Can't judge a book

You can't judge an apple by looking at a tree,
You can't judge honey by looking at the bee,
You can't judge a daughter by looking at the mother,
You can't judge a book by looking at the cover.

Willie Dixon - 1962


Oh can’t you? Well I’ll bet you can tell a town called Black Jack, Missouri doesn’t share much in common with New York or Chicago or Miami or nearly anywhere else where indoor plumbing is customary.

A story today on CNN tells us that this little part of America thinks it can have something to say about what you mean by family – at least if you live in Black Jack, a suburb of St Louis, the Gateway City. The town's Planning and Zoning Commission has an ordinance prohibiting more than three people from living together unless they are related by "blood, marriage or adoption." Don’t you be looking for liberty or the pursuit of happiness in Black Jack – no sir. And don’t open a convent, monastery, orphanage or shelter either.

Apparently they wanted to change the number to two, but more liberal minds prevailed, leaving the ordinance as it stands, so it’s still OK to be free if you’re no more than three. I reckon the Show Me State sure done showed us wonst agin.

As for those people who hate us for our freedom, I would sure like to know where they think it is.