[Hildy]

What do you mean? Do most FReepers cheer for government intervention in neighborhood issues? Besides, the woman is flat broke, and the condition of her home is the fault of a contractor. Maybe there was a better solution to this than fining her for money she didn't have and throwing her in jail.

I don't know why you resurrected a five month old story..but since you did....did you notice this quote:

"The town building inspector was very, very nice," Hirsch said. "We genuinely tried to help her. But she doesn't have any money, so what can she do?" When Moor was arrested Tuesday, she called another lawyer, Hirsch suspects, because she owes Hirsch money. "Had she called me, I would have helped her anyway," he said."

There are organizations, churches, neighbors that would have helped her. Even the guy who she owed money to would have helped. Unlike you, I believe in the goodness of people to help their neighbors...but the owner needs to ask for help...needs to swallow a bit of pride. In my experience, people like her don't want help..they want to live in their squalor, whether to seal their victimhood or because of mental illness. Sounds like she had plenty of opportunity to try to work things out. If she can't afford to live where she lives, she needs to move...for not other reason, than her own sake. I don't think that's cruel, I think that's compassion.

[TChris]

I don't know why you resurrected a five month old story..but since you did....did you notice this quote...

There are organizations, churches, neighbors that would have helped her. Even the guy who she owed money to would have helped. Unlike you, I believe in the goodness of people to help their neighbors...but the owner needs to ask for help...needs to swallow a bit of pride...

D'oh! You're right. My bad. I'm a victim of my own drive-by reading on this one. (Didn't even look at the date) :-/