Commentary: ‘Vulgar’ Trump sign causing a ruckus in Florida neighborhood

Article Courtesy of The Orlando Sentinel

By David Whitley   

Published October 21, 2018

  
Karl Payne apparently is determined to make Lauderdale West great again.

It’s a retirement community in Plantation, and Payne decided to hang a big banner that read, “Trump 2020: No More Bull----” in his front yard.''

 

That hasn’t set well with the homeowner’s association, according to WPLG-TV. Payne told the Miami TV station that the HOA sent a crew over Monday morning to cut down the palm trees the banner was strung between.

The HOA prohibits homeowners from displaying political campaign signs or flags, according the WPLG report. As for the tree removal, front lawns are maintained by the HOA and considered common areas owned by the association.

So it would appear that Payne isn’t following HOA rules. It also appears he doesn’t care.

 

After the trees were cut down, he put the banner on the front of his house and added more signs and Trump flags, the TV station reported.

“I’m putting this up to support our president, and they don't have the right to take it down," Payne told WPLG.

The HOA did not respond to the TV station’s inquiries, WPLG reported. Payne filmed Monday morning’s encounter with the tree-cutting crew, and a representative from the association can be heard calling the sign “vulgar.”

Neighbors apparently agree and have complained to the HOA, the TV station said. Then again, maybe they just don’t like Trump.

Either way, Payne now says the dispute isn’t about politics. It’s about HOA rules. In the video he can be heard telling the HOA representative, “If you take it down, it’s going right back up.”

Police were on the scene but told WPLG that they were there to keep the peace, not remove the sign.

“They forced me to stay out of the way while the sign was removed,” Payne told the station.

Lauderdale West is a 55-and-over community with about 1,000 houses and 2,500 residents, according to its website.

“We are part of the City of Plantation, where ‘The grass is greener,’” the website says. “Here we pride ourselves on keeping our community beautifully green, too.”

Unless the greenery has a Trump sign, that is.

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