Peace sign Christmas wreath banned in Colorado

Submitted by Bill Weinberg on Tue, 11/28/2006 - 20:04

This, as we have noted before, is how censorship works in the USA: by other names—which, of course, makes it more insidious. From AP, Nov. 27:

DENVER -- A homeowners association in southwestern Colorado has threatened to fine a resident $25 a day until she removes a Christmas wreath with a peace sign that some say is an anti-Iraq war protest or a symbol of Satan.

Some residents who have complained have children serving in Iraq, said Bob Kearns, president of the Loma Linda Homeowners Association in Pagosa Springs. He said some residents have also believed it was a symbol of Satan. Three or four residents complained, he said.

“Somebody could put up signs that say drop bombs on Iraq. If you let one go up you have to let them all go up,” he said in a telephone interview Sunday.

Lisa Jensen said she wasn’t thinking of the war when she hung the wreath. She said, “Peace is way bigger than not being at war. This is a spiritual thing.”

Jensen, a past association president, calculates the fines will cost her about $1,000, and doubts they will be able to make her pay. But she said she’s not going to take it down until after Christmas.

“Now that it has come to this I feel I can’t get bullied,” she said. “What if they don’t like my Santa Claus.”

The association in this 200-home subdivision 270 miles southwest of Denver has sent a letter to her saying that residents were offended by the sign and the board “will not allow signs, flags etc. that can be considered divisive.”

The subdivision’s rules say no signs, billboards or advertising are permitted without the consent of the architectural control committee.

Kearns ordered the committee to require Jensen to remove the wreath, but members refused after concluding that it was merely a seasonal symbol that didn’t say anything. Kearns fired all five committee members.

See our last post on the anti-war movement (which this Christmas wreath incident barely even qualifies as—which just makes the backlash all the more terrifying).

Satanic symbol

Submitted by Bartholomew (not verified) on Wed, 11/29/2006 - 12:41

The peace symbol as Satanic is an old fundie urban myth. Witchvox explains:

Another thing handed out at Bill Pricer's presentation was a two photocopied pages of "Symbols". The symbols and flawed definitions on these two pages include:

Drawing of an inverted crucifix and a peace symbol labelled "Cross of Nero". The definition accompanying these drawings reads: "The 'upside down' cross is an inverted Christian cross. This early-'60s peace symbol is now commonly thought of as the 'Cross of Nero' by heavy metalheads and occultists." NOTE: The peace symbol was created by well known author Bertrand Russell in 1958. He used it as a symbol in a march for nuclear disarmament that took place in Aldermaston, England. The symbol consists of three elements: The semaphore signal for the letter "N" (nuclear) superimposed over the semaphor signal for the letter "D" (disarmament), surrounded by a circle (representing the concept "total"). Thus the completed symbol was supposed to represent "total nuclear disarmament". It is in no way related to Satanism or inverted crucifixes. Followers of Neo-Pagan religions such as my own may utilize the peace symbol as what it was originally intended to represent: A symbol of peace. Pagans do not use inverted crucifixes.

Peace fights back

Submitted by Bill Weinberg on Sat, 12/02/2006 - 01:23

From Democracy Now via Indybay, Dec. 1:

A Colorado couple has won their battle to keep a holiday wreath shaped like a peace sign on the front of their house. Lisa Jensen and Bill Trimarco recently received a letter from the board of their homeowners association threatening them with fines of $25 a day unless they removed the peace wreath.

A Colorado couple has won their battle to keep a holiday wreath shaped like a peace sign on the front of their house. Last week, Lisa Jensen and Bill Trimarco received a letter from the board of their homeowners association threatening them with fines of $25 a day unless they removed the peace wreath from their house.

The couple refused and as word spread, others in their town put up peace wreaths in solidarity. Earlier this week, there was a march of people carrying peace signs through the center of town. And a peace wreath has been placed on a bell tower in the middle of the town square. The town website also posted a message saying that it wholly supported the Jensen/Trimarco wreath and "also wishes for peace on Earth."

The three-member board has withdrawn their demand, issued an apology to the couple and resigned from the association.