That's how a lot of ISPs in eastern europe started - string cable along dense neighbourhoods by just letting it hang off any nearby pole, trees, or along steel cables strung between two close buildings with no poles or trees around. I imagine building regulation codes are more strictly enforced in USA and will stop that kind of thing.

Yes. Then eventually someone will come along and say, "i'll do it for you for a fee" and they'll get a bunch of customers and they'll own the cables and then rename themselves Comcast.

How about we make it a rule that if anyone wants access to the network they are not allowed to charge for it. It must be done only to help grow the network for its own sake.

Someone will sue and then laws will be made. Whoever has the most money/best lawyers will win.

Because the network is grass-roots, we can ignore the laws.

No, we can't.