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GEOKARJO 
Google This!!!
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Posts: 7799
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Sep. 13 2003,12:17 pm |
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Veteran fights for front yard flag
Friday, September 12, 2003 Posted: 8:36 PM EDT (0036 GMT)
George Andres
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(CNN) -- Former Marine George Andres is in danger of losing his home. His homeowner's association prohibits flagpoles and he flies an American flag in his front yard. The courts have agreed and say the association can foreclose on his home to collect legal fees
http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/South/09/12/cnna.flag.fight/index.html
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| Post Number: 2
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Ole1kanobe
Group: Members
Posts: 1360
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Sep. 13 2003,12:56 pm |
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Sadly enough, this happens all too often down South.
I lived in one of these 'planned' communities for about a year. A lady in her 70's was being foreclosed on by her civic committee (homeowner's association) because she had not paid her membership dues. (yes, in many of these places you have to pay money to keep on living there, even after you purchase the house and land) Turned out, they were sending the bills in her late husband's name (who had been dead for a few years) so she never even bothered to open the mail, just file 13'd it.
It takes a big person to throw out an old lady onto the street!
The story got so much publicity and the civic committee got so much hate mail and threats that they dropped the case.
Most places down South in larger metro areas are these planned communities, (so much in fact that you either have to live in one or get stuck in an apartment or build on an acreage) and by signing the contract they have, you in effect waive ALL of your rights and freedoms as an individual and citizen.
If you decide to shingle your house and do not get the approval of the committee first, they can foreclose on your home and resell it and you have no recourse of action to stop them, as well as getting nothing out of your land and property.
If your grass is deemed to be to long (even right after you mow it), they can call a lawn service to 'properly' manicure your lawn and you get billed for it.
While I was in one of these, I cleaned out the backyard of brush and trimmed all of the bushes and piled the clippings next to the gate (6 foot fenced in back yard) so I could take them to the dump, you could not see the clippings from the road. The next day I had a letter in my mail box stating that I had 'refuse' in my back yard that was in violation of their 'rules' and would be charged for disposal if it was not removed immediately. (they are also allowed to jump your fences and trespass at will apparently)
These are the same planned community type things that are spreading throughout Rochester and now Austin. Although they started as a good idea, a way to ensure that no one in the neighborhood decided to turn their yard into a storage place for junk cars, etc; they have gotten so out of control over the past 10 years or so that they have all of the power of local government and more.
Hile Civic Committee!
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The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it.
-Albert Einstein-
Some of what is said here (myself included) is about as tolerable as listening to someone vacuum a cat.
-nphilbro-
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| Post Number: 3
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hoosier
Group: Members
Posts: 1476
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Sep. 13 2003,1:04 pm |
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Geo, I agree with you in principle, but really have no sympathy for the guy. He signed a contract before he moved in, he knew exactly what it was he was signing. The only thing that makes this an issue is the fact that its a veteran, and an American flag. I have a brother in-law that lives in a place like that. He cant park his boat in his drive way, he cant change the oil or do any kind of repair on his cars, in his drive way, he cant have a satelite dish, on his property, he cant park a pickup truck in his driveway, the list goes on and on. He bitches about it, and I tell him I dont want to hear it, you knew that you were signing away your rights when you moved in, stop your bitchin. Sorry Geo, but this guy has no one to blame but himself, if he was stupid enough to live there, then I say fine, kick his ass out if he violates the rules. This is not even close to being the same as you or I putting a flag pole in our front yard. If you are gonna sign your rights away, dont bitch and complain when they try to hold you to the document you signed, of your own free will. I would NEVER, live in such a place, for the most part the people that live there are just doing it so they can say hey, look at me, look at where I live. You have freedom of choice, until you sign it away, just like this guy did. No sympathy here.
Edited by hoosier on Sep. 13 2003,1:08 pm
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The power of accurate obsvervation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it.
George Bernard Shaw
The devil begins with froth on the lips of an angel entering into battle for a holy and just cause. Grigory Pomerants
We have crossed the boundary that lies between Republic and Empire. Garet Garrett
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| Post Number: 4
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GEOKARJO
Google This!!!
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Posts: 7799
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Sep. 13 2003,4:26 pm |
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The crock I refer to is the association banning the diplay of the flag in the first place.
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minnow
Unregistered
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Posted on: Sep. 13 2003,5:44 pm |
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Would you ban old Minnow if he I wanted to say.... let his freak flag fly?
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| Post Number: 6
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hoosier
Group: Members
Posts: 1476
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Sep. 13 2003,8:57 pm |
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Doesnt matter, that dumb @ss made the choice to live there under those conditions. He new dam well that he wasnt allowed to have a flag pole when he bought the house, he decided to buy it anyway, agreeing not to have a flag pole. No injustice here, just one of the snobs that live in those neighborhoods not abiding by a contract that he signed. They can make any rule they like, you have the choice not to live there. Sorry Geo if I get a little worked up over this issue, but I cannot stand the type of people that live in these types of communities, I have no sympathy for them signing there rights away, just so everyone can see that they got a nice, expensive home. The guys is probably one of the biggest @ssholes you would ever want to meet. I know my brother in-law is.  O, and me to.
Edited by hoosier on Sep. 13 2003,9:02 pm
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The power of accurate obsvervation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it.
George Bernard Shaw
The devil begins with froth on the lips of an angel entering into battle for a holy and just cause. Grigory Pomerants
We have crossed the boundary that lies between Republic and Empire. Garet Garrett
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