As ThinkProgress has noted, there are currently two competing visions of governance in the United States. One, the conservative vision, believes in the on-your-own society, and informs a policy agenda that primarily serves the well off and privileged sectors of the country. The other vision, the progressive one, believes in an American Dream that works for all people, regardless of their racial, religious, or economic background.
The conservative vision was on full display last week in Obion County, Tennessee. In this rural section of Tennessee, Gene Cranick’s home caught on fire. As the Cranicks fled their home, their neighbors alerted the county’s firefighters, who soon arrived at the scene. Yet when the firefighters arrived, they refused to put out the fire, saying that the family failed to pay the annual subscription fee to the fire department. Because the county’s fire services for rural residences is based on household subscription fees, the firefighters, fully equipped to help the Cranicks, stood by and watched as the home burned to the ground:
A local newspaper further pressed Mayor Crocker about the city’s policy, which has been in place since 1990. Crocker, a Republican who was elected in 2008 and serves with a county commission where every seat is also filled by a Republican, likened the policy to buying auto insurance. [...]
More like paying the local criminal element for "protection" from the local criminal element, I'd say.
Keith Olbermann interviewed Mr. Cranick yesterday:
This has happened in this burg before, as well as exceptions made. Now that this is out in the light of day, or maybe the light from a burning home, I want to see a criminal investigation of the Repugs who made it happen. Some serious civil litigation too. Put the bastards in jail and make 'em pay.
I also would like to hear what other firefighters have to say about the supposed firefighters who stood by and allowed this to happen and sullied the good (and deserved) image of selfless dedication to duty of firefighters everywhere.
We know about fire in rural areas out here in California. When my town had a volunteer fire department with only a couple of paid professionals, we used to joke about them as being the "cellar savers" whose motto was "We haven't lost a foundation yet!", but when the call went out, they always showed up and fought the fire.
Now we have a full-time paid fire department:
Our Mission Statement
As authorized by Special District Law, and the Government Code of California, the "Mission" of the Truckee Fire Protection District is to protect life, property and wildlands in order to enhance the economic, environmental, and social benefits derived from these resources within the boundaries of the District. To provide "all risk" services to Truckee and surrounding communities, the District will maintain cooperative agreements with Local, State and Federal agencies. The District will ensure that it's members, individually and collectively, will strive to meet the intent of the "Mission" of the Truckee Fire Protection District in regards to education and personal commitment, while maintaining the highest level of professional conduct and standards as mandated by the fire service.
That is what we expect from our firefighters.
We have a mutual assistance pact with nearby fire departments. We have CalFire and the U.S. Forest Service. One or more or all of these will respond to any fire. We put our trust and faith in them and they do their best. They may not always prevail against fire as quickly as we might like, but they always give it their best shot. All these agencies have their own money problems, but they're not about to be on scene and watch somebody's house burn down for a lousy seventy-five bucks.
For all the taxes that I pay, all I want is for the fire department to show up should I or my neighbors need them. I have never been disappointed by them nor do I have any reason to suspect I ever will be.
What these so-called firefighters in Tennessee did was absolutely unconscionable and they should be penalized for it, along with the local Repug power structure that gave the orders to not fight fires unless the homeowner was "on the list".
I want heads to roll.
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