You have to admire this guy. Too bad there arent more people like him. If there were, maybe we wouldnt be in the current mess we are.
Off-Grid Man Jailed For Confronting Utility Company
June 5, 2006 11:51 AM - Justin Thomas, Virginia
In the Pittsburgh area, a man went to jail rather than let the local power company run an electric line through his property. He's also in some hot water for refusing to connect to the local sewer system. Although he?s repeatedly lost in criminal court, William Williams, 76, of Cecil, vows to continue removing the guy wire and its anchor in his yard each time the power company replaces them. For Mr. Williams, it?s all a matter of civil disobedience. He said he refuses to surrender his property rights to the utilities.
He served 26 days in jail this year for his wire-cutting actions, with more jail time expected in subsequent charges.
It's all part of Mr. Williams' campaign to declare himself free from all public utilities in a case of independent spirit vs. public utility, private rights vs. public service. But the battle has escalated. Mr. Williams has dug a five-foot hole in his yard to remove the guy-wire anchor. And he knows the likely result: More charges, more jail time. "I don't bother anyone. Why should they bother me?" he said. But Allen Staggers, manager of corporate communications for Allegheny Power, said all power company facilities, including guy wires, were on rights of way the company has purchased. With old lines, the right-of-way agreement could have been reached decades ago.
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006...id_man_jai.php