A Blow Against Totalitarianism

12 June 2015, Des Moines, Iowa

An encouraging sign that freedom still lives in the Good Ol' US of A !

The Iowa Supreme Court has affirmed that its citizens have a right to be drunk on their own front porches.
Justices rejected a District Court judge's conclusion that one's front porch is a public place because it was plainly accessible and visible to any passers-by and it was a place to which the public is permitted access.

"If the front stairs of a single-family residence are always a public place, it would be a crime to sit there calmly on a breezy summer day and sip a mojito, celebrate a professional achievement with a mixed drink of choice, or even baste meat on the grill with a bourbon-infused barbeque sauce — unless one first obtained a liquor license. We do not think the legislature intended Iowa law to be so heavy-handed," Justice Daryl Hecht wrote in the court's unanimous opinion."

The Des Moines Register also notes that, f'rinstance, the States of Montana, North Carolina and North Dakota specifically prohibit a person from being prosecuted solely for public intoxication.

DonDiego says: "Right On ! ! !

"Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain."
__Iowa State Motto


In related news, . . . . A Man and His Raccoon:

Next- litigation for what a person may be thinking - Supreme Court ruling to follow...

Out here where I live in bee-u-tee-full Plant City, Florida, getting hammered on our front porch and watching the sun set is how we spend our evenings. It sure beats the hell out of watching the evening news.

Gee willikers, next thing they will tell me I can't fly Old Glory and my Gator flag.

Wouldn't be surprised. Thoughtcrime, doublethink and crimespeak soon to be legislated, I'm sure.

HAHA, same back home in WVa. I have the pleasure of getting hammered if I so choose, on either of my decks here in Va. I actually have no idea what the law is here, but where I live, cops would never come here unless called and that would be highly dounbtful 'cause the neighbors would probably have joined us

Either of your decks? Wow, I envy you, jatki.

My front porch is rather small, but, if the mood struck me, I wouldn’t hesitate to over imbibe on it. I have nothing to lose, since the neighbors already think I’m half crazy.

My wife tells them they’re half right.

I just re-read the beginning of of DD's posting and this part caught me, somehow I missed it first time(I scan things too quickly sometimes)..

"..District Court judge's conclusion that one's front porch is a public place because it was plainly accessible and visible to any passers-by and it was a place to which the public is permitted access."

Bold highlighted by me: Now since when has a persons front porch EVER been a place that john q public can just freely be allowed to come up and plop his butt down on my front porch w/o being invited!? If I did that on some front porchs down in DC(there's lots and lots of hanging out on front porches in the black communities) I'm certain that if I did that uninvited I would be summarily dismissed, and quickly.

What a horse's ass that first decision was, glad to see more sane minds prevail.

NOTICE: My front porch is not a Public Venue. Please do not frequent my front porch without an invitation from either me, or my lovely wife, Suz. END OF NOTICE. (Is there a Notary Public in the house?)