Homeowner Association Bullies Family Over ‘JESUS’ Christmas Display

With only two more shopping days until Christmas, there is plenty of Bah Humbug to go around in Adams County, Pennsylvania where a family has been bullied into taking down a holiday display.

The Wivell family’s desire to honor the religious aspects of Christmas with a lighted decoration that simply says “JESUS” has raised the ire of some of the neighborhood Grinches who filed a complaint with the board of the Courtyards Homeowners Association in Mount Joy Township.

The HOA is contending that the “JESUS” decoration is a sign and therefore violates the community rules and that it must come down according to the association president.

There are always spoilsports who just can’t accept that people may actually enjoy Christmas and want to express their tribute to the lord and savior whose birth is the true reason for the celebration of the day.

Christmas display causes controversy in Adams County community https://t.co/5SWpdV5z1w via @fox43

— MAGA News Report (@MagaNewsReport) December 23, 2017

According to Harrisburg Fox affiliate, Fox 43 “Christmas display causes controversy in Adams County community”:

Is it a sign or Christmas decoration? An Adams County family is fighting back after the homeowners association where they live demanded the removal of a disputed item, a piece of wood that says Jesus on it, from their yard.

Mark and Lynn Wivell say they wanted to make a statement with their Christmas decorations this year.

“As part of our Christmas decoration, we would display the name Jesus to point out to everyone that we in this family believe that the reason for the season is to celebrate the birth of Jesus,” said Mark Wivell, who put the display up on Saturday,

But where the Wivells live, their homeowners association has a big say in what can go up or come down.

The HOA told them Sunday a neighbor found their Jesus sign offensive, and a day later said signage like this was not allowed.

But the Wivells contend that it’s not a sign, rather a Christmas decoration.

“We have ordinances with regard to Christmas decorations, and my Christmas decorations comply with the HOA ordinances on Christmas decorations,” Wivell said.

The Courtyards HOA board issued a statement to FOX43, in part saying quote: “It is, indeed, unfortunate that our attention has been unnecessarily redirected in this manner with a suggestion that Scrooge is alive and well in our community.  Many of our families will be in church on Monday with their spirit diminished by this attack.”

The family says many other people have supported their display.

“When this happened, we were really shocked,” said Lynn Wivell. “We have gotten tremendous support from our neighbors here at the Links and that just makes us feel so good.”

The Wivells plan on keeping the display up until January 15th, when the rules say all displays must come down. They still do not know who was reportedly offended by the display.

Additional commentary via the Gettysburg Times “Homeowners’ group wants ‘Jesus’ out of community”:

Wivell has lived in the community since 2005 and said he is familiar with the guidelines in the Public Offering Statement (POS), which residents sign when they move in. Being familiar with the rule that prohibits decorations in the yard, Wivell made sure to put the decoration in the mulch bed outside his home, he said.

Wivell argues it is “not technically a sign,” but a Christmas decoration that complies with the POS. The Courtyards board disagrees.

A second email sent to Wivell, this time from the entire three-member board, explained how the sign is in violation. Tom Fischer and Karen Landry also sit on the board.

Quoting the POS, the board wrote, “No signs or billboard of any kind shall be displayed to the public view on any unit ”

The email continued on to say it is a “key responsibility” of the board to address complaints from homeowners regarding “matters that are in conflict” with the community’s rules.

“We simply cannot decide to enforce some standards and allow other standards to be ignored,” the board wrote.

Having personally served on HOA boards it is not a stretch to say that they serve to attract some of the worst elements in any neighborhood including cranks, petty authority freaks and those who want to exploit their position to rule over their enemies.

The Wivells should tell the HOA to get stuffed, it is Christmas and like the Confederate statues that put a bug up so many liberal asses, if you don’t like it, don’t look at it.