Complaints
 

I don't think you should run to the lawn police until that is a last resort. Knock on your neighbor's door first. What happened to the friendliest hometown?

I disagree. I don't think people take kindly to being told directly they have bad taste in lawn ornaments. There are some far less ugly than these...but I have seen these......

plywood lawn ornament of fat bend over lady - Bing

After reading the post from the guy who says that the Nazi symbol is okay with him ..... oh my ... is that where we are heading? Is he okay with a bunch of guys with pointed hats burning crosses too?

No lawn ornaments means no lawn ornaments. That includes anything that is a lawn ornament, religious or not. Simple, very simple. Abide by the restrictions in your district. Follow the rules. The restrictions are not onerous. Keep the anonymous system. I have seen confrontations between neighbors over a stupid ornament and it can divide a neighborhood. What is it that people do not understand about this?

Future Resident ...
 

I am considering buying in The Villages, so thought you might like my take on this:
One of the reasons I would buy is for aesthetics and uniformity in appearance as this keeps home values up, so it's important that everyone adhere to the rules. It's impossible to let one display an item and then deny someone else this ability, which is why there are rules in the fist place.
Where I live now, some residents began shining the green "military support" lights on the exterior of their home. While a noble gesture -- and I certainly support our troops -- we had to stop this because it was a violation, and where would you draw the line? If allowed, we would soon have a carnival atmosphere in our community with pink lights supporting breast cancer awareness, blue lights supporting our police, red lights supporting heart health, etc. -- each very worthy. However, we had to enforce our covenants.
If I see lots of lawn ornamentation -- however important to the homeowner -- I WILL NOT BUY, for this would be a huge red flag to me of problems ahead!
My suggestion: Display your ornamentation INSIDE your house in a window. This can still be seen from outside by passersby who look, but it would not violate your contract.

A voice of reason. I hope you do decide to move here. :)

Well,I consider myself as a Christian & I have no complaints about a 10 in. white cross in somebodies yard. I feel & this is just my own opinion, I think this got started when we had a president that pushed other religions. So I think some people are just trying to show America that this is a Christian country, not one of the others. Personally If one of my neighbors were showing a symbol of their religion I probably won't be real neighborly, maybe a HI to them. This symbol of our religion is getting a little carried away, I think! What's our country coming to!!!

This is not a Christian country. Christians need a history lesson. This country was founded because Christians were being burned alive BY OTHER CHRISTIANS because they belonged to the wrong denomination of Christianity. Read about the Thirty Years War, Bloody Mary, etc. and realize there is a reason that God is not mentioned in our Constitution, which is by the PEOPLE and for the PEOPLE, not any religion.

I agree and when I see people not adhering to rules and nothing is being done about it I get very annoyed. I keep asking community development to put put a newsletter abput rules but they won"t and what a waste of money for the community watch who only drive around and can't even cite a violation. They should put in guarded and gated entrances and do away with them. It seems it would be cheper than paying for trucks and gas for these people to just drive around. Garbage in front of houses more than 24 hours in advance, and lawn debris in bags being kept in front of their garages all the time - why can't people be comsiderate of their neighbors. It dosen't take much to start bringing down the looks of the community. And I do not think white crosses or any religious memorabalia should be in view except at Christmas. There are many relgions and I don't think you would want to see a STAR OF DAVID HANGING ON A TREE or the insignias for any other religion so people should stop putting them there. People are ruining putting beautiful swans, etc in their fromt yards because it will be everything or nothing.

Agree with Rubicon, couldn't have said it better...people buy in here because of the way it looks and then the first thing they want to do is start changing it...It's amazing how people sign contracts and don't read what it says...

An excellent and intelligent response. :BigApplause:


I think the underlying issue comes from those that actually believe this great nation was founded as a 'Christian Nation' and believe that incorrect assumption...allows them the ability to denounce anything that does not fit that illusion or their own bias. :shrug:

Never mind. Off topic. I didn't really want to be in this thread anyway.

Christians feel they are being persecuted. They feel they're being singled out while others with non religious ornaments are not. If everyone kept personal statements out of sight it would not be an issue.


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I think put whatever you want as long as it is not overdone but if all must be enforced then all flag pole's ,banners ,ect must go but that is not my belief.

Change is good. Too many people stuck in their line dance here....

The flag poles in my area have been approved (at least the ones owned by people I know) and they are presumably not in the same category as yard ornaments, which are specifically disallowed in some deed restrictions.

I disagree. I believe a person has the right to know the identity, of his/her accuser. Cowards who do not identify themselves , become internet tough guys. They can say anything they want with impunity. Besides, I have found differences can be solved over a little coffee and danish

You well may be right. And you could also be wrong. I think it depends on what you expect and have learned to expect where you lived before and THAT is very geographical. I would rather someone report me than be told directly I have bad taste. I would rather report someone anonymously than tell them they aren't doing things according to Hoyle.

Here is the lineup...Two neighbors both from Minnesota...no problem. Two neighbors both from Utah. No problem. One neighbor from Ohio one from The Bronx. You get where I'm going? Some states people teach their children that it is rude to honk your horn at other people.

I'm amazed that people have nothing better to do than worry about small crosses.

I life in a "hood" that has lots of crosses. I'm not fond of them. I would not be interested in living in a police state where the villages trolled theyarea looking for violations. I attended a district 3 meeting when I first moved here about 2 yr ago they said they are "complaint driven" meaning if a neighbor objects and they are in violation of a rule, the villages will respond.

I prefer to be peaceful with my neighbors and honor their "right" to display their beliefs, even when I don't share them

LIVE and LET live and let's stop trying to CONTROL others and stick with self management.

But God is mentioned in the Declaration of Independence.


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Is there something wrong with someone giving a quick toot on the horn to get your attention if they want to wave at you?

Just don't bury it with a white cross on top. (Unless you live in District 2!)

Other people need a lesson on the Bill of Rights.

I'm all for following the deed restrictions. It protects us all. But certain types of lawn ornaments being singled out because they are religious in nature is not acceptable.

I don't think they are being singled out because they are religious in nature. No ornament is allowed unless it is under the eaves or gets permission from ARC. It is a deed restriction and it keeps people from being too...artistic and flamboyant and schlocky.

I am really sorry that this thread started because now I know that many don't have much in the way of tolerance for other's religion. I am sadly surprised. I am always glad to know that people have something to fall back on, a comforting philosophy or faith in difficult times and as we age there are scary and sad times.

Well, when the crosses go, I am going after the Penn State flags! :-)

White cross on lawn in letters to the editor
 

Try it! My son-in-law went there. (It would not be a good idea to mess with him.)

Personally, I like to fly the 13 star flag attributed to Betsy Ross.

[emoji41][emoji106]


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I am worried....I do not appreciate those little crosses and I'm afraid there's going to be more of that crap to come. I used to have to look at religious statues gracing people's front lawns in my old neighborhood in New Jersey. I didn't like it there and I will certainly not like to see those statues here.

I feel folks who are religious (I certainly am NOT as you can probably tell) are ramming their religious beliefs down my throat. STOP IT for crying out loud. I'm tired of having to look the other way so I don't see those damn crosses!!!

Rant over. Thank you for letting me vent.

Getting sadder and madder.

Remember I agree with deed restrictions. I would never tell someone their religion made me mad unless it was one that subjugated woman and felt that people who didn't belong should be dead.

So nice to hear a rational voice!! The first time I saw one of those little crosses, I thought it was a marker for a buried pet. What ever happened to just stringing one around your neck and calling it a day!

First Amendment
 

The First Amendment to the Constitution says we have the freedom OF religion, not FROM religion. This expressly means we Americans can, uh, express our religion - like a little white cross.

It is easy to use scare tactics of suggesting we'll have a bunch of Nazi, Muslim, atheist symbols across The Villages, but honestly...seriously... do you really think so? The use of this scare tactic is shameful coming from an American who doesn't understand he is shutting down free speech here in The Villages.

Excellent post. Do free thinkers have a club here in TV? There appear to be a few of us! Woohoo!

Same with me....I thought there was a buried pet. Then the crosses started popping up all over the place and I realized there couldn't have been that many pets that died in such a short amount of time.

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Why can't we all just get along.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...b3277027a2.jpg


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Crosses are ornaments and therefore not allowed. Has nothing to do with religion or free exercise thereof. Be careful what you ask for- you may get it. For instance a life sized religious statue in a yard near Spanish Springs or the dog making a toilet out of a fireplug(same area). I don't believe that Jesus would erect a religious symbol in his yard if he had bought in a neighborhood with a deed restriction prohibiting such décor.

Even if you agreed with the deed restrictions when you purchased a home in TV?

It seems there are lots of residents who didn't bother to read the deed restrictions when they purchased a home in TV. :shrug:

Barefoot, always a sane, calm voice of reason. You are a kind person and it is my pleasure to know you.

I remember there was a time when builders use to have deed restrictions not allowing sales to Jews and Blacks.

Deed restrictions are not set in steel. Time for TV to have a re-look at the restrictions.

With the unbridled growth of TV most new buyers aren't of a generation comfortable living with houses made of Ticky Tacky That All Look The Same.

OhioBuckeye
 

Whoa, whoa, I don't need a history lesson about what god I believe in, I'm just answering a simple question about these little white crosses. Keep your history speeches for your faith. Nobody came here to argue, just making a simple comment.