In which I'm continually baffled by the inhabitants of this world...

I came across this story today and it completely blew me away. It's a short read - it'll just take you a minute. I'll wait.

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Okay. Isn't that ridiculous?! First, it's a peace sign, for cryin' out loud. Why can't people understand that it's possible to still be supportive of our troops in Iraq and at the same time hope for peace? Maybe it's just me, but I think that if I had a child serving in the war, I wouldn't be offended if someone displayed a peace sign on their home. Doesn't peace indicate that our soldiers can come home?

Second, I loved The Da Vinci Code just as much as the next person - probably more, in fact - but really? A symbol of Satan? Come on.

It's a Christmas wreath. I think that Christmas and the idea of peace on earth sort of go hand-in-hand... to me, the ideas are interchangeable. I think the hanger of the wreath put it nicely when she said, "Peace is way bigger than not being at war. This is a spiritual thing."

Does anyone remember that X-Files episode where Mulder and Scully went undercover as Rob and Laura Petrie ("like the dish") in the weird, gated community? And the community association won't let them do anything to make their house stand out from the others? No basketball hoop, no lawn ornaments, no mailboxes painted anything other than "Desert Sage"?

Anyway, the community in this article reminded me of that episode: "The subdivision's rules say no signs, billboards or advertising are permitted without the consent of the architectural control committee." Um... it's a Christmas decoration. Arguably, I wouldn't classify a Christmas wreath as a sign, billboard, or advertisement of any kind. Those stupid, blow-up, oversized snow globes everyone has in their front yards now really get on my nerves, but I'd never complain to the homeowners about them... if that's what they want to do, fine. They're the ones looking stupid, not me.

At least there are some people on the association board with a little common sense:

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.

But then again........

Kearns fired all five committee members.