Vet's Patriotic Stickers Under Fire

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[bill12353]

Vet's Patriotic Stickers Under Fire
Published : Wednesday, 27 May 2009, 10:45 PM CDT
James Rose         FOX 4 News
DALLAS - Frank Larison is a disabled veteran with more than 14 years of service, including more than a year of combat duty in Vietnam.
The 58-year-old former Marine now finds himself under attack by his Dallas homeowners association for displaying seven decals on his vehicle supporting the Marine Corps.
"To me, it's being patriotic, and it shows that I served," the veteran told FOX 4.
The board says the decals are advertisements that violate HOA rules, and must be covered or removed.
Otherwise, the homeowners association for The Woodlands II on The Creek --- where Larimore has lived for eight years --- says in a letter it will tow the car at Larimore's expense. The board also threatens to fine him $50 for any future incident.
Larimore says the decals, ranging from the Marine emblem to Semper Fi slogans, aren't advertisements for anything. "You can't buy freedom," he reasoned.
UPDATE: Vet Overwhelmed by International Exposure 
Some neighbors are outraged.
"That is his identity," said neighbor Mary Castagna. "He goes to a lot of the veteran meetings, and it means a lot to him. Everyone else agrees with it; it doesn't bother anybody."
"He's in the Marines, and he's proud of it, and I don't blame him," said neighbor Paul Hardy. "If I'd gone through what he's gone through, I'd be kind of proud of it myself."
The letter from the board states you can't have any form of advertisement anywhere on your car on your property. FOX 4 cameras spotted bumper stickers for political parties, health causes, and other non-commercial interests on the property as well.
One board member said he was unaware the HOA presidents sent the letter and did not know of any issue with Larimore's vehicle.
"I will be looking into it," said board member Art Bradford. "I didn't know anything about this. I haven't seen this."
The board president was out of town and unavailable. The condo management company did not want to comment.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,522718,00.html   

This Is becoming More and More Ridiculous Everyday. Just a few days ago I was reading about a Virginia veteran who is a medal of honor recipient who was being forced to remove an American flag in his front yard.
Here is another example of the stupidity of these community associations or homeowners associations that have sprouted up all around the country.
Now I understand that such associations are designed to retain value of properties by controlling graffiti and upkeep of property values, a good thing. But there such a thing as common sense where good judgment should come into play.

There has always been exceptions to a rule for those who earned Americas respect and a place at the table allowing special privileges, and you can be assured there always will be among the elite of men and women who deserve them due to their sacrifices or whatever.


Between the state's and federal government using eminent domain gobbling up private properties for the use of private commercial enterprises, to develop massive shopping malls or industrial complexes.... private property is becoming a joke.

Now I realize many of you will say they signed an agreement to abide by certain rules of ownership in these co-ops or community organizations, but as I said before a little common sense goes a long way.

[BuoyJumper]

I'm familiar with this one Bill.  The vets in this area acted fast on this asstard HOA President.  She got the **** scared our of her real quick for this crapola when she got served.  The support for Frank was so overwhelming this ***** cratered post-haste.  There was even a support group started on facebook for Frank with the idea of setting up a legal defense fund to take the *******s of this HOA into court. 



Lake Highlands HOA retreats on disabled vet's decals
Wed, Jun 24, 2009
James Ragland/Columnist



A Lake Highlands homeowners association is backing down from a fight it picked with a retired Marine.

"This has all been blown way out of proportion," Darenda Hardy, president of the Woodlands on the Creek II HOA in northeast Dallas, said Wednesday. "I'm not anti-Marine and I"m not anti-military."

Hardy (pictured above left, courtesy of my handy cam-phone) sent ex-Marine and U.S. Coast Guard veteran Frank Larison a letter in late May threatening to tow his car if he didn't cover up or remove the military stickers and decals displayed on the rear window of his black 2008 Chevy HHR.

The national media attention caused a major backlash for Hardy, who left town shortly after sending Larison the letter and hadn't been available for comment since.

"I was in Tyler fishing," Hardy said, chuckling, "and someone called and told me. I thought it'd all blow over by now, but it didn't."

An attorney for Larison showed up at her condo Wednesday with a TV reporter. The attorney handed her a letter, she said, that alluded to a May 29 letter he'd sent telling the HOA basically to cease and desist from threatening to tow Larison's car.

"I haven't even seen the first letter," Hardy said, saying she was given five days to respond. She said she'd confer with the HOA's other four directors and figure out how to proceed.

But she said she's already made up her mind that the HOA board that she's led since 2000 needs to review and clarify a covenant that disallows "any kind of writing" or "business advertising" on cars.

"Afther all the hooplas, we just decided to review it," she said.

Asked why the rule banning "advertising" stickers and decals was put on the books in the first place, Hardy said that it was aimed at curbing unsightly stickers.

"We've got some people who used to have inappropriate things on their car, like 'Hot Mama" and 'I Love Tattoos' and things like that."

And if Larison didn't have "seven or eight" stickers on his car, she said, his decals probably wouldn't have drawn her attention.
Larison didn't sound too relieved to hear what Hardy had to say.

"She's changing the thing around now," he said. "The [threatening] letter didn't say how many stickers, it just said I had advertising."
The flap has caused quite a stir at the 104-unit condo complex.

"We haven't had a ruckus like this since I've lived here that I know of," said Hardy, who moved into the property right after it was built 27 years ago. "It's B.S., that's what it is."

Original Article

[bill12353]

Sounds like to me a little advertising about this situation is what is bringing on this change of heart.
Happy to hear that a little pressure works sometimes against these un-thought-out ownership association agreements.

[Gorilla24D]

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