What is more sacred, what more strongly guarded by every holy feeling, than a man’s own home? — Cicero, Roman philosopher, 106 to 43 B.C..
A few months ago Darrell Cole came to the Register to ask we take up his cause. Cole’s home at 311 S. Chestnut was at risk of being condemned by Iola’s council members. Cole felt the target of an overly aggressive code enforcement department, saying he needed more time — and money — to make necessary repairs.
Friday morning fate intervened. Cole’s home caught fire and by noon was a blackened shambles. He suffered injuries, serious enough from burns and smoke inhalation to be transferred to a Wichita hospital where he remains in serious condition. His two dogs escaped.
Council members had condemned the house on Nov. 28, citing a rotted roof, interior damage, deteriorated stucco siding and an unsafe back porch.
Cole was given six months to make repairs. He intended to do so as his meager resources allowed, he said.
Greg Hutton, code enforcement officer, told the Register little had been done before Friday’s fire.
While eventual demolition of the house awaited if Cole didn’t make improvements, the question arises: Should it be Cole’s choice to live in a house that most folks would find intolerable?
Or is it a case of us — the general public — injecting our values on those who think differently and don’t put a premium on materialism or conventionalism?
Those are questions that are not easily reconciled.
An old English standard tells us a man’s home is his castle, but must it be pristine?
PERHAPS we have permitted a big-brother attitude to become too prevalent.
We took a look at Cole’s place several months ago. It was not one where we would have wanted to live, but apparently he was comfortable with his surroundings and maybe, just maybe, he would have found a way to make enough repairs to satisfy city demands. We’ll never know now. Also, we erred by sloughing off Cole’s concerns, and taking the high road.
Meanwhile, it may be time to loosen the noose a bit on some of the values we demand of others.
When Cole visited the Register he indicated he had the skill set to repair his home, but not the financial wherewithal.
Perhaps we should look more closely at situations such as Cole’s and find the compassion to help them find rectification. Perhaps a fund should be established, at the city and/or county level, to help individuals, much as we do with economic development. A couple of thousand dollars and a crew of helpful hands might have put Cole’s home in acceptable condition.
Cole’s home now is too far gone for reclamation, but there was a time when that might have been an option. With a little help — a neighborly thing to do — and financial assistance, even a long-term low-interest loan with benchmarks for forgiveness, could have made the difference.
We think it’s time to think in such a creative manner not only to satisfy the letter of the law, but also to save someone’s “castle.”
— Bob Johnson
