[samtheman]

Great Andy Levy line:

“I’m losing track of the number of Muslims who I have to remember don’t speak for Islam. It’s a long list.”

[GonzoGOP]

I chalk this whole thing up to one of my mom's old sayings. You may have every right to be a jerk, but in the end you are still a jerk. The guy didn't pay the bill so the firemen had every right to not put out the fire. In terms of a business it was exactly what they needed to do. But standing buy laughing while a man's house is destroyed makes you a jerk.

Firemen have always been respected more than insurance agents and lawyers. And there was a darn good reason for that. Lawyers and insurance agents were pure mercenary. They did what they did for the money and didn't give a damn what happened to the people involved. Firemen, even the professional variety who get paid for what they do, were always viewed as something more. It wasn't just about the money, but a duty to the community. That is why firemen ride at the front of a parade, while the lawyers sit on the curb. It is why mercenaries will never receive the same respect as the soldier, even though they do essentially the same job.

By refusing to put out the fire, the volunteer fire company made a shrewd business decision. But they also put themselves firmly into the category of all other ruthless business people. That is well within their rights. But it will never make them beloved. If $75 is worth trashing their reputation in the community, then they made the right decision.

[Carley]

If you don’t purchase auto insurance and then after an auto accident you tell the insurance company they have to pay for the repairs how far will you get.

[ryan71]

They should have put the fire out then worried about the $75.

[Domandred]

The part that I missed in this whole controversy is something my wife and I talked about yesterday.

This guy supposedly lives in a rural area that didn’t even have fire service until this new fee came along to provide it.

Given he’s in a rural area how far gone was the house by the time the fire department got there? It’s entirely possible that even if he had paid his yearly fee the house was a total loss anyways.

So one way or another he lost his house, and now just wants to make a big stink about it.

[momtothree]

I unfortunately have actually seen a house burn up in a fire. To be honest, I don’t care if it is a mansion or a shack... it is someone’s home and very disturbing to see. If I lived in a community that I had to pay for this service, I would. That being said, I wouldn’t support one volunteer fire service carnival, raffle etc... AND I wouldn’t stop if I saw a fireman on the side of the road and needed help. I would drive right on by and wave. Why? Where’s MY money? Have a flat tire? Too bad. I would have little to no respect for that department. Just a thought.

[struggle]

Burgess wrote about this and Islam as the disintegrating forces of Britain in his novel “1985”.

The protagonist’s wife dies in a fire the during a fire department strike.

[tophat9000]

Question ...Was this fire crew a private for profit business?... because I find that hard to believe... because when is the best time to sell your services?... when then their in demand.. so good business would be to charge the guy a big price (say $5,000 to $7,500) and put the fire out...lets face it..in a true free marker you can buy and people will sell, anything for a price

I want to know what law prevent them from selling their services at a premier right then and there... because that $75 fee sounds more like a property tax or association fee... and people lose their houses all the time over unpaid propriety tax's or association fee's ... they just take it legally

[oldvike]

I would image that alot of folks in that area have RUN to fire station this week to pay their fire protection bill. I feel sorry for the guy but he knew the rules.