‘Freedom of speech,’ rages veteran facing $100 fines over ‘offensive’ bumper sticker – HOA branded him ‘obnoxious’ | 88I24H8 | 2024-05-12 12:08:01
'Freedom of speech,' rages veteran facing $100 fines over 'offensive' bumper sticker – HOA branded him 'obnoxious' | 88I24H8 | 2024-05-12 12:08:01
A HOMEOWNER was told he'd be fined $100 if he didn't remove a political sticker from his vehicle – it divided the neighborhood.
His HOA argued that the sticker was "obnoxious or offensive" after quoting bylaws – a property manager thinks the threat is an overreach.
Chris, who left his last name a mystery, was threatened by his HOA in Las Vegas, Nevada after he placed a large, controversial political sticker across the tailgate of his Dodge pickup in 2022.
The sticker read, "Let's Go Brandon!" and took up a large percentage of the tailgate.
Chris had other potentially offensive stickers on his truck, like one that read "F*** Liberals" or "Stomp on my flag and I'll stomp you a**."
After the Brandon sticker, however, he received a notice to remove the sticker within a week or be fined $100.
If he didn't remove it by the notice date, he'd be fined an additional $100 for every Friday the sticker remained in place.
"It makes me feel upset," Chris told FOX affiliate KVVU.
"I am a veteran. I did take an oath to this country. I believe freedom of speech should be everywhere."
The HOA quoted the association's bylaw reading: "No noxious or offensive trade or activity shall be carried upon any lot nor shall anything be done thereon which may be or may become an annoyance or nuisance to the neighborhood."
"Let's Go Brandon!" is a slogan that was popularized on the internet about President Joe Biden in 2021 during a televised interview with Brandon Brown at the Talladega Superspeedway after he won the race.
Kelly Stavast, the NBC reporter interviewing Brown, incorrectly cited the crowd chanting "F*** Joe Biden" as "Let's Go Brandon," and the phrase has since been used as a meme by the Republican party to express their political alignment against Biden.
<!-- End of Brightcove Player --> Some residents told the outlet that the association demanding it be removed is a bit extreme.
"I think we deal with a very harsh homeowners association here and they do want to keep the place looking respectful and nice and that truck since it has been here has been a bit of a nuisance really," said one resident.
Another resident told the outlet that the sticker felt "out of place."
"I think it is not for the community," they said.
Bryan Dargie, another homeowner in the community, said the HOA's reach may have gone too far.
The phrase was coined in 2021 when a reporter mistakenly described a crowd chanting F*** Joe Biden as Lets Go, Brandon[/caption]
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"I feel they have gone a little too far by telling you what you can put on your vehicle," he said.
KVVU attempted to contact the HOA's lawyer, who directed reporters to the local police department.
"I can confirm there has been no communication through our office (PIO) regarding the matter, and based on the information you provided, this is a civil matter between parties, not a criminal matter," read the department's statement.
The HOA did not respond to the outlet's email request for comment, so they attempted to reach her at her home, though they did not receive a response.
<p class="article__content--intro"> One in five Americans live in an area with a Homeowners' Association - or HOA. But what exactly is it that they do? </p> </div> </div> Amy Groves, the owner and manager of several properties within HOA subdivisions, indicated that Chris's sticker shouldn't have been considered offensive.
"The problem is you have to be able to find a nuisance – a note, or sound of something," she explained.
"A bumper sticker with no bad words is not offensive. It is not a nuisance."
Chris was eager to find a middle ground.
"I have not been fined."
"I did end up taking the tailgate off and I back the truck backward the entire time… If we can both be happy at the same time, still respect my freedom of speech, but also respect their community," he said.
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