As I have noted previously, I am not exactly fond of home owners associations (HOAs). Given my personal interactions with these hideous people over the years, I actually tend to think the Gestapo and the Stasi were staffed with warmer people.This latest HOA outrage comes to us not from Florida, but oddly enough Texas, and involves a retired disabled Marine, his personal vehicle, stickers affixed thereon, and an HOA run by idiots and that apparently has way too much time on its hands.
Frank Larison, now 58, spent 14 years of his life serving this nation as a United Sates Marine. One of those years was spent on combat duty in Vietnam. Appropriately, Mr. Larison is rather proud of his service, and wanted to communicate this pride to others by placing stickers on his vehicle in support of the Marines. Seven of them, actually.
However, the HOA for the condo complex he resides in is crying foul, and threatening the retired Marine and combat veteran with all kinds of unpleasantness, which includes having his vehicle towed at his expense, as well as fining him $50 for any future infractions.
Apparently, this particular HOA from hell (as if there was one that isn't) has a rule that forbids placing any form of advertisements on vehicles. How this relates to displays in support of the Marines is beyond me.
My Fox Houston has the full report:
You can view the written version here.
So would most of of us, Mr. Hardy.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."
But this is the strange part:
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.Hmm. Is it just possible the idiot HOA member who is giving Mr. Larison all this grief might just have a problem with our nation's military, and those who have served in it?
If I were Mr. Larison, I would be out sticker shopping.
But, that's just the kind of person I am.
I will be sure and keep an eye out for the outcome of this lunacy.
2 comments:
I must read the article but first---Last month I wanted to be the good guest and offered to put out the trash barrels at my brother's. They weren't on the "pad" however. "We have to keep them in the garage now." I was told (HOA). !!!!
And there's no grandfather clause that says that if the pad has served you fine for the past twenty years (which it had) keep them on the pad.
Right, and Frank Larison now has to conform to his HOA. Rein him in. He's wearing his pride on his bumper.
whoinsamhill,
I hate to see things like this happen to anybody, but when it happens to someone who put his neck on the line for this country, it makes it twice as egregious.
My dad is a former Marine who spent most of his time in Korea during the war, and is now dying from Alzheimer's.
Shameful how so many of our veterans are treated.
-Dave
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