In the UK, there has been considerable concern about US foreign policy and the treatment of other nations by the US. So much so that Americans themselves are unfairly vilified by many in the UK, associating the people with the 'Might-Is-Right' policies of the US Administration. Much of the British press make a justified issue about US treatment of the people in other countries. What is less well publicised is the way that many US citizens are treated in their homeland.
Laws in the US are vastly different to laws in the UK. We tend to assume that citizens are protected by the Bill of Rights. We assume wrong. Nowhere in the US is the disregard of constitutional rights and the abuse of the Human Rights of US citizens more apparent than in residential areas controlled by Home Owners' Associations (HOAs). The previous link will take you to a site giving basic information on what a HOA is but it does not give examples of how many HOAs impose unreasonable and sometimes impossible rules with the objective of raking in the hefty fines they can impose for non-compliance of HOA rules. You can find more information on that here. Often the objective is to drive the homeowner into foreclosure by accumulating fines that the homeowner cannot pay.
Follow this link for an example of a law firm who foreclosed on five properties and then sold the properties to an attorney at prices ranging from $1400 to $7,000. The equity in each home was estimated to be between $150,000 and $300,000. A nice little earner for someone who is supposed to be upholding justice and protecting the rights of the people.
I became aware of the HOA situation through a friend whose home is in a HOA controlled area in Melbourne, Florida. Her lawn is systematically sprayed with pesticides that contaminate the air and tread into the home, resulting in illnesses related to poisoning from pesticides. She has to pay for this 'service' of course as HOAs charge for the 'services' they provide. However, not only has she never requested the lawn spraying, she has asked the HOA to kindly cease. No dice. The HOA spray her lawn whether she likes it or not. Refusing to pay for this abuse of her Human Rights would inevitably result in foreclosure so that another attorney might get another little bargain. She has been fighting this issue for ten years, which, taking into consideration the heavy-handed approach that HOAs generally adopt toward anyone who openly criticises their questionable practices, she shows surprising courage. Not surprisingly, she has little support from neighbours who fear reprisals from their HOA. If you wish to sign the petition against this particular practice, please do so by visiting: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/stop-flhoa39s-and-condo-assoc-from-poisoning-our-kids This desperately needs your support.
All this brings to mind the activities of an enterprising group of people originating from Sicily and currently running gambling joints in Chicago and Las Vegas. However, although the Mafia invariably included police, attorneys and senators on the payroll to lubricate the gears of corruption, such protection rackets were and remain illegal. FOAs conduct their own brand of racketeering with impunity.
If you feel strongly about the obvious legalised corruption within HOAs, particularly the compulsory spraying of pesticides in Florida HOAs, please write to:
Senator Bill Nelson
Washington, D.C. Office
United States Senate
716 Senate Hart Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
USA
FREEDOM is allegedly the most cherished of all American values... but is it?
Diego Garcia is an atoll in the Indian Ocean, stolen by the British and leased to the US for use as a strategic naval base and prison for those suspected of terrorist activities. Because the atoll resembles a footprint from the air, it has been dubbed by the US "The Footprint of Freedom"
It would seem that the word "Freedom" is shouted most loudly where it is most needed to cover the cries of the disenchanted, the disempowered and the oppressed.
