead, through my front yard tree, on a temporary basis: not understanding that ultimately the idea was for a cable to go into the ground, meaning into my property, I agreed. 

Not long after this, I saw paint with little red flags marking my grass, indicating where the digging would take place: I removed the flags, and it just so happened, that the contracted cable locator guy, was still near by. I shared how I had misunderstood, and how the situation had not been explained to me in any detail, and he kindly gave me some phone numbers, with names, to call.

This is where my glee comes in and I get a tiny bit excited. I called the first number out of the two, and the man that answered the phone was initially very condescending when I explained the situation. He arrogantly suggested that I ought to have known the line would be buried in my property, not understanding that what was common knowledge to him in his profession, did not even register in my world as something to know or consider. Dear reader, these contractors, these companies, are well used to you and I and the guy and gal next door having no opinion or comprehension regarding certain things, and thus by way of uninformed relinquishing, giving them permission to use our property for their profits. Hand in hand, the government and the corporations, skip across our rights with nary a care: easements are everywhere, dear one. 

My question to you is, Do you know how much ground you and I have given up without a fight, or even, sadly, as I am now learning, without even recognizing it when it happens?

Take me seriously

The man on the phone started taking me a little more seriously when I told him I would not permit, agree to, allow, the cable to be buried on my property. He started be polite too, realizing I wasn't a pushover, and that he was actually talking to a consumer: it would not serve him to continue being rude to me. He was not keen on taking my no for an answer, and told me he would send someone to my house to discuss the issue. I told him it wouldn't change a thing, but alas, the petulant are persistent, and money was on the line for this fella. Stay with me now, we are getting closer to my point...

A guy arrived within a day or two, and I informed him that the line was not to be buried on my property. He tried to convince me otherwise, but finally told me when I would not give him the go ahead, We will get a permit from the city to bury the line. I responded, Go ahead. 

Lo and behold, dear one, they simply could not get that permit, and I know now that this man, when he uttered this veiled threat, suggesting I had no say in the matter, knew a permit would not be granted: this is why they cross personal property to get the job done. He didn't have a leg, or a buried cable, to stand on. 

Lesson: Question others when sensing they are taking undo liberties; challenge the status quo and subtle suggestions of loss of autonomy

Resistance

We must keep in mind these people are paid to get a job done, and instructed to insist when we resist. If I say no, and you say no, they have to go to the original purchaser of the product and admit, they have to come up with another solution... 

I had men at my door again yesterday, and they were polite but wanted to confirm one more time, where I stood. I confess, a part of me thought, am I being difficult; should I give in? Why am I resisting so?

You tell me, dear reader... why am I resisting so? What do you think?

Upon reflection...

This is what I know, dear one. When people take liberties from those that are unaware, the unaware are in danger of losing all that belongs to them. This is what we have seen happen over the past couple of years, and it is still happening. 

It absolutely breaks my heart knowing that so many have been preyed upon without any cognizance. It hurts my spirit that people are dying because they didn't see they were handing over their autonomy, their freedom, their physical property, including the skin they are in, to mercenaries. Are the cable companies, the workers, the contractors, responsible for theft? Yes, yes they are, because they are trained to cross boundaries, to move markers, and blend peoples paid for properties, into one big slice of profit pie to line their pockets. 

I could blame the government, and in particular the Prime Minister, but he is one man... and it takes many men to rob a country of their belongings, one front lawn, one piece of well-being, and one soul at a time. One of the worst excuses I have ever heard, is: I was just doing my job. Accountability doesn't disappear on payday.

My point

Now, after all that reading, here is my point. WE, you and I and all our like minded friends, have physical remedies when we are imposed upon. Our lives are not a fait accompli, choice less and broken, waiting for the next thing to happen without our say in the matter. We can stop the imposing by speaking a resolute no when we sense someone is creepy at our front door wanting in, uninvited. 

We are human beings created in the image of God Almighty, and we are a clever lot, more than capable of handling those that connive and attempt to steal away what God has provided. I for one will stand my ground, no matter how many men try to dissuade me from KNOWING that I have a say with rights attached. Anyone working hard to convince someone to go against their own will, have a vested interest in the matter, and cannot be counted as trustworthy. 

How about you, dear one? Where will you draw the line in the sand, or your front lawn, and stand your ground?

If you haven't thought about this yet, perhaps now is the time.

Remove not the ancient landmark, which they fathers have set (Proverbs 22:28)