busy body idiots strike again (one in a continuing series)

Oh give me a fucking break.

A homeowners association in southwestern Colorado has threatened to fine a resident $25 a day until she removes a Christmas wreath with a peace sign that some say is an anti-Iraq war protest or a symbol of Satan.

The president of the homeowner's association, Bob Kearns, said "three or four" residents in the 200 home subdivision complained that the wreath was "divisive" (nothing divides people quite like peace, you know,) and ordered the architectural control committee to have the wreath removed. When they refused, concluding that it was "merely a seasonal symbol that didn't mean anything," Kearns fired them all.

Wow. And I thought my homeowner's association were a bunch of fascists with too much free time, when all I wanted to do was install new windows.

Comments

[SteveB in Ohio]

From Luke 2:14:
"Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

It sounds like this HOA President needs to ban Bibles from this subdivision, based on the divisive message of peace & goodwill.

Alternatively, he could take the message to heart and try to practice Christianity as written.

I did about 15 minutes of Internet research and found the address of the HOA president, as well as the address of the family whose holiday decorations are so offensive to him. I'm going to send this guy a piece of my mind, and I'm going to send his victim a check for $25 to pay her fine for one day. There's something satisfying about taking direct action. I won't post it, but if anyone wants the information, they can email me.

SteveB
SteveB_Ohio@yahoo.com

[Wil]

Uhh, that's a really, really, really bad idea, SteveB. I think it's best to leave all these people alone. Whether you agree with the actions of the homeowner's association and its president or not, sending him "a piece of [your] mind won't do anything to help the woman who has to live in that community, and will really make this guy feel like his privacy has been invaded.

Whether you agree with someone or not, everyone has a right to privacy, regardless of how easy some unscrupulous companies make it to track them down.

[Wil]

SAL9000: The peace sign is attached to a holiday wreath. I think it's a real stretch to say that it's a "sign," as intended by the spirit of the rules.

If that logic were to be followed, some people (apparently 3 or 4 is the tipping point) could complain that one of those ice skating penguins is offensive, or maybe a Santa Claus is "divisive", or maybe the yellow ribbon someone tied around their tree is inappropriate because, in three people's minds, it forces people to think about that nasty war in Iraq.

See, it's a slippery slope, once you start saying that something which clearly is not a sign is, just because you want to get rid of it.

[SAL9000]

If she were to have it up on her door or some such, I don't think it'd be a "sign," either. Perhaps it's not. I'm not arguing that it should or shouldn't exist. Either way, I find it simply amazing people live under the auspices of an HOA.

I know some HOAs where one can be fined for weeds in the lawn. They actually pay someone to walk the streets every few days to tabulate infractions. I even know some HOAs that one cannot park a pickup truck in the driveway (it must be in the garage). They're all nuts IMO.

People sign binding contracts for the pleasure. You give up much when doing such a thing; whether it's palpable or not. Read those by-laws is my suggestion.

[Kelpee]

It wouldn't be a bad idea however to find the local paper that first reported this and write a letter to the editor about it.

It probably won't do any good though. If a person is nutty enough to move into a gated community they're agreeing to live by the rules imposed by the community.

[Ravenmaster]

My state makes me so angry sometimes...first Marylin Muskrat, now this...

[brazos605]

Things can get even worse. In Texas, there is a statute that allows municipal utility districts to file suit against homeowners for violation of restrictive covenants if, in the utility district's "reasonable judgment," the violation could cause a decrease in property values. In other words, the governmental entity has the option to sue people to keep its tax base from decreasing, and can do so even if the homeowners' association has chosen not to enforce the violation.

[lunarangel01]

Wait... So since when did a peace sign become a sign of Satan? I missed that memo. Last I heard, Satan was very much against peace of any form, and indeed, revels in violence, torture, and misleading otherwise innocent people.

But hey... What do I know? I'm an agnostic, so I don't really keep up with current satanic symbols, but come on! I think Satanists everywhere would be offended by the implication that peace is one of their tenets. But again, what do I know?

[Ravenmaster]

http://www.9news.com/media/2006November25041853/26b02117-0abe-421a-0156-e5cce53be5c9.jpg

A picture of the offender. What absolute evil!

[SteveB in Ohio]

Wil,
I'm concerned that there's an assumption you're making that's not valid: I have the gentleman's address not because of "unscrupulous companies" but because he is in the phone book.

He elected to extend himself into another person's affairs, he elected to do so under color of authority, and he elected to make his name, address, and phone number public. I've no intention of being unpleasant with him, just of stating the reasons he shouldn't be taking the action he plans to.

To me, it's important to stand up for my beliefs, in deed as well as word. That said, I respect your opinion, and I'll rethink whether to approach him directly, based on your comments.

[Icelander]

/me stumbles blindly out of his comfy RSS reader to leave a comment

Yet another reason to love my quirky, diverse, sometimes noisy urban neighborhood. If somebody tried to start an HOA here, they'd get laughed at and/or beat up.

I love my town

/me stumbles back to RSS reader

[Rook]

I thank God every day that I do not have an association in my neighborhood. Some people just don't know how to mind their own damn business.

[CHV]

This story is simply proof yet again that there is nothing more dangerous than idiots with free time on their hands.

See the Bush Administration for other key examples...

[Lytspeed]

Here's another update: The HOA has capitulated, and won't be hassling the woman over her peace wreath any more.

linky

[ttrentham]

What Lytspeed said. Here's another story about the HOA giving in.

[Kel]

HOA's hardly ever lose in court at least here in Texas. I can understand keeping the neighborhood nice but many are drunk with power and just regular assholes.

[Ravenmaster]

Wil, if you head over to www.9news.com you can see a new article about the HOA allowing the peace sign wreath amid tons of pressure. And...you can see the video there too.

[Melanie]

I am so comforted to find this website! Here is my story..We are an Active Duty Military Family that recently transfered to Homestead, FL. We are renters but had to pay the 124.00 Homeowners association fee anyway. BEFORE MOVING, We asked our landlord if we could have a play hut for our kids in the back yard. She called around and said yes, as long as it stay on our property. Two months later. Ding Dong the Home owners association Gestapo appears and tells me that I cannot have the play equip, as well as no plants, no swing or patio furniture, and no curtains that are not white or beige in color. Also that there have been complaints that my kids run up and down the sidewalks playing.
Here is the best part, they are building a play facility that the kids can go to, to play, oh but wait, it costs 45.00 for that. What the Hell? I have rented in 7 other states and this is my first (and last) experience with a HOA. Seriously, how did we get here America? How did we Get to a place where we have allowed a group to completely dictate how we live? Can someone please tell me why I gave eight years of my life Serving this country? For what, so we can be terrorized at home, by a bunch of anal control freaks! There is one thing the HOA can do for me, why don't they make it against the rules to speak any other language then English down here, that is something that would help a lot!!