Marine Vet’s Patriotism Under Attack

Flopping Aces ^ | 05-30-09 | Wordsmith

[Starman417]

58 year old disabled Vietnam vet, Frank Larison, is under fire from the Dallas Home Owner's Association. The president of the HOA sent him a letter asking him to remove 7 Marine Corps decals from his vehicle, stating that advertisement is not allowed. The reporter, James Rose, points out that if this is the case, just about every car in the neighborhood is in violation as the news camera captures examples of other cars making a multitude of statements, including an Obama '08 bumpersticker. Yet it's the patriotic Marine decals that have drawn fire from the HOA.

Yup...supporting the Armed Forces and expressing patriotism is a "no-no" advertisement that violates HOA rules...but sporting a political Obama '08 bumpersticker gets the free pass.

[video at site]

[magslinger]

To anyone with the slightest lean to the right, differential enforcement of the rules is nothing new.

Joining a HOA is more or less voluntarily adding yet another layer of government intrusion to the burden you already carry.

[livius]

Marine Corps decals are advertising? Gimme a break.

They’re putting the Marine Corps in the same category with Vita-Life and Mary Kay?

[Jagdgewehr]

Homeowner’s associations....long arms of the government.

[magslinger]

Marine Corps decals could be seen as USMC recruiting advertising.

Not to say that the HOA is in the right here. Just that if you have enough rules (laws), you can bend at least one to any purpose.

[elcid1970]

Homeowner’s associations = Obama’s followers are everywhere.

Semper Fi, Marine!

[livius]

You’d seriously have to bend the rules to reach the conclusion that they were recruiting. Unless these Marine Corps decals were different from the ones I’ve seen, all they ever indicate to me is that the person driving the car either is/was a Marine or has a Marine in the family.

[Vendome]

1st. The Marine does have a lot of stickers on his vehicle

2nd. So do many other residents in the HOA as evidence by the news video.

I am pretty sure many would be unwilling to take the stickers off as that will mar the paint or violate their rights.

3rd. The HOA president is apparently the only one who was privy to this letter. Other HOA board members including one who was interviewed in the same video were not aware of the letter or demand. The HOA board member who was interviewed claimed to be unaware of the letter/demand and seemed to be in disagreement with it.

I am in an HOA and am very aware of C&R’s. They are likely similar across the country. However, the restrictions are to prevent advertising for commercial purposes and turning the neighborhood into something less desirable. Certainly the stickers proudly supporting the Marines or even Obama are not commercial in nature.

The news article states that no other HOA members have been issued a cease and desist or demand for alteration. That makes the demand at first unfair, as it singles out an individual and does not apply to all homeowners. Moreover, the fact the other board members were unaware of the letter means it was unauthorized and is unenforceable.

When letters like this go out the entire board makes decisions that pertain to significance of the restrictions and what the costs might be to the HOA should they pursue enforcement of covenants. I can tell that there are many times the board simply says this is a fight we cannot afford and they let it pass. Albeit, they might send reminders about what the covenants are. The way I see it the President acted unilaterally without board authorization and put the HOA at a risk they did not foresee. She should be ousted immediately.

If the board decides to vote in affirmative that they authorize action then they can send a letter again, with their demands.

This is the way I look at it if they want to pursue this;
we can help this Marine and make it very expensive for them. We could band together in support of a suit brought by the Marine and Hmmm.... Let see, 300,000 Freepers and only 1% agree to join in supporting a lawsuit, by pledging $50, to help this Marine well that would be a $150,000 war chest, to start with. That doesn’t count the other contributors we could find easily around the country and the world.

There is no HOA that upon hearing that kind of money is pledged would continue to harass this man. They just can’t afford it.

The members would surely jump up and say “hold on there!”.

Here is another story: http://eleventybillionthblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/woodlands-ii-on-creek-youre-on-notice.html

One of the HOA board was interviewed and did not have any idea about the letter and seemed rather upset and not in agreement.

For those who care to write to the HOA president:
Woodlands on the Creek II
Royal/Fair Oaks Crossing
104 Homes
President, Darenda Hardy
hardyd4099@aol.com

[AussieJoe]

I own my own home, as well as a number of other properties, but I’ve never heard of a ‘home owner’s association’ seems they just don’t exist here. Sounds to me like a bunch of nosey locals with nothing better to do but get together and collectively behave like the neighborhood bully.... I’d love to see anyone around here try that rubbish on with us.

[samtheman]

Excellent post, Vendome. Thanks.

[ConorMacNessa]

Total BS from a weasel organization abusing the freedom secured for them by U.S. Marines and our other military services.



Lamh Foistenach Abu!

[Hot Tabasco]

but I’ve never heard of a ‘home owner’s association’

Many subdivisions have them as do condominium associations. They have their pros and cons...... The pros are they force the trailer trash to maintain their properties and keep their broken down vehicles out of sight.

The cons are you have to abide by the association rules..........and thats not necessarily a bad thing.

[12Gauge687]

This topic was discussed yesterday as well. Yes, HOAs do exist in the US (if not Down Under), particularly in newly developed areas or subdivisions. Most are interested in maintaining appearances (usually middle- or upper-middle class housing trying to look more upscale than they really are). Many often maintain a "clubhouse" for use by residents of the area. The HOA also overseas garbage pick up and snow removal in remote locations or unincorporated areas. In my posts yesterday, I noted that homeowner association by-laws and covenants, like those of many condominium associations, are often poorly written with enough holes you could drive a truck (no pun intended) through if examined by a competent real estate attorney. I'm pretty sure that that is the case here. I sent the news item to a 4th Recon Marine in Texas and he'll try to follow up. If things get dicey, my "right-wing extremist" friends in Afghanistan (see photo) will have to pay a neighborly visit to the HOA - just kidding!

[nicko]

you said it...jeez-0-pete...I wonder if my HOA will want me to take off my 1st CAV and my 101st ABN stickers off my Chevy...stories like this drive me to drink...(well, actually, I’ve already driven myself to drink, as I just got back from the VFW)...

[Pearls Before Swine]

Homeowner’s associations....long arms of the government.

Often true, but not always. I bought a house and realized it was part of a small homeowners' association (about 30). I'm treasurer, since I'm younger than most owners. Our association is concerned about snow plowing, crack sealing, planning for the inevitable re-build of the road and the like, but otherwise stays out of the way. Maybe it isn't so bad because it is composed of a relatively small number of individual houses on reasonably sized lots with a common road and dock, rather than a cheek to jowl condo or apartment arrangement.

I read the Association rules before I closed, and decided they were mild and limited to reasonable purposes. Being active with the board helps me keep them that way.

[arthurus]

“Ford” and “Chrysler” are purely “advertising.” All brand names and logs should be required removed as being against the “advertising” regulations.

[arthurus]

I would never live in a condominium or a neighborhood with any sort of HOA. I keep my house and yard nice but and may get mad at my neighbor for junking up his yard but it is his yard. I did not buy any rights to it when I bought my own piece of ground.

[kittymyrib]

What is going on in the Metroplex? First, the woman at the Mansfield hospital can’t put up her flag because an African finds it offensive. Now this story of the unAmerican HOA in Dallas.
Somebody needs to have their butts kicked by the neighbors. Surely these whiners can’t be real Texans.

[Melas]

Unfortunately, HOA’s in Texas win nearly 100% of their cases when taken to court. The solution is simple: Don’t buy a house that’s tied to an HOA, ever. It is after all a voluntary decision.

[mdmathis6]

I think in a case like this though, a smart judge will agree
that the stickers should come off, but that the stickers should come off all cars in the HOA, including the smart aleck Obama sticker owners! The judge should then force all in the home owners ass. to come by his office to show that the stickers have been removed.

I’ll bet you’ll see a sudden change in the HOA leadership real quick!