This nails something crucial: regulating 'offensiveness' instead of conduct effectively deputizes boards to act as speech police based on whos feelings got hurt. The real danger isnt just overstep in one building, its the normalization that comes with it treating subjective discomfort as grounds for punishment makes everyone more cautious, and self-censorship quickly becomes the safest strategy.
This is a very real problem in America, that the standard for punishing someone is becoming whether someone else's feelings are hurt. Some would-be rule-makers even assert that "words are violence", absurdly equating being cussed out with having bones broken. Grow a spine, people! No matter how wonderful a person you are, someone is going to dislike you, and possibly even express that dislike in vivid terms. Just go on about your business and stop whining!
The point overlooked in this is that we should have the right to associate with others in the manner we wish even as regards deportment. I currently live in a community with an HOA that provides many amenities. I don't always agree with its decisions, but I chose to abide by them voluntarily. There are plenty of properties without HOAs should I want to live without both the rules and the benefits of the HOA.
So after someone buys in and has a financial stake in their unit, you can then regulate what they say and do based on the feelings of one or two other owners?
What happens if someone is offended by the inanity of your juvenile assessment of adulthood?
The article reflects changes to bylaws that enforce thought police conduct.
By laws that enforce actions are one thing. Rules that enforce subjective views on conduct are juvenile and utterly unknowable when one purchases a unit.
You miss the sarcasm in my comment. When the next HOA President determines your views to be offensive ( whatever they are) will you just move?
Agreed, but any who bought knew that going in. There are plenty of places without HOAs if that's your concern. The reality is that in most HOAs it's not an issue. In my experience, they're fairly benign because that's how their members want it. I don't doubt that there are a few that are bad. If it is a problem, vote in a new board or leave.
This nails something crucial: regulating 'offensiveness' instead of conduct effectively deputizes boards to act as speech police based on whos feelings got hurt. The real danger isnt just overstep in one building, its the normalization that comes with it treating subjective discomfort as grounds for punishment makes everyone more cautious, and self-censorship quickly becomes the safest strategy.
This is a very real problem in America, that the standard for punishing someone is becoming whether someone else's feelings are hurt. Some would-be rule-makers even assert that "words are violence", absurdly equating being cussed out with having bones broken. Grow a spine, people! No matter how wonderful a person you are, someone is going to dislike you, and possibly even express that dislike in vivid terms. Just go on about your business and stop whining!
The point overlooked in this is that we should have the right to associate with others in the manner we wish even as regards deportment. I currently live in a community with an HOA that provides many amenities. I don't always agree with its decisions, but I chose to abide by them voluntarily. There are plenty of properties without HOAs should I want to live without both the rules and the benefits of the HOA.
So after someone buys in and has a financial stake in their unit, you can then regulate what they say and do based on the feelings of one or two other owners?
What happens if someone is offended by the inanity of your juvenile assessment of adulthood?
They can move to another place. Everyone in an HOA agreed to the terms before purchasing.
The article reflects changes to bylaws that enforce thought police conduct.
By laws that enforce actions are one thing. Rules that enforce subjective views on conduct are juvenile and utterly unknowable when one purchases a unit.
You miss the sarcasm in my comment. When the next HOA President determines your views to be offensive ( whatever they are) will you just move?
Agreed, but any who bought knew that going in. There are plenty of places without HOAs if that's your concern. The reality is that in most HOAs it's not an issue. In my experience, they're fairly benign because that's how their members want it. I don't doubt that there are a few that are bad. If it is a problem, vote in a new board or leave.