Posted on 05/04/2005 3:00:23 PM PDT by Diddle E. Squat
CAPE CORAL, Fla. -- City ordinance or not, a woman said a municipal worker shouldn't have removed a sign she put up welcoming her daughter home from military service in Iraq.
Kelly Smith, 44, put the handmade cardboard "Welcome Back Soldier" sign the size of a desktop calendar in a median near her home in preparation for the return of her 19-year-old daughter, U.S. Army Pfc. Amanda Smith.
But a city compliance officer removed the sign Tuesday along with some of the yellow ribbons on knee-high stakes that lined the roadside near Smith's home.
The city allows only road signs on its medians, but Kelly Smith thinks the city should have left her placard alone.
"After my daughter is risking her life for our country, for me, for you, for code enforcement," she said. "I think it is a shame they are so shallow. What harm does it do?"
City officials said the worker was just doing his job.
"We cannot let people just stick signs up," City Councilwoman Alex LePera said. "The city would look like a mess."
However, LePera said, the family might have been able to get special permission to put up the sign on the median.
Amanda Smith came home on leave for 15 days after serving five months at Camp Victory in Baghdad.
"If any of those code enforcement guys have soldiers in their family, I'd put signs and ribbons up for them, too," Kelly Smith said. "That's just right."
Zero tolerance, zero common sense.
Jeez, sounds like they are a bit anal.
"Jeez, sounds like they are a bit anal."
I agree. But if we're going to be conservative,
then we have to obey the law. Let THEM be the ones
who don't.
Put the sign up on the house or in the livingroom.
Tell everyone you know your daughter's come home.
We're all proud of her. May she continue to be
safe.
Cape Coral, FL
City Council
P.O. Box 150027
Cape Coral, FL 33915-0027
Phone: 239.574.0436
Fax: 239.574.0429
Let them arrest you and request a jury trial.
Slam dunk!
Community Development
P.O. Box 150027
Cape Coral, FL 33915-0027
Phone: 239.574.0566
Fax: 239.574.0594
Stop making sense...
Baloney.
Not really. If this government allowed one side to post its message on public property, it would soon find itself embroiled in a lawsuit by other groups demanding the same treatment.
Oh I understand the legal arguments, but that is no excuse for the death of common sense and discretion. We are a hell of a lot worse off with the shift to zero tolerance strict legalism. The rule of law is extremely important, but until recently it has always had room for judgements, discretion, common sense and local community standards.
Now that's an intelligent, well thought-out retort.
"Stop making sense..."
LOL. My mother NEVER said that to me.
I would put it back up and go to trial.
http://www.thecannonstore.com/products.asp?lineID=W98
I think it sounds funny that code enforcement just happened to be in the area. They are never where you need them in my city.
Yeah, we are far better off banning flyers seeking lost puppies or kid's lemonade stands, because otherwise we'd have to also allow ads for porn shops and abortion clinics. Give me a break. Ordinances can be written to allow for innocous homemade signs that fit under a category like 'neighborhood decorations' or 'neighborhood amenities', defining what falls under such, without it being considered political speech which would require equal access.
But that requires common sense.
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