What we can and can't do?
I got to thinking this morning about the relay for life being banned from The Villages.
I'm not accusing, I'm just asking.
What exactly is the form of governance and authority that the developer has? True enough, they developed 12 X 12 miles of residential lots and facilities. Residents purchased their own property and they own it. Indeed we all signed and agreed to certain covenants. The various buildings are owned and operated by various developer companies or districts. Most of the streets are public property. The Villages is located in three separate Florida counties, those counties are located in a bonafied state, all of which are in The United States of America.
As American citizens, have residents of the Villages given up any of their rights of freedom of expression? I'm serious here, do the developers have the legal or moral right to tell residents what charity they can support in and around their homes? If Relay for Life had gotten a parade permit for one of the county roads inside The Villages, could the Developer have blocked it? If a whole neighborhood had banned together and said, "use our street and our homes and property for the Relay for Life," could it still have been banned.
I'm not speaking against the Moffitt Cancer Center, I'm talking about the right of Americans to support what they choose to support. If anybody knows what authority there is to mandate or forbid certain charitable activities, I am curious to know. I would have to guess that the developer knew that there would be a gigantic backlash because of this. I'm wondering if they care?
How many freedoms are you willing to give up to live in The Villages? Am I chasing ghosts here? Is it not a concern to most that there is a form of dictation as to what you can support and not support?
JLK
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