{"id":2682,"date":"2015-06-28T12:47:02","date_gmt":"2015-06-28T19:47:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rayivey.com.php5-21.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com\/wordpress\/?p=2682"},"modified":"2015-07-15T15:37:11","modified_gmt":"2015-07-15T22:37:11","slug":"scandirayvia-9-boogeymen-and-trespassers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.rayivey.com\/wordpress\/scandirayvia-9-boogeymen-and-trespassers\/","title":{"rendered":""},"content":{"rendered":"\"Facebook\"<\/a>\"twitter\"<\/a>\"rss\"<\/a>\"instagram\"<\/a>

Freedom to Trespass<\/h1>\n

Here\u2019s one of the things I most admire about Sweden:\u00a0 the constitutional right of allemansr\u00e4tten<\/em>\u00a0, or \"tall_dome_and_sky\"<\/a>\u201cfreedom to roam.\u201d\u00a0 The concept is that nature belongs to everyone.\u00a0 In Sweden, you can basically pick wildflowers, berries, or mushrooms anywhere<\/em>, except in a private garden or right up by someone\u2019s house.\u00a0 You can also ski, hike, and ride bicycles practically anywhere, and fish or use an unpowered boat in virtually any body of water.<\/p>\n

Can you imagine this being the case in the United States?\u00a0 Can you imagine Barbara Streisand having a meltdown because hippies were picking wild sage on her Malibu compound?\u00a0 Or a Texas rancher sitting by idly while a group of hikers traipsed across his land, saying hello to his cattle?<\/p>\n

\"Map<\/a>
Map Boy goes where he wants.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I imagine this entire idea would sound terribly commie\/socialist to many Americans.\u00a0 Perhaps that\u2019s why I like it so.<\/p>\n

And as long as we’re talking about how Sweden is different…<\/h1>\n

Check out this photo:<\/p>\n

\"IG_kids_and_beggar\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This beggar was energetically working all of Old Town the whole time I was there.\u00a0 Here he\u2019s chatting with some children.\u00a0 Their parents are about thirty yards away.\u00a0 Now I ask you to imagine something.<\/p>\n

Imagine this happening in the US.<\/p>\n

Just think about it for a moment.<\/p>\n

If a street beggar began engaging with a group of children in Dallas, or Boise, or Atlanta, the parents would absolutely lose their shit.\u00a0 There\u2019d be screaming.\u00a0 There\u2019d be threats.\u00a0 Cops and lawyers would be called.\u00a0 The children would be checked over for horrible poor person diseases and taken in for counseling.\u00a0 You know it\u2019s true.<\/p>\n

Why the difference?\u00a0 In America we fetishize fear.\u00a0 Fear and stupidity and ignorance go together like peanut butter, jelly and bacon.\u00a0 Swedes don\u2019t think the loaf of bread is possessed by demons or that the beggar is going to eat their children.<\/p>\n

Average Rating: 4.4<\/span> out of 5<\/span> based on 168<\/span> user reviews.<\/span><\/div><\/p>

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