There has been a lot of talk about privatizing government institutions, Police departments, schools, etc. On paper, this could potential be a good idea. In practice, well we didn’t know, until last week.
Have you ever forgotten to pay your electric bill and had services stopped? It’s inconvenient, but a family in Tennessee found out the risk of forgetting to pay for fire services. The South Fulton Fire Department refused to show up to a burning house because the homeowners had not paid a $75 fee. They eventually showed up, but only because the neighbor had paid the fee and his property was in danger. While their house caught fire, the homeowners begged, and offered money to have their home, belongings, memories and pets saved. The fire department watched the house burn to the ground.
This case shows us the cruel, morally bankrupt, and irresponsible actions taken when we run the government like a business. Conservatives on National Review called the homeowners “jerks, freeloaders, and ingrates”, and Glenn Beck mocked them for sponging off their neighbors. Wasn’t there a man who spoke about loving thy neighbor? I can never remember his name.
Was it right to allow someone’s home to be burnt to the ground for not paying a $75 fee? I don’t think so, and I suspect people will disagree with me. I do hope people will agree with me when I say; it’s irresponsible to allow a fire to continue in a populated area. For this alone I hope the mayor, fire chief, and firemen are reprimanded.
So what was the benefit of the fire department running like a business? I guess people will never forget to pay their fees, and I guess now there is one less house to worry about. But at what cost?
