Homeowners Association vs. Christmas Lights and Gargoyles

I watch a site called Emails from Crazy People. It is good for a laugh now and then. The latest installment was an exchange between a home owner and representatives of a homeowners association titled Devil Worship And Christmas Lights. Here's a snippet:

We are writing to you as members of the Evergreen Homeowner’s Association about a concern that has occupied all our minds since you moved into this neighborhood. We are a congregate group of good Christian and God fearing people. The display you have set up on the outer section of your lot has us a bit concerned as the statue appears to be a type of Pagan worshipping symbol, unlike the other lawn decorations in our neighborhood. Shirley Whitley, a neighbor of yours says that this is a Satanic being and that you may be involved in the Occult.
Emails from Crazy People: Devil Worship and Christmas Lights

It never fails to amaze me what people will put in writing. For the record, the Satanic Object is a gargoyle. There is a picture of the offending statue on the original site, Gargoyle Troubles.

It would be interesting to hold a contest to see who can name all the laws the homeowners association violated with their first missive. I'll give you a hint, the number is greater then three.

This post is dedicated to my daughter who once lived in a condo that came with the Homeowners Association from Hell. But battling home owners associations seems to run in the family. I too have less then zero use for a bunch of empowered busy bodies with no other life then to run other people's lives.

I have enough trouble with government intrusions into my property and my life without a bunch of power hungry appearance Nazis using a ruler to measure the height of my grass every couple of days.

You go Chris!

-30-

"So let me get this straight. You want me to sign this piece of paper granting you deed restrictions on my property and submitting myself to the will of your newly formed homeowners association. But you are offended that I want to be paid for the loss of freedom to use my property as I see fit?"
- Me, addressing a group of civic minded neighbors in Texas.