How Ridiculous Is THIS?

1. 71

   Cagsilposted 13 years ago

   Hey Hubbers,
   
   First let me start off- this is NOT for those who live outside the United States of America, because it's about Rights of Citizens.
   
   Next, this is what I find completely ridiculous, moronic, stupid and any other word you can come up with. It's pathetic!
   
   The link will take you to a story about how citizens are NOW fighting for their right to hang their laundry outside in their own yard?
   
   http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091118/us_ … sa_laundry
   
   Check it out-
   
   Then, give me your take on it?

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      C.J. Wrightposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I read this earlier. My ridiculous meter pegged! Practically everyone believes that they can tell others what to do...right down to the most mundain.

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         Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         I could not believe what I was reading. That's how pathetic it is!

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   2. 79

      starme77posted 13 years agoin reply to this

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         Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Thank you Starme. I appreciate your input.

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   Justine76posted 13 years ago

   why, is it bringing down the property value of neignboring houses or some bs like that?

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      Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      One business has got the people all worked up how BAD it looks in the community.
      
      This view, is because the businesses will lose money, because people's energy consumption will do down, but companies are manipulating the actions to look disgusting.

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         Justine76posted 13 years agoin reply to this

         jeeze....im so thankful i live in a rural zone

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   Denno66posted 13 years ago

   I think someone else's laundry hanging outside is an immoral affront to God! I'm kidding. I think this is one of the most ridiculous opposition movements I've ever seen.

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   zampanoposted 13 years ago

   Especially sheep's underware.
   It's not exclusive to America, you know.
   South Europe has same kind of problems in some cities.

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      Denno66posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I was never a fan of sheep underwear; too itchy.

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         Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         No doubt!

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            Denno66posted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Going Commando......

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               Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               Considering I don't know what you look like. I'm not even going to try to draw that image.
               
               No way, no how or not at all!
               
               Thanks for nothing!

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   2. 71

      Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Hey zampano,
      
      Did you miss something?
      
      Obviously, you skipped over the two points- (1) U.S.A. citizens, point (2) it's ridiculous to tell any single individual who has a yard, that they are not allowed to hang their clothes outside.
      
      I don't care what South Europe has for problems. And, the fact that YOU find it a problem- shows precisely where and how you are willing to give up your individual rights.
      
      My individual rights are being diminished by stupid and pathetic LAWS that have no place in society.
      
      That means TOO MUCH GOVERNMENT intervention into society has grown to what is now a huge, huge, huge problem in America.

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         Jeffrey Nealposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         I agree with you all the way, Cagsil.
         
         I saw a televised news story five or six months ago on this same exact thing, but I think it was in VA.  This is where I have a big problem with society today and why a true democracy is bad for us.  Individuals should be able to decide, and the others be damned.  If I'm not infringing on you, then I'll do as I darn well please!  That's my feelings on the issue.  This type of thing really heats me up!

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            Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            As you can see...it's really got me PISSED OFF!

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   Denno66posted 13 years ago

   I hang clothes out back on my clothesline(flips off the neighbors while smiling).

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6. 66

   Ivorwenposted 13 years ago

   It is ridiculous what people choose to complain about.  With all the fuss about being green, this lady should be applauded, instead of insulted.

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      Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      EXACTLY!

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7. 75

   AEvansposted 13 years ago

   What in the World is the U.S. coming to? This is a little ridiculous!

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      Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      A little?

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8. 59

   ComputerGuyposted 13 years ago

   WOW, this is something else.

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   1. 71

      Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      In case you haven't noticed- there are a lot of laws preventing people from themselves of getting hurt?
      
      What kind of thinking is this? Since, when did the Government become so involved in citizens' lives?
      
      This is absolutely absurd!
      
      Law: Jaywalking- fine or jail? Someone has to be told how and when they are allowed to walk across the damn street. That's pathetic!
      
      Law: Must have your grass cut to a certain length, for posterior looking community. This is considered to be a law of common decency. This tells people how to be responsible for keeping the front lawn? Someone needs to be TOLD this?
      
      This situation is out of control completely!

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   Denno66posted 13 years ago

   Homeowner's Associations have nothing better than to come up with these stupid rules. It justifies their existence. Wow! That sounded harsh, but hey, if the bootie fits.....

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      Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Don't freak out!
      
      I'll agree! Yet, again, we come down on the same side.

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         Denno66posted 13 years agoin reply to this

         OMG! I don't know how much more of this agreeing stuff I can take, Dude. I'm starting to worry......

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            Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Good!

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               Denno66posted 13 years agoin reply to this

               I HAD to disagree with you on another forum though, just to keep the status quo.

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                  Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  You do whatever you have to and I'll let the chips fall where they may.

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                     Denno66posted 13 years agoin reply to this

                     Oh, now you're taunting me?

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                        Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                        Actually, I was simply stating how I'm going to handle what effects come from what you say your actions are going to be.
                        
                        That's all. No taunting.

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      lorlie6posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      So true, Denno!  "Homeowner's Association" was all I needed to see-though I did read the article!

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         Denno66posted 13 years agoin reply to this

         It explains itself, actually.

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    zampanoposted 13 years ago

    Cagsil forgot to take his pills again...

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       Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Thanks for playing.

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    Shadesbreathposted 13 years ago

    The problem is that individual rights are not supposed to impinge on the rights of others.  What this woman is doing is hanging what the neighbors consider to be an eyesore and that will lower home values.
    
    While she appears to have the right to hang her laundry in the front yard (why not the back?), the question really being raised is does she have the right to do it at the expense of everyone else's sense of neighborhood aesthetics and, arguably, property value.
    
    What is LEGAL is not always what is right.
    
    A big problem in America is that on one side you have anal retentive people who HATE everything and want only what they approve of in all things, and on the other hand you have the self-righteous individualists who refuse to be "told what to do" by anyone.  The lack of courtesy in America perpetrated under the guise of "freedom" and "rights" has actually gotten at least as bad as any kind of governmental oppression. 
    
    Bottom line, normal people are surrounded by A-holes.
    
    Personally, I would hate her in my neighborhood and after several polite attempts to get her to hang her laundry in her back yard, I would begin to go out of my way to make her life miserable in return. 

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    1. 71

       Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Nice to see where your morals are at. A perfect example of what happens, when people don't understand life.
       
       It's greatly appreciated and shows exactly what's wrong with society.
       
       Thank you for your input.

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       Jeffrey Nealposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       I agree with you there are a lot of A-holes, but not with your entire post.  Reason being, this:
       
       As more and more laws and covenants are created enforcing another group's "common sense" you begin to notice that the individualists push back even more.  There isn't a law yet against being an A-hole. 
       
       As for the drying clothes, maybe there is more sun in the front than the back.  Why do we need laws for this?  You said something about impinging on rights, but do you have a "right" to a view free from clotheslines?  If so, isn't your right impinging on my "right" to dry clothes on a line?  Don't you think you shouldn't need permission to do this type of thing on your own property?  There's no need for a law to enforce courtesy.  Sorry, but there's not.
       
       
       
       You would make a lovely neighbor.  Someone who can't agree to disagree and needs to take action to control another.  That's exactly what is upsetting about this whole thing.

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          Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          Well said.

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          Shadesbreathposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          So you are calling "agree to disagree" one person having the right to lower everyone else's property value and show total disregard for the collective neighborhood desire that she put her laundry in the back yard or out of sight of the street front, universally recognized as the "face" of everyone's home.  And you think that's just fine? 
          
          How many months would it take at $85 dollars in saved electric bill to make up the thousands, even tens of thousands of dollars that would cost in home value, not to mention rent/double mortgages paid during the extra months it takes to sell a property that was being passed by on a street with that crap going on?  And that's just ONE component, one that has nothing to do with having to feel like suddenly the community you thought you lived in has transformed to something else.
          
          It's one thing to broker a deal and compromise with neighbors, but when the neighborhood as a whole has asked that someone not do something (which is what this article we're talking about is writing about) and that someone insists on shoving their right to be different in everyone's faces out of spite or indignation or bull stubbornness, well, then that person deserves the feud he/she brings upon themselves.  It's that kind of selfishness that destroys COMMUNITIES.  "Community" is NOT about fiercely individual people forcing everyone to accept every personal whim, shoved in the collective face, nor is freedom.
          
          The person in that article is being stubborn on purpose.  If her neighbors don't stop their dogs from crapping on her lawn or take little care of whether or not their kids or visitors park in front of her house, don't bother to sweep off lawn mower clippings that shoot onto her walk, or any one of a thousand little un-official courtesies that neighbors do for one another, well, she deserves what she gets. Nobody will be a good neighbor to a bad one. It's simple reality.  Has NOTHING to do with "taking action to control" another.

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12. 61

    Beth Solomonposted 13 years ago

    I've heard of some ridiculous homeowner association requests, from limiting the colors you can paint your house, to the hours you can have trash cans out on the street on trash day.  I've heard this story about the laundry.  I am thankful I do not live in a place with a homeowner's association to dictate what I can or can't do with my property.

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       Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Yes, it is absolutely absurd to see this happening.

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          sneakorocksolidposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          We have all those rules and more and we love it! This is how we wanted to live and there are thousands of areas in Houston to choose from. If you choose here you will maintain your property.

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             Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

             And you do know why you love it?

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                sneakorocksolidposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                We're anal retentive.

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    sneakorocksolidposted 13 years ago

    We live in a nice neighborhood in Sugarland Tx. We chose this area because we didn't want to live in a neighborhood with Ma & Pa Kettle. We expect and pay for our POA to keep things in order. When you buy a home you should always check the poa agreements. It's stupid to buy a house in an area where you will be in conflict with the POA and your neighbors. Find a house where you can do what you want.

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       Jeffrey Nealposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       You're right.  You have a choice where to live.  Some people prefer the HOA's structure to living without it.  I never would, but that's my own choice.
       
       The woman in the original story doesn't live under these rules, but they are still pressuring her.  That's wrong.

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          sneakorocksolidposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          Agreed!

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    rebekahELLEposted 13 years ago

    I can't tell from the pic, but most clotheslines are in the backyard or side yard so a family is not parading their clothes in their front yard.

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    Denno66posted 13 years ago

    That's why these HOA's are ridiculously nitpicky.

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    SinjinStormcrowposted 13 years ago

    I really think that the homeowner associations are taking this too far.  Seriously the want their own "click" saying I'm better and I can prove it right Ted. I had to deal with idiots like this for years and normally its just one or two people who get the other's danruff up.  Those are the people that were the captian's of the cheerleader teams or football teams whose life is nothing sense that time and want to be in the spot light.

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       Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Welcome to Hubpages.
       
       And, Yes, it is a shame that other people feel the need to enforce their own individual beliefs about life on others, when they themselves probably don't have a clear understanding of it themselves.
       
       Hmmm.....sounds like ignorance in the greatest fashion.

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       sneakorocksolidposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       If you don't read the rules before you buy your house and you find out the people there are crazy who's fault is it?

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          Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          And that would lead me to another point I've been screaming about, since I got here at Hubpages- Where is Self-Responsibility Gone? What is wrong with people?
          
          I'll agree. When you are buying a home, due the background work and make sure you know what you're doing. You go in with blinders on then, yes- you created your problem, because you didn't do the necessary work to know everything. This does happen from time to time.
          
          But, that still doesn't forgive the insanity of restricting an individual's right of choice. You place individual right of choice against everything. Why? Because, GOVERNMENT is already working against you and your neighbor. How? Because, your individual right of choice is weighed against what's in the best interest of society, as a whole. The Majority wins, everytime. With the amount of self-irresponsibility going on in the Country- I can see why society is where it is at.

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17. 70

    Jeffrey Nealposted 13 years ago

    While I trust that you have good reason to believe this, I'm not sure it's the case.  Let me just say up front is my concern of something like this turning into a "slippery slope" issue.
    
    I don't think this is the same thing as having a neighbor with rotting cars and old tires and trash in the front yard.  That sort of person may have a right to let their property go to heck, but they likely are having a real effect on property value.  Someone hanging clothes out to dry?  I would have to see some proof.  It's a temporary condition.
    
    I live in a city, so I don't have a big stretch of land.  My back yard gets almost zero sunlight due to the mature trees.  My front yard is very bright with a SW exposure.  Say I decide to save some money by planting vegetables.  Back yard is out, side yard is too narrow and a utility easement, so I'm left with the front.  Well, one of my neighbors can't stand the way it looks and they get some support from the city, and someone knows someone, gets strings pulled...you see where I'm going with this?  All because I decided to do something beneficial for myself, but some "other" people decided they didn't like it.  They could try to say I'm dropping property values, but am I really?
    
    I understand what you are saying about community, but I don't think this will destroy them.  It also doesn't take into account what I said earlier that by passing all these laws that legislate courtesy or morality or safety, or whatever we are eventually crossing a line that I'm not sure we want to cross and they may actually cause more activism and "in your face" displays.
    
    You seem to think that this person is doing what she does out of spite, but perhaps it's just as simple as using the sunny part of her property to dry clothes. If others tell her they don't like that, maybe she has taken it into consideration or not, but I believe she should have the freedom to do so.  Is it really hurting anyone?  I'll wait for the proof.

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       Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Again, well said.
       
       I was going to say something to the response you answered, but I thought since it was posted to you directly, it wasn't my place to answer it. I believed you had to ability to handle this on your own, because of your previous post.

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       Shadesbreathposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Well, I will say that I agree that the vegetable/fruit thing gets closer to the dividing line, at least with that there's possibility for compromise.  Obviously the fact that the city agreed with your neighbors proves that there is a reality to people being interested in preserving their property values through an over-arching aesthetic continuity.  For many, a home is their ONLY investment, and they have lifelong plans for the equity they are building/have built, and one person's environmental crusade or architectural political activism can really infuriate them when it does their long-time plans harm.
       
       That said, vegetables and fruit trees can be planted so as not to look like crops growing in someone's front lawn.  I've seen some gorgeously arranged practical gardens. Ultimately, however, if the neighbors really, really hated it, AND if it is in violation of city ordinances, I have to say, perhaps being the fond gardener you are, you chose the wrong location when you selected that particular house and might have looked a bit longer to locate one suitably situated to serve your green thumb without bringing the wrath of the neighborhood down.
       
       As an alternative on a larger scale:"green" communities could form of like-minded people. The property values of both neighborhoods would be strong because their exist markets for both value sets, neither being imposed arbitrarily upon the other.

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          Jeffrey Nealposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          My front yard garden is a hypothetical.  If it weren't, and the city decided against me, I assure you I would move. 
          
          The article doesn't give us enough info to determine what the lady's motivations are.  That's why I wrote my example because it's something I've really thought about prior to this discussion.
          
          When making these types of decisions, though, lawmakers have to rely on facts and not emotion.   Unfortunately that's not always the case.  Too many laws are passed because of emotion and someone connected enough to make it happen.  This is not where we want to be.  I'm a firm believer that the less restrictions we have as individuals, the tighter our communities will be and the better our society will be overall.

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             Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

             And, you know what- I'm going to add something else here, because I think it needs to be added- I disapprove of the individual's right of choice being eliminated from our daily lives. So much so, it's almost like living under a 'dictatorship' regime!
             
             And, I guess - What I am appalled at most? Is the pure and simple fact that YOU(shadesbreath) are only thinking of yourself and what YOU lose? and comparing it to the rights of others. Your property value? A Human being's well being and comfort in their life, is what gives them their happiness. If you are 'worried' or 'fearful' of your property values and you care so much about what you lose(meaning money), that you don't SEE the damage your doing, then all I have to say to that- You're sad!
             
             MONEY over an Individual's Right of Choice? Hmm...Morals anyone?

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                sneakorocksolidposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                Thats not a fair position. There's not a house in our neighborhood under $300,000 and in Texas thats alot of house! If I choose to live in an area with rules thats our choice we did our homework and we found what we wanted. Thats freedom! Moving into the same area and being a slob and screaming about your rights, I'm sorry, but thats just plain'ole stupid.

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                Shadesbreathposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                First off, how does NOT hanging laundry in your front yard represent "the right of choice being eliminated" from our daily lives? We are talking about a specific behavior and in a particular case wherein the neighbors DON'T want her doing that.  THat is hardly the "elimination" of the right of choice.
                
                Secondly, to compare a situation wherein the people of the neighborhood have all asked ONE person to stop with the laundry thing to a dictatorship proves that not only are you unfamiliar with what a dictatorship is in principle, much less in severity, but that you are also unfamiliar with what a democracy is.
                
                Third, if you read what I wrote more carefully - in less a hurry to sprint to the "reply" button so you can call me names, and more in keeping with concept of "exchange of ideas" - you would have seen that I was not arguing for myself at all.  I was arguing for the property values of the entire neighborhood, discussing the notion of equity and investments that impact entire families... not just ONE family either, every family on the street.
                
                While I will agree that there are two principles at stake, personal freedom and personal finance, unlike you, I won't call you "sad" for your position. I will suggest that to suggest that someone's "well being and comfort in their life, is what gives them their happiness" is pinned that closely to where they hang their laundry, then, well, I might consider that person's life pretty sad.  In addition, I might also suggest that people are very often made to be "sad" if their retirement is postponed or even lost (an extreme, sure, but markets can crash in the period of time it might take to move investment money around and sell house etc. - same goes for estate losses), children's education funds are reduced or eliminated (based on lack of equity and subsequent inablity to secure loans, etc.), and other VALUES that are associated with the money you espouse to hate so much.
                
                I realize you were trying to shine the pettiness light on me or something by putting your point about money in that pejorative fashion, but if you can rise above that sort of base rhetoric thing for a moment, you'll see that there are other legitimate values involved, and, in my opinion, values of greater consequence than the right to push a minor display of independence under the mask of being "green" on all one's neighbors.

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    habeeposted 13 years ago

    If the economy gets really bad, I assure you that folks in my suburban neighborhood will be planting veggies all over their yards, hanging clothes out to dry, and maybe building a chicken run in the front yard. That's after we wipe out the squirrel population. I figure we could live off those for a couple of months, easy. lol

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       Jeffrey Nealposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       

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19. 83

    jiberishposted 13 years ago

    I researched for a hub I recently wrote about the banned things in the US, and soon we'll be lucky if we're allowed to leave our homes.  Did anyone hear that they banned the words AMERICA and AMERICANS from text books?

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    jiberishposted 13 years ago

    Did they ban flying a flag in one apt complex recently?

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       Jeffrey Nealposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Missed that, but I missed this also:
       
       http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/local/1 … es_charges
       
       Being naked in your own home may be illegal.

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          Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          Thank you so much. I wouldn't have thought of that. I was going to respond, then saw yours and agreed.
          
          So, Your's stands. I'll just agree.

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    tony0724posted 13 years ago

    Just another case in point of how absurd we have become as a society ! I will back up a person like her any day of the week !

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