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Freedom: Part 1--Samona family of Novi, Michigan
2005 December 4
© 2005, Libertiny Financial LLC
The Samona family had the "gall" to put their religious beliefs on display on the lawn in front of their Novi, Michigan home. One of the neighbors anonymously complained to the neighborhood association whose president then creatively interpreted the association rules and asked the family to remove only the religious symbols or face a fine.
There are a few things that are outrageous about this whole issue and historic precedence that everyone involved needs to re-learn:
1) Read the U.S. Constitution, especially the easy-to-understand Amendment 1 of the Bill of Rights: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."
2) Even the French (at least one person) understood a few things about freedom: From Voltaire's Essay on Tolerance he asserts: "Think for yourselves and let others enjoy the privilege to do so too." This is often misquoted as "I do not agree with what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it" which is actually from Evelyn Beatrice Hall, writing under the pseudonym of Stephen G. Tallentyre in The Friends of Voltaire (1906) but the meaning is the same.
Lessons learned:
1) Stomp out neighborhood associations. When you purchase your home with your hard earned money, expressing yourself is one of the things that you've earned. Freedom means that you don't have to like what one says--there's no guarantee of that in the Constitution. A neighborhood association's rules do not go above or beyond the Constitution.
2) Tolerate your neighbor's beliefs (religious and otherwise). What's the harm in seeing someone else's religion on display? You may learn something. This reminds me of the Marine that was sued because he was proudly displaying the Marine Corp flag in front of his home. That soldier earned the right to display that flag. What harm was it doing to his neighbors?
3) Have some courage. If you're going to complain about something, have the courage and decency to talk directly to your neighbor without having to hide behind an association.
Here's the article: detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article
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