Running across a weird Canadian isn't unusual, but finding one who holds a deep religious conviction that mowing grass is "violence" might take the cake.
Those wacky Canucks. You never know what crazy hijinks they'll be up to next.
As reported by the Toronto Star, the woman (aptly named Karen) is now raising a ruckus:
Karen Barnes saw her bet on biodiversity in her front yard pay off when the monarch butterflies arrived in October.
...
Instead of a manicured grass lawn, Barnes spread wildflower seeds like the asters and allowed natural species to sprout up from the seed bank just below the soil's surface.
The arrival of the butterflies with their striking patterned wings, Barnes felt, were a visible sign it had been worth it.
Not so, say the local authorities. The city is now taking her to task for her unkempt yard.
Before you green thumbs argue that we need more butterfly gardens (cuz who doesn't like butterflies?), stare directly at this:
For years, the city of Burlington has tried to outlaw her garden — even mowing it down despite her strenuous objections.
Now the city is taking Barnes to court for violating local bylaws, a move which could leave her on the hook for as much as $400,000 in fines, according to her lawyer.
But Barnes is fighting back, saying the city's actions have violated her constitutional rights to freedom of expression — and religion.
Religion!
Though it sounds like a simple civil case, deeper inspection reveals that ol' Karen is, in fact, a loon.
As an animist — someone whose religious beliefs 'recognizes personhood and intrinsic value in all life forms,' according to an affidavit she filed as part of the city's case against her — Barnes also began to see mowing as violence.
'As I started to implement the natural garden, I formed relationships with the plants who grew there, and felt that it would be sacrilegious to harm them,' her affidavit said.
Hooooookay there, Karen.
Her case is scheduled to be heard in March.
No tally yet on how many trees she was OK with murdering to file her legal paperwork.
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