Reply #23: Well, my husband always says

[JFN1]

that if they are doing it to us, they are doing it to others. And most people are afraid of standing up for themselves, don't have the time to do it, don't have the knowledge to do it. We have all three, and thus, we have a responsibility to protect those others while fighting for our own rights.

It sounds pretty on paper, but in practice it is very messy. I've stood up for myself with big corporations, with State governments, but every time I've involved myself in a city-level dispute, ultimately it gets really, really messy.

Yes, I'm pissed, but I also believe in what my husband says. So yes, some of my ego is involved, but it also seems wrong that they treat me (and presumably others) this way - and break the law (even if it is a stupid law, they are OFFICIALS), and there are no consequences for them.

For a senior on Social Security (for example), being overcharged on a water bill could make the difference between food and hunger, too. So there's that consideration as well.