Key Issues

Creating Scandal Just for the Helluvit

Is it just me, or is it getting ridiculous? I've never seen so much barking about First Amendment rights.

Now, don't get me wrong. I love these rights, and I will, in fact, stand up for all of them, including the right to be stupid.

But some folks are acting like smart-assed ten year olds when they demand a literal interpretation, regardless of the situation.

I can't say that I appreciate the media's portrayal of the general populous, as they continue to lend airtime to hotheads - of both political affiliations - who have more mouth than brains.

First Amendment rights are not absolute. How can anyone be so naive as to believe that they are? Like any other rule, there are exceptions to this one...certain conditions must be adhered to.

Do you think you can waltz into a church on Sunday morning, scream profanities, and expect to stick around?

Think you can grab a mike in a courtroom just to tell your newest joke?

Wonder if you'd get away with standing in your own front yard at 3am belting out the Pledge of Allegiance through a megaphone...

The answer to that one is pretty simple: not if you live in a neighborhood.

This morning there was an older couple - the McHannons I believe - from Ohio being interviewed on Fox News. It seems their First Amendment rights were "violated" when their neighborhood association asked them to take down a yard sign that read, "Support your troops; Re-elect President Bush."

A few years ago, I lived in one of these neighborhoods. Good-sized houses, manicured yards, huge neighborhood pool, and the whole thing was held together with the almighty glue of a group that I affectionately referred to as the "neighborhood nazis."

As I am in the real estate business, I knew quite well what I was getting into. Folks, when you buy property, and you receive a list of restrictive covenants on that property, understand that these are not suggestions.

One of the previous owners of your property, most likely the developer, legally placed these restrictions on the deed to that property for a set period of time, typically 20 years.

If you want to let your weeds grow out of control, if you want to hang a window unit out of your garage window, if you want to park your R.V. in the street, or if you want to plaster your yard with various signs or even "yard art," DON'T BUY PROPERTY WITH A RESTRICTIVE DEED AND COVENANTS!

The day came when I could tolerate no more of it myself.

It came on a warm fall afternoon when I walked out to get the mail. The yard looked pretty good, I observed, as my husband had just mowed. He hadn't edged, since our edger had eaten something that didn't agree with it last time it was used. I had pulled the weeds, and my annuals were still thriving. I reached into the box and grabbed my mostly junk mail.

Oh, how kind...the neighborhood nazis sent me a letter. I was given a notice because my yard hadn't been edged. We would be given a ten-day grace period to comply with neighborhood covenants.

I walked into the house, put the letter on my kitchen counter, went out to the garage, grabbed one of my real estate signs, and stuck it in my yard.

I like Mr. McHannon's sign personally, but if he wants to display it, he needs to move. He may not have the right to change the covenants, but he has the freedom to move to a place that has no covenants.

Incidentally, during the interview Mr. McHannon merely touched on the one thing that could actually give him a case. And that's that there were cars parked on the street with Kerry bumper-stickers. Now, if a neighbor with a Bush sign is cited, yard signs being against covenants....And a neighbor with a Kerry bumper-sticker is not cited, parking in the street also being against covenants...then there's a case for bias.

There's no First Amendment case here.

(I was going to give another example, but due to the length of this one, I'll have to hold off until I steal another hour.)