According to a recent report from Fox News, the Wausau, Wisconsin government officially “has on its books an ordinance against throwing snowballs at someone standing on public property.”
So imagine this, you’re going to the post office to drop off some mail with your kids, and they decide to have a snowball fight outside like kids do, while you stand in line. An average situation right? Well, if you do so in the city of Wausau, once that first snowball flies through the air over the public property (i.e. the post office grounds), you better expect the boys in blue to show up to the scene of the crime.
Luckily though, no one in town knows if any snowball related offenses have been committed since the ordinance was declared. In fact, Mayor Robert Mielke didn’t know if any prior offenses had been committed or even how such an ordinance would be enforced.
What is the point of law if it had no justification for existing, no one remembers it even being put into law, and not even the chief executive knows how it would be enforced if someone did report such a silly offense taking place?
Wausau Officer Mason Hagenbucher told the press, “We would address it appropriately, and in my head-- I don’t know if a citation would be appropriate,” adding that “You just don’t throw stuff at people, period.”
If caught throwing a snowball on the public property one could expect a hefty fine of $114.
What this situation shows is that the government makes problems out of non-existing problems, creates a mechanism to take money from the people, but then may or may not follow through on how to actually enforce the laws they deemed so necessary.
As we enter upon another season of snow, go out and throw a snowball for freedom with your friends and see how many passersby’s run for their lives and call the police.
