That's almost two years in dog time!

St. Charles, Missouri passed a new doggie-doo law. What's the big deal? Well this nugget of a law makes it a crime to be caught walking a dog without "waste removal equipment." The punishment you ask? $500, or up to three months in jail. Three months! If I'm living in St. Charles, no chance that now, my "waste removal system" is "my hand and pocket."

What gall's me 'bout this article is the cavelier manner in which local politicians treat liberty. This city council seriously thinks not carrying a doggi-doo bag merits sending someone to jail. Beyond the fact that, as Americans, we're supposed to value freedom above most else, does the city council really think it makes economic sense in terms of cost of trial and the cost of jail v. some dog poop on the grass? Plus their action has the added benefit putting the hurdle for jailable offenses so low as to be irrelevant. Seriously, if the city can send someone to jail for not carrying a pooper-scooper what else is jailable? Running a stop-sign can kill someone, surely that should merit some jail time. How about speeding, running an "orange" stop-light, smoking in the non-smoking section, littering, j-walking, or giving away the secret ending to Sixth Sense?

But it's easy to see how the City Council feels like they can get away with this law. I was amazed at the people's complacentcy in talking about the new law. Everyone focused on picking up the doo, not the fact that you can go to jail for it. Jail! Have we lost all sense of "punishment fitting the crime?" I mean, no wonder we have over 2 million people in our jails. Can you imagine answering the question "what're you in fer?" "I'm in for not carrying a plastic baggie to pick up after my yorkie on walks, bro."