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by Haywood Jablowmi
No Good Deed
Goes Unpunished
Around Monticello, Illinios,
Peg Barton loves to wander the countryside, and bring back various articles
for her handmade Native American articles. Small colored stones,
and feathers she collects end up combined with beads and other materials
to create works of art.
One of those artistic expressions
landed her in deep poop with the feds. Back in 1994, she gave one
of her handcrafted Mandelas to the First Lady. The item, also known
as a Dream Catcher is to protect the owner from the evil spirits of nightmares,
according to Native American beliefs.
Peg Barger proudly made the
presentation, and for awhile she was on top of the world...the event even
made her local papers. That's when the Grinch stole Christmas.
Eagle-eyed Federal agents picked up on the local story and searched her
home. The found feathers from several protected migratory species.
She explained she gathered them from roadkill and at the zoon, but now
instead of basking in the warm glow of giving, Ms. Barger was facing cold
hard time.
Rather than spend months
in court, and thousands in legal fees that she didn't have, Barger plead
guilty to a misdemeanor. Nonetheless, her act of generosity ended
up costing more than 10 Grand for lawyers and another 12-hundred for the
fine.
That should teach her to
try and make someone happy. Now she's asking for a Presidential pardon.
She says that the whole thing was a crock, and she is innocent. Whatever
debt she owed, she says, is paid, and she wants her name cleared.
I agree. Maybe the
President will find a few mnutes to put pen to paper and correct this example
of gestapo government treatment of its citizenry. Of course, that's
a longshot, since he's pretty busy lately still trying to clear his own
name, and secure a more favorable entry in future history books. |
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