The campaign picture is what the home I HAD, this time 2 years ago, looked like 5 hours after fire ripped through my 7 acres like a CUTTING TORCH through butter...
My apologies in advance for any run-on sentences; etc. Having to detail what happen that morning slams me right back to the morning of 02/20.2022, when I lost 99+% everything I'd ever had; and, came within just a couple of minutes of being trapped in that house & BURNED TO DEATH!!! Even after 21 months, I'm still as emotionally raw as I was that day - just without the shock and numbness I felt that morning... I've gotten by without mentally snapping by compartmentalizing as much as I can, to TRY to put something resembling a life back together; but, every thought about that day "opens the flood gates!" Also, I've always found it very easy to help others; but, I've NEVER found it easy to ask for help for myself. It's a very awkward situation for me; but, a step I HAVE TO take at this point. In Oklahoma, there's a law that the only way an intentionally set fire (started on one's own property) is considered arson is if it's set with the intent of collecting on one's own insurance. Other than that, "It's a civil matter..."
This fire was intentionally set - during EXTREMELY DANGEROUS weather conditions - but, it was set for "purposes other than" collecting from an insurance company. (It feels like Okla. cares more about insurance companies than it does people...) "Arson" was listed on the Sheriff's Department report; but, no legal action was taken against those who started the fire. The only "damage" to that property was that it spared them from having to do some mowing; plus, they CLAIM that they weren't carrying any insurance, despite being a state licensed business. I'm a disabled senior, who gets by on a subsistence level retirement check. Rural property owner's insurance is exorbitantly expensive out here; and, cost prohibitive to someone like myself. Since I wasn't a part of a "declared disaster," such as a tornado, I'm "on my own..." Despite my turning 70 in March, I'm still "a fighter;" so, I REFUSE to "just go crawl under a rock and die..."
Originally, my "campaign goal" was $6,000; since, every lawyer I'd talked to had quoted me "about $5,000" to just get my case filed and get things started. As of Tuesday, I've found a lawyer who'll write everything up, get my case filed in time to beat the statute of limitations, & later take the case on a 50% contingency basis, IF I can pay "about $2,000" up front - so, I've just dropped my campaign goal down to $2,400, allowing for the fees being deducted.& anything extra the lawyer might need. I can NOT risk the statute of limitations tolling - leaving me no "legal and lawful" way to get SOME KIND of justice!!! I'm so filled with rage over that fire that it scares the heck out of me what I might be capable of, if things reach that point. Here's the "back-story" of why:
1) In May of 2000, I bought my 7 acres "out here in the boondocks" with the intention of living out here until I "get carted out in a body bag..." Despite my disabilities, I've done virtually everything out here on my own; so, I have a LOT of "sweat & toil" invested here. I'm NOT someone who can stomach living in town, much less having a landlord. I'm in an "unincorporated area" out here: where I can do any repairs I need on my own; and, save the money I'd have to pay a licensed professional for things such as using better materials & to a higher level of quality than what a contractor would. Out here, there's no "code enforcement" trying to tell me that I'd have to get rid of any 4th+ dogs I might have. If I need to use a circular saw (or my welding machine, just as examples) at 3am, my neighbors are far enough away that it's not going to disturb them. As long as I keep my taxes paid & don't anything illegal, I'm the one who's in complete control of my own property. (At least that's the general idea of living out here.)
2) About 5 years ago, Oklahoma passed a "medical marijuana" bill. They didn't think it was going to pass; so, they had virtually ZERO regulatory infrastructure in place to deal with what we wound up with: OVER 8,000 "grow operations!" Of these, OVER HALF are foreign backed; and, the vast majority of those are backed by the CCP-UFWC!!! Most of the remainder of the foreign operations are cartel affiliated. (So much for "the plan" of keeping regulations low in order to assist "small, local, businesses...")
3) About a year prior to the fire, the 5 acres 1 field south of my 7 acres got bought by a CCP-UFWC backed outfit. It was bad enough that their "grow operation" caused me to have to stay inside my home whenever they were "processing" their crop every couple of weeks. (Not only am I allergic to marijuana; but, the "skunk stench" was enough to gag anyone downwind of it!!!) So, admittedly, I already had some prior resentments. Also, despite my heart going out to the people who are trapped under that totalitarian regime; and, having a great deal of respect for those who've risked their lives to escape from there, I have MAJOR contempt for the CCP & their "United Front Work Committee," which sends agents out on the pretext of "starting businesses" - to acquire property & power abroad for their draconian government. To make matters worse, there's a WELL DOCUMENTED pattern of these "businesses" causing "accidents" which open the door to land and resources being bought up by the CCP for pennies on the dollar.
4) On 02/22022, they lit of a HUGE trash fire - including LOTS of cardboard, tree limbs, weed trimmings, & however much trash gets generated by one of those outfits that has 8 massive, metal "grow barns." (They, also, have "hoop houses;" but, only 1 of those was up, due to it still being cold weather.) They lit it under INSANELY DANGEROUS weather conditions, towards the east end of their property, which was totally unshielded from the 25 to 35 mph, howling, gusting winds that day!!! The humidity was low; &, there was a very dry, overgrown field due north of where they set the fire... No one with "half the IQ of a goldfish" & "capable of living outside of a locked care home" would've lit even a tiny, 2 or 3 coal, tabletop grill under those weather conditions!!!! The CCP does NOT allow anyone with any level of mental impairment to leave their country! Their only use for such folks (as well as dissidents, etc.) are the value of their organs!!! (Also, WELL DOCUMENTED by human rights organizations!)
5) The previous Sunday morning, they had lit off another large fire; but, that was done under weather conditions which were safe for a large "controlled burn." It had recently rained, the humidity was high, & the winds were close to zero, if not totally calm. I happened to be awake, smelled the smoke, & called central dispatch, just to be on the safe side; since, there was a towering cloud of black smoke & what sounded like shotgun shells exploding. Although it's not required out here to make a courtesy call prior to doing a controlled burn out here, just about everyone does. A fellow in his 80's lives just south of them; &, I was concerned that his house might be on fire. It turned out to be them, burning trash without a courtesy call. Upon finding this old camper trailer, I found an even larger, US based, operation 3 1/2 miles due north of me. I'm thinking that 1st fire was a response time test, prior to trying to burn them out.
I lost 99+% of EVERYTHING, including 2 of my 4 dogs! Lawyers have told me I have a sure-win case; but, with no insurance company to go after, they question the ability to collect on any judgement.Most say they'd take my case; but, only if I can scrape together about a $5,000 retainer, which is unreachable given my subsistence level income. I can't even afford used doors for this old camper trailer I'm currently staying in; or, even gas to get into town to get a shower more than about once a month. I'm, essentially, living "about 3 steps above homeless on my own land.." This time 2 years ago, things were tight; but, I had a very well insulated little house; &, a LOT of other things which were destroyed by the fire. 3 or 4 decades ago, I could've treated all of this as "an adventure" & rebounded on my own; but, especially with the loss of all of my nutriceuticals I'd used to retain my health, I feel myself losing ground on my physical, mental, & emotional health with each passing day. It doesn't help that I came within just a couple minutes of getting trapped in my house & being burned to death. Had it not been for my mobility service dog, which God used as an angel that morning, I WOULD have been! Only my beliefs & my loyalty to him have kept me anything even remotely resembling sane since that fire; &, even with those, it's been best described as a "dark night of the soul."
Even if you're unable to help financially, PLEASE keep me in your prayers & on any prayer lists you might be on!!! With my inability to sleep soundly, my lack of supplementary nutrition, sweltering heat in the summer & freezing cold in the winter, no hot water, & no way to bathe at home - it really scares me about the "places" where my physical brain "tries to go" at times... My "fight/flight/freeze" response has always defaulted to "fight," which has been my method of not giving up during other rough patches of my life; &, which I've used CONSTRUCTIVELY; but, feeling "blocked at every turn" by the legal system, has resulted in my physical brain to starting wandering down some rather "dark alleyways." I NEED HOPE as "brakes" against "going off the deep end!!!" Even if you can only afford to chip in 5 or 10 bucks, it'll add up - hopefully, in time to beat the statute of limitations on this case. If 120 (or even a 100) people are able & willing to pitch in $20, I can get my case filed & rolling.
I, also, have this posted under "Legal;" but, both will come down, once I reach a combined total of $2400.
THANK YOU!!!
Kathy
