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Neighbors Find Obscenity Mowed Into Lawn
ClickonDetroit ^ | September 15, 2005

Posted on 09/16/2005 6:37:00 AM PDT by ShadowDancer

Neighbors Find Obscenity Mowed Into Lawn

Parents Worry For Children Who See Message

POSTED: 3:09 pm EDT September 15, 2005
UPDATED: 5:14 pm EDT September 15, 2005

OMAHA, Neb. -- An Omaha man mowed an obscenity into his lawn, and now his neighbors are upset because they don't want their children to see the nasty language.

The homeowner, who neighbors told Omaha TV station KETV has the last name Miller, cut a two-word expletive into his front lawn after being warned by the city about excessive grass and weeds around his house. The phrase is about 30 feet long across his yard.

"I saw the neighbor's yard with some derogatory statements mowed into the yard," said neighbor Traci Tunzer.

Tunzer said she's been hoping her neighbor would mow the long grass in his yard, but she's upset by the way he decided to mow it. Tunzer said there's a school nearby.

"I have three children, and two of them will definitely know what that says. It worries me," she said. "We don't want our children to be around that kind of stuff."

Down the hill, neighbor Bernie Horstmeyer said he is in disbelief.

"When I first saw it, I saw the big 'U,' and I had to back up just to see if that's what it really said," he said.

Horstmeyer and other residents said the homeowner was warned by the city about excessive weeds and tall grass in his yard. They said the expletive could be his response, or just a prank.

"I don't know if he got turned in (or) why he did it. Or he's just bored and decided to mow it," one neighbor said.

City officials couldn't verify the homeowner's name. No one answered at his front door, and further attempts by KETV to contact him were unsuccessful.

City prosecutor Marty Conboy said little can be done legally about the yard.

"There really is no criminal law that covers these kinds of vulgarities," Conboy said.

Conboy said it would be different if the homeowner threatened city employees by saying the expletive, but on the lawn, it's a passive statement protected by the 1st Amendment.

"As much as you might shake your head at what kind of reasoning is involved, it's not prohibited," Conboy said. "A person who wants to make a statement in public, that doesn't invoke a violent response, is protected by the constitution."

Conboy said he is "disappointed" that someone would use his 1st Amendment rights in such a manner.

City codes dictate that lawns taller than 10 inches can be ticketed, but Parks and Planning officials said that unless the grass that formed the expletive met that criterion, there was nothing they could do to force its removal.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; US: Nebraska
KEYWORDS: lolol
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To: ShadowDancer

Yes you do. Wanna come over and do my yard???


101 posted on 09/16/2005 8:04:41 AM PDT by null and void (If you can read this, you are too close.)
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To: TX Bluebonnet

stile = sterile


102 posted on 09/16/2005 8:04:57 AM PDT by TX Bluebonnet
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To: Quilla

Put a 'For Sale' sign in the yard w/ the lawyer's phone number.


103 posted on 09/16/2005 8:07:29 AM PDT by Sloth (Archaeologists test for intelligent design all the time.)
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To: Sloth

THAT is a good idea!


104 posted on 09/16/2005 8:09:46 AM PDT by null and void (If you can read this, you are too close.)
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To: null and void

Yes, I should have known what is a granny unit. My Aunt and Uncle living in Long Beach, Ca. had a garage apartment on their property that generated much extra income for them over the years.


105 posted on 09/16/2005 8:10:23 AM PDT by AxelPaulsenJr (Pray Daily For Our Troops and President Bush and the Gulf Coast.)
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To: dayglored

Well, this is The South, where cars up on blocks are considered LAWN ART.............and we gotta lotta artistes here!........


106 posted on 09/16/2005 8:11:15 AM PDT by Red Badger (BLAME = Democrat .......BALM = Republican.........Which would an evacuee choose?......)
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To: AxelPaulsenJr
My Aunt and Uncle living in Long Beach, Ca. had a garage apartment on their property that generated much extra income for them over the years.

I'm rather annoyed with the city...

107 posted on 09/16/2005 8:11:54 AM PDT by null and void (If you can read this, you are too close.)
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To: AxelPaulsenJr

Nope, I just sit on a lot and a half. Not much on paper but plenty with a pair of Friskars in your hand.


108 posted on 09/16/2005 8:12:27 AM PDT by ShadowDancer (Stupid people make my brain sad.)
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To: null and void

Yes, and you have a right to be so annoyed.


109 posted on 09/16/2005 8:13:04 AM PDT by AxelPaulsenJr (Pray Daily For Our Troops and President Bush and the Gulf Coast.)
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To: najida
I have a butcher knife that I use when I work outside.

I keep mine for my husband, wouldn't want to dull it on weeds.

110 posted on 09/16/2005 8:13:36 AM PDT by ShadowDancer (Stupid people make my brain sad.)
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To: Quilla

WWTCD?

Have you spoken to him?

Are there any neighborhood covenents? I would have no qualms about enforcing covenants against an absentee owner, especially one who's a lawyer.


111 posted on 09/16/2005 8:14:39 AM PDT by TC Rider (The United States Constitution © 1791. All Rights Reserved.)
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To: SengirV

"Normally I agree. But not cutting your lawn is just nasty. I have little sympathy for these types and those who are real garbage collectors and have parts of cars, appliances, scrap metal, etc... piled all over the place.

Those two types deserve ALL the bad that Gov't can do to them."

I don't know about "All the bad Gov't can do"..that seems a little harsh to me..lol. Your point is a goood one, but (monkey),I still delight in these kinda stories.


112 posted on 09/16/2005 8:19:07 AM PDT by penelopesire
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To: Sir Gawain
Assuming that someone would do such a thing, are you advocating the killing of someone who is spraying salt on someone's lawn, from a public street?

In Texas, one can use deadly force to stop someone from taking property or a life threatening situation, but not in your scenario.

113 posted on 09/16/2005 8:20:04 AM PDT by lormand (George W. Bush is saving your ass, whether you like it or not.)
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To: lormand

Nah you're right, I'll just come out there and offer them lemonade while they're salting my lawn. My bad sir, carry on with the destruction of my property.

Over my dead body.


114 posted on 09/16/2005 8:25:09 AM PDT by Sir Gawain
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To: Sir Gawain
"Nah you're right, I'll just come out there and offer them lemonade while they're salting my lawn. My bad sir, carry on with the destruction of my property."

" Over my dead body."

Too much coffee this morning?

115 posted on 09/16/2005 8:42:14 AM PDT by lormand (George W. Bush is saving your ass, whether you like it or not.)
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To: penelopesire

"All the bad the gov't can do to them" with respect to this situation. I would guess it would be something like a fine, hiring someone to go to the homeowners house and clean up, and passing the bill onto the homeowner, etc...

If there is a law on the books(as other point out, you can move, or not move there to begin with) against the ascribed indiscretion, and especially if it's negatively effecting your neighbors property values - then you deserve what I cite above.


116 posted on 09/16/2005 8:57:39 AM PDT by SengirV
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To: TC Rider

You sound like my kind of neighbor TC. A guy who mows my lawn for free? That would be cool!


117 posted on 09/16/2005 9:03:04 AM PDT by Clemenza (What's Puzzling You is Just the Nature of My Game)
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To: Clemenza
You sound like my kind of neighbor TC. A guy who mows my lawn for free? That would be cool!

Yeah, but you had to have a death in the family to qualify.

Moot point now, sold the house, the mower, etc. I now live in a townhome. (I did keep the chainsaw though, after going through a hurricane and numerous limb dropping ice storms, I'll never be without a chainsaw again)

118 posted on 09/16/2005 10:00:25 AM PDT by TC Rider (The United States Constitution © 1791. All Rights Reserved.)
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To: brytlea

Yeah, it's exactly the same thing (*rolling eyes*)


119 posted on 09/16/2005 10:08:35 AM PDT by nuconvert (No More Axis of Evil by Christmas ! TLR) [there's a lot of bad people in the pistachio business])
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To: highlymotivated

Rather than killing the grass with a herbicide, spread 20/20/20 FERTILIZER in the pattern you desire.

Works wonderfully, but don't ask how I know this.....


120 posted on 09/16/2005 11:34:59 AM PDT by Don W (You're entitled to your own stupid opinion, no matter how wrong you are. :)
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