Bonehead award one, a “government as good as it gets” bonehead award, goes to the Okaloosa County, Florida, sheriff’s department which believes they have found the solution for getting rid of drug dealers and prostitutes in the Florida Panhandle: cut down an oak tree.

I’m not making this up. Really!

Because drug dealers and prostitutes tend to transact business underneath a particular old oak tree in the county, sheriff’s deputies are advocating cutting down the tree, believing it will end the drug and prostitution problems because these unwelcome elements will no longer have their usual place for doing business. And they will just go out of business, I suppose.

County officials are in disbelief. “Why not deal with the people underneath the tree rather than cut down the tree?" asked a confused Christy Johnson, a senior county planner.

It appears the county is losing the battle to preserve the oak and reasonable thinking.

The Herald-Tribune (Florida) 25-Aug-04


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And WE put these people in charge! Shame on US!




TEd