Small Victory For Homeowners

A family in Novi Michigan was instructed to remove a Nativity scene from their own front yard or pay a fine. They supposedly violated a rule of their subdivision.

Last week, Joe's parents, Betty and Frank Samona, received a notice from the community association that sets regulations in their upscale Tollgate Woods subdivision. It said the family may be violating rules that prohibit lawn ornaments, statues or outdoor art from being placed on the lot without prior approval of the board of directors.

What is not acceptable is that nobody complained about Halloween decorations or secular Christmas decorations. The only thing that was objectionable was the religious Christmas display.

After a public outpouring of support for the family the community association backed off and they will be allowed to keep the religious Christmas decorations up. The association even gave them a "holiday" basket as a token of apology (shouldn't it have been a Christmas basket?)

This whole thing should have never happened. While I am pleased with the outcome, I am furious that a group would try to suppress both religious freedom and the right to express those beliefs. Would they have tried to take down Kwanzaa decorations? Or New Age Solistice decorations? Of course not! The only targets are Christians and practicing Jews.