Fla. Woman Fined for "Support the Troops" Yard-sign -- POLL

[Katherine Brengle]

http://articles.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20060311093909990039&ncid=NWS00010000000001

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WESTCHASE, Fla., (March 10) - When Stacey Kelley's husband, Army Pvt. David Kelley who is serving in Iraq, sent her a cardboard sign expressing support for U.S. troops overseas, she put it up in the yard of her suburban Tampa, Fla., home.

Kelley, 24, never imagined that it would raise controversy, or that she would be threatened with a $100-a-day fine if she refused to take it down.

"I've been in tears. I couldn't believe that they wanted me to take it down," she said. The Westchase Homeowners Association threatened her with the $100 a day for up to 10 days because the sign is in violation of association rules, but Kelley said she was ready to pay.

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There is a poll with the article. I read the entire article, and I voted on the side of the neighborhood association--although her emotional response is understandable, rules are rules.

[sakabatou]

1. Why not hang it on her house, or window?

[Faygo Kid]

3. If you can put up a support sign, you can put up an anti sign.

The Bush Administration in 2007 will ban all signs. Pro or con. The 2006 elections mean little or nothing. They have plans for us.

[mitchtv]

4. if it's anything like my CCR's, that too

is forbidden. We ignore it here, but the only signs allowed are "for sale" and an annual garage sale

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. We have the same ordinance here where I live

and a guy was fined by the city for an anti war sign in his yard. He got the ACLU to defend him and the city dismissed the case.

And I will admit I don't mind the anti sign ordinance. I would rather not look at pro war signs in my neighborhood.

[silverweb]

5. Homeowners' Associations....

Another good idea gone tyrannical.

[FARAFIELD]

6. I think they should put up a sign that says

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS BRING THEM HOME! what do you want to bet, that if THAT Sign was the first one put up that people would object. Normally i wouldnt care, but its her own fault, SUPPORT OUR TROOPS has come to mean more than SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, it reflects a certain point of view, whether that is fair or not doesnt matter anymore. SUPPORT OUR TROOPS has been co opted to mean, I SUPPORT THEM, if you dont feel the exact same way as me you hate america. I coudlnt even put the sticker on my car because people would have thought i was some bushbot or something. So i found a yellow ribbon that said pray for peace in it with a dove, so works for me. She may think its no big deal, but there are rules, and she wants to bend them, but something tells me they wouldnt be so kind to someone that said SUPPORT OUR TROOPS BRING THEM HOME. As usual the reporting for the story was crappy, they should have asked her if she would be offended by the sign asking to bring them home.

[Katherine Brengle]

8. People DID object, that's the point---

the message on the sign is irrelevant. The problem is that this woman does not seem to understand that she has to live by the same rules as everyone else.

I feel for her--my husband is overseas as well, and I can understand her desire to be supportive of him--but when you move into a neighborhood that has rules, you are committing to abide by them, no matter what.

[NightOwwl]

7. Pretty harsh, IMO.

But I have a beef with homeowners associations in general. Some go so far as saying what color you can paint your house (beige, beige or beige.)

Too many rules for me.

[Nevernose]

9. You sign a a contract, you live with it, & I belong to an HOA

Period. Unless the contract is somehow illegal or invalid...

Did the contract force her to break the law? Was it "unreasonable?" Were she and her husband forced into it? Were they incompetent? Other than those things, there's not much in the way of recourse.

At my last house, we were allowed to put up signs in our windows, but in my currect (and hopefully last, at least for the next decade or so) HOA, there are strong regulations regarding even that. We're allowed to have white curtains or blinds. Period. And nothing in the yards at all. I'm good with that; it keeps things tasteful. My work and donations with the Democratic party will make a hell of a lot more difference in years to come than a sign ever will.

[DenaliDemocrat]

10. Why on earth would anyone

spend good money to live in a place where they tell you how you can keep your yard, what color you can paint your house, and what size of dog you can legally own??


Not for me. I prefer it up here in Alaksa where I am free to pile all of the shit I want in my yard, paint the bastards camoflage if I so desire, I can have as many dogs of whatever size that I chose, as long as I am able to feed, and I put those ugly blue tarps all over everything to keep the snow out.

[hobbit709]

11. Right on

If I wanted to look like everyone else I would have stayed in the Air Farce and worn OD green. If the stuff in my yard doesn't become a health hazard it ain't nobody's business. when we bought our house 16 years ago, it was painted OD green. I said I wore that color for 3 years 6 months 22 days 7 hours and 12 minutes and there was no way I was going to live in it. I wanted to paint it day-glo purple but my wife wouldn't let me-so we compromised on a nice bright turquoise-but when it needs to be painted again it will be PURPLE.

[DawgHouse]

12. It appears that a compromise was offered

Board members proposed placing the sign to the front of the swim and tennis center but Kelley reportedly refused the compromise, according to a St. Petersburg Times report.

http://www.local6.com/news/7881545/detail.html

[FARAFIELD]

13. seee

She refused to compromise, she doesnt care anyhow you saw the quote about "people will pay for us" (paraphrasing), some bush bots will pay the fine.