Should Homeowners Have the Right to Put Up Any Kind of Holiday Lights Display Even if it May Be Deemed Offensive to Others?

It's their house.

last time i checked this was America and you can do any retarded thing you want as long as it is not illegal.

As long as it adheres to community standards and is not intended SOLELY to offend.

everyone of us is offended by something!

We're not protected against being offended.

Going by the choices given I have to say NO. BUT, a homeowner pay more than his share of taxes ( Federal, state & real estate ) , as long as they don't put up anything obscene, they can leave shall we say x-mas ornaments all year round or 4th of july all year round, screw the associations. these associations act like the owner is buying theproerty for them, 8 out of every 10 Homeowner's assoc. simply suuuuck.

Sure. There's a line between bawdy and obscene and it may differ from one community to another but a little bit of humor is good for everyone.

Definately!!!!! Everyone should be able to celebrate Christmas in their own personal manner. If some athiest person or group dowsnt like it.....TOUGH. Then they can go off in their little part of the world and celebrate their way. Leave me alone to celebrate Christmas and any other holiday in the manner I choose.

Christmas lights are an offense to climate change. Its a freaking offense when the ahole neighbors shine that cra p in my bedroom window for a month. IT SHOULD BE BANNED.

You have have a defined place to draw the line when it comes to neighbor issues like that. First you can't have lights, next you all have to paint the house the same color to avoid complaints. I shouldn't be that the ones most willing to complain always get there way. Boats are an eye sore too, but there is nothing wrong with boats. Where does it end.

Certainly not. Why do you ask? Is there something about offending others that you want to talk about? Of course, if the neighbor is offended by a reasonable display of lights, or a rubber baby in a plastic "manager", he/she should be told where to stick/take their pity party. A neighbor not far from my home once made a big manger scene, compete with a live sheep and calf, and wired the absurd thing to play stereo music loudly until near midnight. After repeated pleas by neighbors that were ignored, the sheep and calf disappeared and the stereo speakers developed holes made by rocks. Don't recall if the
animals were found or not.

yes, absolutely on private property that you own you should be able to celebrate and show your faith. That is an expression of free speech. Years it ago, it was the norm to do this on local goverment owned property.. But it was a given social normalcy as the community was 90 to 100% Christian. Today local municipalities are to mixed to allow that. As goverment should be neutral in church\state sepearation. But on your own little parcel of land, absolutely, if not whats next ? Not letting the christmas tree show through your windows.

I think so, as long as it isnt obscene material.

Homeowners should be able to do whatever they want on their own property unless they have signed an agreement with the neighbors to abide by a particular set of guidelines or rules.

I don't think a display of Santa urinating on a Nativity Scene would be tolerated in our neighborhood. How about a light display of a Santa having sex with a reindeer, would you approve of that?

Lol, because I have a sick sense of humor.

Well... I guess I hadn't thought of those with sick senses of humor. I'm not too sure that would be tolerated around here.

I doubt it'd be tolerated anywhere hahahaha!

yes because last time I checked we were a free Country, and too many people are/have died to keep this Country free

Good point!

Yea, I know the guy who died so Santa could mount those reindeer. He lived near Pomeroy, on a small farm where he raised little lambs. Seems he and Santa had lots in common.

and people who don't like it have the right not put up lights

Some claim it is to validate and honor Jocko Graves, the son of a free black soldier named Thomas Graves, who fought with George Washington. The story goes that Washington assigned the youth to safely remain on the Pennsylvania shore with the horses while they crossed the Delaware. Jocko was also to keep a lantern burning so George and the soldiers would know where to return after battle. When Washington and his army returned they discovered Jocko had frozen to death — still holding the horses and the lit lantern.



The story continues that Washington was so moved by Jocko’s devotion that he commissioned a statue in Jocko’s honor. Titled “Faithful Groomsman” the statue stood at Mount Vernon in honor of the young patriot. ...



But Professor Kenneth Goings ... says this legend isn’t true. And in an October interview with ‘The Daily Journal’ Goings says the lawn jockeys are “very, very much racist symbols” and says that he’s amazed people can believe anything else. He continued to say black lawn jockeys are part of the Old South mythology: “They are meant to evoke that Old South, grand plantation, “Gone With the Wind” mythology, and I’m not sure they can evoke anything else.”

That was an interesting story and I like it better than the prevailing one, but I think the lawn jockey is probably the correct one, because they certainly had them in the South before the War. I don't see what this story has to do with Christmas decorations, though.

You're right, it absolutely doesn't, but I wanted to point out the privacy issue and then just got caught up in the story! Thanks...for keeping me on target!

YEP

Key WORD

Heck yes, Private property rights and they are nobody's business.

I deem pissylousy and Hairy reed offensive but I have to put with 'em. Live and let live, fro crying out loud!

I love holiday lights; The funny, the sweet, the beautiful, the crazy, the offensive and all the rest too. When I squint my eyes, they're all pretty to me.

As long as it doesn't violate their local Homeowners Association's rules, which you usually have to put up with when you move into an area. But other than that, yeah, you're home free.

true

May Allah and the Atheists have a Holiday of their own; call it "Fakirs Day"...

It is actually a matter for tort law. Nobody has a right to be a nuisance, but they should be able to negotiate terms. If their decorations are too much, perhpas they could agree to turn some or all of them off sooner or perhaps they could offer some holiday cookies or pay off those who find it a nuisance. If it is a matter of religious offense, perhaps a simple screen between the houses would be sufficient.

Freedom of religion! If someone is offended they need to seek help to try and get a life! Merry Christmas to everyone even the miserable idiots!

Sure, unless the lights and noise keep the neighborhood awake at night. A regulation restricting hours is reasonable.

People should be able to decorate their homes as they please. Someone's always going to be offended by anything that you do.

A display that includes depictions of a minority's extermination and torture? Of course not, but then again, most people aren't sick enough to say out of the blue while thinking about their homes' Christmas display, "I know JUST what I'll do! I'll hang a man made of Christmas lights from my tree and put a sign around his neck reading, 'I deserved this because I'm [insert minority]!' BRILLIANT!!"

Wait a minute, I completely forgot about these guys...

unless you live in a HOA area then you must follow the rules of the HOA..