It’s Not Over.
I am deeply saddened by the news of my dear friend, Andrew Wordes- The Roswell Chicken Man. This morning as marshalls summoned him to leave his home at the final stage of his eviction process, Andrew cautioned everyone to leave the property. As soon as they did, his home exploded resulting in a fire and soon after, the medical examiner was called into the home.
We all lost a little something today. Andrew was a man of faith, with a strong love for God. He was a staunch Constitutionalist with a passion for our freedoms and liberties. He taught me a lot in the short time I knew him. We talked often and he openly shared his story and his dedication to what America used to stand for. He was a fighter and I admired his immense devotion to his sweet birds, pigs and dogs. He cared about everyone around him and was always kind and generous. I am saddened that evil trampled him to the end of his rope.
Andrew fought the good fight,not just for himself but for others because he knew it could happen to anyone. And it is. Eminent domain is being abused all over our country, just look it up. Communities are plagued with repeated abuses of the use of eminent domain. It’s tragic and your neighborhood could be next. Andrew fought to his last breath, for himself, for me, for you. In his mind, he went on his terms. Right out of Atlas Shrugged. Andrew is at peace now but it’s not over.
I will fight-fight-fight to make sure the legislators responsible for this do not forget what they have done. People are not stupid. Check out WSB-tv and CBS Atlanta article comments. People are outraged. THEY KNOW that those that represent us don’t protect us. So just know, you will not get reelected next time. Becky Wynn, John Albers, Rich Dippolito, Kay Love and all the others that had the opportunity to speak up and help this man but chose to be cowards and walk away. John Albers received constituent emails asking him to step up and help. He said it was out of his hands and there was nothing he could have done. That was five months ago, Senator. Andrew kept fighting. Why didn’t you? Did you forget that Andrew Wordes volunteered on your campaign in 2009-2010 but you still ignored phone calls and pleas for help? Senator Albers, you FAILED each and every one of your constituents. You claim to be a supporter of the Constitution and true conservative. Where the hell were you? Andrew allegedly called you day in, and day out, begging for a contact or ideas. How will you sleep at night Becky and Rich and Kay? You pushed Mr. Wordes to this point. You marched around Roswell bashing Andrew, annihilating his character, marking him as crazy and filing lawsuits whenever you could, bankrupting him and denying him rights given to property owners in the United States. You are nothing but evil and true detriments to society. People know the truth. When we see you sympathetically on the news, we won’t let your makeup and hair flips fool us. You care about one thing: reelection. But you will not get it. Senator Albers will have primary opposition this July…vote him out. Fight tooth and nail with his opposition to show what a true conservative and American is. Wynn & Dippolito unfortunately just won reelction in November but you can still show your disdain and dissatisfaction for the entire city. As for me, I will not dine, live, shop, walk, or smile in Roswell until justice is served for Andrew. If we don’t, Roswell will never be the same.
As I drove to class tonight, I was behind an old beat up suburban with two chicken cages strapped to the back. The chickens stared at me all the way up the interstate. I could only smile because Andrew is still here. He has instilled a fight and a passion within so many of us and we will continue to fight for what’s right. For Andrew. Rest In Peace, Sir.
“We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey.” ~Kenji Miyazawa
Andrew Wordes is at peace now. He fought for his animals, his beliefs and his rights. One may think it is all to no avail, but he brought a message to us all. The WSB comments page is a true illustration that we the people are not blind to what is happening I our world today. We are losing our rights….. Bless Andrew and god help us all.
I think it’s sad to see a man brought down to his knees by the abuse of power by Roswell, GA. He stood up for what he believed in & should be an example to many Americans. We are being stripped of our civil liberties. We are just standing by and taking it with our pants on. Don’t think for one minute this can’t happen to you………..
So sad. I just learned about this and have been reading your really good blog posts (also linked to it from my site if that’s OK).
I have read that chickens are much more intelligent and social than people generally are aware of. I cannot believe the rottenness of what these city officials did to this guy. It’s playground bullying of the worst sort, all grown up. It’s clear as day that his property problems did not present themselves until those other parcels were developed. His house flooded, the city refused to ask FEMA for help—what was he supposed to do?!!!!!
Plus, he did most of that community service. Some of the responses on this blog criticizing or condemning Wordes for this are truly amazing. All that nattering on about rule of law when the bottom line is 1. the taxpayer money spent on this persecution and 2. the city’s plan to gobble up his land.
You’re right. It’s pure evil. If I lived there I would do everything possible as a voter and community member to get those heartless bastards out of office once and for all, and to let the world know what they contributed to this.
Thank you Cindi. And I appreciate you reading. Please feel free to share wherever you can. I’m just sad we couldn’t get more of Andrew’s story out there sooner. Regardless, we will fight for him.
There are quite a few upset people over on the Patch that should hear what you have to say. I’m going to post a link over there to your blog, but it would be great if you could stop by and add to the discussion there as well.
Thanks,
Rob
I forgot the link to the article: http://roswell.patch.com/articles/roswell-chicken-man-s-home-explodes?
Having kept chickens, I can say the ones I had were very, very stupid. And affectionate. And curious. And social. But stupid. Doesn’t really matter, though, because they’re chickens. They were pretty quiet, they didn’t smell, they took up little space and they didn’t upset anyone. I don’t understand why the city did this. I really and truely don’t.
Thank you Erynn! I have also heard that a chicken’s brain weighs exactly as much as its two eyes put together….(not very big that is) …I wondered about chickens because I do have parrots and they are smart. I put Wordes’ picture on my facebook profile (Burkey Devitt) because, on Wordes’ facebook page, several other people were doing that in protest of what happened to him.
Long live the Chicken Man. I really wish I had known about him before.
“A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have.” The tragic reality is that in some cases this includes ones livelihood as well as will to live. It’s your government citizens of Roswell. Do something about it or share the guilt of this man’s persecution.
I pray God forgive Andrew of his final act. As for those who harrassed him to such extremes, may God greet you with the same compassion.
I believe God has forgiven him and welcomed him with open arms. He tends to try and make things right for those who have been wronged. and Andrew has been wronged time and time again.
It is unfortunate that we live in society wherein the people, who years ago, were there to assist citizens and represent their best interests are now engaged in nothing but power and ego. I pray that the people of our country and our cities come to their senses.
And i truly believe that what goes around comes around. Maybe not as quickly as we would hope, but it does come around. And I cannot wait to see the devastation….
Excellent, excellent post, Brad !! Yes, those heartless, evil corrupt bureaucrats will face God some day and He will deal with them in a way much worse than anything we humans can do to them. The city council needs to go. The city administrator (Kay Love) needs to go. And probably a lot of the city slugs,particularly code enforcement employees need to be relieved of their positions. Hopefully that will result in them getting behind on their house payments and being foreclosed on. Andrew, rest in peace, brother! You had more courage in your pinky finger than all the losers/bullies at Roswell put together..
i just read this SO sad! what is the story behind this? i would really like to know. were they trying to tell him he couldn’t raise chickens anymore? (forgive my ignorance, but i am scared to see where this county is headed and stories like this inform me of things that are really happening)
my facebook friend is DEAD because of an ABUSE OF POWER by the city of roswell, ga ! he just wanted to be left alone with his animals.
the city of roswell has his blood on their hands.
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https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=832563306 his facebook page might have some info – or you can google roswell chicken man to see what happened.
John Albers
Kay Love
Rich Dipilito
Becky Winn
Remember those names and vote them out of government for negligence and abuse of power…. They have forgotten their servant status….
We need to take this energy and disgust and make changes at the voting booth but we can’t be silent in the mean time. When you remain silent, this is what happens, you fight alone and die alone. Andrew didn’t deserve this fate.
This isn’t just a local thing either….we as a society no longer have a voice in our country because politicians do not care about us anymore. I really think it’s getting near the end because no matter who you vote for (repub, demo indep), once they are in office the power trip ensues.
How tragic that Andrew’s story ended this way. Indeed, the City of Roswell employees who played a part in this should be very, very ashamed. Anyone who has worked hard to be a good citizen, own their own property and carve out their little place in the world should be outraged. And everyone should know this could happen to anywhere to anyone. Andrew did not deserve this.
Here’s an 8 1/2 minute audio interview of Andrew by Rusty Humphries on 640AM WGST Atlanta in late February: http://bit.ly/ChickManRHaudio
I couldn’t find it at the station website, so I (technically illegally) posted it, as a public service. If WGST does post it, I’ll delete my post and link to theirs. His side of the story is quite different than what we’re seeing and hearing in the media.
Does that really surprise you? Roswell City Hall is a mouse maze right now….all the little (and that references character) mice, John Albers included, are running around in a frenzy. The stories and articles to come will be nothing but lies and “cya’s”.
If we’re going to vote Albers out, the message needs to get out now. People need to be present at his fund raising events and political hoop-lah parties to let the voters know about his lack of concern for the common citizen. Start now!
In rereading much of what has been published of this battle of Roswell versus Mr. Wordes, one thing that sticks out is who owns the mortgage to his home now? Has that ever been discovered?
What they won’t do for real estate,power and money.Who’s next ?They tortured this man till he had no way out.There can’t be a God only fools in charge.
This is so sad. We have been following Andrew Wordes story for the last couple of years now. All above are correct this is nothing but an outrage and abuse of power. You can count on me to help get a change in the government of Roswell. These people have blood on their hands that will never come clean.
This was a travesty that was the result of a City Council that relinquished its authority & responsibility to a city administrator who orchestrated this abuse of power by her subordinates and a Mayor who was totally out of touch with what was going on behind the scenes. And that lead to this tragedy. It is that simple.
Lee Fleck
It seems like yesterday when I encouraged Andrew to get publicity … as much as he could drum up. As a broadcaster, now retired, I started the contacts. He needed 60 Minutes, 48 Hours, a nationwide network experienced in investigative reporting. I contacted Good Morning America, but Andrew was never called. The local news reporters were open to a story and I’ll never forget how appreciative Andrew was at the smallest break through.
I love that this blog is concentrating on the politicians, but a bigger net needs to be tossed. There is not an employee for the City of Roswell that does not have their hand in this somewhere! I wrote the Chief of Police and the Council/Commissioners of Roswell. They must be so very proud of themselves now. Not only did the Chief write back, but he flat out evaded the issue and lied in reply. It’s easy to point out the harassment that Andrew endured at the hands of city employees, including the police who sat at the corner of his street and watched his every move. When the Chief was approached with the tickets and harassment he replied with quite the short-sighted reply, writing that his office had nothing to do with the eviction, nor were the officers involved in the incident (meaning the explosion and fire which took Andrew’s life). In the simplest of terms, the Chief clearly washed his hands of Mr. Wordes’ situation and the police involvment over the past 3 years. How sad is that??
Most of the reporting has indicated that Andrew became behind on his mortgage payments during the period he was in jail. That time served was 99 days, if I remember correctly. A 99 day expense which was a complete waste of Roswell’s tax-payers money. How many of you felt Andrew’s legal position was so bad that it warranted 99 days in lockup? It was just another case of Roswell “twisting the knife”. How many of you knew that Andrew was more than 36 mortgage payments behind? I never heard that … until the good Chief informed me through email. How many of you knew that all the chicks and chickens which perished last year died due to disease and malnutrition, at the hands of Andrew? Also from the Chief. And that is just a tiny taste of what one city employee has to say. I’m sickened by this … by all of it.
You’re damn right this is not over yet!!
He should have taken some of his enemies with him.
How much longer? How much more?
We should already have a militia in place to deal with such garbage in the way they deserve….
Millions will dig the ditch they are told to dig then piss their pants when the machine gun bolts slam home and die stupidly wondering “How did this happen to me?” The tiny minority will have to do what will be required.
It’s time to stop arguing over the culture war. It’s time to stop hunkering down for the apocalypse. It’s time to stop waiting to get beamed up. It’s time to start thinking Normandy.
If you sit home waiting your turn you deserve to have your gun taken from your cold dead hands.
The Founders didn’t wait for the Brits to knock down their doors. They gathered at the green and stood up like men and they killed government employees all the way back to Boston.
What will you do when it’s time to hunt NWO hacks, republicrats and commies(“Liberals” and ‘progressives’)?
Don’t understand? Start here: http://willowtown.com/promo/quotes.htm
Then read my column ‘Prepping for Slavery’: http://www.willowtown.com/promo/blogfpprepslvry.htm
I approved your comment because I don’t agree with censorship, however, I don’t necessarily agree with your propositions.
Comments such as “he should have taken some of them with him” are uncalled for. Andrew made his decisions in an effort to make a statement, not to hurt others and he wouldn’t want his message to get lost in violence. He specifically made sure no one else-animals, people and the species of Roswell officials that did this to him– was around.
Also, a militia? I don’t think there should be a call to arms. In referencing the Founders, they made the choices they did not only as a last resort, but because they didn’t have the Constitution and other protections we do. Surely there are holes in the system and the system failed Andrew, but how about political activism? How about grassroots organizations? Andrew wanted change, not violence and we don’t want his message to be discredited or devalued because of aggression.
Let’s hope a whistle-blower steps forward.
WayPastHadEnough … I’ll play for a minute. I’m content that no one else passed with Andrew. Especially those who tormented him so. It would have been an honor to “go” with, however, those cretins do not deserve to have it so well. They are much better off living the difficult life, surviving with the knowledge of what they have done. In time, they will face their actions … you can be sure of that.
The pain that accompanies mourning includes anger. We’ve experienced a senseless loss. Who wouldn’t be angry? The energy generated from our anger should be directed toward the reparations for the injustices done to Andrew. It would be easy to make this worse, although I cannot imagine what worse would look like. This is already quite devastating.
Let’s ask, “What will it take to facilitate change?” And then put those ideas in action. In the process we will finish, together, what Andrew started. I cannot think of a more generous legacy for our friend, who is being laid to rest today. Godspeed Andrew!
There is a post-mortem article scheduled in this Sunday’s AJC which will expose the City of Roswell’s culpability in Andrew’s death
Assistant City Attorney Bob Hulsey told Roswell Patch in an e-mail that there were no current Roswell citations or court proceedings pending against Wordes.
“My understanding is that today’s events (home explosion) were precipitated by an order of eviction by Fulton Magistrate Court,” he wrote.
That’s what is call CYA !
Mr. Hulsey needs to explain his involvement in the filing of a 55-page civil suit against Mr. Wordes. The suit was filed by city attorneys in attempt to deny Mr. Wordes his right to a public defender after Roswell’s municipal court judge directed Roswell’s legal department to provide Mr. Wordes a public defender for his criminal cases.
At the time of the filing Mr. Wordes’ public defender said he wasn’t aware that a civil lawsuit like this has ever been filed in Roswell City Court before.
Mr. Wordes told me that his public defender, a criminal defense lawyer, stated that the law suit was so involved and “it looks like they are trying to lien and probably take your house.”
Andrew’s public defender went on to say they spent a lot of time figuring out how to get you and it looks like they have.
The suit was eventually dropped after the foreclosure.
Having spent time with Andrew Wordes during critical phases of his fiasco with the city, I feel obliged to comment on what I believe led to the tragedy of his demise.
I was personally involved with Andrew and his welfare was of interest to me.
I was with Andrew at his home during the flood of 2009. I witnessed first-hand the third round of damage to his home in less than 7 years due to a failure by the City of Roswell’s Environmental Department to maintain the storm water infrastructure where Hog Wallow Creek runs under Highway 9. At that time, Mr. Wordes had lived at this location for some 13 years and had never experienced any flooding prior to 2002 and the upstream development. I was well aware of the city’s failure to solicit FEMA assistance on Andrew’s behalf. I know that Senator Albers encouraged the City to contact FEMA.
I escorted Andrew to City Hall when he filed a formal complaint against the manager of the City Code Enforcement Department who violated established policy and contacted his mortgage holder attempting to pressure this individual into selling his house note. I know the facts as presented and I reviewed the findings of the internal investigation, which was a foregone conclusion before it was even printed.
Within 24 hours after that formal complaint was filed, I witnessed Roswell Police conducting surveillance of Andrew’s home and the restaurant he frequented for meals. My personal surveillance continued for three (3) days, during which time I transported Mr. Wordes so he could purchase groceries and have dinner meals.
I subsequently notified Mayor Wood of these irregular police activities and he requested an investigation by then Police Chief Ed Williams. My accusations of the police harassment of Mr. Wordes were published in the local media and except for one other incident, it ended. I subsequently escorted Andrew to the FBI office in Atlanta and testified on his behalf.
I generated Power of Attorney documents while Andrew was in the Roswell Detention Center to represent him in regard to financial matters, and advised the Mayor of the Andrew’s need for a notary. And while the Mayor understood the need, a notary was never afforded Andrew. Additionally, as directed by a detention officer, I provided metered envelopes per established protocols so Andrew could communicate with the outside world but the detention arm of the police department never gave the envelopes to him until the day he was released.
During Andrew’s final days, I contacted Roswell’s Fire Chief and expressed my concerns of what eventually happened based on information I had received from reliable sources. The police and fire departments did conduct an inspection of Andrew’s property at that time and I was advised of their findings.
Honestly, there is no doubt in my mind that Andrew Wordes was singled out by the City of Roswell and his right to use his property was placed in a strait jacket based upon what others deemed best. This premise became so pervasive in the mindset of the City Administration and City Council members that they attempted to pressure the City Municipal Judge to agree that they had the right to establish restrictive codes and make these codes retroactive to include Andrew so long as they proclaim the magical words “for the public good.” Judge Hilliard was obviously the only city employee with a sense of right and attempts to stop Mr. Wordes from having chickens on his property.
It is inconceivable to me that Andrew’s chicken problems were based solely on a single complaint by a mean-spirited neighbor, but I know that to be a fact because I personally witnessed this individual’s complaint during a Council Meeting.
After Judge Hilliard’s second ruling, the chicken “stuff” actually ended.
However, Roswell’s legal department was publically humiliated locally, state-wide, and even nationally, and these arrogant individuals took offense to being put in their places by the “Chickenman” and so vengeance was in order.
Instead of putting an end to this travesty, Roswell’s Mayor and City Council allowed Roswell’s City Administrator to run rampant and coordinate an attack on Mr. Wordes by Roswell’s Police Department, Roswell’s Code Enforcement Department, and Roswell’s Legal Department. In essence, Roswell City Council and Roswell Mayor Jere Wood relinquished their authority to a city employee with an ax to grind with Mr. Wordes and these elected officials failed to rein in this absolute abuse of power, which we know now resulted in Andrew Wordes taking his own life.
The ax to grind, which few know about, came as the result of Mr. Wordes’ effort to stop the early stages of harassment by the city Code Enforcement Department over the chickens he kept on his property. Mr. Wordes officially notified Kay Love as the City Administrator that city employees (except law enforcement personnel) were no longer allowed onto his property without a police escort. Mr. Wordes, as required by law, posted a no trespassing sign on his property that stated the specific state law Andrew was citing to insure his privacy and property rights.
Few people know, but after receiving Andrew’s letter, the City Administrator considered charging Mr. Wordes with terroristic threats (as has been utilized on other Roswell citizens).
After receiving counsel from the police department, Ms. Love recognized that Mr. Wordes was within his legal rights, but that was the spark that lit the fuse and is why the City officially declared the “War on Wordes.”
City employees with unrestrained egos used taxpayers’ money as an unlimited source to finance their war. SHAME ON THEM!
Thanks for posting, Lee.
It should be noted, though, that John Albers was not a Senator at the time of his FEMA request. Things changed considerably upon his election and his willingness to stand up.
Here’s an excellent article and a DAMNING indictment of the City of Roswell by Glenn Horowitz, with a timeline showing how the city badgered this man unceasingly, apparently because his property WAS, in fact, part of the city’s comprehensive plan. The city looks mighty stupid and mighty vicious and I hope there’s a big house cleaning of the scum over there. Start with Kay Love and Bob Hulsey and the code enforcement supervisor (name?)
http://www.americandailyherald.com/pundits/glenn-horowitz/item/in-memoriam-andrew-wordes-enemy-of-the-state
Thanks for the write up! Also, I noticed that your RSS feeds aren’t working. Could you take a look at that?
Maggie Bean’s latest article…. Maggie has done a great job of investigative reporting on this and this is the latest…
http://www.examiner.com/buzz-in-atlanta/new-details-emerge-the-roswell-chicken-man-s-foreclosure
awZnDB hi there
IM SO MAD !!!!!! IM GOING TO GET CHICKENS!!!!!! LONG LIVE CHICKENMAN!!!! GOD IM SO MAD
I just read about this story on naturalnews.com. this is truly heartbreaking, and a wake up call for ALL Americans that this could happen to them as well. for further proof, watch John Stossel’s “Illegal Everything”. God Bless Andrew Wordes for his bravery
This is truly sad, and sobering. I read about this on naturalnews.com. This could happen to anyone. I suggest everyone watch John Stossel’s “Illegal Everything”. God bless Andrew for his bravery
Oh my goodness! Awesome article dude! Many thanks, However I am going through issues
with your RSS. I don’t understand the reason why I am unable to join it. Is there anybody else getting identical RSS problems? Anyone who knows the answer will you kindly respond? Thanks!!
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